First of all. Thanks to everyone for the help I got back when I first came here. I know a lot of people think it's weird to name vehicles, but my wife dubbed this one "Winston" and it sorta fits.Also it's more fun to refer to it as Winston than "the C850". So Winston it is. We also have a forklift named "Tom", but that's another story.

Anyway I got a crash course in air brakes and finally got around to running all new lines to the rear service brakes this past weekend. After accidentally plugging the vent for the parking brake (and nearly causing the truck to roll down the drive into the forklift) I finally got it figured out. It stops pretty well but still pulls to the right even with the front brakes adjusted. Since the adjuster is bottomed out on the left side, I suspect that the pads on that side are done. I need to see about getting those relined.
The alternator died somewhere along the way so I bodged a gm one wire onto it as a temporary solution. Mine is pretty rough so I'm hoping that the one on the parts truck Destroked is selling me is a better candidate for a rebuild. Unfortunately Kentucky has been composed almost entirely of mud for the last several months so getting it out will have to wait until dryer weather.

As it is I've been driving it around just to get the feel of it. Hopefully by this summer I'll get some hitches installed and start hauling toys.

 

Serving suggestion for when you are working on or near the brakes: https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Some of those '60s front axles used a type of slack adjuster that does run out of adjustment, unlike other manual slacks...
Have you tried pulling the adjuster off the camshaft and moving it one tooth (or more) "tighter" on the splines? Even with worn out linings, you should still be able to make
something rub on the drum; jack it up, tighten til it rubs, then back off just a tad. If you do get new linings, you will probably have to re-index both of them anyway.
New manual adjusters do away with all that, but they are about 4 times as much $$$ as a "normal" one. Just say old Ford 47-spline adjuster and parts guys will laugh!
Did the "exhaust" port on the parking brake valve get vented or connected?
Good luck - look out for that forklift

 

Really nice looking truck! Look forward to more pictures.

 

 

 

Thanks. Unfortunately there is a reason why most of my pictures are from 20ft away. Someone did an "ok" paint job on it at one point it's cracking in places. The truck itself is in pretty good shape for being a 63 though.

 

Made a bit more progress. The brakes are all adjusted and working well.

Thanks to a post by NumbersDummy in an old thread about c series shifters I was able to find a NOS shift collar and trunnions pins. It took longer to get the ujoint under the shifter loose than anything else.

I can now hit whatever gear I’m aiming for. It makes it a LOT easier to drive. I’ve still got some left over trunnion pins and the old collar if anyone is interested.
It should be relatively simple to drill out the holes and insert a bushing that would outlast the stock setup.

New high output alternator shoulc should be here later this week. I’m eventually going to be putting on an amber light bar for towing an a few other power hungry goodies. The extra amperage will help. I’m also mounting a big under bed box with room for two batteries. Might as well go with the dual battery setup and rewire the charging system with all new cable while i’m at it.

 

Hi
I had mentioned I another thread that I bought a NOS Ford master cylinder rebuild kit that isnt for my truck

IF you want a 1 3/4 bore kit (for the boot and pins)
Send me your address will ship so you can see have!

MARK

 

Thanks for the kind offer, but my 63 has air brakes. Depending on what happens with the one I'm buying from Destroked I may hit you up for it later though.

 

Hi
Can we talk about your shifter rebuild???
Hope you will give me a call 5178617630

NOT sure if I will need pins - but my is STICKY and "vague" for the gate IMO

MARK

 

I had a very pleasant conversation with SVO2CJ this morning. Always a pleasure to gab with a fellow ford addict.

Looks like his truck has the same shifter issue I just fixed with mine.

Check your trunnion pins gentlemen.


Also today was a productive day. I've been meaning to put all new belts on this beast and install my new alternator. I picked up a later model 1 wire 145 amp alternator with the right housing.
Unfortunately the shaft was longer and larger in diameter. Thankfully tractor supply had a wide groove pulley that happened to fit.

While I was in there I discovered the source of my low/mid rpm vibration.

See the shadow where the fan has shifted to one side?

At first I thought it might be the way the blade was turned when it was painted but upon closer inspection...







Ford did not make this thing easy to get out. I ultimately had to remove the fan shroud which required taping a 7/16 wrench to a piece of threaded rod in order to reach the bottom nuts on the fan shroud. Even then it put up a fight. I got called into work for a few hours but I managed to get everything back together, minus the fan and took it for a short spin down the street.

I was shocked at just how much smoother and quieter it is now. and I can actually hit all the gears on the first try. I begin to see why these things were so popular back in the day.

I didn't have time to install them but I've picked up a couple large electric radiator fans that should more than do the job now that I've got an alternator big enough to drive them.

The next project is installing an under bed box and tidy up the wiring harness.


After that it's time to pay a visit to the welding shop and get a giant back bumper and a hitch.

 

YES - nice talk "we are working on cars"!

MARK
p.S. going to guess these tool boxes are too big!

 

Minor update.

I purchased Destroked's 69 C850 fire truck. In a way it is a shame to part it out as the cab is even more solid than mine. Unfortunately it no longer has a title and I really don't need two of these beasts. I intend to see that as much of it goes to good homes as possible.


The first part to find it's way onto my 63 was the fan. I had planned to use a couple of electric fans but they just weren't up to the job of shoving enough air through that thick old radiator. I cleaned up the one from the 63 and painted it before installing. Afterwards I drove it several up and down a steep grade on a 93 degree day and it never got close to overheating.

Next swap is the coolant reservoir. Mine isn't leaking but it has swollen up a bit at some point. The one from the 69 looks pristine and is made with ridges in it that keep it from distorting.
I've got all new coolant hoses coming in. I intend to replace them all at the same time then flush and fill the whole system. No point in blowing a hose halfway to nowhere and wasting 10 gallons of antifreeze.

Another new find it the spin on oil filter housing. I've got a gasket coming and I'll swap that in before changing the oil again. This time it gets some zinc additive and a bit of lucas before it has to do any real work.

I picked up a new old stock bushing for the shift linkage that I intend to swap. That should eliminate most of what's left of the slack in it. It shifts well now, but you still have to yank it a bit harder than I like to get into 1st or reverse.

If by some miracle I get all that done this weekend, I've lots of other goodies to play with. Spot lights, Stainless mirror mounts, fresh doors, etc. I keep telling myself this is just a work truck but I've kinda gone and gotten attached to the thing.

 

Glad your finding lots of useable parts, I used the stainless mirror heads on my F-800