Work on My F8, No. 11

[Jim Price]

The past two days accomplished the following:

Finished dismounting all four tires and today took the rims to the stripper for rust removal.

Cleaned the gas tank up (I've only got one of the two needed; anybody got a source for the second?) and took it to the chemical bath stripper today.

Took the springs to another shop today and the reception was like night and day compared to the first one I went to; this fellow had a great can-do attitude coupled with a super sense of customer service!

Checked on the paint; not ready yet but should be tomorrow.

Removed the input shaft to the differential and found that some strong-arm repairs had been made some time back leaving the channel for the key badly boogered up; may have to have it welded and remachined!

When delivering the wheel rims the stripper advised he'd have them as well as the frame and the other parts I'd dropped off earlier ready for painting this Friday; the turnaround in activities soon begins!

Called the brake shop and the hubs have been turned, new shoes set aside, a new master cylinder located but no springs or wheel cylinders as yet. (I picked up a catalog for Mac's, a parts dealer in old Ford parts; found some wheel cylinders and tension springs in it. http://www.macsautoparts.com/)

One of my helpers has gone to California for 10 days so am down to just the two of us to work on the project over that time period!

With all the big stuff gone, cleaned the garage floor; lots of dust!

That's all for now!

Regards,
Jim

[Jim Price]

Today was a sort-it-all-out day; accomplished the following:

Picked up the paint yesterday and delivered it to the body shop. The color was correct and I learned a great lesson: Don't ever, ever have some of your paint put into aerosal cans BEFORE you've had a chance to make sure you've got the right color! I now have a dozen cans of a beautiful pea-green color!

Today we sorted and cleaned all the remaining parts and put them into groups for eventual delivery to the stripper and painter: The internal front half body parts, the outside body parts, the foot pedals assembly and the steering components. By the way, am having a devil of a time removing the steering wheeel from the column; any suggestions?

Pounded out the one fender that had a large crease in it. Looks amazingly good for some strong arm finishing! Will apply some finesse next week to finish the job.

Found the missing brake parts for the right rear wheel in a box sent along by the seller of extra parts; they were in the bottom and had escaped my attention! Called the brake shop and let them know so they wouldn't have to search for a full set! Will make a visit there on Monday with the found parts.

Cleaned up the backing plates along with the front axle assembly and the rear axle and sent them all on their way via my helper to the stripper and then to be painted.

That's all for this day!

Regards,
Jim

[Jim Price]

Having taken the weekend off was back at it today. We accomplished the following:

Donned our masks and cleaned out the asbestos from the engine compartment panels. Bagged it all for safe disposal!

Disassembled the windshield and found that the channels will need to be replaced. Thanks to Phil I have a way of accomplishing that easily by using an M-37 windshield frame! Thanks, Phil!

Began cleaning the lug nuts. all 72 of them!, in preparation for painting them. Have got 37 cleaned so far. What a boring, boring job!

Committed to buy a Ford flathead engine, one with 81A heads which places it having been made between 1938 and 1941. (My truck is a 1940.) Had looked at it earlier but asked the seller to remove the oil pan for a closer look at the innards. All looks ok so bought it. Am taking a chance as I've never heard it run but the seller is known for his honesty (He's in the frame business locally.). Will probably pick it up tomorrow.

That was all for the day; humidity was fierce!

Regards,
Jim

[king of obsolete]

keep the updates coming. really enjoying how you are working in the heat as i enjoy the great white north.

thansk
KoO
Published Author

[Jim Price]

Hello to all, especially the King of Obsolete!

Yesterday was a travel day. Did the following:

Stopped by the brake shop to check on their progress in finding the brake parts. My pile of parts has grown significantly! Was advised that they should have all by a week from tomorrow.

Went to the bank to pick up the cash for the engine. Am picking it up today. That's another story! Called a couple of friends who committed to help me and then one cancelled last night and the other this morning! Will have to go it alone!)

Stopped at a steel supply house to check on steel channel to replace the windshield frame. Had sticker shock over the cost of M-35 and M-37 frames! Have found some 3/8" ID by 1" channel and someone to cut the pieces down to a 3/8" by 9/16" at a cost significantly less.

Went grocery shopping after having put it off for a week; too busy on the truck parts!

Today my helper and I assembled several parts to take to the striper and painter: The four shock absorbers (anyone have any experience restoring these?), the steering column and gear box (emptied it of all the oil), the steering connecting rod and steering arm and the brake and clutch pedal assembly.

We did some more strong arm body work on the front bumper supports and the back panels to the bed and added them to the pile to take to the stripper.

Drilled out and tapped the screw holes in the windshield pipe frame. Only managed to twist off 6 when removing the channel frame.

Cleaned some more lug nuts; only 21 more to go (out of 72!).

Went to the tool store and purchased an engine stand; didn't have one and my helper couldn't find his. It's a beauty with 2,000 pounds capacity!

Am off in a few minutes to pick up that channel and then on to pick up the engine. (By the way, Howard, the seller, is from Manchester; nice fellow to do business with!)

Regards,
Jim

[Mike K]

Jim

rusted out windscreen frames is a common problem on these old vehicles . I bought three NOS cab 11 complete windscreens from Bill drew for 15 $ each years ago... I shipped one off to the UK to a friend who also owns a cab 11 C8 . I opted to keep the original glass , but he had it replaced with modern stuff .

Laminated glass windscreens in cars only came into regular use here in the 1970's , before then, the car makers used toughened plate glass , it was cheaper . When I was a kid a big truck passed us and a rock went through the windscreen of the Vanguard , it missed me by a few inches , straight through the toughened glass screen which shattered into thousands of small pieces , the driver couldn't see through the now white crackled screen . Give me laminated anyday .

Mike

[Jim Price]

Mike:

Thanks for the input! How right you are about that old style glass. As for both sides of the windshield glass, they are so badly cracked that thye'll need replacing anyway!

Regards,
Jim

[king of obsolete]

sounds like you had a busy day, any pictures???
it rained all day in the KINGDOM plus my daughter had 5 of her friends over. so it was surf the internet.

thansk
KoO
Published Author