Update, Update

My friend "Rubber Toes" Droz came up from Topeka last week and helped me on the Ford. We put the front bearings and break calipers together and then put the front roller wheels on. We then took the frame off the saw horses and set all four corners down on dollies. Now it can be rolled out of the way when needed. We also rolled the cab back over did more sandblasting. Still have a little more to do. Hope to get that done before the weather sets in. Did some more mudding with the new Metal to Metal body filler and what an improvement over the last old can. Old filler is not good.
Roger also helped me do some figuring on the risers that will be needed if I use the bucket seats I bought. I agreed with him that I will just use the old bench seat for now on mocking up the cab for the steering column and other stuff.
We got into figuring out the brake lines and decided we needed to go to brake line school by asking questions at the Friday car club gathering.
Van and Jim came through again and now have us (me) going in the right direction. Van loaned me his brake line crimper and I bought a roll of 3/16" brake line in town today. I will tackle that project next.

Been a busy week

Got my Axles back Friday from Lynn and he had cut 400 thousands off the bearing retainer rings, which is about 3/8ths of an inch. I put them in and everything seems to work okay now. I also put the backing plates and brakes on with the new hubs. I had some trouble hooking up the parking brake cables but with persistance, they finally went in. I still have to put a couple more clamps on the cables to the frame. Got to find clamps first. I then drug out my roller wheels and tires and put them on the rear. Lookin good so far.
Also this week I found a set of 60/40 bucket seats out of a 95 Ranger on Craigslist in Burlington for 40 bucks. I had to sandblast the slightly rusted bottom slider mechanisms and repaint them black. Got them working pretty well. Looks like I will have to get them reupholstered later on. I also have to build some pedistals to set them on in the cab. I have to do a mockup in the cab when I get it flipped back over.
Also I started using some of the Metal to Metal body filler on the cab this week. When I opened the can it was like concrete in the bottom 1 inch of the can. Tried to stir it up but couldn't get all the lumps out. Took it back to CARQUEST and they gave me a new fresh can. I'll try it out today.

Rear End Trouble

Called Lynn about the rearend not seating and he came over. We decided the retainer rings that are pressed on after the bearings on the axles were too wide not allowing them to seat. He took the axles home and will cut a small portion off the rings. Should get them back this week.
Meanwhile, I bought a coil spring compressor and installed the springs in the front suspension along with the stablizing rods and the sway bar. All thats left there is the bearings and rotors. I will put the shocks in later.
I also made up a brake rod, which wasn't supplied, from the pedal to the brake booster using a 3/8 x 24 thread rod and a tube nut.
After repairing a hole blown in one of my sandblaster fittings I went back to blasting the cab. Got most of it done till I roll it back over.
Today I will go back and fill in some pin holes I blew in the floor boards when I was learning how to use my new welder.
Getting closer to priming the bottom of the cab.

We're Back !

Been gone for 7 weeks and had a great summer on Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho. Also, Nancy held my 70th birthday party in Spokane (50 miles away) While we were there. All eight of my kids and spouses and my 10 grandchildren showed up to "ROAST" the old man. My lifr couldn't get any better.
Got home last Wednesday to the midwest heat. Got the boat unloaded, cleaned up and put away. Got the lawn mowed and other honey doo's finished up and went back to the F1 yesterday. The weather is cooler now which is great.
Went back to installing the rear axles and brakes. Axles wouldn't seat on the flanges. Had about 1/4 inch sticking out. Finally with some quick measuring it looks like the bearings are too wide. I pulled the rearend back out and will take it back to the guy that drilled the axles and pressed new bearings on for me. Anyway I think that is the problem. I'll find out this next week.
Soooo, that means, back to sandblasting the cab today. Also need to finish up some welding of pin holes on the floor boards. I want to prime and seal the bottom of the cab before I flip it back over.
It's nice to be back.