How long have you guys been at it
#2
#3
Got the first one in 2006 (or 2005? I can't remember, I just remember George was still the mod for a short while), decided the frame was beyond help, bought another in Jan. of 2008. (starting over so to speak) That Spring, the wife had a heart attack, been paying medical bills ever since, then the economy dumped, and everything has been on hold. But the second truck's been a bare frame since this last Fall, and when things turn around I'll be blasting it and beginning the rebuild. I should make note, my other car project has been going on 2 years now, and my '78 F150 has been sitting out back waiting since 1997.
#4
#5
#6
I bought my truck in November of 2003. It was supposedly a driver, but it broke down on the way home.
I first worked over the drivetrain, then drove it daily for 2 1/2 years. I tore it apart when a valve spring broke in the spring of 2006. Literally, one thing led to another until I did every mod I had in mind, and now it just needs to be put back together and painted.
It might be done by this time next year, health permitting.
I first worked over the drivetrain, then drove it daily for 2 1/2 years. I tore it apart when a valve spring broke in the spring of 2006. Literally, one thing led to another until I did every mod I had in mind, and now it just needs to be put back together and painted.
It might be done by this time next year, health permitting.
#7
Trending Topics
#9
I went to get a 55 Che@! which was sold where I got there so I picked up my 55 F-100 a week later (1989) for $800 drove it about 5 miles until I decide to pull over and have it towed brakes & steering totally shot. Got it drivable rebuilt the engine in 92 been driving and working on it for the past 19 years. Since I'm in the Military it hasn't set long without being road worthy. The ONLY thing original to the truck from purchase is the engine, bed sides & spindles everything else has been replace along the years.
#10
I got infected with the "decease" in 1969, when I was about 8. My dad bought my F-2 for use in his auto repair business. I can remember the day he bought it. He was looking for a truck to pull cars into his shop and we must have looked at over a half dozen trucks. The last one we looked at was this rusty, multi-color heap sitting on the side on some guy's driveway. As drove up to the guy's house I remember thinking to myself, " He's not going to buy that heap". About a half hour later my dad go into the car and announced he bought the truck. I thought, "That piece of junk?"
He patched the rust holes with riveted sheet metal and Black Magic body filler and painted with a bunch of spray cans of black paint. I spent every school off time with my dad in that heap. My dad used it in his business for about four years and when he went out of business he parked it on the side of the drive until about 1981 when I got a hold of it and started tearing it apart. I patched it together as best as I could and drove it around for a summer with just the windshield installed and in multi colors of primer. That summer my friends and I put a lot of miles on it camping and running around town. I even got a speeding ticket it, I didn't have the speedometer hooked up. I ended up putting it in storage for about four years. I finally redid the entire truck after I got married and it's been on the road for about 15 years.
At last count I've had over 16 '48-52 trucks and one '54, most were parts trucks. My wife thinks I'm obsessed with old trucks, I will admit I do have an addiction, if I don't buy a truck every couple of years I get kind of edgy. Like my signature says, "It's a sickness".
He patched the rust holes with riveted sheet metal and Black Magic body filler and painted with a bunch of spray cans of black paint. I spent every school off time with my dad in that heap. My dad used it in his business for about four years and when he went out of business he parked it on the side of the drive until about 1981 when I got a hold of it and started tearing it apart. I patched it together as best as I could and drove it around for a summer with just the windshield installed and in multi colors of primer. That summer my friends and I put a lot of miles on it camping and running around town. I even got a speeding ticket it, I didn't have the speedometer hooked up. I ended up putting it in storage for about four years. I finally redid the entire truck after I got married and it's been on the road for about 15 years.
At last count I've had over 16 '48-52 trucks and one '54, most were parts trucks. My wife thinks I'm obsessed with old trucks, I will admit I do have an addiction, if I don't buy a truck every couple of years I get kind of edgy. Like my signature says, "It's a sickness".
#12
I have had a shop and garage for years but with working on the road and just keeping the fleet going I never had time for a project. About two years ago my son told me he found a '53 F-100. In his search of the area around Atlanta where he lives he turned up another '53. He asked if I was interested. I had just started hauling cars and I knew I would be in his area delivering sooner or later so I told him yes and he brokered the deal for me. About three months later in March I hauled a '30 Packard to Nashville and dropped on down to Atlanta to pick up my truck. Since that time which has been almost a year ago, I have been trying to finish another project and add stuff to my shop. I have bought and stripped two donor vehicles and another '53 I bought for parts. I have also been collecting parts. This is definitely a Darkside project so it will be heavy on the mods. As a matter of fact, there really won't be much of the original '53 left in it. It will be 4WD with a 351-W and an Explorer rolling chassis. I plan on completely fabricating my own bed. I'm still looking for a reall nice hood, two good doors and some decent fenders. I can repair all that I have but nicer parts would make it easier. Also, if I can find a few extra parts I'll have enought stuff to build two trucks. Since I have two good titled trucks it's just a matter of finding enough extra parts or another thruck for parts.
So, guess the answer is about a year and a half with only a prepaired rolling chassis ready so far. Of course it took forty years to get around to it.
Later Folks...
So, guess the answer is about a year and a half with only a prepaired rolling chassis ready so far. Of course it took forty years to get around to it.
Later Folks...
#13
#14
1971 at the age of 13 I was helping an old man just down the road, mowing and helping in his garden. He had a light blue and rusty 53 sitting in the side yard that I had to mow around every week.
Man I was in love! But the guy wasn't sure he could part with her, he might drive it again someday. I bugged my dad every week to talk to the guy, I had to have her or life wouldn't go on! Dad would say I'll ask him someday.
One day before that summer was over, We drove her home!!!! Cost $25.00
Man I was in love! But the guy wasn't sure he could part with her, he might drive it again someday. I bugged my dad every week to talk to the guy, I had to have her or life wouldn't go on! Dad would say I'll ask him someday.
One day before that summer was over, We drove her home!!!! Cost $25.00
#15
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: northwestern Ontario
Posts: 262,820
Received 4,108 Likes
on
2,642 Posts
I brought mine home in September of 99, swapped the frame the following summer using the 72 chevy and it sat while I built myself a shop to work on it. Started working on it most weekends in May of 05, I have days that don't seem to accomplish much other than thinking what the next move should be, but still make slow progress, it is a hobby after all.
There are guys that can accomplish builds much faster than others simply because they have experience from former builds or have friends or family members to help or guide them along. Then there are guys such as myself that thought it shouldn't take all that long and are overwhelmed when the thing is sitting in a million pieces and wonder if it will ever get back together.
Some of us may get bummed out because it has taken countless years to complete thier trucks but if you were to calculate the hours and convert them into days of work and then into weeks/months and then into actual years then the average build time wouldn't seem quite so long
John
There are guys that can accomplish builds much faster than others simply because they have experience from former builds or have friends or family members to help or guide them along. Then there are guys such as myself that thought it shouldn't take all that long and are overwhelmed when the thing is sitting in a million pieces and wonder if it will ever get back together.
Some of us may get bummed out because it has taken countless years to complete thier trucks but if you were to calculate the hours and convert them into days of work and then into weeks/months and then into actual years then the average build time wouldn't seem quite so long
John