51 Ford

[jaybee]

Looks like those Ford van bumpers have slots in them to receive the plastic cladding. Too bad, it looks great...unless filling the slots and rechroming is in the budget. https://www.ebay.com/i/281922142623?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=281922142623&targetid=1071860215621&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9008491&poi=&campaignid=11614529183&mkgroupid=113642448632&rlsatarget=pla-1071860215621&abcId=9300457&merchantid=113384040&gclid=CjwKCAiAyc2BBhAaEiwA44-wWwznm-aXk7NfAxyi71VCzFMtvdYMkc8esZ6KxIwVJ5FRJYmW3Rk6dRoCC2QQAvD_BwE

[idrivejunk]

Looks like those Ford van bumpers have slots in them to receive the plastic cladding. Too bad, it looks great...unless filling the slots and rechroming is in the budget. https://www.ebay.com/i/281922142623?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=281922142623&targetid=1071860215621&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9008491&poi=&campaignid=11614529183&mkgroupid=113642448632&rlsatarget=pla-1071860215621&abcId=9300457&merchantid=113384040&gclid=CjwKCAiAyc2BBhAaEiwA44-wWwznm-aXk7NfAxyi71VCzFMtvdYMkc8esZ6KxIwVJ5FRJYmW3Rk6dRoCC2QQAvD_BwE

I was betting theres a plain version and dimensional alterations are part of it. Nobody would want chrome and plastic...


unless it were easier to clean bugs off of.      and looked right at home.

I have not checked overall width of 51F6 vs Econoline but would guess it to be real similar. The pad sticks down quite a bit farther than the face bar. Hey! This is not unlike the Maverick spoiler hunt, is it?

[idrivejunk]

I think it's too close to the cab. If I have time tomorrow, I will measure the 51 to see what I did. My 1st thought was you were referring to the cab and bed not being parallel . That's why I checked the curvature of the f6. What did I miss?

You guys may have missed this part.

Drawn just now, for you-uns

[idrivejunk]

I think it's too close to the cab. If I have time tomorrow, I will measure the 51 to see what I did. My 1st thought was you were referring to the cab and bed not being parallel . That's why I checked the curvature of the f6. What did I miss?

Standing on frame behind cab looking down, looks alright. I looked at a 48 Ford and 49 Merc in person. At most, a sheet of cardboard clearance but they do look flatter on back of cab. But those are wrong years and I did bear this variable in mind when revising the design for simplicity... see sketches.

In this picture-



the board cannot move farther inward because the fender blocks it. Yet it lays against the fender shape relatively nicely. The board is only bolted to front fender since boards are smooth. Without the rear fender on, board slips easily under bedside.

One day I hope to earn the "like a fox" appendage on an IDJ is crazy sentence.

[kb426]

I wondered about the running board but the point of perspective of pics can be misleading. I hesitate to say anything unless it's reasonable clear for what I'm looking at. Notwithstanding the fact that I don't see well.

[idrivejunk]

I know how it is.    

No worries and keep up the good spotting. I siezed the opportunity during the 'splaination to inject fun with canted lamp scribbles.

[enjenjo]

You are good with fiberglass, fix it. If it's steel, even easier. You realize it's easier to make a new steel running board than to fix an old one.

[idrivejunk]

Wrote this before bed but didn't hit post:

Oh don't get me started on that. One board was piledriven by a forklift and I had to hack an end to qwik fix just so the owner would walk past it.

I don't have a brake that long, though. :?:

I may be a little loopy, don't believe I slept last night. Too much napping in recent days. Here it is past time again and well you know how it is... had one idea and said OK fast draw but another pops up halfway through that.

You guys also know I flip flop like a big hail dent or a fish on a hot sidewalk. Beginning to think if a man has '61 canted lamps and don't use them it would be some sort of man card demerit.

This store has Kool, I am sure. Just no green sign. You'll have to look and see if Merits are there too.    They may be mixed in together. Never know how this stuff will look in the morning. Might rather chew my arm off than wake her.  

[kb426]

Interesting. More thinking.

[idrivejunk]

Never did flip it over yet. I think the grille makes me want to do that. But I strive to bear simplicity in mind. That upside down hood nose trim was just a convenience to provide a wider range of bumper donor options. I like that you like actual bumpers that can bump.

Keep mentioning what you like when something pops up that you do. Or let me know when to stop. I am known to befuddle folks with too many options.

We need to size up the wraparound ends on that van bumper in the green pic. Should be wide enough to cover you side to side but the ends may need added material. Theres a lot of work vans around with the plain painted bumper.

PS: I want to see how this looks... Stacked Pontiac (or, well I guess Ford too but Pontiacs are pointy) bezels laid on the sides and positioned as ends of the 51 grille bar, no uprights.

I am kinda partial to that fleur de lis actually but the run and hide one (boy, now thats aggressive IMO) makes a nice play with the slot end angles. However that one is a non-debunked thumbnail only. Meaning the F1 and 56 lines are correct but the headlights are guesstimates on angle and size. The right damaged 56 grille might be a nice find if doing that.  

Torque that thinking cap on good and snug.

[idrivejunk]

Cardboard is a smidgen tight in feeler gauge terms with rough rough primer. Bondo guy commented "a lot more of that cab back is covered than I thought. Spent time around those ribs" and you can fill in the thought I have. But posterboard slips right through. After looking at other trucks, I told myself if it lets corrugated cardboard through with a bit of tension, thats probably the sweet spot. So I consider that as nailed nicely. Slots at gate sill mount bolts indicate bed is all the way back within it's range and the other bolt locations force it to sit where it is.



Before cutting this on the right-



I am over here on the left making a much smaller correction and lookin satisfactory-

[kb426]

The running board was about 3/4" off??

[idrivejunk]

The running board was about 3/4" off??

Sure enough. More like an inch, but it is just that the curve doesn't match the fender. That corner is a TIG'ed joint. Kinda like making fiberglass rod parts I guess, they just make sure theres enough there to trim to fit. Like I am doing. Back to that in a moment...

Hey on both sides, front fenders behind wheel stick out. Like if you squat out front by the headlight and sight down the side of the truck... Its all you see. Is that normal? If I laid a straightedge down the whole truck sides, it would teeter totter on the rear half of the wheel opening lip. Looks like Dumbo.

[idrivejunk]

My goodness, it was 70 outside today.    

The right board at rear fix is partly welded but in my haste to get some sunroof time in... forgot pic. I did take the F1 outside briefly however but background sun, foreground shade. Noticed a couple things though.

First heres this fixed-






I don't believe those flags weigh all that much, the bed is downhill in back. Sigh. There is no guidance I have found concerning do they have spacers under the bed. I have one inch spacers in front to make bed follow boards closely. Back sits on rails. So bed clearance may change.  



But! I had ol Smeller eyeball the front face of the truck hard. No mention of a lopsided look, only minor stuff. It didn't look as noticeable to me and I have been suspecting lighting illusions inside the shop. So maybe what I said yesterday is the right thing to do. Let somebody tell me its really still wrong. If not, pfft.

[idrivejunk]

This evening I gathered some images of 61 300 front ends and E cargo vans. For a soonday.