Hi, I'm a 17 year old in high school and I recently purchased a Ford 1950 F1 that is in fairly decent condition. When I get the chance I'll post some pictures. I just need a bit of help getting started. If anyone can point me in the direction of some resources, I'm interested in pulling the engine out and rebuilding it. It's got the original flathead in it. I'm super excited. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Welcome to the site. I'm almost 40 and I still own the 56 I bought when I was 15. Just some FYI take lots of pics as sometimes these projects take longer than you might have imagined, and we all forget how things went. Also use baggies for parts and mark whats going in them. This will save you a ton of troubles later.

Kevin Bigwin

 

Welcome to the greatest site for Ford Trucks and a wealth of information from some very knowlegable members. Good advice Kevin. When I started my project I got the same advice and lots of help from this board. Post some pics when you get a chance and keep posting as you go along. We all love to see pics of other membes progress.

Rodney

 

Thanks for the advice. I actually have started a bit of work and I did put the parts in baggies with labels. That's something I read somewhere else but I appreciate the advice. Feel free to leave more. I'll be posting pictures hopefully tonight.

 

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the 50.My first truck was a 50.I kept that truck for 15 years and traded for a 69 corvette(silly me).Listen to these guys on here they know their stuff.Good luck on your truck.

 

Welcome to the board and to the wonderful world of old trucks!!

How complete is the truck, is it all together and close to driveable? If so then I would make it driveable and play with it that way for awhile before tearing it all apart and making major modifications or repairs. There are several reasons for this;

1. Old trucks are an expensive hobby and a complete (or even a partial) rebuild costs quite a bit and requires a decent amout of tools and time. Its easy to tear a truck apart then get ovewhelmed by the amount of time and work (and money) involved. If you had the truck driveble before you start you can at least build some great memories to carry your through the rough times (and there will be rough times...lol).

2. Moms. Moms are notorius for getting upset when there has been an engine hanging from the tree in the front yard for several weeks, or when they come home and find their dishwasher full of engine parts, or wondering what the smell is and walk in your room to find a carburetor torn apart on your desk, or stub their toe on an intake manifold on the floor, etc, etc, etc (don't ask me how I know these things....)

3. Girls. Girls don't understand the lure on an old truck. They will resent the time you spend with the old truck....."you love that truck more than you love me". If the truck is driveable you can take said ladies out for a ride and impress them with the attention the old truck gets from everybody (don't forget to clean your fingernails and wipe that grease smear off the passenger seat)

4. Walking. Walking sucks, especially when all your buddies are out cruising around. Yes, you do own a really cool old truck and those losers are driving the hand me down 4dr grocery getters or run down minivans that thier moms passed down to them, but if all you can do is sit on the 5 gallon bucket inside the cab and make vroom vroom noises while watching them drive by with the girls beside them on the way to the movies then your really cool old truck loses a bit of its appeal.


Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to talk you out of a really cool old truck. These trucks are great and can be a lifetime of fun. I'm just saying that if its at all possible to make the truck driveable then its worthwile to do so. Besides, you might be suprised, the old truck will eventually tell you what it wants you to do to it. It might be a partial restoration or a nose bleed gasser type hotrod, or slammed street cruiser, who knows.

Most importantly, its your truck, do with it what makes you happy. It doesn't matter what your buddies say, or what we might say, or what anybody else says, its your truck, build it to make you happy.

Have fun
Bobby

 

Yell Wayne S.,whats the deal with you trading a truck for a vette then trying to trade a vette for a truck, if you'd just get your truck running you would have one of each and wouldn't be wanting to trade so much, SILLY BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Well said Bobbytnm!!!

I will add this to your list DO NOT use the oven on the self-clean cycle to pre-heat and burn the oil out of a transfer-case before you weld it. You can ask me how I know this and believe me that after 20 years my Mom has NOT forgotten that.
I saved the price of having the transfer-case repaired professionally and used the money I saved to buy Mom a new oven.

If you do get a girlfriend that says something along the lines of "it's that truck or me" Believe me you are better off with the truck… However, if you find one who rolls up her sleeves and says lets rebuild that motor… DO NOT let her get away.

Cyrus Cheers

_____________________
My Grandpa told me once that you have to learn by the mistakes of others because you will NOT live long enough to make them all yourself.

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... HELL YEAH!!! What a trip!

 

we are pretty much in the same boat i am 16 in high school and i have had my 48 f1 for about a month but my truck is already completely torn down and i am now slowly sandblasting and painting the chassis and susspension

 

Homemade,I am cursed with wanting it all.

 

Max,

Welcome to the board. You should post your location in upper right side of your post so everyone knows where you're at. I looked in your profile and saw your'e a fellow Wisconsinite, where are you located? I'm in Germantown, just north of Milwaukee.

If you need informational resources for your truck you've found the place. If you're looking for parts you can start by looking for mechanical parts, brakes, engine parts and the like at your local NAPA or good independant auto parts store, stay away from the chains like AutoZone and AdvancedAuto, you'll just waste your time going there. Dennis Carpenter sells most of the reproduction parts availlable. There are two Dennis Carpenter dealer that I know of in WI, Old Time Auto Parts in Cottage Grove, although Marv seems to be phasing out of the business, and The Ford Barn in Hustiford.

For body parts there aren't many places to find them. There are a few places that sell patch panels; Ford Truck Parts and Repair Panels for your classic truck at Northern Classic Trucks, and EMS AutomotiveEMS Automotive

If you're looking for parts that interchange between the different model trucks you should check out the page I have on my web site:

http://www.fatfenderedtrucks.com/partsinterchange.html

Looking forward to seeing pictures of the truck.

 

Welcome aboard. These guys and gals here are a super bunch. If you have a problem, ask, and we all find a way to help. REMEMBER, the only stupid question is the one not asked. I agree with bobby. if you can make it drivable, then start with that. You need to take some time to see the truck, get it working before you tear it down. Look around the area, and try to find more (for ideas), do some research. You have an idea in your head, and you want to make that idea work. Look through the galleries, and envision all the different stages these guys have their trucks at. Picture the customs, the stockers, etc., etc. Ask all the questions you can. I have a simple project, take a cab off one, put it on another frame of the same size (well, it aint simple) I am now three years and three donors into it, and have a tough time getting back motivated. You're in school. What are your plans next summer and next year. Will you have time for a complete tear down. My first truck was a 53. I fixed it through high school. I left for the Army right after I graduated, needless to say, I never finsihed that truck, and it ended up torn down and sold. Don't jump in with both feet. Stop and think about what you want to do, and try to fix it first, and then enjoy it so that the seed can grow, and you can better realize your goal. Your folks and friend may take a more active interest if they see you accomplish a major feat by getting it working before you tear into it and realize it's gonna sit at mom and dads for the next 15 years in pieces.

 

All good advice..... Welcome to FTE it really IS the best place for info and friends.

DRIVE it if at all possible.

 

...ya'r gonna luv this place man...We've had our '56 goin' on one year now

and the parts pile is growin' day-by-day...very soon the '56 will gettin' torn

down to the frame and the fun will begin......one thing I can say for sure is

slow-down a bit...come up with a plan...and a budget...and stick to it!

You'll be amazed how much fun this is...it's an addiction and once it gets

under ya'r skin ya'r hook'd...nothin' like it......lite 'em up...

 

Wow, you all have given me some great advice. For the fellow Wisconsinite, I'm located in Lodi, just north of Madison. I also have contacted the Cottage Grove ford parts dealer and am waiting on a catalog but I will soon call them back. I hope to get pictures up tonight and the truck does run it's just not safe to drive just yet. We'll see how it goes. I'm using a class in school to plan how to rebuild it and hopefully do a couple of things, it's only another 6 weeks left. If you have any feedback let me know, please .

Here's the document I drew up as a propsal:


Cars interest me for many reasons. As any young boy I was crazy about cars; I played with them, I looked at them, and most importantly I dreamed about one day driving them. As I grew older I wanted to learn even more about them. What better way to delve into the auto world then picking up a 1948 Ford F-100 ½-Ton truck?

As part of my Project Based Learning class I intend to acquire the aforementioned truck and “fix it up” to reliable running status. This includes engine and bodywork but is not limited to those two areas. As part of the engine work I will have to work out timing issues with the truck and devise someway to better filter the fuel. I also hope to enhance the look by painting and cleaning up the outside of the engine. The bodywork will include cleaning up rust, taking care of the bed of the truck, interior modifications and possibly a new paint job.

An essential facet of my project is research. Without research I will be unable to complete the work necessary on the truck. I will have to glean information from sources such as “how-to” books and websites focused on restoration and repair. My research will be implemented then in turn when I begin work on the truck. This project will produce a reliable, running 1948 Ford F-100 ½-Ton truck, that also looks halfway decent.

Henry Ford once said, “There is joy in work. There is no happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished something.” (Brainy Quote). This project will be a lot of work but it will also produce a lot of satisfaction. This project will contribute to my knowledge about cars, trucks, and other modes of transportation while turning out a practical day-use object. This knowledge will be helpful if I seek a career related to engines or engineering and it will also be useful in everyday life if there is ever a need for a car repair.

This project will be fun and satisfying, but it will also help me learn about engines, so if I choose to, later in life, develop new ways of transportation, I’ll have an excellent background.