Projects My driveway built 52 f-1 nearly DONE

I am in the process of finally "finishing" my f-1 and was going though my photos of the truck build and figured I would share. Hopefully in a few weeks I will have update with pics of it in nice shiny paint!!!

Back in college I bought this:



it was in pretty sorry shape with the frame broke in 3 places and a jeep wagoner drivetrain!

I hauled to to my parents place and started tear down.... only to find that most of it was complete junk



I picked up a LOVELY panel truck from a junkyard with a decent frame.



I cut it all apart with an old axe



then had this in the back yard



I started working on the frame and picked up a "better" cab to use...





I then picked up a front clip that was mostly bondo but was better then the first clip that was ALL bondo and rust!

This was where I was at right before I found the next parts truck...



I then picked up this truck from ohio and used the cab and bed off it (I really like the looks of 48-50 cabs and beds over 51-52 cabs and beds)



then got married and bought a house and a welder.....

this was what it looked when I hauled the truck up home and learned how to weld in patches





After I was happy with the interior I shot paint on the cab and started assembling an interior.





I fixed the neighbors car and he gave me a free 302/c4 which I made mouts up for and installed it in the truck...





I then put the rest of the truck together and primed it all one color



I drove it for a winter with the JUNK free motor till old sludge in the motor broke free and locked up the oil pump...... I rolled new bearings in the engine (laying the snow) and it ran for a while longer but developed a knock while I started to build a 393W for the truck.



The truck then saw the inside of my garage for the first time for the motor install...





BUT had to come right back out again when I went to fire it for the first time I had my wife int he cab and told her to "fire it and rev it like you are giving down the highway" she apparently heard fire it and REV it...so I am holding the distibutor in one hand and the timing light in the other and she lets her rip I though I was going to die.....never heard and engine rev that high before.....especially with my head right there.

Anyways.... that ballooned the torque converter....messed up the fresh built c4 and took out the thrust bearing in the engine... tore the engine all apart to look for damage and bought a new TCI tranny.

I putted around with it a bit and this was the first time I romped on it before I tuned everything and eventually upgraded the truck further.....

 

So I ran the truck for a few years basically looking like this:











At that point I had changed out most of the rough body pannels with better stuff and upgraded the drivetrain some more after breaking a few rear axles and another c4......it now has an n-case and a $$ built c4.

then a year or 2 ago I got tired of seeing primer so I painted it semigloss with rattle cans...





I then got annoyed with how rough the bed was so I put together a much nicer one with good bedsides and a new headpannel, crossmembers and floor.





It then finally got a spot in dry storage at my parents place...cause it didn't look completely horrible anymore.....all the rust was finally GONE (years of cutting and welding patches and swapping for better parts when I could find them) and the body was in reasonably strait shape for an old truck.



That is when I decided to begin the paint process FINALLY







and lastly here it is in guide coat just before I pulled it back in the garage waiting for me to start blocking on it more to prep for paint...... I also need to strip the bed down to and get it a little better before I get it in primer too.



Good or bad everything has been done by me except for the tranny and some of the engine work. I am also having a friend help with the paint.....I am learning a lot in the process!!!

 

Nice ride - How many years from then until now?

 

It has been 11

 

Looks good.

 

Very nice!!

 

You da man,John!

 

Thanks guys!

I hope it being all shiny and nice looking doesn't change the way I drive it....I do enjoy beating on it now and again. Though I really doubt I will run it in the winter anymore.

 

Way to hang in there. Looks real good.

 

Looks great!

 

I am happy for you your truck is looking great. Keep posting the progress.

Frenchy

 

awesome dude. my apache has been the same way. everything was wayyy worse than i expected so im pretty much building an entire truck from scratch. good work. looks and sounds great

 

Wow! A lesser man would have tired of it long ago. Hats off to you for chugging along for so long! I am on the 5 year plan with my '49 (hopefully).

 

Great story, great pictures, and great job!!
Good for you.
Cheers........

 

absolutely stunning pickup...all the blood, sweat, and beers definately paid off !!!...i'll have to redo my 52 to get it like yours...been driving it now since 1995...it needs to be freshened up a bit....it's hemi powered and after seeing yours, i'm starting to feel motivated once again....nice job, Hero !!!

 

Love that toothy grin on those 51/52's. You have really been patient and improved that baby a bunch. Congrats on a very cool truck.~sololobo~

 

Now not only will it sound great and run great it will look great as well. What color are you going to paint it? Let me know when you are finished with it and I will bring mine over for you to make it look good too!
Way to go John.

 

sweet!

 

Thanks again guys... the plan is for gloss black BUT if I can't get the body to look good enough for black I may give in and paint it maroon.....but at this point I really want black.. even if it is a little wavy here or there...


I am NO body man so I am sure I will miss a spot here or there while attempting to block all the curved surfaces of the truck. I don't want it to look like a show truck I want it to look like a truck would have looked like in the 50's or early 60's after a little bit of use. I plan on using single stage paint so it looks more like paint did back then.

 

WOW... I am sore...I am not used to bodywork!!!!

I wet sanded the cab and hood and they are just about ready for paint....probably Friday.



Also worked all day on blocking the rear fenders... the p-side is primed and ready for me to start wetsanding on it tomorow.....




I ate a lot of putty dust today.....even with a breather on!!!

 

So is it going to be black? My '49 was factory red, but I really love black F1's!

 

yup the black paint is already bought... so it is going to be PPG single stage black....I am not a fan of base/clear on an old truck.

IF my bodywork isn't up to snuff I can scuff it an put some clear on it with a tab bit of flattener in to cut down on the shine and hide some sins.... BUT so far it is blocking out well so I think it should look decent.

 

Your Truck is looking great!
What a "Sweetheart" , a super example of a F1 that is cool and very useable!
Congrats!

 

I forgot my camera today...so no pics but the rear fedners are both done and just need wet sanded now. The cab and front clip (minus hood) is in the paint booth and all ready to spray tomorrow morning.

I am getting REALLY close on this!!!! it feels great!!!

bodywork takes a lot of time and effort!!!!

 

Looks like you've made some head-way.

 

Looks great! Love the way you detailed your work history on it. Can't wait to see it in black.


Sent from my fax machine

 

You're one persistant SOB, I'll give you that. You got a great looking truck to show for all that persistance too!

 

Can't wait to see it in paint . Way to stick with it !!

 

Got any pics of how you snuck the headers around the steering box? Did you make the C4 mount?

 

looks great! sounds like its been a LONG time coming!