48 panel truck

[oldman3]

Still looks good at the new ride height, enjoy....Jim

[99 to Life]

congrats man, doesn't seem all that different. I think on a truck it is more noticeable. I bet it feel good to be driving it around.

[youngrodder]

Looks good to me...It's no good if it's low but you can't drive it anywhere without the fear of ripping something off...

Nice work

Marc

[AUSSIE54]

G'day Mate,

You just be careful driving around at that altitude. The oxygen can get pretty thin when your up so high and I'd just hate it if you passed out and crashed! Lol.

Just kidding Shannon, it is looking fantastic, and as you've built it to use it, you may as well make it driver friendly. Great job mate, glad to see she's up and Rollin!!!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Kabwe]

Looks great man.

[xpickup]

oldman3, 99 to Life, youngrodder, AUSSIE54, Kabwe, Thank you. It did make a world of difference being raised. I want to try and bolt the bumper on and see how it looks with it on. It was really low with it on and scraped big time. So I took it off till I got it raised.

I have my panel at a buddies house and this is what he did to it. He took a ford emblem and stuck it on the back and took a picture of it and is now teasing me about it. Who need enemies when you have friends like that! I told him I was going to get a pink sticker made up that said built ford tuff with chevy stuff and stick it on his truck. He has my 1940 ford truck and of course it is chevy powered. He did not think I was funny.

Shannon

[xpickup]

I have not got anything done on it for a while. We were so busy at work. Last week in 4 1/2 days I had 60 hrs not counting the holiday. I did put the bumper back on it now. The bumper is 6" off the ground and the running boards are around 7". I am hoping to drive it this weekend. I am having a problem with the gas gauge. I checked the grounds and they are fine so I have to pull the sending unit and check to see if it is stuck.

Shannon

[CG]

Cool project. I have a 69 panel that I kick myself over. I would much rather have something like this.

[mud.man.rj]

CG... nothing wrong with a 69 panel.

[bulldog2513]

very nice work man. im a fool over the 48 panels. maybe ill have my own one day

[xpickup]

99 to Life, He did hear a bunch of crap over it. He sold it a couple of years ago though.

mud.man.rj, Yes they are putting them in everything now. I had heard that they where putting them in mustangs. I am sure the ford people just love that.

CG,Thank you. They are cool too. You never see many of those. They are cool.

mud.man.rj, I agree.

bulldog2513, Thank you.

Well checked out the gas gauge and it is hooked up right. It is the sending unit. I pulled it out of the tank and moved it up and down and the gauge never moved. What a shame because it was new 10 years ago and was just hooked up a month ago! I have to call summit for a replacement. I also hooked up my remote vacuum canister for my power brakes. Still have not driven it this weekend. I am going through withdraw!

Shannon

[Daze57]

''What a shame because it was new 10 years ago and was just hooked up a month ago!''

boy does that sound familiar !!!!!!!!!! been der & still doin it

[xpickup]

I know it is sad. I am sure the warranty is up. Haha.

Shannon
Posted via Mobile Device

[xpickup]

The gas gauge is now fixed. Although it sometimes does not seem right all the time! It is the right gauge for the sending unit. Now the next thing is to remove the safety foam. Everytime i get gas it comes out the fill. I have a vent on the fill tube at the top by the cap so I do not know if the foam is slowing it down in the tube. I did drive it this weekend a good bit. I am taking it to the first show this Friday as long as it does not rain.

Shannon

[oldman3]

Hope the weather holds and you make it to the show, if so, take plenty of pic....Jim

[xpickup]

Well it has been a while, I have been driving it. I had to go to the parts store tonight to get a few things and took my son with me and he found a packet of tattoos and low and behold they had a AD truck so of course we bought them for him! I had to put a ground strap on the motor and bought some band clamps for my exhaust tip. I had just sheet metal screwed it because in the rush to get it on the road. But is has this really annoying vibration and certain rpms and I thought they might take care of it. But no such luck. Next I am going to TIG a tube in the center of the opening and see if it takes it away. It drives me nuts. Tomorrow I have to change the steering shaft on it because it is rubbing the a arm a little. I had the factory rag joints and I am putting a good joint in a the top and still using the slip shaft and the factory lower rag joint for now. The last picture is a cool picture. It is my panel and my buddies truck peaking out of the garage.

Shannon

[mud.man.rj]

The kids gettin tattooed are getting younger and younger these days, very cool tat, almost want a real one myself. Cool garage pic.

[oldman3]

Hell yeah, start em young, nice pics....Jim

[99 to Life]

yeah cool pic, man I want one of those tatts? actually will be getting a real one. Got 1951 on my knuckles already. Glad to hear you been driving the panel. How about some footage of it?

[xpickup]

mud.man.rj, oldman3, 99 to Life, Thank you. It is a really nice looking tattoo. I would like to get one with my panel and a 54 truck( project down the road) sometime.

Today was a day off from work so I worked on the panel. First was the steering. I used the stock steering shaft and cut and made a coupling and welded it back together. But it was close to the a arm and was rubbing. So tore it out and I still used the lower rag joint but use a U joint and some DD shaft. I did not like the hollow shaft on the column so I cut a short piece and drove it in the steering column then weld the one side of the hole shut. Now it is solid. It still had a one on one side so the set screw went into that spot. Then placed the DD shaft in the lower part of the joint and spot drill it for the set screws. Put it all back together and not it steers great.

Next was the exhaust tip which had a annoying vibration. Once I pulled it off I found out it had cracked at 2 places. When I did it I think I only fusion welded it. I did it at work years ago with there TIG. SO I did not have any 308 SST rod so I got some and TIG welded it back together. It is great having both types of welder at home. Man I love tools. Then I drilled the center of the tip for a piece of 3/8 SST tube I had laying around. And welded it in. I took it for a drive and no more annoying vibration.

I also ordered some new window fuzzies for the windows. I ordered the stuff for glass that has no metal trim on the glass. I got it from restoration specialties here in PA. Because I want to get my side glass and power windows and doors in before winter. I should quite driving but am finally having too much fun doing so.

Shannon

[Chevette]

"I took it for a drive and no more annoying vibration". "I took it for a drive" That concept is foreign to me. My rig has been sitting on the frame table for so long I may have to take drivers ed. before the first outing. I like that exhaust. Looks cool.

[oldman3]

Shannon, like the repairs you made. Heck, keep driving it till the first snow fall, then think about stopping for a few months. That's what I used to do when I lived in Michigan...Jim

[xpickup]

Chevette, I know it is really great driving it finally. I have had it for around 14 years so I know what is like. Last year I finally decided to get it on the road this year after my kids always asking when I was going to get mine drivable. I tend to work on everyone elses and fit mine in when I have time. But I love working on them.

oldman3, Thank you. Now you can drive it with one hand now. It drives really well with the exception of the lack of side wall on the tires. I do plan on driving it till it snows as long as I can find time to put the side windows in. I just got the window fuzzies and I already had the power windows and locks and the emergency release cables in cause if I loss power and can not get it. Now I just need some time!

Shannon

[xpickup]

I figured I would show you yesterdays after work project. It is for my buddies COE. I needed to just shorten it. I have done so many of them at work , from all new tubed to just shortening one end. I first figure out how much I have to shorten it. Then cut the tube a little long. Then take the cut off end and chuck it up in the lathe. I then turn off the crown of the weld , then take a part off tool and go in only the depth of the tube plus a little. Then take a rod and knock the end out of the tube. Then next chuck up the tranny yoke in the chuck. That is after I set up the steady rest first. I move the steady rest towards the end that I have to part off (finish length). Then part off the end squaring it up. That is after I had figured what the length needed to be. It was 2" shorter than my center to center dimension of the drive shaft. Then make sure both ends are lined up and tap both square edges together. Then weld it all together.

Shannon

[xpickup]

more.

Shannon