New Member! 1951 Ford F-5 Rack
#1
06-18-2018, 07:50 PM
New Member! 1951 Ford F-5 Rack
Hello all!
My name is Nick, I'm a new member to this site. Don't mean to start off on a sad note, but almost three months ago, (March 21, 2018) my father passed away after a 3 week battle with leukemia. Him and I were extremely close, rode motorcycles together, and we were car/truck enthusiasts. Over the past year, we restored a 1951 Ford F-5 rack truck that he bought. I'm thankful that I was able to spend the time I still had with him restoring this truck, in fact, the day he was diagnosed with leukemia, one of the first things he said to my mom was 'If I die, Nick gets the truck.' This truck has so much sentimental value to me and I wish to keep working on it and bringing it to car shows, just as we did together during the final year that he was alive. Sadly, there's two issues; First one being that I don't know too terribly much about wrenching on cars and trucks...after all I'm a college student studying exercise science to hopefully become a physical therapist. I did wire the lights, turn signals, and brake lights, sanded, stained, and installed the wood in the bed of the truck (with help) as well as put a new fuel tank in it and ran a new gas line with fuel filters due to the previous fuel tank having rust inside. However, those took nothing but common sense and a little bit of elbow grease to do. These older trucks are stunningly simple compared to the cars I'm used to driving and seeing. (I'm 22) I don't know much about engines, apart from the basics. I want to do this truck right, which is why I joined this forum; to gain knowledge about everything that I need to know about this truck, as well as have a community to reach out to with anything I need help with. The second issue is.... I don't know how to drive the damn thing! I know how to drive a clutch, but these un-synchronized transmissions that require double clutching are a whole different animal. I will eventually bring it out on the road and drive it for the first time, but not yet; I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I did anything to damage the transmission of this truck. When we picked it up, it wasn't running, but all it needed was the carb rebuilt, a new fuel tank/lines, the brake lines bled and new brake fluid, and a little persistence to get running. After we got it running, we put an electric cooling fan in front of the radiator because the engine was running hot.. apparently that's a common thing with these flathead v8's. The engine runs like a sewing machine, even though the truck is geared so low that it won't go over 35 mph.
Here is a picture of the '51 the day we picked it up:
Here is a picture of the '51 at a car show on Fathers Day last year:
Here is a list of what's wrong/needs to be done on the truck, as well as what I may want to do to it, so if you have any advice on what I should or shouldn't do, I'll take as much as I can get.
-Generator fails to charge the battery (thinking about maybe switching from 6v to 12v, but that may be a job that's over my head)
-Exhaust is rotted out underneath the cab...still has the muffler but the exhaust pipe is rotted through a few feet after it. I'm thinking about putting stacks with rain guards (small ones, nothing crazy) on the truck but that's a bit farther into the future due to lack of funds at the moment.
-Gauges on the dash board don't work
-The truck is a little stubborn to start up, I need to pour a little gasoline into the carb before I crank it to get it to fire up when it isn't warmed up
-The battery has a drain on it somewhere... I have a mechanical switch on it that I use to disconnect the battery when I turn the truck off.. but that's very very common in these older vehicles.
-It's geared so low that it maxes out at 35 mph, my dad and I kicked around the idea of dropping a new rear end in it to open it up a little bit, but never got to do it. I know that will require me to change the brakes since the truck will be going faster.. I don't understand much about gear ratios nor how to put a new one in and what other modifications besides the brakes that it would possibly require me to do.
-The biggest issue that this truck has is both the driver side and passenger side doors are rotting out. If you close the door too hard, rust falls through the bottom of the door all over the running boards. I know I'm most likely going to need to find new doors somewhere, but I would like to find a simple fix to try and slow this down a bit until I can afford some doors for it. they aren't rusted through completely, I actually don't know how bad it is, but I know it's present.
Hope you guys like it, and I'm glad to be a part of these forums!
Thanks
My name is Nick, I'm a new member to this site. Don't mean to start off on a sad note, but almost three months ago, (March 21, 2018) my father passed away after a 3 week battle with leukemia. Him and I were extremely close, rode motorcycles together, and we were car/truck enthusiasts. Over the past year, we restored a 1951 Ford F-5 rack truck that he bought. I'm thankful that I was able to spend the time I still had with him restoring this truck, in fact, the day he was diagnosed with leukemia, one of the first things he said to my mom was 'If I die, Nick gets the truck.' This truck has so much sentimental value to me and I wish to keep working on it and bringing it to car shows, just as we did together during the final year that he was alive. Sadly, there's two issues; First one being that I don't know too terribly much about wrenching on cars and trucks...after all I'm a college student studying exercise science to hopefully become a physical therapist. I did wire the lights, turn signals, and brake lights, sanded, stained, and installed the wood in the bed of the truck (with help) as well as put a new fuel tank in it and ran a new gas line with fuel filters due to the previous fuel tank having rust inside. However, those took nothing but common sense and a little bit of elbow grease to do. These older trucks are stunningly simple compared to the cars I'm used to driving and seeing. (I'm 22) I don't know much about engines, apart from the basics. I want to do this truck right, which is why I joined this forum; to gain knowledge about everything that I need to know about this truck, as well as have a community to reach out to with anything I need help with. The second issue is.... I don't know how to drive the damn thing! I know how to drive a clutch, but these un-synchronized transmissions that require double clutching are a whole different animal. I will eventually bring it out on the road and drive it for the first time, but not yet; I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I did anything to damage the transmission of this truck. When we picked it up, it wasn't running, but all it needed was the carb rebuilt, a new fuel tank/lines, the brake lines bled and new brake fluid, and a little persistence to get running. After we got it running, we put an electric cooling fan in front of the radiator because the engine was running hot.. apparently that's a common thing with these flathead v8's. The engine runs like a sewing machine, even though the truck is geared so low that it won't go over 35 mph.
Here is a picture of the '51 the day we picked it up:
Here is a picture of the '51 at a car show on Fathers Day last year:
Here is a list of what's wrong/needs to be done on the truck, as well as what I may want to do to it, so if you have any advice on what I should or shouldn't do, I'll take as much as I can get.
-Generator fails to charge the battery (thinking about maybe switching from 6v to 12v, but that may be a job that's over my head)
-Exhaust is rotted out underneath the cab...still has the muffler but the exhaust pipe is rotted through a few feet after it. I'm thinking about putting stacks with rain guards (small ones, nothing crazy) on the truck but that's a bit farther into the future due to lack of funds at the moment.
-Gauges on the dash board don't work
-The truck is a little stubborn to start up, I need to pour a little gasoline into the carb before I crank it to get it to fire up when it isn't warmed up
-The battery has a drain on it somewhere... I have a mechanical switch on it that I use to disconnect the battery when I turn the truck off.. but that's very very common in these older vehicles.
-It's geared so low that it maxes out at 35 mph, my dad and I kicked around the idea of dropping a new rear end in it to open it up a little bit, but never got to do it. I know that will require me to change the brakes since the truck will be going faster.. I don't understand much about gear ratios nor how to put a new one in and what other modifications besides the brakes that it would possibly require me to do.
-The biggest issue that this truck has is both the driver side and passenger side doors are rotting out. If you close the door too hard, rust falls through the bottom of the door all over the running boards. I know I'm most likely going to need to find new doors somewhere, but I would like to find a simple fix to try and slow this down a bit until I can afford some doors for it. they aren't rusted through completely, I actually don't know how bad it is, but I know it's present.
Hope you guys like it, and I'm glad to be a part of these forums!
Thanks
#2
06-19-2018, 08:54 AM
Fleet Mechanic
Welcome from a fellow Nick! That looks like a good looking truck. You picked a great site to join. You will find just about all the information you could ever need here. Don't be afraid to ask questions as you move along with your build, and don't be afraid to tackle something that seems daunting. I started my build at 18 years old, and did most things for the first time ever on this truck.
For the carb, did you rebuild it or anything when you originally got the truck running?
For the rear end, I am not sure if there is a true drop in rear for an F5 that would get you better gearing. The biggest problem with a different rear will be that it will have a different bolt pattern than the front, meaning you will have to use different wheels. Someone more knowledgeable on the bigger trucks should be able to help if there are any good rear swaps that keep the bolt pattern. The other things to consider will be the spring pads, and the driveshaft. You might need a different driveshaft, or ujoint depending on what the replacement rear has for a yoke.
For the doors, if you just want to slow down the rust for now, I would clean out the bottom of the doors from the inside. Then spray some rust converter in there and a little bit of paint. If there is no rust through, then that is a good sign. That might be all that you need to do to the doors.
Good luck and I look forward to seeing what you get done on the truck.
For the carb, did you rebuild it or anything when you originally got the truck running?
For the rear end, I am not sure if there is a true drop in rear for an F5 that would get you better gearing. The biggest problem with a different rear will be that it will have a different bolt pattern than the front, meaning you will have to use different wheels. Someone more knowledgeable on the bigger trucks should be able to help if there are any good rear swaps that keep the bolt pattern. The other things to consider will be the spring pads, and the driveshaft. You might need a different driveshaft, or ujoint depending on what the replacement rear has for a yoke.
For the doors, if you just want to slow down the rust for now, I would clean out the bottom of the doors from the inside. Then spray some rust converter in there and a little bit of paint. If there is no rust through, then that is a good sign. That might be all that you need to do to the doors.
Good luck and I look forward to seeing what you get done on the truck.
#3
06-19-2018, 09:33 AM
Welcome aboard, nice truck and nice story about the connection to your dad. My dad died a little over 26 years ago when I was just a little older than you are now. My truck was his truck. He left it rot away and never saw it completely restored.
The best thing to do to get help here is to list your location. There are members in every corner of this country and beyond, it'd be a good bet there's someone within a decent distance from you that might come by and offer some personal assistance.
Are you sure your truck has a non-sychronized transmission? Easy way to tell is by the shift pattern. Reverse on a non-synchro is to the right and down, sychronized is to the right and up. I think all the four speeds in '51 were synchronized. If not here is a link to instructions for double clutching I did:
Shifting a Non-sycro Four Speed
The best thing to do to get help here is to list your location. There are members in every corner of this country and beyond, it'd be a good bet there's someone within a decent distance from you that might come by and offer some personal assistance.
Are you sure your truck has a non-sychronized transmission? Easy way to tell is by the shift pattern. Reverse on a non-synchro is to the right and down, sychronized is to the right and up. I think all the four speeds in '51 were synchronized. If not here is a link to instructions for double clutching I did:
Shifting a Non-sycro Four Speed
#4
06-19-2018, 09:37 AM
Welcome to the FTE Nick. You and your Dad did a nice job on your F5...good to have memories attached to vehicles.
As for your rust issues in the doors, you may want to look into some products like KBS Rust Blast and Rust Seal. Chemically dissolving the rust and then encapsulating it with a coating (paint) will stop the advance of the rust and give you a little breathing room till you can disassemble the doors and make more permanent repairs. Good luck...
As for your rust issues in the doors, you may want to look into some products like KBS Rust Blast and Rust Seal. Chemically dissolving the rust and then encapsulating it with a coating (paint) will stop the advance of the rust and give you a little breathing room till you can disassemble the doors and make more permanent repairs. Good luck...
#5
06-19-2018, 12:40 PM
Welcome to FTE Nick, glad to have you aboard. A very heartwarming story behind your truck. Nice to see another big truck saved, it's beautiful!. This forum will be able to walk you through just about any issues you may have. You are pretty limited on what you can do to achieve higher highway speeds, but you might consider an overdrive auxiliary transmission.
#7
06-19-2018, 01:37 PM
Add my welcome. You’ve got a nice looking F-5. Sorry that you lost your dad, and way before his time. We can’t replace him, but will help where we can.
The single speed Timken/Ford axles could be spec’d with either a 6.67/1, 5.83/1, or 5.14/1 ring and pinion gear set. The most road worth would be the taller 5.14/1 that was generally found in the F-4 model. Your glove box data plate might have the final drive ratio if the truck was a late 1951 build. The data plates changed mid year 1951 with the earlier trucks having less data provided. If you don’t find this on your data plate the axle itself could have a stamping with the tooth count of the rear axle’s ring and pinion. If you have the 6.67/1 the tooth count will be 40/6. If you have the 5.83/1, the tooth count will be 35/6. If you have the 5.14/1 the tooth count will be 36/7.
From your description it’s likely you have the 6.67 or 5.83 gear sets. Finding a 5.14/1 axle complete from another member’s parts truck would be the easiest fix. Failing that, last I knew Chuck Mantiglia of Chuck’s Trucks in CT had a few NOS sets of the 5.14 gears. A phone call would answer that question. Below is his link.
Chucks Trucks LLC., Chuck's Trucks, Chucks Trucks
The only other option I know of that lets you keep your rear 5 bolt pattern to match the front is to find a 1970s/80s era Dodge RM400/500 derelict Class A motor home that still has its Dana 70HD rear axle. These have a 4.56/1 gear set that would yield a little better road speed than the 5.14/1. This swap requires some engineering to adapt the modern dual brake system, and some minor adjustments to the spring mounts.
An added benefit of the Dana 70 swap would be the ability to also capture the 19.5” tubeless wheels on the motor home. Your current tube type wheels are probably the kind today called widow makers. Trade name for the outer rims is Firestone RH-5°. Some time Googling those terms would be warranted. If you have them please respect them. If you find a 5.14/1 gear set there are other replacement wheel options we can describe too. When you are ready. Stu
The single speed Timken/Ford axles could be spec’d with either a 6.67/1, 5.83/1, or 5.14/1 ring and pinion gear set. The most road worth would be the taller 5.14/1 that was generally found in the F-4 model. Your glove box data plate might have the final drive ratio if the truck was a late 1951 build. The data plates changed mid year 1951 with the earlier trucks having less data provided. If you don’t find this on your data plate the axle itself could have a stamping with the tooth count of the rear axle’s ring and pinion. If you have the 6.67/1 the tooth count will be 40/6. If you have the 5.83/1, the tooth count will be 35/6. If you have the 5.14/1 the tooth count will be 36/7.
From your description it’s likely you have the 6.67 or 5.83 gear sets. Finding a 5.14/1 axle complete from another member’s parts truck would be the easiest fix. Failing that, last I knew Chuck Mantiglia of Chuck’s Trucks in CT had a few NOS sets of the 5.14 gears. A phone call would answer that question. Below is his link.
Chucks Trucks LLC., Chuck's Trucks, Chucks Trucks
The only other option I know of that lets you keep your rear 5 bolt pattern to match the front is to find a 1970s/80s era Dodge RM400/500 derelict Class A motor home that still has its Dana 70HD rear axle. These have a 4.56/1 gear set that would yield a little better road speed than the 5.14/1. This swap requires some engineering to adapt the modern dual brake system, and some minor adjustments to the spring mounts.
An added benefit of the Dana 70 swap would be the ability to also capture the 19.5” tubeless wheels on the motor home. Your current tube type wheels are probably the kind today called widow makers. Trade name for the outer rims is Firestone RH-5°. Some time Googling those terms would be warranted. If you have them please respect them. If you find a 5.14/1 gear set there are other replacement wheel options we can describe too. When you are ready. Stu
Trending Topics
#8
06-19-2018, 02:19 PM
Hey Nick,
Welcome Aboard! You found a nice place with a lot of knowledge - should be able to help you
with all of your truck issues. A few questions to get started...
o Where do you have the Truck stored at the moment? A lot of times the window glass isn't tight up against the felt &
water runs directly down inside the door. Hopefully you can park it out of the rain. If not a little painters tape across the gap should help
keep it from getting worse.
Looking at your list of challenges - might be good to order them from easiest to hardest & get some early successes.
1) Rusty Doors - Park it inside if possible & follow ideas on rust encapsulating & sealing with paint.
2) Dash Gauges don't work - Has it been converted to 12 volt? Your dash is 6 volt - you'd want a voltage reducer in the circuit.
3) Hard Starting - Carb. settings, Choke, etc.
4) Battery Drains - Put a trickle charger on it & see how that works.
5) Trans Gearing - No easy fix here. Are you getting to all the gears when driving? 35 mph seems a bit low.
Your trucks looks great over there in New Jersey. I'm sorry to hear about your dad ... let's get this truck
back up & working right. It's a good way to pay tribute to him.
Ben in Austin (My son is 26 - Hang in there buddy).
1950 F1
Welcome Aboard! You found a nice place with a lot of knowledge - should be able to help you
with all of your truck issues. A few questions to get started...
o Where do you have the Truck stored at the moment? A lot of times the window glass isn't tight up against the felt &
water runs directly down inside the door. Hopefully you can park it out of the rain. If not a little painters tape across the gap should help
keep it from getting worse.
Looking at your list of challenges - might be good to order them from easiest to hardest & get some early successes.
1) Rusty Doors - Park it inside if possible & follow ideas on rust encapsulating & sealing with paint.
2) Dash Gauges don't work - Has it been converted to 12 volt? Your dash is 6 volt - you'd want a voltage reducer in the circuit.
3) Hard Starting - Carb. settings, Choke, etc.
4) Battery Drains - Put a trickle charger on it & see how that works.
5) Trans Gearing - No easy fix here. Are you getting to all the gears when driving? 35 mph seems a bit low.
Your trucks looks great over there in New Jersey. I'm sorry to hear about your dad ... let's get this truck
back up & working right. It's a good way to pay tribute to him.
Ben in Austin (My son is 26 - Hang in there buddy).
1950 F1
#9
06-20-2018, 11:21 AM
Welcome from a fellow Nick! That looks like a good looking truck. You picked a great site to join. You will find just about all the information you could ever need here. Don't be afraid to ask questions as you move along with your build, and don't be afraid to tackle something that seems daunting. I started my build at 18 years old, and did most things for the first time ever on this truck.
For the carb, did you rebuild it or anything when you originally got the truck running?
For the rear end, I am not sure if there is a true drop in rear for an F5 that would get you better gearing. The biggest problem with a different rear will be that it will have a different bolt pattern than the front, meaning you will have to use different wheels. Someone more knowledgeable on the bigger trucks should be able to help if there are any good rear swaps that keep the bolt pattern. The other things to consider will be the spring pads, and the driveshaft. You might need a different driveshaft, or ujoint depending on what the replacement rear has for a yoke.
For the doors, if you just want to slow down the rust for now, I would clean out the bottom of the doors from the inside. Then spray some rust converter in there and a little bit of paint. If there is no rust through, then that is a good sign. That might be all that you need to do to the doors.
Good luck and I look forward to seeing what you get done on the truck.
For the carb, did you rebuild it or anything when you originally got the truck running?
For the rear end, I am not sure if there is a true drop in rear for an F5 that would get you better gearing. The biggest problem with a different rear will be that it will have a different bolt pattern than the front, meaning you will have to use different wheels. Someone more knowledgeable on the bigger trucks should be able to help if there are any good rear swaps that keep the bolt pattern. The other things to consider will be the spring pads, and the driveshaft. You might need a different driveshaft, or ujoint depending on what the replacement rear has for a yoke.
For the doors, if you just want to slow down the rust for now, I would clean out the bottom of the doors from the inside. Then spray some rust converter in there and a little bit of paint. If there is no rust through, then that is a good sign. That might be all that you need to do to the doors.
Good luck and I look forward to seeing what you get done on the truck.
Welcome aboard, nice truck and nice story about the connection to your dad. My dad died a little over 26 years ago when I was just a little older than you are now. My truck was his truck. He left it rot away and never saw it completely restored.
The best thing to do to get help here is to list your location. There are members in every corner of this country and beyond, it'd be a good bet there's someone within a decent distance from you that might come by and offer some personal assistance.
Are you sure your truck has a non-sychronized transmission? Easy way to tell is by the shift pattern. Reverse on a non-synchro is to the right and down, sychronized is to the right and up. I think all the four speeds in '51 were synchronized. If not here is a link to instructions for double clutching I did:
Shifting a Non-sycro Four Speed
The best thing to do to get help here is to list your location. There are members in every corner of this country and beyond, it'd be a good bet there's someone within a decent distance from you that might come by and offer some personal assistance.
Are you sure your truck has a non-sychronized transmission? Easy way to tell is by the shift pattern. Reverse on a non-synchro is to the right and down, sychronized is to the right and up. I think all the four speeds in '51 were synchronized. If not here is a link to instructions for double clutching I did:
Shifting a Non-sycro Four Speed
Welcome to the FTE Nick. You and your Dad did a nice job on your F5...good to have memories attached to vehicles.
As for your rust issues in the doors, you may want to look into some products like KBS Rust Blast and Rust Seal. Chemically dissolving the rust and then encapsulating it with a coating (paint) will stop the advance of the rust and give you a little breathing room till you can disassemble the doors and make more permanent repairs. Good luck...
As for your rust issues in the doors, you may want to look into some products like KBS Rust Blast and Rust Seal. Chemically dissolving the rust and then encapsulating it with a coating (paint) will stop the advance of the rust and give you a little breathing room till you can disassemble the doors and make more permanent repairs. Good luck...
Welcome to FTE Nick, glad to have you aboard. A very heartwarming story behind your truck. Nice to see another big truck saved, it's beautiful!. This forum will be able to walk you through just about any issues you may have. You are pretty limited on what you can do to achieve higher highway speeds, but you might consider an overdrive auxiliary transmission.
Add my welcome. You’ve got a nice looking F-5. Sorry that you lost your dad, and way before his time. We can’t replace him, but will help where we can.
The single speed Timken/Ford axles could be spec’d with either a 6.67/1, 5.83/1, or 5.14/1 ring and pinion gear set. The most road worth would be the taller 5.14/1 that was generally found in the F-4 model. Your glove box data plate might have the final drive ratio if the truck was a late 1951 build. The data plates changed mid year 1951 with the earlier trucks having less data provided. If you don’t find this on your data plate the axle itself could have a stamping with the tooth count of the rear axle’s ring and pinion. If you have the 6.67/1 the tooth count will be 40/6. If you have the 5.83/1, the tooth count will be 35/6. If you have the 5.14/1 the tooth count will be 36/7.
From your description it’s likely you have the 6.67 or 5.83 gear sets. Finding a 5.14/1 axle complete from another member’s parts truck would be the easiest fix. Failing that, last I knew Chuck Mantiglia of Chuck’s Trucks in CT had a few NOS sets of the 5.14 gears. A phone call would answer that question. Below is his link.
Chucks Trucks LLC., Chuck's Trucks, Chucks Trucks
The only other option I know of that lets you keep your rear 5 bolt pattern to match the front is to find a 1970s/80s era Dodge RM400/500 derelict Class A motor home that still has its Dana 70HD rear axle. These have a 4.56/1 gear set that would yield a little better road speed than the 5.14/1. This swap requires some engineering to adapt the modern dual brake system, and some minor adjustments to the spring mounts.
An added benefit of the Dana 70 swap would be the ability to also capture the 19.5” tubeless wheels on the motor home. Your current tube type wheels are probably the kind today called widow makers. Trade name for the outer rims is Firestone RH-5°. Some time Googling those terms would be warranted. If you have them please respect them. If you find a 5.14/1 gear set there are other replacement wheel options we can describe too. When you are ready. Stu
The single speed Timken/Ford axles could be spec’d with either a 6.67/1, 5.83/1, or 5.14/1 ring and pinion gear set. The most road worth would be the taller 5.14/1 that was generally found in the F-4 model. Your glove box data plate might have the final drive ratio if the truck was a late 1951 build. The data plates changed mid year 1951 with the earlier trucks having less data provided. If you don’t find this on your data plate the axle itself could have a stamping with the tooth count of the rear axle’s ring and pinion. If you have the 6.67/1 the tooth count will be 40/6. If you have the 5.83/1, the tooth count will be 35/6. If you have the 5.14/1 the tooth count will be 36/7.
From your description it’s likely you have the 6.67 or 5.83 gear sets. Finding a 5.14/1 axle complete from another member’s parts truck would be the easiest fix. Failing that, last I knew Chuck Mantiglia of Chuck’s Trucks in CT had a few NOS sets of the 5.14 gears. A phone call would answer that question. Below is his link.
Chucks Trucks LLC., Chuck's Trucks, Chucks Trucks
The only other option I know of that lets you keep your rear 5 bolt pattern to match the front is to find a 1970s/80s era Dodge RM400/500 derelict Class A motor home that still has its Dana 70HD rear axle. These have a 4.56/1 gear set that would yield a little better road speed than the 5.14/1. This swap requires some engineering to adapt the modern dual brake system, and some minor adjustments to the spring mounts.
An added benefit of the Dana 70 swap would be the ability to also capture the 19.5” tubeless wheels on the motor home. Your current tube type wheels are probably the kind today called widow makers. Trade name for the outer rims is Firestone RH-5°. Some time Googling those terms would be warranted. If you have them please respect them. If you find a 5.14/1 gear set there are other replacement wheel options we can describe too. When you are ready. Stu
Hey Nick,
Welcome Aboard! You found a nice place with a lot of knowledge - should be able to help you
with all of your truck issues. A few questions to get started...
o Where do you have the Truck stored at the moment? A lot of times the window glass isn't tight up against the felt &
water runs directly down inside the door. Hopefully you can park it out of the rain. If not a little painters tape across the gap should help
keep it from getting worse.
Looking at your list of challenges - might be good to order them from easiest to hardest & get some early successes.
1) Rusty Doors - Park it inside if possible & follow ideas on rust encapsulating & sealing with paint.
2) Dash Gauges don't work - Has it been converted to 12 volt? Your dash is 6 volt - you'd want a voltage reducer in the circuit.
3) Hard Starting - Carb. settings, Choke, etc.
4) Battery Drains - Put a trickle charger on it & see how that works.
5) Trans Gearing - No easy fix here. Are you getting to all the gears when driving? 35 mph seems a bit low.
Your trucks looks great over there in New Jersey. I'm sorry to hear about your dad ... let's get this truck
back up & working right. It's a good way to pay tribute to him.
Ben in Austin (My son is 26 - Hang in there buddy).
1950 F1
Welcome Aboard! You found a nice place with a lot of knowledge - should be able to help you
with all of your truck issues. A few questions to get started...
o Where do you have the Truck stored at the moment? A lot of times the window glass isn't tight up against the felt &
water runs directly down inside the door. Hopefully you can park it out of the rain. If not a little painters tape across the gap should help
keep it from getting worse.
Looking at your list of challenges - might be good to order them from easiest to hardest & get some early successes.
1) Rusty Doors - Park it inside if possible & follow ideas on rust encapsulating & sealing with paint.
2) Dash Gauges don't work - Has it been converted to 12 volt? Your dash is 6 volt - you'd want a voltage reducer in the circuit.
3) Hard Starting - Carb. settings, Choke, etc.
4) Battery Drains - Put a trickle charger on it & see how that works.
5) Trans Gearing - No easy fix here. Are you getting to all the gears when driving? 35 mph seems a bit low.
Your trucks looks great over there in New Jersey. I'm sorry to hear about your dad ... let's get this truck
back up & working right. It's a good way to pay tribute to him.
Ben in Austin (My son is 26 - Hang in there buddy).
1950 F1
#10
06-20-2018, 12:05 PM
A few more thoughts on the donor motor home angle. The Dodge based (and some Fords but mostly Dodge) Class A motor homes are the full box type, not the van type with the box joining behind the cab. Those are Class “C”s and you can ignore them.
Next, the Dodge/Ford based units will have your 5 lug x 8” bolt pattern front and rear. Walk away from motor homes that have five lugs on the front and ten on the rear. Those are GM based and have 10 lug x 7.25” pattern hubs and wheels. They only use five lugs on the front, so GM used blanking plates to cover the unused lug holes.
Next, some of the older Dodge/Ford motor homes will have 17” two part rims. The 17” wheels won’t clear your rear brake drums, where the later 19.5” versions will. The axle having the 17” wheels might be good to use, but if you have a choice go with the later version.
Last, on whatever donor you find the Dana 70HD rear axle will have a stamping or plate with what is called a BOM Code (Bill of Materials). The below linked site has a listing showing the final drive ratio for each BOM Code. Stu
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech..._1967-1978.pdf
Next, the Dodge/Ford based units will have your 5 lug x 8” bolt pattern front and rear. Walk away from motor homes that have five lugs on the front and ten on the rear. Those are GM based and have 10 lug x 7.25” pattern hubs and wheels. They only use five lugs on the front, so GM used blanking plates to cover the unused lug holes.
Next, some of the older Dodge/Ford motor homes will have 17” two part rims. The 17” wheels won’t clear your rear brake drums, where the later 19.5” versions will. The axle having the 17” wheels might be good to use, but if you have a choice go with the later version.
Last, on whatever donor you find the Dana 70HD rear axle will have a stamping or plate with what is called a BOM Code (Bill of Materials). The below linked site has a listing showing the final drive ratio for each BOM Code. Stu
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech..._1967-1978.pdf
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
1986F1504.9L
1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
9
03-31-2016 11:14 PM
cwest73
1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
11
08-24-2010 11:55 PM
lowtrkn2k
1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
17
09-13-2006 02:42 PM