What I've learned from my truck? That ANYthing can be recycled, reused, repainted, welded, bondo'd and glued onto a truck.

What I've learned about myself? That I'm so glad that someone used such creativity to keep my truck alive until I got it.

What I've learned from this thread? That DR Smith was probably the Previous Owner of my '54....

Jerry

 

Where do I start

OK:

 

Thanks for the laugh, I needed it. You guys are great.

 

these are contributions from my early years of ownership (1977) of my F1. I you want your truck to be all the same color, the quickest, easiest way to accomplish this is with latex primer, applied by brush. the first coast looked so good, i sanded it and added a second coat. the latex lasted for 29 years (22 off the road) and stripped easily with paint stripper. if your box cross members are severely rusted, 2"x6" pressure treated lumber can be slipped over the frame and under the angle of the box. the box bolts then through the floor, if you have one, will hold the box together, more of less. also lasted 29 years. the 2"x6" came out and were good enough to use for something else.

 

I have learned that you don't need cotter pins, nails or bailing wire works just fine.

 

Pete, did you buy my old truck?

 

Or her twin

 

I learnt that just about anything can be made to fit, OR close tolerances are not that important.

This is the switch for my electric window, fitted (sort of) over the original window winder hole/moulding.

 

i had holes in the inner cowl of my f1 with no cover panels on the inside of the cab in 1977, so water from the front wheels splashed into the cab. i carefully fashioned some patches out of roofing shingles and glued them in with roofing cement, after 7 years daily driving and 22 years in storage we re-did the truck. the patches had held up well, as well they should since they are roofing materials. they did a good job of keeping my shoes and pants dry.

 

Bondo should fix that shouldn't it?

 

If your door striker plate is wearing down, you can get extra mileage out of it by using a "U" nail as a shim between the plate and the door jamb.

I'm starting to admire Previous Owner's ingenuity.

 

I have also learned that I am not anywhere close to a professional auto body/paint person. I am also not the brightest mechanic around. But I have also learned that I love trying. And thanks to a lot of practice and to Ax and his tutorials, I have become a decent welder. I have become a decent fabricator, and I have also learned from my truck to be patient. It will not be done overnight.

 

I learned that if you sand blast the cab it will act as a salt shaker months afterwards, no mater how much you try to clean the sand out of it.

 

A tin pie plate cut in half and held in place with bath tub caulk around both headlight buckets makes a great Bondo backing. Perfect when sculpting a three inch thick fender patch.

 

What I have learned from my truck:

- A "solid looking truck" doesn't mean it's solid
- Everything snowballs when I "modify" anything
- Patience is a virtue Kemosabe, I was supposed to be driving my truck daily by now....in my mind anyways lol
- Coolest thing I'm learning from this truck is...Learning how to build a safe 51 ford pickup I can be proud of and enjoy with my family and friends.

PS: 3/4 inch thick bondo isn't a good way to fix rusted out fenders