Slick 60's

I'm finally at a spot in my life where I have less time at home then I've ever had, but more importantly more money then I've ever had by flying around the world full time. Ya'll can see that thread over @ http://slick60s.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=27826

Anyway, over 10 or so years ago my dad picked up our '66 F-250, and about six years ago he dropped it off at a guy's house who did bodywork on the side. Five and half years ago was my dad's fatal heart attack, and with me away all the time in the Air Force, I never had the time to get up there and see what was going on with the truck. Finally talking with my mom who had been still paying registration and insurance all this time, I got the guys number because enough was enough, I'd like this truck done.

Called 'em up, and he said, "Well, I'm not quite done with it..." No, you are done, whats your cash money bill so far, as I'll be up with my trailer on Saturday to pick it up. "Oh, well... I have some bad news. You don't owe anything. My shop had a fire..." (Oh shit I'm thinkin' this thing burnt to the ground) "Some of the parts were inside, so it's gonna cost ya to find replacements" Ok, fair enough.

Headed up there to Highspire PA with a friend of mine to help load and survey the damage. Guys shop did burn to the ground, but the truck was far enough away to not damage it. Only things lost were most of the trim, battery, two tailgates (dad must have found a second better one, as I never knew about that), and ignition switch. He did have the cab mostly painted, fender rot fixed, cab corners replaced, bed floor patched, new hood primed and painted, and new doors installed, so really I just have to get it all sanded and finish coated after I swap the hoods. Not sure what that will cost me yet, but starting to look around now.

Borrowed the second easier to get to battery out of my 6.4L stroker, and after sitting most of the time, fired up and idled. Accelerator pump was clogged, but did have just enough to make it onto my trailer without the winch.





Enlisting the help of some older school knowledge, got my accelerator pump squirtin' again. The soft fuel line to the fuel pump was original Ford, and fresh gas turned it to mush with a quickness. Swapped that out, added a lawnmower style prefilter, so I can keep an eye on things. This was in the filter bowl, so I'm thinking my tank is rusting from the inside out. Might get one of those combo toolbox tank units after painted and bedlined.



So other than needing paint, bedliner, and a new set of trim, I'm in pretty good shape. New radiator and hoses are on order, and excited to start runnin' around in it. After it looks pretty, then I gotta make some changes. Maybe I'm spoiled daily driving a 500 horse tune, and 740 available if I want to play on my stroker, but this thing is sloooooowwwwwwwww. Who has a list of things to do to wake up a 352FE?

Adrianspeeder

is too bad you cant take it in the back of your big flying garage and work on it between flights

Little bit irritated at rock auto, but it is what it is. First radiator I ordered was probably my fault, but I didn't see an AC non AC option. Either way the trucks that came with AC must have shared the radiator with an F-700. Huge mammer jammer, beautifully soldered brass and copper unit. Had to send it back for not being close at all though. Second try the guy assured me it was an all metal tank unit, even though it was a lot cheaper. Course when I pick that box up it is instantly felt to be an aluminum unit with plastic tanks. Grrrrrrrrr......

Crappy part is I messed up by pulling the old falling apart factory radiator before I had opened the first box. Thought about sending this second one back, but just hit with the notice of my forth deployment next week, so gotta get this thing mobile to get insured, tagged, and put in storage.

Then my day gets more irritated when putting this stupid plastic thing in. Both brackets are flipped so the flanges are not on the right sides, but was able to unbolt everything and flip to the right direction. Almost. Now there is no room at the top of the core support for the wiring to run across. Grrrrrrrrr......

So as much as it pains me to hack job it, used longer bolts and nuts as spacers.



Home free? Nope. Top hose outlet on this stupid plastic tank is 1 3/4" wide, not 2" like the hoses I have, or like any book says it should be.



Napa's closed and the sun is going down, but the dude at autozone actually wasn't a waste of space and looked all the racks to see if there was a hose 90ish degrees with 2" on one end and 1 3/4" on the other. Not that lucky of course, but came up with a temporary plan of paid 15 bucks for a random Toyota hose to cut a little bit of the 1 3/4" off to cheat on the radiator and clamp the ballbag off the 2" hose I had over that.

Filled up, pressurized, bumbled around the farm a little bit, and I'll take it to the gas station tomorrow before putting in storage until the unknown time when I get back from fun in the sand and sun.

Adrianspeeder

get it done Adrian.. lol took me over 8 years now and I am still not done and I HAVEN'T been flyin' around the world.. glad to hear your truck was not hurt in the fire..

Thanks, tonight's project was to order new rims, but I'm havin' trouble locating 16" white steel wagon wheels.

Adrianspeeder

The silver coloured core does give it away tho! , glad you have it back now and Brian's idea could work well

adrianspeeder wrote:Thanks, tonight's project was to order new rims, but I'm havin' trouble locating 16" white steel wagon wheels.

Adrianspeeder

I had the same trouble. I ended up making Discount tire (they were the cheapest I found out there) order some "trailer" wheels (white wagon wheels 16"). They tried twice to tell me they couldn't get them (& that I should have alumn rims) and I said fine I will go somewhere else. Amazing they found them after that. I wish you luck.

I got my white steel modulars from summit Adrian... check them out... http://www.summitracing.com/search/part ... 2%20wheels

Anthony wrote:I got my white steel modulars from summit Adrian... check them out... http://www.summitracing.com/search/part ... 2%20wheels

Cheers and beers to you! Might even be in on time before I deploy. Gonna do Transforce ATs out back and HT's up front like my '08 stroker and '79 dually.

Today before parkin' in the barn with the other stored trucks, got the hood swapped.



Ruined trim and the two tailgates. I don't know if they can be cleaned up and painted. Still trying to find a good paint shop in the area that wants to do it. Been turned down by two now that were recommended.



Adrianspeeder

I normally don't work on trucks at my house, since most of my tools are at my friends shop, but got the new fuel pump in today for only 24 bucks at Napa. Screw it, don't want to have diaphragm troubles driving it, so I'll just work out on the street. Pulled the oil pressure sender for better access on a fast swap. Neighbor wandered over to say it was an awesome truck, and asked to hear it run. Sure let me tighten this fuel line...

Hey, why don't I have oil pressure...

Oh well one bag of kitty litter, a new oil filter while I'm at it, and a few fresh quarts of Castrol. Trucks good to go, and the street sweeper comes tomorrow morning anyway.

Adrianspeeder

don`t you just hate that!

Photo updates.













Looked silly without the caps, so ordered those up.





So all those pictures are a few years old. Now I have a storage unit to keep this truck from sitting outside. Coolant needed flushed, and I skipped putting on a recovery bottle with the new radiator. Got hot, made a mess, put in new coolant, and today took to the carwash to lose the rusty water look.





Adrianspeeder

Well look who just flew in.