Projects The LeGrange Produce Tribute Truck build

Root:
I read this thread before, and was surprised at the name 'LeGrange'...and even more so by the name of the town, 'Planada'.
I'm located in Central Valley of Northern California, ("The Big Valley" LOL) approximately 60 miles North of Fresno...right in the 'Fruit Belt'.
To my immediate North is the sleepy little town of Planada, whilst to the East is the town of LeGrange.

As your bed came from Fresno, I had to make sure you really were from O.K.! (although I knew that)
Makes me identify with your truck...

 

I'm still working on the seat base. It's sort of on hold. I should be back on it this weekend.

Mike, I am a full blown Okie. 3rd generation. Interesting. Is the spelling the same? Most of my searches lead me to LaGrange. Which is just a different pronunciation in French.

 

Not much going on lately, been traveling with work. A few pics.

Finally rounded up all the missing pieces to convert the 57 Ford rear to a later styled brakes.

Blasted some old Ford wheels to use for my rollers until I can get some more $$ for the rear tires. I have always had good luck with the 235 70-15's fitting about the best. I had a pair laying around that were 25 years old. Will make great rollers.


Finally got it down off the frame rotisserie. It will look like I am making more progress now.

 

Sat the cab back on today. Still need to bolt it down. It's nice just to have some room to walk around now.

 

Such a awesome project Chris, well done brother.
Glenn

 

Looking so good Chris!



jerry

 

Way cool, Chris!

 

Looking good Chris! Nice to start stacking stuff back together, I am sure.

 

Dad better hurry, or you'll pass him up.....

 

Can't wait to see the end result.

 

hey bubba...what color and brand of paint on the wheels...I like it.


EDIT *** nevermind...I just reread this whole thread and saw it's Cadet Tan

 

Looking goodly

 

Actually Larry, the roller wheels are sprayed with Krylon rattle can. I found a color that is very close to the cadet tan that is on the fronts. I will spray the rear with cadet, but the for the rollers I didn't wanna spend the time on them.

 

do you remember the name of the Krylon color?

 

I like it and the idea behind it. Shaping up to be a nice little truck.

 

Larry, I can look tonight.

 

I used a Krylon Epoxy rattlecan on some wires. Appliance paint, the color was ALMOND found at Ace hardware. They also have black, white and avocado which I used on the block in my 54.

 

thanks bubba

 

Ok , I like the build and mostly the reason behind it so I will tag along, way cool so far. JW

 

Looking good.

 

OK, not a lot going on here, but I did get a few crucial things done that will eventually hold up progress if I didn't get them knocked out. The goal is to get the frame finished up, so that I can get the bed ready to go on. I need the floor space.

So, I decided to address my used, but still usable gas tank. It was original to my 36 and it always plagued me through high school with fine rust clogging up the filters. I have been reading up on my internet mochine about using acid to remove the rust, so I figured I would give it a try.
I bought a gallon of muriatic acid for cleaning a swimming pool. It was about $6. I made some cover plates to cover the fuel sender hole and the fuel pickup areas temporarily to enable me to roll it around and let the acid do it's magic.

I poured all of it in the tank at once and let it soak for about an hour, rotating it ever so often.

The thing that was common on the sites most folks were complaining about was flash rust after rinsing. So what I figured I would try would be the phosphoric acid after using the muriatic acid. The muriatic acid is much faster and more aggressive, so be careful with it. This next pic is not going to be much help, but I just wanted to show you what it took out of the tank. his was a clear liquid to start with. Don't breathe this crap. Don't get it on the concrete either.

So, I decided to dump the contents into this bucket and then neutralize it with baking soda. I bought the giant boxes at the dollar store. Then I rinsed with water and just as I had read it flash rusted instantly. So, I used the phosphoric acid (Ospho) to convert the metal which puts a protective coating on the steel. It's a lot slower, so I just used it for a follow up.

I think if I ever do it again, I will skip the rinse with water and just add the Ospho and use that as a rinse agent, then after the coating has taken hold, rinse that with water. It eliminates the flash rust step. I put the Ospho in for about 8 hours. I was working in the shop, so I would occasionally go out and rotate it. It came out like new and I think for about $25, it was worth saving. One thing I forgot was, that after I had rinsed the Ospho out with water, I hung it upside down for about 4 hours, letting it drain, then I put about a gallon of gas in it and sloshed it all around to kind of get a little petroleum base on it.

 

Dude, great info on the tank clean. Thank you, and I will try the same !! Great timing for this cold ass weather !

 

I am a little out of order, but it makes more sense this way.
I added a later styled pickup tube to the tank that allows for a return line if I ever need it. I buy these from Tanks, Inc in Iowa. I buy a ring to install them and the pickup itself. I think the pickup is about $20 and the ring seems lie it was about $6. I add this incase I ever want to have an electric pump in the system. The stock pickup tube is only 5/16" and designed for an 85 HP flathead. This has a larger 3/8" pickup and return.


I found a holesaw that was close, threw a little grease on the teeth to minimize the shavings and went to town. Then I laid the ring over the top of the skin and drilled in my holes. I clecoed it in place, making sure I knew which way it was oriented before I removed it.

The ring ends up on the inside of the tank. I shot mine in with a countersunk aluminum solid rivet. The ring is threaded to allow you to screw your new pickup tube to it.


I just wiped it down with the Ospho, which is basically the same thing as metal prep, and spray bombed it.

 

I decided to give some attention to the cab area. I knew I was going to have to get the seat riser finished, so that I could get everything else set up, column height etc. I started looking at the portion of bracing that had been apparently cut out with a Sawzall in it's life. I'm guessing it was mangled or cracked beyond repair. I had a piece of 1.5" x 1" tubing in the scrap pile. I used it to replace the old channel that was missing. I decided to replace the original wooden floorboards with a new and improved plywood floor. I used 3/4" instead of the 1/2" Henry used. It's actually quite a bit of heat and sound resistance, as compared to a piece of steel sheetmetal, plus it's a lot faster and since this is a shop truck.....
I still need to cut the plywood for the tranny clearance etc. but this will do for now. I used the template to locate a piece of 1.25" angle I use to replicate the brace that originally held the floor in place. This is way more substantial. It will be there long after I am gone.

The tank goes behind the brace and acts as the seat riser. The hard part is going to be getting out some of the broken off screws in the factory nutplates.

 

Great build.........

 

Thanks. It's pretty low buck.

 

They are often the best builds and this is proof of that !! JW

 

The weather has been kinda crappy, so I had a break today when it warmed up a bit.
One of the things that was holding me up was getting the dash squared away. I am planning on driving this daily, so gauges are important. As cool as the vintage gauges are, I need accuracy. I have settled on Omega gauges, they are built in the US and are pretty affordable. They make a speedo that fits in the factory hole, which has never been available to my knowledge. The speedo hole is 4 3/8" and the smaller gauges are 2 3/8". I needed to step these holes down to 2 1/16, so we had to come up with something. My dad, who is the scrounger of the family, found these big washers.



We have an old 1940's Atlas tabletop lathe that is pretty handy. We turned these washers down into bushings. It's sort of like a hat bushing. You press it in from the back and then tack it into the dash.


View attachment 2769266
It's hard to tell, but this is after I tig welded the ring in place. The hit it with a grinder, just to knock the top off.


Then just add a skim coat of filler and it looks factory.

 

Looks good! I need more tools...


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Great Build! I have a 35 Ford Pickup so much of what you are doing is greatly appreciated and will come in handy!

IMG 8828 by TGallaher posted Jun 21, 2012 at 3:41 PM