Projects 1948 Diamond T pickup tow truck project journal.

keep an eye on the rear wheel caps. Ford did their exhaust like that when the redesigned the F-150, and then quickly changed it after they found the rear wheel caps discolored from the exhaust.

Looking forward to seeing it in traffic soon.

 

I've been running my 97 F150 with side dump exhaust since new and have never noticed this discoloration...course I actually wash my wheels..I think the discolored wheels come from people that never wash their vehicles. Exhaust looks good. I actually run dual side dumps from a Lightning truck on mine now.

 

Looks good Brian. Sorry to hear about mishap. As much as we work on autos something like that is bound to happen sooner or later.
What time do you guys have coffee on Fridays? I may have to head into the shop late some Friday.

 

I posted some pics on the "wrecked it in the garage" thread, but I want to keep this thread updated. The fender is roughed in today, after having the appraiser look at it yesterday. I haven't gotten his estimate yet, but it's going to all work out OK.

Tomorrow, we start sling'n mud!

Coffee at Crafty B's every Friday morning. I'm working this Friday, and won't be able to be there, hopefully next week I'll be painting and won't be able to go either!

Brian

 

More work on the Lokar fender. It's coming along well. I bought some expensive filler, and the ease with which it spreads, and sands, is amazing. I've always bought the inexpensive "light-weight" fillers, this stuff is SO much easier to work. I used less, and spent way less time.

A little more sanding, and I'll be ready for primer.

 

I don't know about the rest of you, but I HATE doing stuff over. Especially if I don't thing it's my fault. Be that as it may, today I spent getting primer on the mangled Diamond T sheet metal, courtesy of the Lokar shifter and it's crappy neutral safety switch.

I'm hoping that I have enough primer on everything to block out and be done, but I'm planning on having to shoot some more anyhow. I did take care of an "oops" on the back of the cab that I somehow missed, and a scratch in the paint from installing the rear window. Otherwise, it's all damage repair from the thing starting in gear when it shouldn't have.

Thanks, Lokar.

In the interest of getting it done, I did skip a tiny chip in the hood, and the chip in the drivers front fender, all from the crash, figuring I'll take care of those while I'm off work getting my torn rotator cuff and torn biceps tendon repaired in a couple weeks. Sanding should be easier when I can use my right arm. There's so much to do as it is, that those, and refinishing the tailgate for the sanding scratches that show if you look JUST RIGHT, can wait.

We have planned on debuting the truck, along with the Spartan trailer, at the Tin Can Tourist's spring gathering in three weeks in Milford, MI, so that's my main goal at this point.

Brian

 

It's ready for color! I'm heading out to the shop to finish up masking the truck off, and then off to the paint store to get a quart of color. I'm excited, and still think we'll be able to debut the truck at the Tin Can Tourists spring rally in Milford. Which is the same weekend as Sins of Steel. Darn.

Brian

Just so you know, I wasn't finished sanding, and the door handle and lock cylinder are out.

 

THANK YOU HAGERTY INSURANCE!!! I spoke with my agent this afternoon in between coats of clear on the Diamond T, and a check is in the mail that'll make the pain (almost) go away. Whew.

Meanwhile, the truck is all painted, and can go back together on Thursday, my next day off. Everything went great, although I hung a couple of curtains in the right fender. I'm blaming the poor lighting in the shop, but I put plenty of clear on it and will just sand the curtain out and polish it up. No worries.

What a pain, but thank God I had insurance on it, or this would all be on my nickel.

 

Glad to see its coming back together for you Brian. As for insurance, it seems a useless waste of money until you need it, then you're glad you had it. Been there before and it saved my bacon. Hope you make the show. So when will you get back on the T Bird?

 

As soon as the insurance check is in the bank! I'm having a torn rotator cuff and biceps tendon repair in a month, so I'll be the one armed bandit for a while. I'll have to learn to block sand with my left arm. I painted the truck parts yesterday left handed, which may account, along with bad lighting, for the curtain in the fender!

Brian

 

Looking good Brian. It's a good thing you are a painter. All the painters I have dealt with would have take three week to show up and look at the damage.

 

If you don't think paint "flows" as it cures, a quick look at the curtain I hung in the DT's front fender yesterday would convince you. On the first pass of clear, I hung a curtain in the crown of the fender. Poor lighting, I was shooting left handed because I can't hold a gun full of paint with my right hand (torn biceps tendon), and a little over-eager. If it were smaller panel, I'd have washed it, and started over, but it was too big to get away with that, so I figured I'd just bury in in clear and cut it down when I polish. This morning when I went out to the shop, that curtain was gone, it had flowed out and settled down, leaving only a tinny ripple further down the fender. In it's place, two other ones showed up, but they'll sand out just fine as well.

I'm not as good as I think I am, but some 600 gr paper will cut the ripples down, and it'll "...buff right out!"

Brian

 

It's DONE! Today on the way home from my buddy's shop, I bought a new polished diamond plate storage box for the bed, (Diamond T, Diamond plate, it all goes together, right?), a pair of neat little bicycle clamps to transport our bikes when we travel, and a flasher with an indicator light lead, and got those all in.

I hate to say that I caved in a took it to my buddy's shop (Woodward's Garage in Kalamazoo) to fix a problem that I couldn't find, and as I suspected, it was something simple that I'd overlooked. It just needed a second pair of eyes, they fixed the simple problem, and it now runs like a scalded cat. It's like a new 'Vette, that'll also pull your house down! I love it.

So, the truck is DONE! We're hitching up one of the vintage trailers and heading over to the east side of the state on Saturday, and stopping on the way at the Gilmore Spring Dust Off, so the truck will have it's "Debut" soon.

I can't get the smile off my face with sandpaper!

Brian

The big FAT check from Hagerty for the mishap in the garage arrived today too, which really put the icing on the cake. What a GREAT day!

 

Congratulations that looks awesome

 

Congrats Brian !! Man thats gonna be a sweet long haul cruiser for the trailers! How smooth is the ride? Half ton smooth or 3/4 ton bumpy lol ?

 

Congrats on getting it done - looks awesome.

 

Got the bumper on yesterday after blacksmithing the brackets back into shape. It drew crowds at the first cruise in last night. Very rewarding. We didn't take the trailer, my wife said she doesn't like to show off. Really?

Koolkemp, it rides like a one ton pickup! It's firm but not bone jarring. I've only got 55lbs of air in the tires, so that helps a bit...

Brian

 

I was at the Gilmore Museum yesterday, decided to stay and watch the cruise cars come in and was glad to see Brian's truck drive in. Great job Brian!

 

Great job that thing looks killer!

 

Thanks guys! Here's pictorial proof the truck actually moves under it's own power! I did tow a trailer with it yesterday too, the little "Tini-Home" came home behind it, and I pulled in front of the newly polished Spartan for a photo op. Towing the little one to the Gilmore Dust Off Sat., then on to the east side for a party and camp-out with our TCT friends.

Life is good!

Brian

 

Brian, only one small change I'd make on that ole truck. Change the title to Model T.
Lookin great and thanks for keeping us along for the build.

 

Brian you deserve to show that truck off and the trailer too! Here's to a good long summer of cruising (toasting with a locally brewed adult beverage)!

 

This thread is CLOSED. The truck now has 600+ miles on it, at 16 mpg towing the Spartan trailer.

Stick a fork in it, it's done.

 

No, you can not close it. It looks great towing the Caravan.

 

No Brian, you can't close it. Just went through your build page by page. What a great job. I know you had to be conservative on your comments after the BIG LOKAR OOPS. Man you have to have a lot self control. One more time on a job WELL DONE. If I was up in your area, I would help you pat yourself on the back. I'll have my buddy in Stevensville keep an eye out for you. Hope you will at least give all of us a update on your summer travels. Safe traveling. Ken

 

Big congrats Brian! I've been following this thread for awhile and I always get a kick out of someone getting their project on the road for good. Kinda miss that feeling.
So when are you going to start a thread on the T-Bird?

 

That turned out brilliantly Brian. Congratulations, it looks superb.

And x2 on the Tbird thread!

 

Looks great, you made it past the shifter bs like a champ.

 

Thanks guys. We're doing the Lincoln Highway Centennial Tour with the Diamond T and Spartan in June, to Kearny NB, and have several other shorter trips planned as well. I'll post pics as we go.

The T'Bird will get started as soon as my shoulder surgery (next week) allows. Maybe I'll be able to block sand left handed, after all, I painted the truck lefty. I can hang curtains right or left handed, so it probably doesn't matter which way I spray.

Brian

 

Another thanks from Florida Brian. But what's this CLOSED deal?
Stop painting without a mask!~ You know it's never finished. And thanks for taking us along on your build and adventures.
Now relax, have some Kool-Aid and good luck with the surgery.