1954 Ford F100/F250 4x4 Tow Vehicle

[Fordman75]

Well the city is on my case about having an non operating vehicle in my driveway so I need to get it out of sight for a while. I'm going to tear it down to the bare frame so I can pack away the separate parts in my garage. I'll pull out bits and pieces to work on when I get a chance.

Today I pulled the front clip and cab back off it. I'm going to start tearing down the chassis tomorrow.

[Fordman75]

Well I'm just about finished tearing down the 54. I still need to cut the U-bolts off of both differentials and pull a couple more brackets off the frame. I bet this looks much better to the city!!

[Fordman75]

I haven't done any work on the 54 since my last update. But I have picked up a few new parts.

First I ordered a new stock type ignition switch with keys and all the misc parts to mount it. I bought it from Midfifty's F100.







Next I ordered a 15" CNC clutch pedal assembly. I still need to order the brake pedal assembly once I get the spare $$. I was going to try and just modify the stock 84 F250 pedal assembly, power booster and clutch and brake master cylinders. But it was just going to be too much hassle to make it work and the booster/ master assembly took up way to much room. This is a similar kind of set up to what they run in Nascar except my master cylinders will be under the hood not under the dash. It's a manual brake setup but it uses two completely separate master cylinders with a balance bar. So there is no need for a proportioning valve.



Anyways here's the clutch pedal assembly I bought.







And the last part was my best score. It's the last of the gauges I needed. It's a 120 mph Autometer Sport Comp electric/programmable speedometer. I found it on ebay and won the auction. I got it for $86.00 including shipping. Summit Racing sells this for $200.00! And it was brand new in the sealed factory box. So I saved over $100.00 on it and now have all my gauges.

[Fordman75]

8-10-2010: I got a few more parts for my Birthday.



My dad gave me the cab driver side front cowl patch panel.







One of my brothers gave me a whole pile of little misc. parts/hardware I needed for the cab from Mid-Fifty's.






And today I got my mock up Vintage Air heater-A/C unit that I ordered. I didn't really want to spend the cash on this. But I can't afford to buy the actual A/C unit right now and I want to make sure this will fit when I build the new firewall/floor set up. I don't want to finish up the metal work and then find out later the A/C unit won't fit and have to redo it again. So I figured it would be best to get this and when I no longer need I'll throw it on Ebay and get some of my cash back.







Right now I've got so much other crap to get done I have no idea when I'll get a chance to work on the 54 again. So I'm just collecting parts I need, as I get some spare cash, until then.

[Fordman75]

Since I haven't been able to work on my 54 I've just been collecting parts as I can afford them.

Last month I ordered the wiper & headlight switch & parts and turn signal assembly from Mid Fifty's. I received everything but the insert nut for the headlight switch which is on back order.





I also ordered The CNC 15" dual master cylinders brake pedal with the balance bar from Poly Performance. And it of coarse was on back order. But they were very cool about it. I ordered online and the day after I ordered it they emailed me and let me know. Unlike Mid Fifty's, they didn't even let me know. I had to find out when the parts showed up and one was missing. Anyways the brake pedal showed up yesterday.

[Fordman75]

I still haven't had a chance to do any real work on the 54. But today I was a little bored and had a few minutes before the football started so I decided to play with a couple rattle cans. All this paint will come back off when I get to the body work. I just wanted to see how my planned paint scheme was going to look.

I think it's going to look pretty good. Kind of smurfy but I like it!




There isn't going to be any chrome, polished stainless or aluminum on the truck. I can't afford all new or rechromed parts. So everything that was chrome/stainless is getting painted white. It's going to be a little different but I think it will give it a little more of a service/farm truck feel.

[gadget73]

We had a 66 that was sort of a sky blue. Not long before it was sold, it got repainted a color pretty close to your rattle cans. It actually looked pretty good.

[87gtVIC]

I like the farm look.

[Fordman75]

We had a 66 that was sort of a sky blue. Not long before it was sold, it got repainted a color pretty close to your rattle cans. It actually looked pretty good.

I really like this color blue. I plan to paint both my trucks this color blue. The 54 is getting a blue with white trim scheme and my diesel is getting this blue with blacked out trim and black 70 Mustang Boss 302 style stripes.

I can work magic with the rattle cans!!

I like the farm look.

I think the blue with white trim will be a nice clean look.

[Fordman75]

Today I decided to try and fit most of the parts I've got for the cab and see how everything was going to fit.

I started off by installing all the gauges and the indicator lights. I think it looks pretty good.






Then I tried out my steering column and turn signal assembly. This isn't the way the column is going to be mounted. I'm going to move it closer to the dash and raise the the firewall end of it. But I'm going to have to do some cutting and welding on the steering column mount to do this. I'm going to paint the steering column blue to match the dash. I'm going to paint the turn signal assembly too. I haven't decided yet if it's going to be white or blue.




I then bolted on the steering wheel. I'm not totally in love with this steering wheel ( only paid $20.00 for it new ) . But I'm still searching for something I like better that won't cost a million dollars or be too large of diameter. I'm a big guy so I need all the space I can get!









I then checked out where the pedals would work. It's hard to get a good picture of them by holding a pedal in one hand and the camera in the other. I will need to make up a mounting bracket for the pedals.







Last picture for the day. Here are the doors I've got for it. They both need some metal work but aren't too horrible.

[91waggin]

That's a definite "no" from me on that steering wheel. Yuck.

[Fordman75]

I actually like the looks of the wheel( except the chrome spokes, which will be getting painted white ). What I don't like is I went a little too small on the diameter. So it blocks the view of the gauges.

I'm limited on my choices for the steering wheel. I need one with the 3 bolt mounting pattern. And I don't want one that has a modern look to it. And no billet crap.

I'm watching for a Blue metal flake wheel. I think it would look cool in there.

[ford man]

Hey- Really cool project man! Your motivation is inspirational. How do you have so much energy for this stuff? I don't mind the wheel with the polished column, they match nicely.

Isaiah

[Fordman75]

Hey- Really cool project man! Your motivation is inspirational. How do you have so much energy for this stuff? I don't mind the wheel with the polished column, they match nicely.

Isaiah

Thanks.


I don't have the money to buy a nice vehicle. So the best I can do is try and build what I'd like to own. My motivation comes and goes. There are times where I'll work on it every single day for hours. And then there's times where I won't touch it for months. That can happen from me getting burnt out on it or just not having the spare cash to buy parts or supplies needed. Or I just get super busy with a bunch of other crap.

Energy? What's that!



I'm not into chrome or polished stainless. So I'm going to paint any chrome or stainless. Some people may think I'm nuts for painting brand new polished stainless steel or chrome parts. But it's my cash that bought them. And I want them painted so they are getting painted!

[91waggin]

I actually like the looks of the wheel( except the chrome spokes, which will be getting painted white ). What I don't like is I went a little too small on the diameter. So it blocks the view of the gauges.

I'm limited on my choices for the steering wheel. I need one with the 3 bolt mounting pattern. And I don't want one that has a modern look to it. And no billet crap.

I'm watching for a Blue metal flake wheel. I think it would look cool in there.

Yeah, the diameter's what I'm talking about. It makes it look like a low-rider.