Projects It's alive!!! A 1957 Fargo Tale....

Took the Fargo for a five mile test drive last night. Speedo doesn’t work, not sure why…temp gauge reads way high, going to try a different sending unit. And the linkage to the transmission needs adjusted, at full throttle it wants to shift at about 18,000 rpm! Overall it runs and drives decent aside from being really loud inside…ordered sound deadening this morning.

 

Get an Infrared Laser Thermometer. You can find them under 20 bucks.

Measure the cooling system, thermostat opening, radiator temps.
Check wheel bearing temps, brake temps, U-joint temps. rear axle temps,
after a hard drive, check tire temps across the tread to confirm alignment and inflation.

Check your stove and oven temps, the barbecue, fridge and freezer, check the outside of your place in winter for heat escaping. They really are handy for a bunch of stuff.

 

Yea, it’s not overheating. Something is up with the guage

 

installed the fuel filler. Little things.

 

Paint on the intake interfering with the sending unit ground to the block?

 

No paint, there too much resistance because I noticed today when I turn the key on it starts out above cold.

* Correction not enough resistance…it’s late

 

Wonderful job! What brand of paint did you use?

 

That green and cream color combo really grows on you. Looks amazing. Great build.

 

It sure does.

 

thanks guys, my friend thought I was nuts but I’ve always been reasonably good at colours for vehicles, in my opinion it looks even better in person. The comments do truly mean a lot.

I worked on it yesterday a little, changed the temp gauge sender and it works now, pulled the speedometer gear out of the transmission and figured out I “clocked” the gear housing wrong when I put it in so that’s an easy fix except I managed to break the bolt that holds the retainer of the speedo gear housing. I pulled the tail shady and swapped it out for one I had on the bench here. I’ll finish putting it together today and get another drive in.

Got plates on it yesterday so I can now drive it for the first time in 30 years.

 

Oh and it makes me happy to say that with the exception of the seat upholstery everything was done by me at home. There are no excuses that doing this stuff is too hard or costs too much.

 

Hey sorry missed your comment earlier. Thanks! I used Endura, it’s a paint more geared to industrial use as it’s a polyurethane but I’m super familiar with it and it’s easy to use. If I was building a show car it would be base clear of course but since it’s a driver it looks good and it holds up well.

 

Awesome job, turned out beautiful.

 

Thanks Mike

 

First legal drive today, Speedo and temp gauge work now. May try for town tomorrow

 

Still no seat covers?

 

Glad to hear it was the sending unit, but still suggest getting the tool, they really are handy.

Besides, I love spending other people's money!

 

I bet it does look better in person. I'll be honest i wasn't liking it at first, till you balanced it with the creme and then I was like, Whoa! Stops you in your tracks.

 

The green is a little more pastel or softer in person, in the 30 years I’ve had it there has never been a doubt in my mind that it would be green.

 

Seat covers are in Edmonton so should have them in the next day or two.

 

Took the truck to town and home today. About 20 miles round trip. So far so good.

 

They are here….

 

I was greeted with a handwritten note thanking me me for my business with an offer to look after anything I wasn’t happy with. The problem is I’m more than happy! I thoroughly recommend Ashley Stone at Wicked Stitch upholstery. I was told these were her first automotive seats so if it’s just getting better then this the sky is the limit for her. A more then fair price for a fantastic job! Patterns for door panels will be in the mail to her soon!

 

Those are some pretty doggoned good looking seats.

 

@atch, I’m beyond happy!
They are out of an Intrepid with the headrests taken off, considering I only sent the upholstery to Ashley and she didn’t have the foam or anything I couldn’t have asked for more!

 

Man i appreciate you giving her something to work on and trusting her. She's getting better everyday. It's awesome to see your covers on and i showed her what you posted, she started crying. She takes a lot of pride in it and you made her day. Yeah it's not easy when you don't have a seat sitting here to reference. But i told her that you're somewhat of a mad genius, and if something wasn't dead nuts you could work it out. Thanks again my friend

 

Better then I could have asked for. Can’t wait to see what she’s truly capable of with some experience. Outstanding.

 

Man,,,,,,those seats look great,,,,,the seat covers really suit it,,,,,beautiful job !
Also,,,I see they are electric seats as well,,,,,very good Lane .

Tommy

 

The before of the seats.

Tommy, the best part is they were free! The seats not the upholstery!

 

They look better in white