So I thought about it, and prayed about it, and asked you guys about it. Figure I needed an enclosed vehicle for the business, as winter is coming and may have some projects (computer-wise) that would spill over into the bed of the '50. Probably not wise to put carboard boxes in 6" of snow .

So I bit the bullet and purchase a '51 panel delivery which I drove some 45 miles home. Had a couple little "Rattles" and the front end seemed a little mushy. $5k was the tag, and around here they get $2500-4000 for rusted "field finds".

So here's the picts...



Face chrome pretty decent, and only surface rust on the nose.





Surface rust on RB's. One of the almost impossible parts to find. Othe side had small hole and 2 misdrilled holes (pictured later.)



A little bondo bubble, but it appears metal solid, except the patch of the old (original gas filler tube. (I may resurrect this later).



Top of fender "soft" . And too much bondo in back, but looked OK from inside.



Dash OK, chrome piece on floor, speedo works, but other guages - not so much



Missing hood side trim ($$$), but has solid visor, new windshield and rubber. Doors are really solid, but needs driver window and new felt.



Passenger fender NOT happy , other side is faily new glass one.





Passenger rear, a few bubbles, but not so bad.



Well, it has BOTH back doors. Driver side rotted at bottom, but repairable, passenger side is solid.





It also has correct rear bumper.



In it's history, someone put on wide tires and "tubbed" fender wells. Metal floor is pretty solid, but I think body has dropped about 3/4" in rear. Needs some investigation . Otherwise, besides cleanup, grinding and rust-proofing, interior not bad. (Except the '70s "headliner" stuff). Gas plumbing and old camero tank have got to gooooooo !.







Upper body is nice and straight..




Here's the floor drop. Wood underneath metal.



Starting to strip front clip. And passenger fender is rotted



Has a GM FI305/R700 combo, with computer and wiring harness, steering column donated from a '80 camaro. (gas tank as well). 1990 Ford van 9" rear and '78 Ford LTD II front clip. I think front is a little soft cause the coils aren't strong enough for the V8 weight. Probably was the 6-cyl version of the LTD.

Gonna strip the front clip, cleanup and make solid. Replace springs and "pretty up" the wiring. Not gonna be a showpiece, but more of a 3-day per week DD. Get bodywork started, cleanup interior, por15 it, new seats, figure out if body "sunk" are what's on the todo list. The '47 is gonna really be "pissed" at me. But I'll try to find some time...

P.S. Also has pretty new skins and I think I'll keep the color.

 

Overall the panel looks pretty good. Looks like it has some of the usual issues for that age truck.

They put in a Ford front clip and still put in a gm engine and transmission??? Why, why??? The 78 LTD II was the fullsize car. Basically same as the 70's T-birds. No 6 cylinders came in them. The smallest engine available was the 302 SBF V8. But most came with a 351M/400. The front springs are probably just worn out. Just swap in some new heavier/stiffer springs and you should be set.

 

I have trim and other parts for your Panel. PM or email me with your wish list and I'll try to fulfill it.

Welcome to the Panel Owners Club. It's a very elite club. Membrers Only jacket not required.

 

And I was really looking forward to "earning" a members jacket !

Started getting into the truck and the "value" went down a little. Mostly because a lot of shortcuts were made. In fact, after looking at it, I'm surprised it made it home.

Well, the nose chrome shined up nice and is in great shape for a DD. The turn signals were shot and came off in little pieces of rust with a cover and lens.



Started tearing down the front clip. And yes, the radiator was sitting on some homemade pieces of rubber padding, and held in place by the radiator hoses !



The sheet metal was faily solid, except for pass. fender. I don't think the pass. inner fender is attached to anything but the fender ! I'll find out later today. Pulled tires, set up jack stands, fenders next, then I'll show some more HORRORS !!

 

Got a little more done, now honeydo...

Removed some more sheet metal, pulled the radiator, Tranny cooler siliconed on, fan on radiater with two wire zip ties, at least fluid in radiator! . Frame appears solid, but needs some TLC.



OOPS ! Someone cut a notch out of the frame . Maybe it had a SBF with front pan in a former life?? Guess I need to weld that up to keep the wheels on (or a least in alignment )

 

I see mine wasn't the only truck to have some "P.O. Butchery".

Stuff like that makes a person think "what in the hell was the previous owner thinking when they did that"! He must have been partially crazy! After all he did swap in a cheby engine!!

I'm not sure why they notched the crossmember. I'm pretty sure the LTD II's came with a front sump oil pan on the engines. Unless someone swapped in a deep sump racing oil pan and needed the room.

Looks like you've got some work to do on this one.

 

Yeah... PO Butchery...

Well tryin' to get this on the road quick, but safe. Can fix other stuff as I go.

Finished stripping front clip, degreased engine, pulled non-functioning air pump and AC comp. Rattle canned top of engine and cleaned up, rattle canned firewall. Started pulling apart suspension. Replacing all bushings, ball joints, coils and shocks. Need to test front calipers. Bought POR-15 basecoat and chassis black. Will do that after I finish pulling control arms and welding up x-member. Here's a couple progress shots...

This will be a doer, not a looker (but the body should still look good )

 

Making it safe is a good plan!

Ford blue on a chevy engine?????? Oh the humanity!!! What's next Ford valve covers??

Man you are really tearing into it! It should handle and ride like a dream with all the new suspension parts.

 

Ted, thanks for paying attention to me. I thought I may have Forum BO.

Yeah! Ford Blue, can't afford to change it, so I'll hide it from the unwashed masses!

P.S. A big enough air cleaner can hide almost anything!!!

 

No problem! The only thing that stinks around here is the lack of progress I'm making on my project!! Seeing all you guys making so much progress on your projects here gives me a little hope that someday I may actually do something on mine.

At least you didn't paint a SBF cheby orange!!

That better be one large air cleaner!!!

 

RE the air cleaner: If its the same one I see in that first pic you will have to send him home and tell him to come back with his big brother.

 

Haven't found the "big" air cleaner yet! But, managed to squeeze in some hours over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Cleaned up, POR-15 and chassis-blacked the components and picked up the new bushings, ball joints, shocks and springs. (NAPA)



Then did the frame (up just past the weld point of the 78 ford to 51 frame).



Even though I wore rubber gloves, I still proved the point that POR-15 has to grow out off you skin, cause nothing removes it!

Got really energetic and got the driver side mostly back together, and the passenger side almost..





And since timing is everything, the "new" radiator support showed up.



Now Ted coined the phrase "PO Butchery" and thinking back as I tore the nose off, there was no radiator support, the fronts of the inner wells were hacked to fit a wider radiator and had no front frame support.

I guess the only thing holding the front clip on was the cowl bolt on the inner fender and the fender to running board bolts. THE REST WAS GRAVITY (and the hood being closed !!)

The only good thing was (in the 2nd pict) there is a big angle iron (in front of the crank pulley) which is drilled for the rad. support. I haven't measured yet, but hopefully it is located vertically and horizontally correct. At least the PPO (Prior Previous Owner) appeared to do things correctly and solidly. I also welded in angle iron where the x-member was notched.

 

Everything back together, brakes tested, and wheels on...



On to the body. Couldn't resurrect the inner fenders, cause the "bump" for the radiator support was cut out, but I found a decent set on ebay for a great price!

Separated the lower fender and found (after all the bondo was gone, that except for a cracked seam and a little "rough" area it was in pretty good shape.



The fender needs some TLC, as I spent my $ on a metal shearer (hand held) instead. The fender well was cracked and welded back up. I marked off what I needed to cut out and put the shearer to it's test. Worked great, maybe no more sliced fingers!



Cut a new piece and used my limited welding skills.




A little more hammerin', weldin' and grindin' and I'll have something to support a skim coat of the dreaded "bondooooo !!" Still have to cut and wrap it, just like a butcher. Or maybe that's what I am to the truck ?

 

Naw sounds more like the PO was the butcher.

 

Looking good!! Gotta love the POR15 too! Just consider any of it you got on your skin as a little body armor until it wears off!!

Sounds like you are finding some good scores on the used parts.



I'm pretty surprised that your lower fender is in that good of condition with all that bondo it had on it!

Your patch is looking good so far. You might have fun forming that curved lip on the edge. I think I would have bought the patch panel for that area myself. You'll probably have to make a bunch of relief cuts in the area you'll need to fold over. And then weld up the relief cuts once everything is where you want it. Either that or cut the curve out of the patch to get the shape of the edge. Then cut out a strip of steel the width of the lip area. Form the correct curve you need and then just weld the strip to the fender. No matter what it's going to be fun!!

And your not a butcher! I'm a butcher!!!