finally took possession of the '52 F3 which was left abandoned on a friend's new property... < https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...lub-52-f3.html >

not too shabby for a $50 bottle of whiskey, eh? will start the titling process next week after i get the VIN verified. in the meantime, i'm tearing into it to get a good overview of the truck and what will need to be done. the goal: build a fun "mountain truck" for camping and mountain biking, as inexpensively as possible. *if* i can find a passenger door that is a close match to the cab's patina, i may end up leaving it all "rat rod" style. if not, i may incur the extra expense (and work) and strip all the rust/paint.

i've already picked up a 351W from a '95 F150 which i've torn apart and will rebuild (also my first time building a motor).

this will be a long-term project, though i'd really like to have it at least "on the road" by this fall. we'll see.

i know i'll have a zillion questions along the way, so will document my progress here and appeal to the experts on this forum.

 

first order of business: pull the inline 6 215... appears to be complete, minus air cleaner assembly, and turns freely. not sure what to do with this -- i have it on craigslist currently but not sure what demand there is for these. i don't really have the room to store it.

 

so which tranny do i have? it is a 4 speed. not sure if i'm going to keep it or replace with something more modern and over-drive. it will depend in part on what gearing is in the rear-end (which is not original, from what i understand from earlier posts here?).

 

after cleaning out about 30 pounds of dirt, mouse poop, and debris, the floors look pretty decent! this truck has lived most of its life in a CO field, and despite missing a door during 40 years of harsh winters, not much rust anywhere (other than surface rust).






what would have gone in this under-dash panel here on the driver's side? 4 holes:

 

i know there are "kits" to reupholster OEM bench seats, though they aren't all that cheap from my initial research...

here's what i've got to start with -- trying to determine if it is worth it to save, vs. pulling a bench seat from a junkyard van? found a pretty decent leather one the other day out of an E350 which i'm sure could be made to fit with a little work.

 

the driver's door latch mechanism isn't working currently (have to pry it open from the inside with a screwdriver). need to look closer at what's going on. how do the interior handles (door / window crank) come off so that i can remove that panel?

also, i assume this exterior "handle" isn't stock??

 

Handles come off by pushing the spring loaded trim around the handle towards the door which exposes a drift pin that needs to be pushed out.
I had the same issue with my latches, there are a lot of posts on repairing them. Here is one I wrote up with pictures, searching the site will find more info as well.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...them-work.html

 

Well don't let that first timer thing bother you, That is exactly what I was and after some 12 plus, years of pure enjoyment working on my truck I still consider myself, a novice. There is not one question that has gone unanswered while here on FTE. So settle in and get ready for tons of enjoyment. And I should probably mention that your going to meet at (least on line, some in person) some of the nicest people that I've ever had the pleasure of meeting myself. So here is a big warm FTE welcome from California.

 

What a bargain! To pick up a truck like that down under, you'd have to mortgage the whole refinery, AND sell your yacht.
Good luck with the rebuild. Lovin' it already!

 

Enjoy your project. Like you this is my first rebuild. What I thought would be a quick build and back on the road is now 3 years. There was a lot more that needed to be done than I realized and I've been my own worst enemy updating for many systems. Despite all I've truly enjoyed the whole process. This site is a life saver, you'll always find the info you need.
Good Luck!

 

Hey Gold
Welcome Aboard!! So ...who is the little guy peering out from behind you there? Looks like a good little helper...

We used a Chevy S10 bench seat in our F1 - Fits nice. You have to build some sort of platform to get the correct
seating angle. I've seen a thread on here somewhere that started with an original seat like your's - turned out very
nice. I'll see if I can find it...

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

based on an earlier thread, i think i've determined my rear axle is an eaton HO72... quick question: thought i could determine gear ratio by spinning rear drum one revolution and counting driveshaft revolutions, but shaft only spun 2 1/4 times.


(unfortunately i can't upload any pix right now for some reason )

 

I may have your door you need. PM me your email address and I'll send you pics and details.

 

Enjoying the pics and progress!! What a great find too... You'll find lots of help here with a lot of super nice guys.

mike

 

Must be an open diff so figure 4 1/2 turns or close to 4.50 ratio...