Projects Econoline Pickup "The Buzzing Half Dozen"

These are the wheels I plan on running.
Rocket Racing Injectors. 15x8 in the rear and 15x4 up front.

 

I think I might have to steal this guys idea and make a tonneau cover out of the roof of another van.

 

Man Im Diggen that idea . On the van roof. priced covers at pickup store Geez !

 

Yesterday I removed the heater box, air vent boxes, and headlight bezels.

I also removed the brake pedal and master cylinder. I plan on doing a disc brake conversion on the front and running new brake lines all around.

I started stripping the front of the truck and guess what I found?...More Bondo. It was thick enough that the easiest way to remove it was using a hammer and screwdriver. Just like the other spots on the truck that have been covered in bondo, the damage underneath isn't that bad. Dont get me wrong..the nose is pretty beat up but not enough to warrant that much bondo.

The pic below with the grid looking pattern is from where I used the edge of an old stripping disc and cut into the bondo just to see how much was on the front panel and how thick it was.

I still haven't got the motor to fire up but part of the problem is that I think I have a bad fuel pump. I will be replacing that in the next few days.

I am also thinking of rewiring the whole truck. If i do I will use a rebel wiring harness. I have used them in the past and it is my wiring harness of choice for any future projects.

 

My Nose is the same way. But I let it be dont wont to get that far over my head trying to rebondo. if i couldent fix body work. wish they just made new ones. would be easy to just weld in new .

 

yeah I know what you mean. It would be so much easier to just weld in a new nose (and I'm going to look for one). But I am a certified body man and I know i can do most of the work. I am tempted to try and make a partial new nose for my truck...cut out all the bad area. use a metal brake to get the creases and then use an English wheel for the slight bow in the nose.

If I try it I will document everything

The pic below is about the area I would try to replace

 

Yep. Im Thinking all the Old Eco driver's were near sighted BAM ! Ugh Thats close enuff .... Might of been those thick black rim glasses they had back then Ha! Ha! and the after work Coctail's . Grampaw's pickup all ways had 3 on the tree and 5th under the seat. You Would need english wheel I think. looks pretty complex. I bought one once gave it away F#@%*! Way to hard to use to me . Ron Corvell made it look so easy in the video how to make motor cycle fenders. yah right

 

This weekend I removed my steering column, steering box, and clutch pedal.
I tore the steering gear box down, cleaned and rebuilt it. I also tore the column shift apart and cleaned it up. I am waiting for my new washer springs to come in for the column. I also need to repair the upper pivot mount on the column. the original broke.

I also started stripping the rest of the dog house so I can get it primered and prepped for paint. I would have finished the dog house yesterday but some of my car club family showed up and drug me off to a BBQ. As hot as it was yesterday a little swimming, cold beer, hanging with my friends and good food sounded better than working on the truck.

I cleaned out the cab of the truck to see what all I needed to fix on the inside. I have a few small patches to replace at the back of the cab and a crack in the front passenger side.

 

Get it running yet?

 

No Not yet. she is close but just cant get her to fire up. I think part of the problem is a bad fuel pump.

 

Yesterday I tore the heater box down all the way. I will have to sandblast the base piece because of all the pitting. The rest of is should be ready for primer in the next day or so. And lucky me the fan motor is still good.

I finished stripping the the dog house and got it primered..I still need to to do the lid to the doghouse. It is in good shape so I am thinking about just scuffing up the paint that is currently on it and just painting over it.

I also did the battery box.

The dog house, battery box, and heater box will all be getting painted here soon. the Battery box and heater box will go back black and the doghouse will be blue with white scallops to match the truck once it is painted.

 

yesterday when I got home I removed the gas tank after I found a leak in it. My tank is full of pinholes. So I am now on the lookout for a new tank.
Since I had the tank out I went ahead and dropped the rear weight that sits between the gas tank and the bed of the truck. pictured below is the 2.5" thick piece of cast iron thats under our truck for those who have never seen it.
Since I had the tank and the weight out of the way I decided to go ahead and start cutting out the bed and getting it ready for the sheet of diamond plate. The sheet of diamond plate will be in next week. I think I might borrow my buddies plasma cutter to finish the job off...if not I am going to burn thru a lot of cutting discs.

 

Keep the posts a comin you must of ended up with a maine truck HA! Now does that creeper have out side casters on it? Does your helper get to pick out his pass. side seating? P.O. must of gotten one hell of a deal on mud. Those little trucks are one of my bucket list items. Roger

 

yesterday evening I got more of the bed cut out. Unfortunately I ran out of cutting blades.

since supplies are running low there will not be much more progress until payday.

 

SO GLAD, there are visionaries, like yourself(and others in this hobby) that are saving these rust buckets from the scrap heap. Great project!! Thanks for sharing. Besides the rust, what's NOT to love about these cool 60's haulers. Even Jay Leno has a Rampside Pick-up, in his stable.
JT

 

Thanks for the kind words. she definitely has a lot of rust. luckily for me all of the under structure is sound. Just some surface rust of a couple of spots. I will blast them and get a good coat of primer, paint and undercoat on everything to keep it in good shape.

 

A '65 (15gal) to about 70 (20gal) Mustang gas tank fits perfectly. You just need to weld up the filler (on top) and add a filler to the side/corner (like the stock econo tank) and a vent.

Brand new tanks are about $100. Get a sending unit to go with it and it will work with your stock gauge.

 

I planned on picking up the 20 gallon tank... i like having the extra fuel capacity for long trips.

 

ok...using the scaps of my supplies I managed to get the top of the bed on the drivers side stripped and a little more cut out of the bed.




thanks to the Vintage-Van site I have found some people with parts I can use to patch up some of the badly rusted areas on the truck...like the front wheel well pictured below.

 

progress on the truck is going to slow down for a bit. I am trying to get my Merc ready for a show at the end of September.

 

Looks good man, did you ever find a 200 for it? What show you planning on?

 

Are these the ones that can be provoked to stand on their noses during braking in the propaganda ads from GM in response to the propaganda ads by Ford?
Does it really have a giant weight bolted/welded underneath in the back?

 

I'm diggin it man.

 

nice score, always liked those dodge & ford flat nose trucks]

Later

 

Yes they do...the weight is a 2" thick piece of solid steel. I've got a pic of it I will post later

 

The show is the Hooligan Hoedown in Beaufort SC at the Hwy 21 drive-in. It is the 1st show my car club is putting on.

 

The Buzzing Half Dozen

You know that's been used at least a half a dozen times, right?

 

Yeah...but I still like the sound of it. Ive not had the truck long enough to give it a proper name.

 

I LIKE IT ! That Name has a Certain Buzz to it. Like it was ment to fly !!! with noisy activity like a little bee. GETTING READY TO STING YOUR A** BwAAhh ha ha ....

 

sweet little truck kage. if i can help ya, let me know................i mean it!