Greetings,

Drivers side handle and switch that lights up and rotates the exterior lamp fixture.

I am missing the end cap - a clear plastic type part.

Is this option a rare feature, or what? Been snooping around but have yet to find any other trucks with this handy little device.

Actually, I think this was the last thing on the truck that worked "properly".

Thanks, Stylesider

 

Nice to see another 57. I saw one of these lites at carlisle last summer ( a big east coast car fleamarket) it was a nos in a box. I knew it was for these trucks the part # B7C something looked in the parts book and didn't see it in their. Didn't buy it so I am not much help.

 

My '57 panel delivery has a Ford brand spotlight. It needs some repair; the remote control mechanism is stripped or something.

Here's a source for spotlights or just the replacement handle:
http://www.galls.com/shop/viewproduct.jsp?catcode=123
(The switch on the handle looks the same as the one on the Ford spotlight, so I guess Unity made the spotlights for Ford)

http://www.unityusa.com/Spotlight.htm

 

But it's soooooo clean!
It would make the rest of my truck look even worse.

OTOH, "original" but not in working order has no value.

Hmmmm, already in a quandry.

The switch is indeed the same "type" but the "bulbish" black grip is way off.
Ah, ok....I'll buy it.

Thanks for the location of it's whereabouts, stylesider

Note: maybe I can scrape it on the ground for a while and then bury it in the cat box for a few months before installing it, eh?
Now all I need is a cat box.

 

I see what you mean (I looked at your pictures)... better put some shiny mag wheels on the truck. Then, just go over the truck with a Scotchbrite pad to take off the rust and lichen, shoot a coat of flat black primer over it and you're ready to cruise.

Have you taken any closeup photos of it? Is there much cab rust (front floor, lower cowl, front cab mounts, rear cab corners are the usual locations)?

 

No close up photos yet.
I will do the complete before and after photo sessions though.

The worst rust through is behind the front tires on the fender cowl - both sides. I have yet to see a similar truck that doesn't have this or show signs of that area having been repaired. You think Ford would have learned, eh? The other areas that look real bad are actually just deeper surface issues. (touch wood and cross my fingers)

The big pitcure:
Take it down to the frame and build it back up:" sticking with white on everything paintable. The original paint was a "satin" almost flat type finish, so Grandpa said at one point, he may have been covering for himself and his lack of washing the thing. But I do depart on this issue and think 87 gallons of clear coat is in order.

The little picture:
To make start, run, shift and stop first. Drive it around the block 300 times to find out what hidden issues may be lurking, and THEN take it down to the frame.

He made a confession one day about some of the "things" he did to the truck, which included drilling a hole in the rear axel for some forgotten reason, loosing resivour caps, and that if I was going to fix the tractor first, some of the missing parts could be found on the truck.

My Grandfather died last Oct. a week before his 89th birthday.
He said he'd better kick the bucket before I got started on the white truck or I'd be kicking him around out back in the barn lot.
Man, I miss him.


Why stick to the white?
The last time my grandfather and I talked about it's restoration, I said I was,"thinking of a turquoise blue for the cab roof that maybe carried back on the bed rails". He thought about it and said, "That would be pretty". But that the truck has always been called the "white truck" I felt obligated to keep it that way. He thought about that and smiled at me.
Everything we ever did together, me screwing up his tools, breaking his fishing rod, us hidding from Grandma when she was on the "War path", even smacking his finger with a hammer, along with all the good things - all our 42 years showed in that smile.

I have no choice. Stylesider.