What a kind offer!

 

The brake lines were installed with the brake hoses, steering components, differential carrier, and suspension components. After these were installed, the entire chassis received a second coat of black paint at the Ford plant. Following second paint, the main fuel line, frame-mounted wire harness, and axle bumpers were installed. Each component I remove is carefully inspected for traces of its original finish. All the brake lines had their original black paint present during disassembly. Even the parking brake hardware and cable wires received black paint during the second paint process. After carefully degreasing these components, it’s evident the workers painted the chassis from the sides. My differential carrier was so well preserved by the road draft vapors and road dirt the original spray pattern was discernible, as were two assembly line markings. Currently, concours rules allow the use of any finish, so long as it matches the original factory look. While I never plan to have the truck judged, I chose the powdercoat finish for its durability.

 

Below are a few pictures of this week's progress. I picked up a large quantity of parts from the powdercoater, of which have already started making their way onto the chassis. There are a few U-bolt issues holding everything up. Once corrected, the entire rear suspension and axle assembly can be re-installed. I am very impressed with how well the rear springs cleaned up (look just as good as the NOS front springs).

This week's progress:

-Installed restored generator water shield
-Purchased NOS/correct leather rear axle shaft seals
-Pressed in NOS bushings to restored rear springs
-Ordered spring clamps and rubber pads
-Placed large order for NOS front brake parts
-Sorted, documented, and bagged original hardware by finish for re-plating

Next week:

-Install restored front hubs
-Cut custom-made rear U-bolts to proper length (were made 1/2" too long)
-Have another set of front U-bolts produced (not enough threads)


Before:



After:

 

Your work continues to be high standard.

 

The details in your note book are incredible, if not a sign of OCD. Thanks for keeping us updated. it's a real joy to follow your endeavour.

 

And a couple more...

 

It's been a few weeks, but there has been some progress.

Completed:

-Located and purchased spring clips with correct tabs and correct spring clip insulator pads. Clips are at a local spring shop being bent to match originals.
-Purchased NOS brake hardware, to include NOS Ford shoes with correct stamp marks.
-Purchased several NOS bearings and races for differential carrier.

Tasks for the upcoming week:

-Purchase correct/NOS Wagner Lockheed front wheel cylinders.
-Send remaining chassis hardware out for re-plating.
-Pick up replicated front and rear u-bolts (minor thread and length adjustments were necessary).


Some of you may recall a Ford truck website in the works. While the construction of the website itself has paused, I have continued to amass several hundred photos and data for incorporation. To date, I have 1,828 photos of the restoration, historical ads, historical photos, assembly line photos, documents, and data. Construction of the website has paused until I can find a suitable web design program (been using an old Dreamweaver version, which is too complicated to code and too basic for my end goal). If anyone has a suggested program, I'm all ears.

No new pictures this week, but I scanned several old photos of the truck for your viewing pleasure. The photos range from 1985 to 2009. Enjoy!

Circa 1985, just after my Great Grandfather took possession of the truck from his best friend (and original owner), Martin.










Somewhere between 1985 and 1992.


Circa 2000, upon inheriting the truck.


Circa 2003. From 2002 to 2007, the truck amassed just over 30,000 miles through daily driver use as my primary vehicle.




Circa 2007, driving westbound on I-80 leaving Salt Lake City. This was the final leg of the cross-country drive from Maryland to California.




The second owner and my Great Grandfather, Ross M. Conner (1913-2000).

 

Thanks for the update, Dustin. The personal photos and backstory really make it special.

 

Man, I'll second that! The original 2-tone blue and white looked really sharp- you'd never see a paint job that intricate with all the curves and what-not. Outstanding work just keeping the whole history together.

 

Great pictures and story. What paint scheme do you plan to go with? I think an original rear bumper would also be cool.

 

Thanks Dustin!
I like the original paint color and style.

 

The truck will be repainted in its original Corinthian White and Carribean Turquoise colors and pattern. The restoration will return the truck to the exact configuration as when it left the San Jose/Milpitas plant in 1960. The rear bumper in the first photographs was a dealer installed part,of which I sold in 2002. I plan to install an original bumper, painted white. I'm hoping to find some sort of build sheet during the cab dissassembly, indicating the exact rear bumper (if delivered with one) the truck had from the factory.

 

Awesome pics. thanks for posting. Looking forward to your website as well as your completed truck!

 

This thread and restoration is incredible. I look for updates every day and really appreciate all of your pictures! I hope to see you and this truck at a show someday!

 

Not much in the way of updates for the past two weeks, though a series of large hurdles has been conquered.

I was able to source and purchase the correct USA-made Bower brand differential carrier bearings from a company specializing in NOS bearings. Like the front wheel bearings, I wanted the rear axle and carrier bearings to be the exact brand of bearings Ford installed in my differential at the San Jose plant (Ford did not make bearings). FYI, Ford used Timken, Bower, Tyson, and eventually NTN/Federal-Mogul bearings during the production run of our trucks.

The new rear U-bolts have been trimmed to the exact specifications of the originals. The Detroit Spring, spring clips have been ground, bent, and punched by a local spring shop to exactly replicate the originals. The second set of front U-bolts (with correct thread length) will be completed this week. All parts will be sent to powdercoat in the weeks to follow.

All remaining chassis hardware will be dropped off at the plater this week for cadmium and zinc plating.

Several boxes of NOS parts have either arrived or are on the way, to include correct/NOS "Wagner Lockheed USA"-stamped wheel cylinders, NOS Ford differential carrier parts, and some very rare seals. Like the bearings, I want all seals to be the original type. Our trucks were originally equipped with leather seals at the pinion, rear axle, and front wheel hub locations (my truck still retained the original leather front hub seals). The seals, originally manufactured by Chicago Rawhide (stamped "C/R" on the seal along with "Ford") were later replaced with neoprene versions as seal material technology evolved. After several months of searching, I was able to locate the correct NOS leather versions of these seals.

I apologize for the lack of pictures this week. The project has been at a complete stop until all parts arrive and the necessary plating and powdercoating is completed. More updates to follow.