After a very long hiatus, specifically since November of 2015, I am back on the forum, and doing a bit of work on Gertie.

Became sidetracked with work issues and other things that just consumed about all my energies and time. Health is good though, family is fine, got a new grandson, and Gertie is back on the road.

Back in late 2015 and through early 2016, I began having some real problems with the starter not turning over. Acted much like bad brushes. So I removed the starter and took it out to my shop in the sticks with the intention of overhauling it. Got it all apart and found everything to be in fantastic condition. The problem though was not bad brushes, but that the armature had never had the mica undercut. From what I can tell, the starter is factory original. With the lack of undercutting, the copper segments had become all smeared up and glazed, which caused the intermittent starting issue. Was going to undercut the mica, install new brushes, and paint the starter.

But I got pulled away by other projects, and life in general. So the truck has languished at the end of my drive for a good year with nothing getting done on it. Nice part of it, is that I began a regimen of spraying down the truck with a mixture of kerosene and motor oil to help preserve the body from further deterioration, and invested in a nice truck cover. began doing the "treatment" almost 2 years ago.

When I got around to messing with Gertie again a couple weeks ago, I found that the cover and oil treatment had really done the trick. When I uncovered the old girl, she looked as if she had been in a garage for the past year. I really need to have a garage built in which to keep her though. Got an attached garage on my house, but it isn't deep enough. My Grand Cherokee fits nicely, but the F-2 is too long, and you can't shut the door.

Being that the summer is fast running out, and that I was missing driving the truck, I went ahead and just ordered a new starter and Bendix. Installed that part the weekend before last, along with a new battery. After dribbling a little gas down the carb., she fired right up.

In the ensuing two weeks, I drove her enough to run a tank of gas out (to burn out the old fuel), installed a fresh set of plugs, and spoiled myself by springing for a brand new Dennis Carpenter reproduction carburetor, blue dot taillight lenses, new clips for the hood spears (can't understand why the originals are failing, they are only 68 years old), and a new pump to carb. fuel line. Also changed the oil and filter.

Truck is running very good, and doesn't look bad at all. Took her to the annual Hot Rods N' Rock and Roll downtown yesterday, and received a lot of good comments. She was the only F-2 there out of some 500 vehicles. In fact, there were only 5 "fat fendered" Ford trucks there in total. One heavily modified rat rod thing (an F-1), a couple of custom F-1 trucks with small blocks in them, and a completely restored 1949 F-1 in red. Truck is supposed to be the first 1949 to roll off the line for the new model year.

To keep rolling on getting things done to Gertie, I just posted on Denny's heater thread inquiring about getting all the heater parts that go under the fender. Mine are absolutely rotted away, although the motor is still good. I also intend on springing for a new battery tray, and some other little things.

That about sums up where the truck stands now. I hope to not let things interfere as much in the future. It has been a real blast tooling around town in the F-2 again.

 

Good to hear from you JD, on all fronts, and to know that Gertie is back on the road again.

If you find a deal on spare garages, buy two and I'll happily swing by to pick it up.

 

Greetings once again to you too FortyNiner.

Yeah, if I find a good sale on garages, will fetch a couple extra.

I really hate that the truck is out in the weather. I realize the cover is just a stop-gap measure. I would love to eventually start a restoration on it at some point, just don't have any room, and I am loathe to start something major in the driveway.