*OK, I don't know if a "Build Thread" is going to be exactly accurate for my truck, aka "Ole Blue", as I don't plan on a full detailed restoration. As I thought about what to call the thread, I started thinking its really about getting Ole Blue on the road again...so now I've got Willie Nelson stuck in my head. I figured as I tackIe getting this old truck on the road again, I should start a single thread for my progress instead of one per topic.

Here's the specs on Ole Blue:
1970 F100 Custom
240 Straight 6, Automatic
Four wheel manual drums, manual steering, no AC
VIN: F10ANH11019 (If I decoded the VIN correctly, he was built in Norfolk, VA in Dec, 1969)
125,585 miles...odometer has been sitting here since he got parked in 2011. I know for a fact that the odometer rolled exactly once, as my dad bought it new.

My father bought Ole Blue new at Wayne Akers Ford in Lake Worth, FL on January 27, 1970 for $2658.05. According to the sale contract, he gave $508.05 down, and financed with an APR of 11.08% (OUCH!). Ended up with 36 monthly payments of $73.18 each.

Here's the description on the invoice:
One New 1970 Ford F103 115 Cust. Styleside Pickup
Sky View Blue/Harbor Blue
115 E7 F103 34 G 08
Deluxe Tutone
CruiseOmatic
1650# Rear Spring
5-G78x15-4 PR B PT BSW
Dealer Installed: Chrome Bumper, OS Mirror

I've posted this picture before, but here's how he sat for 8 sad years:


Ole Blue just sitting, loaded with junk

 

Things done so far...

• Pulled and flushed the rusted in cab tank (it has some pinholes, and is standing in a corner in my garage waiting on me to decide whether to line it, buy a replacement, or move to a different setup altogether (not interested in doing the rear Mustang tank...filling through the bed does not appeal to me).
• Carter YF carb rebuilt. I know this isn't the original carb, as I got it as a reman 20 years ago, trading in a Carter YF that was given to me. I can't figure out WHAT I did with the original carb, but I believe I kept it. Unfortunately, I still lived with my parents then. I've moved twice since then, and they've moved once, so who knows what happened to it.
• Replaced the points and condenser in the (I believe) original distributor.
• Fired the engine up, put it in gear, and discovered the front left drum was seized HARD. After much persuasion, I got the four wheels rolling, and moved him onto the driveway (NO brakes, and I live on a hill, so that was an adventure).
• Knowing I have brake issues, and a leaking differential, I pulled the bed to make it easier to work on the rear end.
• Pressure washed the rear end and all the frame I could get to.
• Washed and waxed the paint on the back of the cab that was always hidden by the bed...just to see what Ole Blue used to look like. Boy was he purdy back in the day!

 

BRAKE LINES

Brake problems are what caused Ole Blue to end up parked back in 2011. I had some leaks, and I just wasn't finding them. Never intended to just park the truck, but just never got back to working on it.

This morning, I've been pulling off the old brake lines so I can start fabricating new lines. I have a 25' coil of 3/16" Copper-Nickel, an assortment of fittings, and a new flaring tool all ready to go.

First question: the line that runs from the proportioning valve to the rear is two pieces, with a coupling near the front of the bed. I'm not sure if that is factory, or just a joint from some past work. I'm thinking about omitting that joint and just running a long piece the entire length. Any reason not to do that? I was able to get the old lines out without taking the joint apart, so I think I should be able to feed softer copper-nickel back in the same way




Second question: Am I correct that the part missing in the picture below is an axle vent, and, if so, where can I get one? Some dummy (me!) broke/lost/??? that part some years ago when replacing the rear brake hose (at the time, I *thought* it was just a bolt that held the hose in place...now I know better), so it is gone. That dummy (me!) just used some nylon cable ties to hold the lines in place and called it a day!




Assuming that was a axle vent, would there have been a hose extending it up to the frame at one time? There's no sign of a hose, or even a clip that a hose may have been held by. I've looked for pictures that would show what should be there, but am only finding pictures from much newer trucks.

 

On the brake line that is a factory coupling, my 81 F100s have one too. I believe it is how the factory made the change in brake lines from short bed to long bed as the lines were all pre-made.
So it was easy to have a short piece up front then pick the piece you needed for the rear and use that coupling.

Yes there should be a vent nipple that holds the rubber brake line in place.
And yes again there should be a hose on it up to the bed floor. It may get poked in a hole of one of the bed cross members as I am not sure how it goes but it should have a hose on it.
As for where to get one I am guessing junk yard as long as it holds a brake line also it will be long enough to go thru the block of the brake line.
Now the hole in the housing I believe is pipe thread (NPT). If you move that line can you see if there is a piece broken off in there?
If so you will need to use an ez out to remove it first.
If you cant find one at a JY and don't care if stock looking or not you can get a short piece of pipe that will be a little longer than the block so you can get the hose on it.
Slip a clamp on the hose and the hose on the pipe and push it down to the block and tighten the clamp. The hose & clamp should hold the block to the axle housing.
Dave ----

 

Shiny paint!

Had to share this pic...rusty as most of Ole Blue is, removing the bed revealed some beautiful clean Harbor Blue, so I washed and waxed part of the back of the cab.


Ooh! Shiny!

 

Thanks for the response FuzzFace2! You confirmed what I thought on each point.

I remember breaking the axle vent, so I went digging in my parts drawer and I actually found it, or at least the remains of it. The threads are broken off, which fits my memory of what happened. BUT...the hole in the axle is clean, no remains of threads in it at all. So, either I managed to get the broken bits out way back then, or it crumbled into pieces which are now inside the axle. I don't like the thought of that latter option. I just wish I could remember this incident more clearly.

 

Amazing how much time I just spent trying to find a part number for that axle vent. Ford Shop Manual very descriptively referred to it as "Vent". No part number. LOL Best I could come up with was in this thread in the Dent forums from back in 2010: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...ent-piece.html
In post #4, NumberDummy wrote:
E7TZ4022A (replaced C2OZ4022A) .. Rear Axle Vent
Fits: 1962/2010 Passenger Cars, Trucks, Bronco's and Econolines.

So I started looking for that part number, and all I find is an open package NOS part on eBay for $30. The listing says its for a 65-66 Mustang, but I'm sure it would work.

Meanwhile, I came across the Dorman 924-263. Advance Auto shows the part on their site, but no stock. It LOOKS about right, and cross references to another Ford part number I found (F5UZ-4022-A). Amazon had it for $8, so I figured I'd give it a shot...it'll be delivered Friday.

 

The vent hose clips to the cross brace

You can see the vent tube going up to the brace- part of the spare tire bracket.
Since the rear diff seal is leaking, when you get around to the rear diff job, and if you are going to replace(or inspect&clean) the rear wheel bearings, jack up one side of the axle and use some solvent (diesel works well) to flush it out. With the diff cover off it will be easier.

 

The Dorman part came today. Big nope... Threaded end looks too long, and wrong threads. Since it cross references the Ford F5UZ part, I would assume it is wrong too. [EDIT...I later found the part was indeed correct...I just had to chase the threads on the hole.]

I found a part in my Ole Blue bin that fits the hole in the axle, but isn't correct (not long enough on the threaded end to hold the brake hose in place, but it does allow for a vent hose to be installed). I'm not sure what it's supposed to be for, but it's at least a placeholder for the vent for now.

New wheel cylinders and hoses should all be here tomorrow, and I've got a master cylinder ready to install, so all of the hydraulics for the brakes will be fresh soon. I'm hoping I'll be ok on the shoes, drums, and hardware, as I went through the brakes about 2000 miles ago (unfortunately, that also translated to ~20 years ago, so we'll see!).

Regarding the brake pressure differential valve... Should I do anything with/to it while I'm replacing all the lines? I know if/when I switch to front disks, it'll need to get replaced by a proportioning valve, but for now I'm still four wheel manual drums.

 

If you don't install some speed bleeders on the wheel cylinders you will need to remove the switch from the pro. valve and install one of those "Holding tools" (it looks like a cap or allen head- bolt with a small tip on the end). This will keep the pro. valve internals from shifting to one side.Of course you know not to run the master cylinder out of brake fluid.

 

My dog may have caused an unexpected delay...



That would be my wheel cylinders and brake hoses...

Apparently, this vicious beast was out when she pulled up and intimidated our mail lady...


I'm a fierce beast. Rub my belly or I'll lick you to death!

 

I can hear those thoughts: "That mail lady had better bring treats when she comes back. Or I might jump on her, and chase her, and make her play with me."

 

I think everything was fine till the first delivery from chewy.com. It was absolutely hilarious watching him meticulously disect that cardboard box which had a big bag of dogfood and other goodies that he obviously could smell from a mile away. So, I guess maybe he does get a bit excited when the mail comes now. LOL

 

Wow... Been three months since I've posted an update on this thread! Been slow going, too much life interfering.

Took the original front drums off, cleaned and painted, then took them to O'Reilly where they were turned for $10 each.

Front brakes were a rusty mess, so I ripped everything out, cleaned and painted the backing plate, and installed new hardware. I think it came out looking pretty decent.






This is the passenger side, of course.

Rear drums were too worn to turn per the O'Reilly guy, so I ordered new rears and I hope to have good hardware on all four corners soon.


Only other progress has been gathering parts. Got a good used tank (amazingly, float on the sending unit still has intact rubber boot!). Robbed a good grille frame off a '70 F-350 at a junkyard. (Guy I got the tank from told me where to find it...he had tried to pull it, but gave up due to lack of vise grips to hold the rusty U-Nuts that kept breaking. Took my son and I an hour and forty minutes to free it because of those things.) Also picked up some FoMoCo Western Jr. mirrors and door seal plates. Kind of just grabbing parts as I have opportunity.

 

Obscure oddity on my truck... I'm told by everyone else that the hole where the in-cab tanks fuel line exits the cab is round. Mine is not, and it's definitely factory. My truck was built in Norfolk, VA in December, 1969, so maybe this is just something weird about the cabs built there?

Posted first pic on a Facebook group asking where to get that grommet since it's buggered up. Multiple people told me that's not where the fuel line goes/that's not factory/hole should be round (and no, the other hole in that pic is NOT where the fuel line goes!). I posted the second picture to show the hole is factory. But no one else on that group had ever seen one like it.

FWIW: LMC is only place I've found that sells a grommet for the application, and it's round, so that makes me think these normally are, and maybe this was just a Norfolk thing for some odd reason.