Breath freely

After spending a little time over the weekend getting the old truck stopping, and organizing a photo shoot for the truck for this coming weekend, my attention shifted to getting everything ready to be "moved" to the location.  No, Hollywood isn't coming and there won't be any famous scatily clad ladies laid across the hood.  Simply, the old truck in front of an old barn.  Fitting for a 61 year old farm truck.  Maybe a nice print or wallpaper.

So, now that it stops, I wanted to fix a sticky accelerator pedal.  It didn't want to return to idle.  so after a little tinkering, and a little shorter spring, the gas pedal snaps right back to idle.  And while under the hood, I realized that while overhauling the carb, I removed the air cleaner and never returned it.

So, since it was off, and I had time, I cleaned out the old oil bath air cleaner, rinsed the "filter" in some gas, degreased the old gunk that was in the bottom where oil is supposed to be, scrubbed, sanded, and stripped.  Let it dry and last night, I shot it in primer and gloss black.

Now I am debating whether or not to add a little customization by taking the "Thriftmaster" engine script and arcing it around the top of the air cleaner and painting it on, or just leaving it plain. 

Another item that somehow slipped the authors mind to offer an update to is the grill guard.  This truck came complete with a chromed grill guard up front.  Unfortunately, the chrome had flaked mostly off. And apparently, the grill guard was used as more of a pushing device than a protector.  One side of the guard was bent and twisted all up.  Subsequently, the brace bars are the sole culprit for the front bumper to grill valance and the lower grill bars current condition, which is poor.  But, I must remember, it was a work truck.  Something had to push and pull start those tractors.

After taking some measurements and accurately replicating the curvature of the bottom grill guard bar from the passenger side (which was unpopular to push with obviously) I drew the design up on the computer and cut out two pieces of 1/4" plate with the CNC machine and ground to match both sides, added some 3/4" bar inbetween, and built my bending template. 

I started by heating with a rosebud tip on the oxy/acetylene torch and straightening and removing the twists.  Once I removed all of the twist and got it almost as straight as it would get, I clamped it tightly to my template jig and started to heat slowly.  A pipe wrench with a long handle for leverage, and lots and lots of heat, made for easy work of matching the jig.  Heat, bend, hold, repeat.  Finally, I was able to match the entire curvature to the jig and once satisfied, clamped the end down, and gave a final overall heating. 

My rationale was to hopefully heat and remove any spring or resistance from the metal so that it would hold its shape.  I walked away and let it cool slowly and naturally.  I returned the next day for the moment of truth.  As I removed the bottom clamp, I half expected it to spring right back out of shape.  But to my surprise and elation, it stayed put.  after comparing the two sides - the original undamaged passenger side and the bent and twisted drivers side, they were about as close as they were going to get. 

Now I just wish I would have taken a before picture.  But now, if I ever have to build another grill guard, I at least have the jig to bend the lower bar around. 

My goal is to repair, refurbish, replace, and repaint any small and removable parts that do not hinder the driveability of the truck and store them in boxes until I take the whole truck apart for frame up restoration.  Then, once the frame, engine, flatbed, cab, hood, and fenders are repainted, they will all be reunited and the rest of the items will be simply bolted back on.

Rather than having a truck in pieces and each and every part being worked on a little at a time and having the truck "partially assembled" for a shorter length of time.  My memory gets shorter ever day.  I hope this process will speed the re-assembly process.  Plus it gives me something to do with it now, that doesn't require much space.  Of course, I'm running out of places to hand, stack, and store parts! 

A pretty long post just to say, I repainted an air cleaner.  But if you know me, you know that this is how it goes!