Update on the F100 June 2024

  Well, nothing much has been going on with the truck. I wouldn't say things are at a stand still, just that lots of little bits need fixing, and that all takes time. My main concern is the alignment of the panels and the preparation of the body for painting.

I re-did the seat frame after making a complete mess of my first attempt. This time I opted for 150mm x 50 x 2 rhs steel for a more rigid frame and reinforced it by welding a couple of support braces in between the rails. I think it works really well this time and it gives me an extra 25mm height which is what it really needed. 

So, that takes care of the seat frame. Still have to send the seat off, but that comes much later.

Did some work on the firewall. Hit it with KBS rust seal but decided I didn't like the look of it and thought it best to have the firewall painted the same colour as the rest of the cabin, so have since rubbed it back. Plus, there were a few areas on the firewall that I was not happy with, so it is back in primer again. I bought a spray can of 2k hi fill primer and hoping that will iron out a few uneven areas.  At the end of the day I am not going to get too hung up over the end result, as it is just basically an old truck. And that is something I keep telling myself.

There is a real conflict here: I just want a nice old cruiser that is a fairly cheap budget fix, but my wife wants the full on respray using the best materials. Maybe she has a point, but the cost factor is going to blow this project's budget way outta the room (which it has already) 

The rhs rear cab corner is coming up quite nicely. Better than the other side. I was able to retain that tricky curved piece inside the door pillar which I wasn't able to do with the left side. This made fitting it up a bit easier. 

The left side piece is a real mess. I still have to align the door correctly to get a better idea of how far out the corner panel is, but looking at this photo, you can see at the moment it is way out. The door does have to go up about 1/4 of an inch and I have to do something with that curved angle which I think might have shrunk due to welding for too long and not cooling down. 

On a happier note, the fuel tank hole in the cab is coming together well. A little bit of spot putty and it should come up really smooth.

And finally, after many months of to and fro with the supplier, I was able to secure the classic gauge cluster for the truck in kilometres!  Took a bit of negotiating with our supplier in Australia but we got there. Check this thing of beauty (and whopping expense) out!

This weekend am finishing the dashboard and doing as much as I can to tidy the cabin. Then I guess we can see if we can find a panel beater/ spray painter to do the final touches!

The engine build is still in progress. I hope to have an update next week. 

Duct season! Blam!

You can clearly see the ducks aren't even happy about it! 

 So, here's something for you to mull over while you are sipping your favourite beverage: why is it that the aftermarket sells 1956 F100 ducts that are leftward leaning and not designed to accommodate a more centred approach? Of course, the other thing is; does it even matter? Probably not, in the end.

I bought a set of heater ducts for the old tart last month from Autoware. Yes, sir, I buy a lot of stuff from these guys as their prices are quite fair, and they always seem to do that little bit extra to help you. 

Anyway, two ducts turned up. Immediately I thought the silly buggers have sent me two left (or right) sided ducts, and not one each side. 

A quick scrounge on Goober yielded no firm results on the existence of a left and right side duct. That is; the aftermarket only make one side.

Why is that?

I searched for other models and found a set for a 1957 F100 with both left and right, but NOTHING for the '56. So what gives?

The only thing is just go ahead and fit them up (which I haven't done yet, so I might just be having a dummy spit about nothing in particular), but I am suspecting there is gonna be an awful lot of rubber hose circulating under that dash and around the wiring and so forth needlessly.