What Scotty's 52 F3 said above.

 

Thank You Scotty and Ray! I appreciate the kind words.
Mark

 

I bolted the running boards and grill assembly on today. The headlight and parking light doors will need to be polished and the headlights will need new wiring. The bumper is from a '51 F5, mine is bent pretty badly. I will have to weld the license plate bracket holes and move them to the right side if I decide to put the bracket back on.
Thanks, Mark

 

I finished the front shock install today.

Here is a photo of the passenger side installed. I took it for a drive to my brothers house, about 3/4 mile away. I am amazed at how much smoother it rides with the springs cleaned and the shocks installed. It doesn't ride like the same truck. It doesn't squeak anymore either.
I also got the hood installed last week while my sons were home.

The more I see the red and black, the more I like it.


I was a little concerned about the color match between the cab and hood. I painted the cab 11 years ago and I had a friend of mine paint the hood about 2 weeks ago. I used Dupont Nason urethane fleet paint in Holly Red. I bought 2 gallons about 10 years apart. Being a fleet color it is off the shelf, factory mixed. I think the color match is pretty good in these two photos.
I also installed the bench seat out of the '51 F6 fire truck I bought. I think I will recolor the vinyl, it is grey now, to match the brown headliner I have and keep the seat in the truck. We will use the bucket seats I bought in my son's '69 Bronco.
I have to push the back of the hood down a little when it is closed. I don't know if it is an adjustment issue or I need new springs?
Thanks, Mark

 

Woohoo update, thanks. It looks great. Glad it's smooth riding now

 

Thank you, I appreciate the kind words.
Mark

 

Mark
A neat job on the shocks.
I'll remember when I go to paint my truck to pick a off the shelf factory mixed color like that. If you ever need the paint touched up just get another can. I am glad to see your truck is coming together so nicely.
Nelson

 

It looks like a perfect match.

Eleven years? What happened? But you moving now!

 

Thank you, Nelson. I appreciate it.
BTW,I sent you an e-mail a few minutes ago.
Mark

 

Thanks, Abe. Yes, I am tickled with the color match. I've only been able to work on it over the years as I have the time and money. It seems like I don't always have both at the same time for some reason
Mark

 

I have the two speed axle out of the '51 F6 painted and ready to install in my F4.


Last Saturday I removed the back cover and pinion seal. I used my spray nozzle and rinsed the inside out really well with kerosene. Everything looked like new inside, but I guess it should with only 22,000 miles. I painted it yesterday after a good cleaning on Wednesday. Tomorrow I will pull the Timken axle out of my truck and remove the brakes and hubs and install them on the two speed. Hopefully tomorrow evening I can have this axle under my truck. I will have to make a new rear driveshaft as this axle has a larger u-joint than my F4. If it had been out of F5 the driveshaft would have been the same as my F4 single speed. I will be pulling the gears, 5.83 ratio, out of my Timken axle to send to Nelson, nsboyd1210, for the front axle of his '50 F5 M-H.
Thanks, Mark

 

Mark,

Keep in mind there are conversion/combination/adapter u-joints available. These u-joints convert from one dimension to another.

Here is a neat little chart that shows Spicer u-joint dimensions:
131 1306 02+double Jointed U Joint Differences+u Joint Sizes - Photo 51023856 - Double Jointed - U-Joint Differences

Here is an example of a conversion u-joint:
https://www.jegs.com/i/Yukon-Gear/80...BoCHeoQAvD_BwE

My F5 uses 1350 u-joints. I wonder if the F6 takes a 1410.

Nelson

 

Hi Nelson, Yes the F6 does use a 1410 u-joint. My F4 uses the 1350 u-joint like your F5. I hadn't even thought of using a conversion u-joint. Thank you for the tip, I will go that route.
Thanks again, Mark

 

DAMN! You do GREAT work!

I see I'm not the only one that can't always get to my build. Time or money issues. Throw in family tragedy and projects get stalled. Thanks for the update.
Scott

 

Thank you, Scott. Yes, life does get in the way once in a while.
Thanks again, Mark