The Good Hood

Finished sandblasting the top of the hood yesterday and blasted the rest of the hood parts today. That may be the last of the sandblasting on this project, and that won't hurt my feelings. Found out the holes for the side stainless pieces on the hood were welded up on this one. Now have to decide if I want the bling or go without it. Think I like it with the bling, so will have to re-drill the holes. 
Tailgate straps from Yogi's came in the mail today so will have to attach them and inlay the fuel door in the wood bed. Also making some teardrops to weld on the ends of the bed sides when I take it back apart.

Replacement Hood

Got the replacement hood this last week. Came in by bus from Sioux City. Looks better than the first one I had pictures of. Unwrapped it and got the bottom side sandblasted a couple days ago. Took yesterday off and Bob and I took the original Ford rear box to Ottumwa where we met a nice guy named Doug and his dad, who bought the box for his Ford F1 project. Doug also brought picture of the Cobra replica that he built. All I can say is it looks awesome. Had a good time chatting with him and his dad about gearhead stuff. Another good road trip.
Gonna take Nancy for a Harley ride today as the weather is still great. Looks like I will have to buy lunch also. Then I will sandblast the top of the hood.
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Bed and Fenders

My friend Bob came down and helped me yesterday and we got a lot more done.   Got the new shorter gas tank fill neck and installed it. The gas cap will be under to bed boards now. Ordered a billet flip up gas cover that I will inlay into the bed boards. Also ordered some tailgate straps to keep the tailgate from flopping all the way down. Got the new tailgate spring loaded latches installed. I like them really well.. Have to make some round and teardrop filler pieces for the ends of the box and tailgate. I will weld them in and smooth them up.  Once all that is done, I can take the box all back apart and clean it up for paint..
The replacement hood should be here tomorrow. The guy said he sent me a better one than the one he sent pictures of. We'll see tomorrow. It's got to be better than the one I have now.

Some parts here and some parts coming

Got the rubber pads that go between the frame and bed and the special bolts and washers for mounting the bed. Got the tailgate latches ordered. I found out they are actually for aircraft canopies. Found a hood in Alvord, Iowa.  Should be coming by bus the first of next week. Looks pretty good in the pictures. Will see how good it is after I sandblast it next week. I still need to decide on a hinge or cable set up to hold the tailgate when it is open and then get it ordered.
Meanwhile I have been working on the back fenders again. The old bed had a bead in the side panels and the new bed is flat. The fenders were made to fit the bead. Sooo, I had to weld in a 1/4 inch wide adder piece along the edge of both fenders. About 70 inches of welding on both sides of the adder pieces. Then a whole lot of grinding after the welding. Not perfect, but I think they will work. I put on the first coat of filler and need to smooth that out.
New shorter gas tank neck should be here tomorrow and then I can finish fitting the red oak boards.
Car show in Quincy tomorrow. I'm going.   Someday I will drive my truck there.

New Bed

Started putting the new bed  together this week. Got all the metal mounted and drilled holes to mount the front piece to the side pieces. Cross and tail pieces are in. Mounted the tail gate. Want to use some kind of hidden tailgate latches and do away with the chains. Researching that now. As you can see in the pictures, I had my best helper on duty again. She even put on her apron so she wouldn't get dirty.
Did a mock-up on the red oak flooring. Looks to be nice wood. Got the two outside pieces laying in place. now have to drill a bunch of mounting holes along each side. All the rest of the mounting bolts will go in-between the boards. The stainless skid runners have a protective coating on them now so they won't get marked up.
Ordered the pads that go between the bed and frame and four other special bolts and washers for hold downs.
Looks like I will have to get a shorter gas tank fill neck to go under the wood floor. Then will have to make a trap door to access the fill.
Still trying to find a different hood. No luck yet, but have a lot of feelers out.
I'm glad I went with the new bed.  It's been nice getting back at it

Time to get started again

Well, I was a great summer. Spent 2 months on Lake Pend O'reille in northern Idaho on Nancy's sailboat. Saw lots of family and friends and had a great time.
Finally got back in the garage last week. Got the hood sandblasted and found some disturbing things under the paint and Bondo. Big patch on the nose that I think I can live with. The worst part is a lot of rusted through pin holes showed up. Been doing some research on how to fix them. I'm afraid to start welding them up as I might blow bigger holes than is there now. Most of them are about the size of a pencil lead or smaller. There's a bunch of them all over the hood. Not just in one spot. I have even started looking for a new hood on the internet. No luck yet.  While I try to figure that out, I will start putting the new bed together. It has some surface rust that also needs attention.  Will start on that tomorrow.

Painting may start soon????