Its official...
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Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Everett, Wa
Its official...
I now am the owner of a 56 panel truck. Well really 2 trucks, 1 fairly good body and 2 the title vehicle which I will use the chassis and some of the sheet meet. There is alot of work to do regardless.
The body only, has some rust but the big thing is the roof was gone. Luckly the donor had a great top. The person I bought it from was in the process of grafting it. He has built a few 56's so no mistakes where made. I will leave the graft to the pro's though. I not much of a body guy but I will learn in this project.
I also thought of something cool to try. How about turning the cowl vent into cowl induction. I don't think it would be to hard, its getting Vintage Air anyway. Has anyone tried this or seen it done.
Anyway spent 13 hours picking all the stuff up and still have alot to do before the weekend is over.
The body only, has some rust but the big thing is the roof was gone. Luckly the donor had a great top. The person I bought it from was in the process of grafting it. He has built a few 56's so no mistakes where made. I will leave the graft to the pro's though. I not much of a body guy but I will learn in this project.
I also thought of something cool to try. How about turning the cowl vent into cowl induction. I don't think it would be to hard, its getting Vintage Air anyway. Has anyone tried this or seen it done.
Anyway spent 13 hours picking all the stuff up and still have alot to do before the weekend is over.
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Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Everett, Wa
I have pictures and builing a web site to track the progress of this project. I thought I would go all the way including the wifes view of the project. I may have some cold night ahead. I'll also have a FTE web site for pictures only.
Engine will be a 460 mated to a C6 or a built AOD if I can find one with the right housing. Plans call for 550hp at about 6000 rpm. The donor truck is all original and was last driven in 1984. It has a 6 in it, I don't know the size. My guess though you could rebuild the carb and it would start. It turns free.
Engine will be a 460 mated to a C6 or a built AOD if I can find one with the right housing. Plans call for 550hp at about 6000 rpm. The donor truck is all original and was last driven in 1984. It has a 6 in it, I don't know the size. My guess though you could rebuild the carb and it would start. It turns free.
Junior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 68
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From: North GA.
I got the eye and the smirk when I made the big buy. I had been talking about it for so long though I think she really wanted me to have it. It almost fell into our lap. Work going slow we have a 2 1/2 year old and another due in May.
Good luck with your panel. i think they look so good. if you get the chance try to get to Ford Supernationals sometime I know it's a ways from you but they have many ford trucks and a lot of panels. saw one with seats in the back like an expedition.
CWR
Good luck with your panel. i think they look so good. if you get the chance try to get to Ford Supernationals sometime I know it's a ways from you but they have many ford trucks and a lot of panels. saw one with seats in the back like an expedition.
CWR
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Littleton, New Hampshire
Well, I got the EYE, the SMIRK, AND the raised eyebrow when I bought my old F-3, but whatcha donna do? 
Good luck on your project...
Vern
Good luck on your project...
Vern
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
tmyers,
Sounds almost like my panel truck purchase. I bought a '48 with a decent body, no engine and a bad roof. It came with 1/2 panel that was made into a trailer with a bad lower body but had a good roof. I cut the roof off of the trailer and welded it the main one. I later found a rebuilt '50 engine and chassis, with the help of fellow board member Truckfarmer. Check out my web site. It has been at a stand still because of finances and work but I plan on having it in prime and running this summer for the Dash to the Dells.
As for getting the panels, I blame my wife. She made the mistake of bragging to her friends that she had me under her thumb and I did what she said. She told me she said this on a Wednesday and I bought the panel the following Saturday.
I guess I showed her!!
Good luck
Sounds almost like my panel truck purchase. I bought a '48 with a decent body, no engine and a bad roof. It came with 1/2 panel that was made into a trailer with a bad lower body but had a good roof. I cut the roof off of the trailer and welded it the main one. I later found a rebuilt '50 engine and chassis, with the help of fellow board member Truckfarmer. Check out my web site. It has been at a stand still because of finances and work but I plan on having it in prime and running this summer for the Dash to the Dells.
As for getting the panels, I blame my wife. She made the mistake of bragging to her friends that she had me under her thumb and I did what she said. She told me she said this on a Wednesday and I bought the panel the following Saturday.
I guess I showed her!! Good luck
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Everett, Wa
I hope to get to nationals in 2 years. The goal is to get it on the road for next summers seasons and have it finished in 2006. A back seat will be in it for the grand kids. We on 3 trucks, now 4 1/2, all Fords and no cars.
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With regard to turning the cowl vent into a forced air induction inlet...
I saw it recently on either American Hot Rod or Rides. Think it was the former. They used pipes (like exhaust tubing elbows) - one to duct air into the cab and one to flow back into the engine compartment.Didn't see how they plumbed it to the motor but it should be difficult....
Assuming you were going with one only for the cowl induction;
1. Get one of those power cowl vent opener kits that someone mentioned in here sometime in the last 3 mths to open and close it.
2. Build something along the lines of the duct work that runs from your house floor into the heat duct to fill the cowl opening and flow into some 3" or bigger exhaust pipe type stuff. Then build a flexible runner from that to the intake on the carb/EFI. (You want the flexible runner so nothing gets broken when your motor twists a little due to torque on acceleration.)
What ya gonna do when it's raining though?
I saw it recently on either American Hot Rod or Rides. Think it was the former. They used pipes (like exhaust tubing elbows) - one to duct air into the cab and one to flow back into the engine compartment.Didn't see how they plumbed it to the motor but it should be difficult....
Assuming you were going with one only for the cowl induction;
1. Get one of those power cowl vent opener kits that someone mentioned in here sometime in the last 3 mths to open and close it.
2. Build something along the lines of the duct work that runs from your house floor into the heat duct to fill the cowl opening and flow into some 3" or bigger exhaust pipe type stuff. Then build a flexible runner from that to the intake on the carb/EFI. (You want the flexible runner so nothing gets broken when your motor twists a little due to torque on acceleration.)
What ya gonna do when it's raining though?
Thread Starter
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,404
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From: Everett, Wa
Here is my idea.
1. The cowl vent would work off engine vacuum. High vacuum its closed, low vacuum its open.
2. The plenum inside the cab would look like a U. Air would come in on the right side of the U from the cowl and exit though the firewall above the engine. At the bottom of the U, drain holes would be installed to get rid of water.
3. In the engine bay I would build a plenum that looks like a flat bullet or something. It would connect to the firewall opening via a slip joint. It will be big enough to handle a 4x10 filter and 2 inches all the way around.
I'm good with wood and fiberglass so fabbing it up will be no problem. I would reduct the heater air from the fenderwell or some such. The hardest part will rigging up a way to make the wipers work.
1. The cowl vent would work off engine vacuum. High vacuum its closed, low vacuum its open.
2. The plenum inside the cab would look like a U. Air would come in on the right side of the U from the cowl and exit though the firewall above the engine. At the bottom of the U, drain holes would be installed to get rid of water.
3. In the engine bay I would build a plenum that looks like a flat bullet or something. It would connect to the firewall opening via a slip joint. It will be big enough to handle a 4x10 filter and 2 inches all the way around.
I'm good with wood and fiberglass so fabbing it up will be no problem. I would reduct the heater air from the fenderwell or some such. The hardest part will rigging up a way to make the wipers work.