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Got the bed on the F3 with a little help from passers-by
Ever have things happen mostly according to a plan? That is what happened to me on Sunday - for a change!
The long story is that I've been restoring this '49 F3 for almost 3 years.
A couple of weeks ago I finally got the painted bed back from the body shop so I've been getting it ready for install. The oak floor is finished and the chassis wiring to the tail lights is done.
On Sunday I felt that the bed was ready to place on the frame. I had installed the wood while the bed was up on sawhorses, at a height that would allow me to simply drive under the bed and let gravity do its thing. My cunning plan was to ambush my neighbors at about supper time and ask for them to help me lift the bed and position it in place.
I had the truck out in the driveway to neaten up the tail light wiring and a pickup drove by my house and stopped in the road. The driver was saying something out the window but I couldn't hear, I was about 80 feet away. I ignored him a bit but he kept saying something. So I stopped what I was doing and walked up to him. Sure enough, you know what happens next....
"What year truck is that?" .... "It's a 49", "It got a flathead?" ......."Sort of, it’s a flat six".
By this time both him and his passenger were asking questions. (They seemed nice enough, and didn't seem to be casing the joint or anything - they had been visiting a neighbor at the end of the road) "Where's the rest of the truck?" ...."In my backyard, I'm going to install it later today" "How ya goin' to do that?" .....Get a few neighbors and lift it"
Then the magic words happened.
"Need a hand?, let’s do it now - we'll help"
Next thing I know the truck bed is on the frame, and I have a pickup-looking truck again for the first time in 3 years. My wife came out with her camera and captured the moments.
I offered them a couple of beers from the fridge, which they declined. They did accept some ice tea though. I invited them to stop by in a month or so to see the finished truck.
Now I'm one step closer to getting this truck ready for the Pennsylvania Truckstock road trip this fall.
Great story and that truck is looking real sharp. Good job.
Im jealous of your dedication and progress...
Josh, it was a great feeling to be able to back up that truck carefully under the bed with confidence and no gear grinding in front of strangers thanks to the T-98 I got from you!
It shifts like a champ compared to the old 59T crashbox.
Tom
Thanks Abe, Larry and Casper....it's all of you guys who are giving me the motivation to do this with a former junkyard basket case truck.
I've been spending every spare moment I have to assemble it. Working toward the goal of it being capable of making a 1,000+ mile road trip.
In case anyone is wondering, the black stuff on the bed sides is textured truck bed coating for inside the wheel well, streaked with some wet buff polishing compound from the painted part above.
And the truck seems lifted in the back, but it is partly because it was on uneven ground side-to-side and I did have the springs re-arched at stock F3 height. I hope they settle a bit and if not I have a monster sized 1950's aftermarket rear bumper that is heavy enough to make it a low rider. I'm still undecided whether or not that massive wrap-around step bumper will go on, or if I will pick up a stock-style F1 flat bar type.
Tom
When I put my new ProsPick bed on my F-3 converted to F-1, it came in pieces so I was able to construct the bed on the truck instead of having to lift it on by myself. It is a lot lighter without the floor.
This is awesome!! There are nice people left out there, and very few things capture people's attention like an old pickup. Not even the other classic cars I've owned or driven in can generate the enthusiasm that these do, in my opinion. There are many times when people talk to me from the end of my driveway (100 ft away) while I'm working on my cars or house. Between the radio and the tools, or my desire not to be bothered, I sometimes brush them off. Sometimes I do chat with them, and it turns out to be a great talk or the start of new friendship. That's definitely the case here!
I just had a thought. God may have sent you 2 Angels to help you. Or if your not a believer, the great Ford truck God in the Sky sent you two helpers.....
07-02-2019, 07:55 PM
