72' F250 CS "Rex" Sold! -update

[flyboy2610]

Ended up using a chisel to remove the axle nut, which someone else had done before as there is a notch in the nut. It sure was not very tight! Nor was the inner nut, I unscrewed it by hand. Crazy.

This is the proper socket to use on that axle nut:

http://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-647067 ... F16+socket

A 'regular' 2-9/16 won't work as the socket walls will be too thick to allow the socket to get in there. Recommend getting one.
That is a nice truck! That seat looks to be in very good shape! Should keep your buns comfy!

[mcheath]

Got to get me that socket, as I know I will be back in the brakes soon.

So this weekend was pretty simple with Rex. The front main seal on the trans is leaking a lot. A lot. Options are limited at this time, I'd like to hold off on pulling the trans or engine till next summer when I'll have more time. So a can of leak seal down the hatch. Picked something called "No Leak", now is that clever naming or what, as it's the only one with a full money back warranty and I expect I may want my $7 dollars back.

Did not want to do the brake fluid trick as it seems to me that such fluids are not going to mix all that well.

Never been a big believer in liquid repair tricks. I have had good results with Marvel Mystery Oil and oil circulation problems in old engines. I guess that the truck sitting for years and years, the PO claimed he drove it about 5-10 miles per year, let that front seal dry right up.

Driving the truck frequently since I bought it has been shaking things up, little stuff is breaking regularly. Last week the right turn signal cancel snapped in the column, as well as the throttle cable sticking open. That was fun, remember those runaway Toyota Priuses a few years ago that were big in the news? The owners claiming that the throttle stuck wide open and they could not stop? Guess Rex wanted to imitate one. A little tinkering fixed him of that!

[basketcase0302]

as well as the throttle cable sticking open. That was fun, remember those runaway Toyota Priuses a few years ago that were big in the news? The owners claiming that the throttle stuck wide open and they could not stop? Guess Rex wanted to imitate one. A little tinkering fixed him of that!

It's the Camry, (my Mother has one-I worry about this still)! And I had my 74' dent, (had a mildly built 302) throttle linkeage stick on me. Downtown traffic in Naples Florida, can you say YEEHAH! I wound up hitting second before I realized it I was about 70 in a 45 MPH zone!:lol:

[mcheath]

Spent lots of time on Rex this weekend. Did three main things.

New seat cover. Nothing fancy, just a black saddleblanket. The fabric on the seat was rotten and tore pretty quick when I started using it.

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Then I spent a good 5 hours polishing the paint. Dirty!!!! Used a power buffer for the first application of rubbing compound, I use TR-3, and then went over it all a second time with the TR-3 applying by hand. The bronze paint came out quite well, and the white cleaned up good too.

bronze.jpg

Then the big job, fixed the beat to hell tailgate. I was originally going to do body work on the massive dents, but people here on the forum talked me out of that! So, the PO had another tailgate and he gave it to me, a plain white one, no trim, that used to be blue and was painted white at some point. It had a few very minor dings on the top, which I hammered out. Then sanded it all and primed it.

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[mcheath]

Here it is primed.

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Then I painted it. Used Dupli-Color's paints from O'Reilly Auto. They have the Wimbledon White ready to go, which was great. But no Sequoia Brown for the lower section, so I used a GM color that is closeish. Not really close enough, after putting it on I will look for something else. Anyway I gave it 5 coats of the paint, then a clear coat top, all under my shade trees. Painted the back black, as I'm going to paint all the bed inside black.

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Reattached the trim. Had to get a rivet gun for the "Ford" panel, and figuring out where to drill the holes to mount it was tricky. Ended up breaking off the tips of pencils, sticking them into the holes, applying some superglue, then holding it up to the tailgate after mounting it and getting the pencils to mark where to drill. Punched starter holes, drilled it, and riveted. Worked pretty darn well. Put it all together and here it is.

On the truck.

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[mcheath]

And a comparison of the tailgates. The old one was pretty beat! Anyone want a free tailgate?

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And one of the truck all polished. Still have to wax it.

truck.jpg

[flyboy2610]

Then I painted it. Used Dupli-Color's paints from O'Reilly Auto. They have the Wimbledon White ready to go, which was great. But no Sequoia Brown for the lower section, so I used a GM color that is closeish. Not really close enough, after putting it on I will look for something else.

Try NAPA. The one close to me can mix original factory colors and load them into spray cans. Not the cheapest way to buy spray paint, but the Boxwood Green they mixed up for me absolutely spot on when it dried!!
They can probably mix you up a few cans of Sequoia Brown.
Your truck looks very nice!

[mcheath]

Thanks! I did not know that about NAPA and will give it a try. The paint job looks decent, it's not pro level by any means but is way better than what it had. In fact, it's so much better than the rest of the scrapped up bed rails and such that it makes me wish all the paint were new. Ah well.

[Calfdemon]

Good job on the tailgate!! Looks great!

[mcheath]

Busy today on Rex, Pick A Part had a half off day and I took full advantage of it. Found a couple of donor trucks that were willing to sacrifice for the cause.

This 1970 F250 CS was fresh on the yard, it was not there last Saturday so had lots of parts ripe for the picking.

Donor.jpg

The major score was the rims and tires on this truck. (you can see one in front leaning sideways with the gray wheel) They seemed to have been placed on right before the truck was parked forever. It was last registered in 2001 and the tires look to have zero wear. They are age cracked however, and rather small, 225/75 -16. The wheels are Ford branded and are 16x7, so the whole modern world of tires opens up. They appear to have been new with the tires and are in great shape. Total cost for the set of four wheels and tires was $44 bucks.

Then I found a few other parts I needed, a fuel tank sending unit, some chrome trim, including a glove box door emblem that says "sport custom". Door light switches, gas cap gasket, misc bolts and nuts. Need a turn signal switch for the steering column, but none were there that worked decently.

The big question for me is what to do with the tires I got, drive on them or hold off till I can get newer ones. What say ye? Is it better to ride on 30 year old bias ply tires, (9.5X16.5) or 11 year old radials that are a bit small?

[mcheath]

Another pic of the wheels and tires when I go them home. They sure have a lot of tread!

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[mcheath]

Found a color for the brown that's close enough for government work. So I put it on today, it also had the benefit of being real cheap. This project is pretty much a clean it up, drive it, and do it for not much money. This paint fit into that plan. I think I have about 70 dollars now into the tailgate redo, which includes having to buy a rivet gun to put the Ford plate on.

This is a before and after comparison shot of the back of Rex. The before is the day I bought it back in August. After was taken today after I put the new brown on the lower tailgate section.

Before and After2.jpg

[mcheath]

Put the two best radials I got from Pick a Part on the front of Rex this weekend. Sort of an experiment to see what would happen. Darn, the thing can actually go in a straight line down the road!

So I painted the rims white, they were gray, and here they are.

newtires2.jpg

They are 225/75-16. Which is pretty much the same size as what it came with new, which were 8.75-16.5.

I really like how it drives with them, much more stable. With the bias plys on the front it would follow every groove or crack in the road, sudden jerks and pulls. Crazy.

[mcheath]

Piddled with Rex over the past couple of weekends. Painted the bed. Had to scrap off all the rust, it was that serious pitting black stuff, and took some time to get off. Then soaked it big time with phosphoric acid, took several days the dry. Painted it with Rust Oleum hammered finish black. Came out okay. It will still need a sheet of steel or such in the floor to give it strength.

Before:

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After:

4.jpg

[mcheath]

Then I went plum crazy with the phosphoric acid. That stuff is incredible! It shuts down rust like nothing else, and I started using it all over.

Drivers door frame, before:

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After:

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Used it all over, the drip rails, the bed joints above the trim, various spot rust here and there. It really does the trick.