Hey everyone. I posted about this at my road bike forum and one of the members there encouraged me to share this over here. I suppose this is an introduction, and I guess maybe I'm looking for a few words of encouragement My family has been in to cars for quite some time. My dad, uncles, and grandpa all built up plenty. Most of them are no longer, unfortunately, but this one, my grandpa's last project before he dies, is still around. He died in 1994 when I was 13 years old and he left the truck to me at that time. I have a couple uncles, my dad, and cousins who he could have left it to, people who all had lots of experience working on cars with their dads. I never really got that experience for whatever reason and had never done anything other than play in the dirt while they were all working on cars. Maybe it was because of all the cars they'd built up before, or wrecked before, or never finished. I'm not totally sure. But whatever the reasoning behind it, he left it to me. I didn't really know it was mine until just a few years ago. Apparently it was a big point of contention in my family. A little 13 year old more interested in reading than cars got the car over some very talented mechanics in my family. Anyways, by the time I found out it was mine it had been sitting for quite some time, in a garage, on the ground, getting dusty. I got a few offers to buy it, but the actual value of the truck could never match the sentimental value of it. So it just sat. My grandpa restored the truck over a couple of years piece by piece, bolt by bolt. Every part on it aside from the wheels, the wood in the bed, and the upholstery was original to my knowledge. When he died it was running perfectly and just needed some few details such as door panels in order to be finished. When it got put away in a garage the steering box was blown out (i think it was already bad, but got worse with the bit of driving done in it) and the master cylinder was leaking oil. Now it needs those things plus for everything to be drained and new hoses and whatnot. My goal for this truck is to finish what my grandpa had started. He wanted a beautiful, original, Ford truck and I want to give it to him at some point in the relative near future. I'd like to fix all the things I mentioned previously, and then eventually get some period wheels, figure out the rest of what's needed in the cab, and just put the finishing details on his truck to make it look as if it just rolled off the factory line. He left it to me for a reason, and I think that's why. It's gonna take a while, but I'll get it done. I just thought I'd share this here. Here's a couple photos of it from yesterday, after we put some inexpensive wheels on it so we could get it moved from my ex step mom's house (long story!). Thanks for listening to my long story! joe
You know, even if its fairly original, you gotta love those Ford Shortbeds, little but rugged, it can work like a truck , but drive like a car, its just a good looking truck. Those wheels look pretty good on that, my vote is to keep it like that, your grand father did a very good job with that truck.
First off I'd like to Welcome you to the board.... Great intro story and a very nice looking project. I wish you all the best with it, and look forward to updates as they happen.
welcome to the hamb, great story ,hope my grandson appreciates the car and truck that he will get as much. thanks for sharing
Great looking truck, wish I had it. I'm really glad you want to keep it, should stay in the family. My eight year old Grandaughter always plays in my 30 banger pickup and loves to ride in it so I told her she could have it when I'm done with it and she calls it her truck now.
holly crap that looks to be near complete and in great condition nice truck your grandpa gave you....i'm building a 56 f100 and have a thread on it. good luck you will enjoy it
Congrats, and welcome to the HAMB. Not trying to be a smart ass, but the master cylinder, shouldn't be leaking oil but brake fluid. If it isn't synthetic, it will eat paint. Just replace it with a rebuilt one, fill it with brake fluid, and bleed the brakes. Hang, around, ask questions, (there is never a stupid question), research previous threads, and most of all enjoy that truck. Some day soon, you and Grandpa can enjoy a ride together. If only in your imagination. Enjoy!
I would suggest to share your story here :http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum41/ Them guys will go nuts over a 100% stock truck. both forums are great. ;
No offense taken. I appreciate the corrections! Like I alluded to in my original post, I'm not much of a mechanic. I may have gotten the part wrong, but whatever it is it's leaking oil down the back of the engine, on to the wall that separates the engine from the cab. joe
its called a firewall......let the learning begin....hey we all started not knowing much about cars/trucks....you will learn fast around here...enjoy
You have a beautiful truck, there. It is a great platform to begin learning with. They are very simple, mechanically and can be very reliable. Go enjoy it and make your grandfather proud. Conor
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