'51 F-1 job

idrivejunk · February 28, 2020, 10:44:44 PM

Started on a new job up at work.

Along with the truck came two crates. One with a supercharged Coyote engine and auto trans, another with a Roadster Shop chassis. The former still being stashed at this time, the latter being shown below after Dave unpacking, inspecting, and chunking some IROC wheels on it as rollers. In this photo, I was in the process of removing surface rust and treating to prevent more-

I sat the body on the frame today. It is just sitting loosely, not aligned and with some wood blocks shimming up the back of the cab.

My primary objective now is to find the labor unknowns, suggest replacement panels and get to it.

In conversation with the customer last week, he shared three custom ideas. Modified hood side vent trim then a couple Fairlane items: '55 instrument cluster, 58 tail lights. Maybe. Several renderings have been done by Pfaff Designs to explore options and currently grey is the color pick. Aside from these tidbits, I am green as you about it. But I spotted numerous prior repair adventures today.

enjenjo · February 28, 2020, 10:59:18 PM

Don't throw the old chassis away. That has the best toploader flathead three speed transmission with some rate open drive parts in it, the front brakes are popular on hot rods, and the steering box and front shock brackets are big demand items too.

idrivejunk · February 29, 2020, 12:10:06 AM

Quote from: "enjenjo"Don't throw the old chassis away. That has the best toploader flathead three speed transmission with some rate open drive parts in it, the front brakes are popular on hot rods, and the steering box and front shock brackets are big demand items too.

The owner gave the straight axle to Dave who wants to build a tri five gasser. Heard some mention of the trans but thought it was negative. Wasn't paying attention but whats the chances he has a flatty to use? Might be able to stick my foot in the door for ya on that item if you want. I bet he snags everything you mentioned anyway. No plans to use any of it per the owner. I know the Model A loaded chassis was sold off but whatever became of the '59 389 Tri-Power too? Theres makings of something between them two grabs, just need some kinda tub to sit in and burn rubber.

idrivejunk · March 02, 2020, 09:50:12 PM

The engine is a salvage (wrecked bad) unit, delivered on a run stand. Heres proof. Just add gas. The bad sound you hear originates from a broken A/C compressor body.

note smashed fluid cooler in front-

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hsErObydbdQ

Blower got borrowed by the A for a mockup. Since this and the A engine were wrecks, they had to be torn down somewhat anyway. Both get the lung.

idrivejunk · March 02, 2020, 10:56:16 PM

Every time I have walked up to it, I tried to shut the driver's door. Wasn't happening.

My $15 HF impact screwdriver got it's first real test, on hinge bolts. Did darn good!

Lower hinge and pin had rusted into one and the pin was broken. Drilled body side, cut n retack door side. Of hinge.

Made undersized pin from bolt, made undersized coarse thread nut plate for lower inside pillar, used bin bolts.

Got it in the hole and just that plastic clip in the window holds it.

Frame only came with board brkt bolts. Need cab mount brackets. Sitting on 2x4s at rear in above pic.

One side's worth-

In preparation for standing the cab on the firewall, I put some feet on it to protect it and a stud or two that protrudes.

Metal ones at bottom, tacks cut one side with friction jack there. Body's front mount holes too close together. I had tacked em where they sat.

That was last act of a good day. But the friction jack isn't the answer, I gave it a brief go. No go-

Wow, heres a confusing angle but you can spot the hole misalignment. Looking up. Under the driver door lower hinge area but at the frame-

Now looking rearward from there. Rear cab mounts are shackled-

Now the cab wants to push the bed off the frame at rear. Bed front panel needs work, I lack about a bolt hole's worth of forward on the bed. She's a mite twisty, too.

Baby steps. I kept wondering if theres a core support. The hole spacing issue can only be one thing, and its what I am working toward. Just need to tack it back and get the cab flipped up so I can show you.

kb426 · March 03, 2020, 06:50:43 AM

core support is a big "u" that holds the radiator and the fender assemblies bolt to. Aftermarket makes those as I recall.

idrivejunk · March 03, 2020, 10:02:50 PM

Quote from: "kb426"core support is a big "u" that holds the radiator and the fender assemblies bolt to. Aftermarket makes those as I recall.

Good to know. We don't have one. Boss is out this week, maybe radiator core support will go like the floor is. Hang loose for peeks and plans.

idrivejunk · March 03, 2020, 11:05:56 PM

Heave, ho. Moved chassis to rack, picked up cab, return chassis, flip cab up, scoot to stall. Kind of a workout but with the right stuff, no young or old people required. Just me. Chassis shown positioned for forklift mill stab after the LS is back in the FJ.

Don't know about you but I've seen enough. I do realize its a yankee cream puff but if you are looking closely and considering the eng / trans swap as well, theres no need to fuss over a lick of that garbage. Output yoke likely ends up occupying the same space as the stock seat brace, and a torch camp refugee already went there. Fabrication appears to be the sensible choice for me. Nobody standing there saying I can't, so...

Measuring, scribbling...

Pattern made from driver's side, flipped, fits like this-

Theres your trouble, ma'am. No need to question how it got that way, just fab a floor now and be sure all is well before welding.

Below, checking the cab mount brackets' bolt holes in relation to chassis-

That shiny 4x5' sheet of 18 ga on bench at left took an hour just to prepare (clean properly on both sides) for sanding and marking which will occur after determining correct widths from CL with the pattern. Mount bracket holes get squared to the frame rails then holes are marked on the half pattern. Flip pattern, mark new pan with mirrored holes. Cut new pan. Hack firewall, toe board, floor, braces, and rockers all out. Fit cab remnants to new, fully mounted pan. Fixing that front width discrepancy is a by-product, the cab shell can go wherever I put it.

kb426 · March 04, 2020, 10:13:37 AM

Is there any reason to use the original style rear mounts at this point? They were designed for twist o flex frames which you don't have now.

idrivejunk · March 04, 2020, 01:32:10 PM

Quote from: "kb426"Is there any reason to use the original style rear mounts at this point? They were designed for twist o flex frames which you don't have now.

I see none. Man I sure was hoping an F1 owner would make such a comment. Biscuits it is. I looked over a HR article and saw adjustable billet shackles there. Figured I was stuck with that but am encouraged now to ditch'em.

Engine, sans huffer and with trans is in and theres a pan laying over it right now. The Coyote fits SO much better in a truck!

Now to mercilessly evicerate the cab.

enjenjo · March 04, 2020, 06:41:23 PM

If you look at the rear cab mounts on a F8 they are biscuits, and much more friendly.

idrivejunk · March 04, 2020, 09:12:01 PM

I am curious. Biscuits were found at the other cab mounts. Can I assume that all the mounts on one plane will set cab position correctly? Like did the porch swing arrangement float the back of the cab a half inch above the rails?

And:

For correct alignment of panels, do I mount the bed direct with squeak padding strips only and put the cab on 1/2 - 3/4" tall bushings? That appears to be the setup.

Stand by for the day's fruit...

kb426 · March 04, 2020, 09:51:16 PM

Short of crawling under the 51 and measuring, I don't have a positive dimension. However, the cab is parallel with the chassis. If you use the measurement for what you will do with the firewall mount and then duplicate that height with the door post mount and then the rear being the right amount to level the cab, you should be good. I lined up the bed rails with the rear of the cab with all the info I could find. Because my floor was raised to clear the efi Mustang tank, my measurements will be of no use to you. Deciding on the spacing between the cab and bed and the bed height will be what ever works out best for you. Those trucks all old enough that consistency in measurement isn't something I found. Bottoms of the fenders need to be the same height from the bottom of the frame to give the appearance of being level before any chassis rack is added.

idrivejunk · March 04, 2020, 10:33:34 PM

Good news. I cut one of the boogered on reinforcing strips added to the backside of the rockers. Or sills or whatever. See ^^^ ? Those can just come off. I will keep the sills, maybe those corner braces under the middle, and the big double channel at rear. Changing to normal style rear cab mounts though. If, heaven forbid, I croak suddenly... set up the night vision camera here next to ye olde anvil.

idrivejunk · March 05, 2020, 08:57:20 PM

Now I need to devise a holding jig. A young person could just push leftward on the top right corner there and the floor would drop in but they would not stand there steady with it aligned while I create attaching points for the pan.

This is the split required in order to move the front mounts apart. It goes clear up to the board on the firewall-

The front mount holes are spread apart right now, nearly an inch too wide at 36". Once the cab and pan centerlines align and are partly secured, then I can relax the front mount spread and set width at the correct 35" by tacking that angle piece between the tube "feet" I set up. Then I can shift things around until everybody is square and comfy, run some screws, and hurry up grant Mike's wish to have a picture with cab and blower on to send to the owner ASAP. I trust that my efforts to make cab fit frame will not create outer panel damage, and hope to ensure only a reasonable amount of panel fitting drama in the coming stages.