Well, finally have something to post, nothing too exciting.

Ending the driving year last year with the F-2 sitting in the garage with no brake lights. I bought a new brake light switch and the lights worked!! Took it for a test drive, more to just get it out on the road than to test the brake lights. Would have been kind of hard unless I had someone follow behind me. Just jammed a stick between the brake pedal and the seat. Ok, went for the test drive and everything seemed to work. Went to take it out again the next day and although it started right up I wouldn't start once I turned it off. Completely dead. I cleaned the battery connection and it started, once, and then dead again. The ground cable was questionable so I started searching my stash for another cable, no luck. I went to one MacParts store and bought a 2 gauge battery cable the thickest they had. Before I walked out the store I opened the package and the cable had the tinniest POC stamped sheet metal clamp. Turned around and gave it back to counter guy and got my money back. I called the next MacParts down the street, different company, and the lady there assured me their cable had the old style heavy clamp. I went there and bought theirs but when I got home I found the 2 gauge cable was noticeably thinner than the cable I had on the truck. I returned that cable and went to the farm supply store and they had a cable of unsure gauge but was at least twice as thick as the two 2 gauge cable I bought earlier. Installed the new heavy cable and the truck spins over at top speed. It never spun over that fast except the time I had my son jump the truck with his '97 F-350 diesel with 750 amp cranking power.

I took it for a ride yesterday morning and again yesterday after to lake front to get cooled down. Ran like a champ and cranked over after every stop.

 

Glad you got the starting issue straightened out. There is nothing worse than running around in your truck and not having the confidence that it will crank over when you want it to.

You're one up on me, my poor old 49 has been out back and hasn't been started in a month. I guess I better get off my rear and fire the old thing up and see what the last few months of neglect has caused.

Bobby

 

Good to hear from you and see the old red truck on the road.

 

I'm glad you got your truck out, Bob. I heck my brake lights against the back wall of my garage Everytime I back it in.

I got new 00 gauge cables made for my 55 last summer. My 54 starts hard when the engine is hot as the starter spins slow. I was thinking this weekend that I had new cables made. But that was back in 1999..... And they are not 00 gauge, maybe 0 or 1 gauge.

And I love your truckin' partner!

 

 

Yup on lovin your riding bud.
Greg

 

I would really like to but I doubt I'll be able to. Just never know until almost the last minute. Things have been tight around here but might have gotten a little relief last week.