Thanks, I am still learning as I go but so far so good.

Truck may come out once or twice more but normally once November hits the toys go away for the winter. Gotta scrap out the last XJ6 this weekend, one more Z28 parts car, then back to the 41 caddy winter project, I need that one running and driving for the spring!

 

Time is flying, finally fired up the truck and time to finish up the last few details. Gas gauge was acting funny, and in this case other than the temp gauge it is the most important part of the truck
Dropped the tank bench tested the sender again, all good, went through all the wiring, all good. New gauge is NG, so now have to deal with seeing if I can send it back for a replacement.
Time to button this build up and figure out the final $ spent.

 

Hey Dave,
Don't add it up....too depressing to think about... Your truck looks great!
That side mounted spare is very practical ..I wish we had one of those.
Show us some video of you driving it... I'd love to hear what it sounds like.

Looking good over there in New York!

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

I agree with Ben, you probably don't want to know how much you have in it.

From what I have seen, you seem to be able to do so much with out spending a lot of money. Your truck gooks great.

I am envious - you have done a great job.
Please post videos so those of us that don't have ours done, can live vicariously through your truck.

Can't wait
Dan

 

Thanks guys, I will try and make a video, but I have to somehow get a way to mount my phone. No way to drive one handed, so maybe there is some suction cup mount that can go on the back window.
Right now the truck is pretty loud, so tail pipes are one of the last details, but very last since I can deal with noise. It sounds pretty good running up through the gears, but I need to get the trans out again, I think the 3/4 shift fork is bent. It will be ok for the season but will have to come out over next winter.
I also picked up some 17" mustang bullett wheels, same style as what I have but of course more modern, I think I am going to mount them just to see if they look good.
I dont mind adding up the cost, I like the challenge of keeping it low buck, even if I did splurge a bit on some new stuff I didnt need but wanted.
Final details coming up soon, then maybe truck #1 will get some love? The cab is actually almost done!

Hey Ben I hope I never have to use that spare, it may be worse than a temporary space saver..it has a bias ply of unknown origin and was snagged more for looks than fuction! I does hold air but I have no idea if it is round LOL.

 

I think Dave probably does the most with the least amount of money of any of us on here.
He makes the most of donors and swap meet items. I think i'm envious of the amount of work he gets done in minimal time. He has put 2 trucks together in the same time most of us are only half way done 1. Dave I have learned many things and changed ideas for my builds from your threads. I will miss reading and seeing your posts as i have others that finished their trucks.

 

Thank you so much, no way can I take all the credit as I have learned a ton here, I knew absolutely zero about the F1 trucks when I registered at the suggestion of a fellow member.
You and your kids are doing an amazing job saving those COEs, the work you did on the doors alone reminds me to save stuff that I would of tossed out.
There are plenty of guys here who can run circles around me no problem, and I appreciate their trucks just as much as the backyard done stuff like mine.
We are all learning, just from things I did on this truck I want to go back and make changes to truck #1 before final assembly.
Besides you wont get rid of me that fast, once truck #1 starts up again I am going to make some major changes, including switching from the M6 to an automatic so my wife can drive it. Truck #1 will have actual paint on it so she may just want to drive it!

 

Installed the "air cleaner" today. I bought this 1959 or so T bird air cleaner on ebay. I wanted to make it functional, but didnt have enough room up front for the ducting to make it happen. So I put it on for looks anyway. The LT1 engine is designed to be low, and it is way down in the engine compartment.



Made this bracket from some scraps to mount the T bird air cleaner



And now mounted. Almost looks like some big 429 in there LOL.



Took the truck out for a 40 or so mile round trip to a car show tonight, nothing broke so going ok so far. I do need tail pipes though, this thing is stupid loud in the cab. I think it is worse because the mufflers end behind the cab, I bet it is louder inside than outside...well maybe not!

 

Looking good

 

Dave,
I started with a pair of cherry bombs, too LOUD. I went to a set of Borla's, much better. I was more limited by the 304 ss exhaust. When talking to a tech at Borla I explained that I wanted the truck to talk to me but not yell at me.

 

Bill I think your cherry bombs would be quieter then what I have. I put the truck in the air after work and looked inside the mufflers from the back with a light.



Other than a few pieces of perforated metal on the bottom these things are basically open exhaust!

I think I am going to try a pair of the Thrush welded mufflers to quiet it down along with the tail pipes.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/wlk-17656/overview/

 

Transmission was giving me real problems with the 2-3 shift, probable bent shift fork which seems to be common with T56s. First time for me, but it was making the truck a PITA to drive, so out it comes.



What stinks about a trans jack is it only lowers to about chest height, then to get the trans to the floor it has to be picked up and lowered. Trans weighs about 120 pounds, I must be getting old because it felt like a whole lot more. Sucker is heavy. Anyway it is on the floor for a future rebuild.



Trans swap successful, can now hit all 6 gears without concern, even with the extra long shifter.

Bought the Thrush welded mufflers from summit, next is to see if tail pipes are enough to quiet this thing down or if I need to swap mufflers as well.

Also ordered a suction cup iphone holder so I can try to put my phone on the back window and take a ride along video for a quarter mile or so! So far I have not had the gas to the floor, the tires start spinning well before that. I am glad I didnt put the supercharger in this truck, it would of been down right scary.

And finally got an outside picture.

 

I always wondered how much grunt was "too much" on these trucks......I'm pleasantly surprised to hear from a real world combatant just how low that HP figure needs to be to be less fun rather than more fun!
...... and that's scary AFTER you installed a solid Jag IFS......tales of blown hemis over original straight axles being remotely streetable come under new scrutiny....


What diff ratio did you have again??

 

I am running a 4:11 posi rear gear. If I ran higher gear I am sure it would tame some of the tire spinning at part throttle.
Just my opinion but a 300HP would be plenty for one of these trucks. I dont race anymore so I dont worry about HP numbers. This engine is 400+HP and it doesnt make the truck hard to drive, it just is a waste because the power isnt needed. I like low end off idle torque, so I am still a fan of bigger engines and low RPMs. You wont see me putting a honda 4 banger in anything soon!
Scary comes into play depending on how you drive . Its like having a sport bike that will do 160mph, some day you are going to get stupid and run it up to that number or as close as you dare. 100mph feels very different in a 1951 pickup vs a newer car. My calculator says I can do 200 MPH in 6th at 5500!

 

I know I feel a lot more comfortable at the legal speed limits in my panel , it can get scary when you step on it and watch the needle climb, it's like be fired from a sling shot...lol