Some Time Off For Christmas, What Will I Do!

[Machspeed]

I've got a few days off during the Christmas break and if this Mrs. will allow, I gots some truck things to do. In fact, let me share my to do list. This past weekend, did a little cleaning on Blackie. Got his black coat all cleaned up and put a clay bar to it. Hope to do a little polishing and waxing over the break. Black is beautiful and sorry, but I've got a thing for black bulls!  


Got this today....back seat organizer. Laser cut, 14 gauge steel. Hope to get it assembled and painted over the break.


- Gonna pull the master cylinder and brake booster, clean them up and paint.
- Gonna pull my Washer/Overflow tank and try and make it presentable.
- Gonna pull my wheels, polish them up, and put the new caps on that I recently purchased.
- With wheels off, check the brakes, clean up the front hubs and paint the rear drums.
- Got a newer style interior dome light to wire and fit up.

That's my To Do Christmas list! What's on your list?

[Gary Lewis]

Man, that's quite the list!  But Blackie looks wonderful already.  

And all of those parts will make a nice storage unit.  You are going to love it.

As for my list, I hope to fix the speed control now that I have Scott's tester.  And get the EFI air box and PDB positioned, and maybe even get the PDB bolted in.

[Rembrant]

That’s a great list!

I’m technically working a half day tomorrow and then off until January 5th. I’m hoping to finish up the engine bay work on the old 1980, and actually start cleaning up the rear half of the frame. Lots and lots of grinding rust. I should be able to get a lot done, but we will see.

Good luck gents!

[salans7]

Can't wait to see the finished products! I'm unfortunately only off on Christmas day, but will be spending a few hours after work each night cleaning up my new to me spring packs and rear axle so I can swing them under my F350 maybe the weekend of New Year's.  

[86 1/2 Brutus]

I finally have 2 3 day weekends in a row, that is if i survive today.  Been working some serious overtime this week and spent quite a bit of my bonus on Brutus.

Lets see, what kind of fun things do we have here on my list.

Going to finish the cooling system.
New thermostat housing, thermostat, temprature sensor, and the heater hose " elbow " ( thanks Gary )
New transmission lines coming in.
New carpet
The correct tail light lenses
stainless vent visors

I want to get a console, i'm debating on weather to get a seat console or one that fits on the floor.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I hope to take advantage of Christmas and fix my fuel gauge.
I also does discovered yesterday that my blower is not working.  

While I didn't have a lot of time to diagnose (in the dark) the fuse is good and since I have the blower grounding relay on high -that I jumpered- I want to say it is not ground.
Though it's supposed to be hard rain (all the more reason to have defrost) I'll need to determine if power is reaching the motor, or the motor is dead, and get it fixed ASAP.

I also welded in a passenger door bottom to keep it from flapping around.
That's a temporary fix, but it's rough filled and in primer now.
I need to hit it with a long board and get it painted.
THAT isn't going to happen in rain and cold.

[swampedout]

Im putting off Ford work again!
Our daily drivers need some serious attention and this is the first time in months I can get into it.

The wifes truck needs an oil change, blinkers fixed and a check on the blower motor and heater.

My truck needs tie rods, a u joint, a couple hoses and a timing chain. I think Im going to farm out the Tchain once shops open up after the new years.

Im not gonna list what the ford needs but for a 35yr old neglected beater/work truck, I can get it started at 20 degree mornings, haul 2 tons of water on a terrible dirt road and cruise a state highway at 60 so Im really begin to like this truck.

[ArdWrknTrk]

That's exactly how I feel about my 'ArdWrknTrk'
It's only left me stranded this summer, when it ate it's transfer case.
It DID give me warning, and I DID drive it all the way to Bill's house before I pulled it.
(So, technically NOT stranded)

But I love this pig because I can see, smell, hear or feel what's gone wrong and fix it with a hammer, piece of wire or duct tape.

[Rembrant]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

But I love this pig because I can see, smell, hear or feel what's gone wrong and fix it with a hammer, piece of wire or duct tape.

I remember a guy talking about an old Jeep with no gauges one time...he said if the engine starts to tap, then it needs oil. If steam starts to blow it's too hot, and if it won't start then it is not charging...lol. Who needs gauges? Ha.

[ArdWrknTrk]

You forgot 'when the valves start to float its time to shift'  

[86 1/2 Brutus]

Gauges are for tourists  

[swampedout]

ha!

I wish I could say I agree but I have overheated an engine before from not checking the gauges. I installed my own temp gauge and it was wired to a switched circuit. It had been running fine for weeks so I got into the habit of not switching the gauge on. And one day I was driving home from work and noticed some white smoke coming out of the exhaust. Flipped the switch and guess what: it was buried deep in the red.
Now, this was a truck I'd only had a couple months so I wasn't too surprised..

[ArdWrknTrk]

Ufff, that's too bad.  

Hard lesson, but lesson learned.

[swampedout]

I learned how to tear a motor apart that summer. Not what I had planned at the time but Im learning....

[Rusty_S85]

Nothing on my truck to be honest.  Doing a bunch to my '56 how ever.  Trying to locate a NOS flasher unit as my parts and illustration guide gives me a part number for the 1962 revised number and I bought a pair of those they flash a little too fast in my opinion and the first 5 flashes are very weird like the flasher is trying to warm up.  Nothing like the old HD Ideal flasher that went out on me at my christmas party at work.

Aside from that I am now having to put work on any of my vehicles off and try to get a hold of this builder that is doing the house next to me as this is now the second time they knocked my wood fence down in the same exact spot and I refuse to spend my own money a second time and do the work a second time when they knocked it down twice with their stupid bob cat.  Sucks for me cause my dogs cant go out because there is no fence to keep them in fully and they are upset just as much as I am over this.

On a side note, I cant say that I ever seen a flasher though fail where you dont even get a light up.  Every flasher Ive seen fail would light up left or right but wouldnt flash as the flasher element failed.  This one wouldnt light up left or right like it was no power.