FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => Member Projects => Topic started by: Hemi Joel on April 01, 2012, 12:02:07 AM
-
My 16 year old son, Cam, (named after the engine part) is getting started on a 37 ford pickup project. My Dad got the truck from his neighbor who was over 90 years old, and couldn't finish the restoration work that he had started. The truck has been sitting around here for about 4 years, and now Cam suddenly has a giant burst of enthusiasm to get it done!
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/cams%2037%20ford%20pickup%20project/truckinpb.jpg)
The truck came with a freshly rebuilt 1942 Flathead, so that is what is going to stay in it. We pulled engine out because the previous owner thought that he forgot to put a pilot bushing in the crank. Low and behold, we found that there was brand new pilot bushing in there. Too bad, what old age can do to a persons memory. So he took the opportunity to paint the engine the original color.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/cams%2037%20ford%20pickup%20project/flatiejustpainted.jpg)
The next item on the agenda is to lower it. He started on that today. First, he got the spring out. There was one big surprise, when he started loostening the bolt that goes thru the center of the spring and the crossmember, the bolt snapped off and the spring un-sprung rather violently. Luckily, no body parts were in the way, and he now has a healthy respect for the potential danger of a spring, one that will hopefully last for a lifetime.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/cams%2037%20ford%20pickup%20project/frontspringjustout.jpg)
Once he had the spring apart, he traced the shape of the main leaf on a peice of cardboard, then flattened it out using my press.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/cams%2037%20ford%20pickup%20project/pressingmainleaf.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/cams%2037%20ford%20pickup%20project/flatenedleaf.jpg)
Then, using the cardboard as a guide, used the press to arch it the other way.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/cams%2037%20ford%20pickup%20project/reversedmainleaf.jpg)
Then he had to cut the ends off the 2nd leaf to make it fit on top of the main leaf.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/cams%2037%20ford%20pickup%20project/cuttingleaf.jpg)
Here it is all assembled, with the eyes reversed and only 7 leaves instead of 12.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/cams%2037%20ford%20pickup%20project/reveredspringassemebled.jpg)
It seems that this will drop it at least 3", and the cost will be zero. Hopefully tomorrow, it will be all installed.
-
Great stuff Joel!
Your son wants a high school hot rod.
Didn't we all. LOL
Love the Flatty.
-
If you want to get real itchy, get a Speedway Hot Rod catalog and look at the go-fast stuff for flatheads. (My first hot rod was a '53 Merc. I put three Stromberg 97s on it, on an Offy manifold. I scrounged all three carbs. Speedway now sells new ones for about $300 each.)
KS
-
Nothing better than a project with your kids, enjoy the time together.
-
That thing is gonna be cool when it's all together. Nice to see Cam getting his hands dirty on that project; he'll learn a lot doing that for sure!
-
Thanks for the nice comments. Cammerfe, He defenetly has flathead fever, he wants some aluminum high compression heads and a 2 carb intake. It has a nice stromburg 97 on it now, and I think I have an extra one laying around somewhere, so that will help.
He got the spring put back together today. Now he can't wait to get the motor back in to see how low it sits!
It took a lot of prying and jacking to get the shackles lined up.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/cams%2037%20ford%20pickup%20project/photo2.jpg)
Be he got it with a bunch of help from the old man.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/cams%2037%20ford%20pickup%20project/photo4.jpg)
So that worked out great, and took a lot less time than he thought it would. Next we drop the motor in, then later tackle lowering the rear.
Bye for now, Joel
-
Great to see your sons interest in old cars, has to be a great feeling for you to get to spend this time with him. I have a 4 y.o. Daughter that loves Daddy's Hot Rods so far, just hope she keeps that love as she grows older. Want to help her find a nice 60's Ford about the time she is 14 y.o. to start redoing so that she has it when she gets her drivers license. Something she can do a lot of the work on herself with my help. Think she will appreciate it more knowing the work that went into it to get it finished.
-
He got the motor set in there today, and it dopped it down pretty good. Actually, he surprised me by dropping the ol' flathead in all by himself while I was at work today.
It's kind of hard to tell from the picture, but it's a lot lower than it was.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/cams%2037%20ford%20pickup%20project/photo6.jpg)
Falcon, get her started now, before all the girl stuff kicks in. By the time I tried to get my daughters involved in car stuff, they were so absorbed in dance and make-up and skating and all the other girl stuff, it was hopeless.
-
Very cool, HJ!
-
I have, she loves to ride in the Comet, she here's it start up she comes running to make sure I not leaving without her. Hope she stays that interested, but only time will tell. She loves going to the drag strip. Going to go this year and let her watch the Jr dragsters, hopefully I can get her into one of them in a few years.
Enjoy the build with Cam, looking good, love the grills on those trucks.
-
Nice that some kids today like real cars
My first car i rebuilt was a 37 Ford sedan that i got
from my dad when i was 16 to.It was my dads first car
That he bought it in 1958