New 63 owner

[04sd]

Sorry to hear about your dad passing.
One of the reasons I have a 66 is because my dad bought one new when I was 5. Hopefully I'll get it finished and be able to take him for a ride.

[JeffinMooresville]

Hi all, thanks for kind words.

As part of the build, i had the engine and trans rebuilt and i installed back in the truck. I was always suspect of the cooling / radiator and it ran really hot even the short test drives, so i decided to pull the radiator and water pump and replace. I didn't replace either initially.

Turns out radiator was probably original for the 6 banger and someone had moved the lower intake when they swapped in the 390. I decided to put in an all alum cold case from NPD. They are local and good guys, so if i have a problem i can talk to real person.

Picked up the radiator, new water pump, thermostat and new water temp sender unit.









They had one specifically for the slicks and bolted right up to radiator mount standard mounting holes.

I still don't get a reading off of the manifold sender unit, but i do off of the one on the neck. I feel like this will take care of my cooling concerns.

The other nagging thing since the build is valve covers leak like crap, causing it to smoke etc. originally i used cork valve cover gaskets, but when i pulled them that had splits around a couple of the bolts. My buddy also suggested i check the head gasket and sure enough at both front and back on both sides, the excess head gasket poked up maybe 1/8”. No wonder it leaked. So i stripped cleaned all surfaces and went back with rubber gaskets and light layer of ultra black. Hopefully, this will address the oil leaking or at least slow it down.

Last on the list is to deal with the fuel issue. I am systematically trying to rule out what it is not, but still have not resolved.

[JeffinMooresville]

Ok , i think i have the oil leaks resolved. Proper reinstallation of valve covers seems to have solved that . Chalk that one off as rookie mistake on original install. Fuel issue not resolved yet, hope to work on that a little today, but got big step in the bed rebuild yesterday.

Started with this, at some point someone just dropped sheet metal over the original wood bed and welded in.



Cut the sheet out, leaving a small border to potentially use as flange for new bed.





I also left metal in across the rear sill, as someone cut away the rear sill when installed a trailer hitch.



Ok so, now i need to reposition the bed on my cart so i can continue with the demo and assess the damage. Looks like NPD sells the rear Sill, so my plan is to get all of the wood out and start there. I am going to put wood bed back in, and looks like all parts and trim are available.

[slick4x4]

If you plan on replacing the metal strips between the wood , I would save the originals , as they look pretty decent & could be used by somebody

[JeffinMooresville]

Hi all,

Working on the bed and need some help with the geometry. I bought new rear sill and clamped front sill in place, and i assumed that this would be the level of the wood floor. However my test doesnt sit flat on back sill, and the new center braces dont look like are correct.

I bought new center cross brackets, but they don't look like my originals.

My question is, are there spacers on the front sill (nearest cab) between frame and sill or between sill and wood floor?

Gonna check with carolina classics, because the center braces i bought from NPD are definitely not right.



New rear sill seems right and same dimension as my original.



Original front sill clamped in place.



The center cross braces are not right. One leg is 1 1/4” and one is 1 1/2”. My original ones appear to be 1 1/4” on both sides.



Original



My assumption was if you bolt the front, read and middle 2 cross bars to frame, it wold form a flat “plane” to lay wood floor. It even looked tike the center braces might have small wooden spacers between rail and frame, but these are sitting proud.

Anyone have a pic or reference , source for proper sills and rails.

Thanks,

Jeff

[JeffinMooresville]

Ok, found the right bed parts. Front and 2 mid sils. Company named Mar-K had the correct parts , made in USA and i was able to order from Summit Racing and get free shipping.

mar- k site > https://www.mar-k.com/-k.com/

Getting them primed / painted up and hope to assemble next weekend. Helping my son build a deck, so have to spread my time around a little.

The rear sill looks like it will actually bolt in place, so i think i will do that.





The bottom edge of the front of the bed is toast.







I had a piece of sheet metal cut with a lip that i am going to use on the front of the bed. Have not worked thru best mechanism to attach.

Will keep plugging.

[JeffinMooresville]

Making a little progress on the bed. Decided to just bolt new flange to front of bed.



Painted up.



Set on the truck and the front sits a little low. See my white stringline in 2nd pic, front of bed is about 3/4 low. Some rubber spacers on the way to fix that.





Also decided to rebuild the Motorcraft 2150 2 barrel carb. I have been having this weird problem with fuel delivery and carb is only thing i have not replaced. Put a new elect carter fuel pump in and still seems to just trickle fuel in (based on watching clear filter between pump and carb)



When i went to put back together, discovered that the float was sitting real low. Made adjustment to that, and hope i found the fuel issue.

Cleaned up pretty well, not sure i have everything adjusted perfect, but it runs, and noticeable difference in amount of fuel coming thru filter. My first carb rebuild, all in all not too bad. Great instructions online at Mikes Carbs.

[JeffinMooresville]

Got the bed back on and leveled out, had to use a couple of 3/4 rubber pads on the front side, but worked well. Got the emblems back on, they cleaned up pretty well with new inserts in the sides and had a detail guy buff up the paint. Still no wood in bed yet, picked up wood this week and waiting on new metal strips to get that done. Still have some work to do with tailgate hinges and rear sill, new rear sill not lining up with hinge bolts.

[grump]

That truck is looking good.

[JeffinMooresville]

Thanks Grump, get the bed in and do a little poor mans stance work.

[65_Slick]

Looking good! like the wheels and paint!

[JeffinMooresville]

Ok, got back on the truck and did some work on the bed.

The Bed had a sheet of sheet metal welded directly over the original wood bed,.





Got that all removed and had to some work on the rear sill, and replaced all of the Sills.


Got the wood all milled up, with a few coats of clear.





Painted up the strips. I went with hidden bolt version. All the bed parts , sills etc. came from Mar-K , but ordered thru speedway , jegs etc. to save shipping charges. very happy with All Mar-K stuff.



And finally, the install. This is just the dry fit, but i like it, just the look i was going for. My install was little different based on the condition of my bed, but i am happy with end result.

[9Fingers]

That wood floor looks great! Is that hickory?

[SteveCanup]

Looks Great!

[JeffinMooresville]

Thanks guys, yep is hickory.

[JeffinMooresville]

Well truck is never finished, but i have it to a point where i can drive it. Still have some items to work on, but i have had a lot of help from friends i have met on this forum.



















Next on the todo list are install shroud and dual fans on Cold Case radiator, install Petronics distributor and coil, finish some wood trim in cab, maybe install heater.... started on a new project, 65 styleside ... (has a 66 grille) got it pulled in the shop now.

[SteveCanup]

Jeff...your truck is looking good...too! It's great to see progress. Yours doesn't look like it needs any bodywork....

[JeffinMooresville]

Well Blue truck is driving now and so spending most time on black truck, but i still have some items on blue truck that i got done.

I had original distributor and coil, still on points. The flange was broken for vaccum advance, so i had to replace the entire unit. Went with Petronics Flame Thrower 3 and matching coil. Was able to get install done and set timing, at least got it in the range, will get my actual mechanic buddies to take a look and get it dialed in. Seems to start easier and runs good.



After


Came back in and tidied up the wires after this pic, but engine compartment is not exactly show quality, more utility.

The other continuing issue has been cooling, the 390 just seems to run hot. I put a new cold-case aluminum radiator on, but there wasn't a shroud and it would run hot at low speeds idle etc. not ideal for cruise ins.


So I decided to take engine fan. Off and put the shroud and fan kit on it from Cold-Case. The kit has 2 fans and is made to bolt right up to the specific cold case radiator i bought, so the physical install wasn’t bad. There is also wiring kit (extra hundred bucks or course) that has the wiring kit, relays and temp gauge switch, so they come on at 180 degrees or whatever.

Got that all hooked up, along with a new physical under-dash temp gauge.


So seems to work, but because the shroud complete covers radiator, if this fans don't come on, (because initial install had power rigged to battery main and someone forgot to hook it up). it will overheat and spew coolant in about 5 minutes of idling in driveway. When the fans are working properly, it comes to 180 in a couple minutes of driving, i can tell when the thermostat opens, because that us when the temp gauge comes up to speed. It pretty much will then hovers around 180 - 190, lower when riding and higher when in slow traffic or stopped. In any case, it doesn't overheat, but i can smell the coolant like it is thinking about it. And this is in this fall weather, not 100 degree summer day.

So, still don't have have high confidence that i have solved my cooling, but seems like it is manageable now. It is a brand new water pump (standard, not high flow). I do not have heater installed, i loop the in and out, so perhaps that us contributing. The engine is rebuilt 390, with a mild cam and otherwise stock, including 2 barrel carb... so no race engine, and i am not driving hard.

Anyone have any experience, thoughts ?

[aarons428]

First thing I see is the temp sensor in the thermostat housing and that will not give you accurate readings. That sensor should be in the intake somewhere not the thermostat housing. Where is the temp sensor for your cooling fan located at?
Also what do you have your timing set at? Where is your jetting at in the carb. One or both of these can cause your engine to run hot.
I run an aluminum radiator in my 65 with a spicy 460 and just a flex fan and no shroud and it stays cool. I really don't think you have a problem with the radiator.

[JeffinMooresville]

Hi Aaron,
appreciate the input. I have the fan thermostat on the intake. You can see it behind the distributor in top pic in previous post. I am not sure if i can use that sender for both functions. The new mechanical water temp gauge uses the one on neck. It doesn't read at all until the thermostat opens, then it immediately comes up to 180. I assume i have a 180 degree thermostat. After that, i feel i am getting a reasonable temp read. I will keep at it, learn something new every day.