1952 F-6 Build

[Torchie]

Another step in the journey...

Not photo worthy but I got the upper radiator hose installed as well as the fan belt along with some final adjustment to the re-postitioned generator.
I had to do some trimming on the fan blades for clearance so I made up a cutoff template to make sure the the blades are all uniform.
My JD Corn head grease arrived on Saturday so now I can fill the clam shell/tranny universal.
The lower radiator hose will require getting on the floor under the front end to install so I am thinking that it will not get done today.
We got about 10 inches of fresh snow last night but can't complain as this winter has been a mild one so far.
Thanks for visiting...........
Torchie

 

[Torchie]

A few more steps today...

They say that no pics equals no proof........[ddd
Pic 1. Engine with new belt and upper rad hose. I am eyeballing a set of the early style Olds Rocket Valve covers that have the wire loom on top of them on ebay right now. We will see how that goes.....

Pic 2. The cornhead grease that I spoke of. It becomes semi- liquid when in use and then returns to solid when at rest.
Ford used a kind of goopy mixture of gear oil and soda originally but it was prone to leaking out of the clam shell.

Pic 3-5. The clam shell and also the Gear housing for the speedometer gearing. You can see the grease zerk on the outer clam shell that lines up with a hole in the inner clam shell which allows the grease to be forced into the housing that surrounds the drive shaft universal joint.
You remove the housing for the speedo gear so that you can see the corn head grease come out. When that happens the housing is full.
It takes the entire tube of grease.

Pic 6. Winter is finally here. This only the 2nd time I have plowed the drive so far this winter. [cl
Thanks for checking up on me.....
Torchie

 

[Old Iron]

I learn something on every picture post you do
Please keep the snow in your neck of the woods

 

[bob w]

Glad to see you're sticking with it. Good luck on the valve covers. We finally got winter. Won't get above zero today.

 

[tmgant]

Making headway Torchie,,, and that snow looks alittle fun,, I've only been in about a 1" of snow before.. Tobby

 

[MercuryMac]

Torchie, this may sound like bragging,--------well, it is bragging,-----but I thought, because it's balmy 0 C or 32 F, I might go put the snow blade on the tractor tomorrow on speculation, ----in case we get winter this winter.

I vote for you getting those rocket valve covers and sticking them on.

 

[Torchie]

Torchie, this may sound like bragging,--------well, it is bragging,-----but I thought, because it's balmy 0 C or 32 F, I might go put the snow blade on the tractor tomorrow on speculation, ----in case we get winter this winter.

I vote for you getting those rocket valve covers and sticking them on.

We have been lucky this winter as well Mac. Very little snow and above average temps. Lots of people around here depend on the white stuff for income so hopefully this storm will give them a boost. The snow just makes it harder for me to get around on my own.
I am all for the earlier style valve covers. Have seen a few sets come and go including some sweet chrome ones. But these are on the "Nice to have" list and not the "Need to have" list. We will see how it plays out....
Torchie

 

[Torchie]

In regards to the rear fenders....
Since I have decided to go with out running boards the width of the rear fenders have really come to the forefront. Even with the running boards the rear tire inset didn't look right. I took care of some of this by using a wider 48 Ford rear end Vs the stock 41 rear end but the gap is still too large.
This appeared to also be an issue with the Jack Rushton truck which was the original inspiration for my build.
My solution is going to be to narrow the width of the rear fenders by at least 3 inches. That will leave me with a tire backset of about 1-3/4 to 2 inches as compared to the almost 5 inches that I have now.

Pic 1 show the current spacing from the tire face to the outer lip of the rear fender.

Pis 2-3. With the running boards off the width of those F series fenders id really obvious.

Pic 4. I am thinking that a 3 inch narrowing is in order.

Thanks for checking in on me......
Torchie

 

[Bamamav]

Kinda rules out any pro street style tires in the future. [ddd

I've got the same problem with my Lincoln, the tires are centered in the fenders, but the fenders are so wide I could put a set of MT Sportsman's in there and still have room. I think I'm going to go to a 10" wheel with more offset later on to move them out, along with some 275/60's in the place of the 255/60's on there now. But, this will happen later on....

 

[Old Iron]

Man, that's a lot of work.
What about wheel spacers? They're around $69 a pair
I've used them on three builds now with no problems.
http://wheeladaptersusa.com/

 

[Torchie]

Man, that's a lot of work.
What about wheel spacers? They're around $69 a pair
I've used them on three builds now with no problems.
http://wheeladaptersusa.com/

Some days just getting out of bed is a lot of work for me OI
I considered spacers but at this point the width of the body(Fender edge to fender edge) at the rear is wider then the width of the front. Give it kind of a "Dually" look, and that is not what I am after.
I may be able to trim off the stock mounting flange and then bend down the extra width of metal to make a new flange. Very little welding . I am still thinking about all of that.
Torchie

 

[Old Iron]

I did see where you said they look like pontoons.

 

[gold03]

Hey Torchie, what are you running for tires and rims on the back? I don't recall. But you know that is the least amount of work. Were you going to run white walls and a narrow profile tire?

 

[Torchie]

Hey Torchie, what are you running for tires and rims on the back? I don't recall. But you know that is the least amount of work. Were you going to run white walls and a narrow profile tire?

Running the stock 41-16" rims, gold. It currently has 600-16's on it which where stock for 1941. I may go to 650-16's which will give a little more tire width.
The way that it sits right now it gets wider towards the rear and as I said the tire/wheel back set just looks wrong.
You can see the same thing in this pic of the Rushton truck. See how far in the rear tire is.
But since he had running boards it takes away from some of the visual exterior wideness of the rear fenders.
I will be posting some more pics tomorrow that will better show what I am talking about.
It's not just about the tire back set but also the overall look of the rear end.
Torchie

 

[gold03]

You want to match the gap to the front end, or.... Stuff a bigger tire in the back. You should mock it up with a larger tire just to get it on paper.

It's looking real good Torchie.

 

[smallfoot]

I see what your'e saying Torchie! I believe your idea to take the fender flange off and bend the extra width you want to take off into a new flange will work...[cl

 

[dutch]

are you using the skirts like in the avatar? I love the look of those on a truck, and they sure help closing the gap
So, the total width in the rear is more than up front? I think I would go the same size and not narrower. I`ve never seen such a fender up close, but in the pics it looks like they don`t touch the bed in a 90`angle...Is that the case? ( I mean, does the radius of the fender bend inwards from the centre towards the bed) may be an optical thing.... [S
If that`s the case it takes a bunch more work to get a nice fit, and maybe worth considering to cut and weld them right through the centre, but if they touch the bed in a 90 degree angle, just make a new flange
If the gap still looks way big, ( ofcourse no problem if you use the skirts) you could make some kind of inner fender .

 

[I-R-POPS]

Torchie,

This is one of those things that we struggle with when we get it in our head that it doesn't look right. It all comes down to making it right in our own minds.

Personally I think with the fender skirts as in your photo shop pic, it looks great!!! If I was gonna run the skirts, I'd put on a 1 1/2'' wheel spacer and a little wider tire on it and drive the heck out of it.

But if you want to mod the fenders.....If it feels good, do it! I'll sit here and watch. [cl[cl[P[P[cl[cl

 

[smallfoot]

Anybody that's been following your build already knows it's fully within your capabilities....

 

[Torchie]

are you using the skirts like in the avatar? I love the look of those on a truck, and they sure help closing the gap
So, the total width in the rear is more than up front? I think I would go the same size and not narrower. I`ve never seen such a fender up close, but in the pics it looks like they don`t touch the bed in a 90`angle...Is that the case? ( I mean, does the radius of the fender bend inwards from the centre towards the bed) may be an optical thing....
If that`s the case it takes a bunch more work to get a nice fit, and maybe worth considering to cut and weld them right through the centre, but if they touch the bed in a 90 degree angle, just make a new flange
If the gap still looks way big, ( ofcourse no problem if you use the skirts) you could make some kind of inner fender .

Torchie,

This is one of those things that we struggle with when we get it in our head that it doesn't look right. It all comes down to making it right in our own minds.

Personally I think with the fender skirts as in your photo shop pic, it looks great!!! If I was gonna run the skirts, I'd put on a 1 1/2'' wheel spacer and a little wider tire on it and drive the heck out of it.

But if you want to mod the fenders.....If it feels good, do it! I'll sit here and watch. /QUOTE]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions gang.
This is a multi-part issue (Aren't they all ) in so much as it's about the rear tire back set as well as that big old fender just hanging out there with out the running board to draw your eye from it.
I will be running without the fender skirts from time to time but will not have the running boards on.
The flange is at 90% to the top of the fender but in other spots there is a tapering of sorts. My initial thoughts was to cut thru the fender removing the amount need then welding on a new flange. But then cutting off the flange and bending over the excess to crate a new flange is also another option that would require less welding on the surface of the fender it self. I have also had a few other ideas as well but dismissed them almost upon thinking them.
I agree with you POPS as to doing something because it is what I want. See. Need. After all isn't that why we build are own cars and trucks.[ddd
My own criteria in many cases has always been that what ever I do it has to make sense to at least me (Which has gotten me in trouble more than once [ddd)
Had a rough night but if I get it together I will get out to the shop and present you all with more info.
Pic 1 shows what I am talking about with the rear fender just sticking WAY out there.
Pics 2-3 show it with and without the skirts.
Thanks for looking in on me.......
Torchie