FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Hi all, sealed a deal today on a different type of project. It's not an FC but it is from the 50's :). Should take delivery next week from a long way out West.
It's a 1953 (to be confirmed) Fargo 3 ton flatbed truck, dead standard. It's been sitting in a shed for 30 years, has done 35,000 miles (just under 60,000km). The last owner never drove it off the farm. Plans are get it on the road in standard configuration for now and use it to carry my FC when I need to farm out work such as exhaust, interior and paint. Measurements show me it should just fit a fully assembled FC, but I'll only need to carry the FC with front metal off anyway. Further down the road will be an engine swap and associated upgrades and possibly some tray work to enable it to take a larger vehicle. It's missing the seat back and the seat bench, plus the Fargo badges from either side of the bonnet. If anyone has contacts who might have these bits I'd be grateful. I'll get on the vintage truck forum to put out a call as well.
I think 'er indoors has worked out what I'm up to. As well as the truck, the FC and the two daily drivers, I can now get a 5th vehicle in the garage if I store it on the back of the truck :D  Regards, Martyn

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20Post%201/P1060911_zps83bffbd1.jpg)

The fuzzy circles are shards of glass on the inside of the lens. I dropped the camera and broke the lens and haven't had time to get it repaired yet.
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20Post%201/P1060912_zps8b4a10fa.jpg)

The signalling arm has been removed for transport but will be retained. Always wanted one of those!(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20Post%201/P1060701_zpscadb930a.jpg)

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20Post%201/P1060648_zps7fd71639.jpg)

Thats a Cool truck...

Badges should not be to hard to find i think they are pretty much the same 50-70,s  and the decal is still available new on ebay...

Good luck looks like a good start.

If you get stuck for parts theres a place near home called "dodge city" thats all he deals in.

Thanks for the info Pete. Do you have any contact details for Dodge City? Can't seem to find anything on the interweb. Ta, Martyn

So, you had another road trip? Did she fire for you? I'll be expecting a call no doubt. Good score.

Yeah real cool truck, I like it.

Hi Dave, Yep, I'll be on the blower tomorrow. No, it didn't start.
Couldn't get spark, not that I'm surprised.  i forgot to take a spare coil, and the plug leads were not the best. On the good side, the radiator holds water, and the tyres held the air I put in 2 weeks ago. It threw over nicely when the starter was given a kick. Apart from the fact it's a truck, which I've never dealt with before, it looks like it won't be too hard to get it on the road. Don't hold me to that, the FC was just gonna get a coat of paint and now it's on the rotisserie getting a good workover  :D

Hi Martyn,

That's a cool truck!

Don't paint it - it's perfect as it is.

Cheers,

Josh

Hi Josh.
Yeah, I like it!
I'm not a fan of red but I like the original look so new paint is unlikely.
Under the mudguards where it hasn't been exposed to years of dust the paint is still glossy.
Should be taking delivery Thursday. First job will be a good cleanup. The wasps and spiders have had it to themselves for years.  Regards, Martyn

It never takes long for wasps to move in on anything sitting around out west. That sticker is interesting, is it in the cab? 

Hi Dave. The sticker is under the bonnet.

Hi all,

The truck arrived late last week, in one piece and with no new damage. The driver couldn't have been more helpful or done a better job. If it doesn't contravene forum rules I'm happy to post his details for the info of others.
There won't really be any cosmetic changes, just mechanical and safety, at least until the FC is finished.
 
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20Post%202/P1060942_zps2058bd0c.jpg)

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20Post%202/P1060980_zpsd75df661.jpg)

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20Post%202/P1060972_zpsd018de3b.jpg)

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20Post%202/P1060965_zpsa024be02.jpg)

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20Post%202/P1060991_zps9003fa9b.jpg)

Hi everyone.  A quick update on the truck. Started it last Sunday. After working through a number of ignition faults it was backfiring through the carby. Looked for stuck valves, and found cylinders 2, 3 and 4 had stuck exhaust valves. They were difficult to work on, being on the side of the motor, so removed the head. 2 freed up very easily after a light tap with a block of wood sitting flat on the top of the valve. The other valve took some real convincing, and about half an hour of playing whack the gopher whilst turning the motor over as it kept sticking and not dropping to seat properly. Eventually all valves were freed.
Put the head back on and it fired almost first time. No knocks or clunks so I'm hopeful that the years of sitting around haven't caused any major issues.
I'm still trying to locate a seat, so if anyone knows of someone with an early 50's Dodge, De Soto, Inter or Fargo with a spare seat, let me know! I could modify one from another vehicle but I'd rather stick with original. Regards, Martyn

G'day all.
Work is progressing on the truck. Not a lot that looks different in photos right now so won't post any until I get some more work done. I've got a question that anyone with an assembled FC can answer easily. I have a good dilemma. 'er indoors has agreed to be 'er outdoors occasionally so I've been in given in-principle approval to get a 4wd and a camper trailer. Count of wife's car, 4wd, 1 truck project, 1 FC project and a camper trailer = 5 units in a 4 car garage. Camper trailer is definitely too long to fit on the truck. I think the FC will fit without extending the tray. Could anyone confirm the dimension from the very front of the car to the centre line of the rear wheel? I reckon it should be about 3367, give or take. Truck bed = 3650, so I might be able to do it. This means with the suspension mods I'll be doing in the future to lower it the truck can drive in and out of the garage with the FC on the back. Happy days. Dave, I might be doing that swap with the Inter gear sooner than I'd planned! Thanks for dimensions in anticipation. Martyn  :)

That's a great score these 50's trucks are getting real popular soon we will all have one as a car carrier well done  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D........FC427.........

Martyn, it's very authentic. The tray looks to be in great shape & without the usual bends in the tie rails.
Will you be keeping the floor & backboard in timber?

The seat swabs from memory are separated and the back pulls out at the bottom so you can access behind the seat and is fixed at the top .Its been many years since I did up my Inter. but they are narrower than they look and I used an old falcon seat xm or xp probably just as hard to get . The reasoning behind using the ford seat was that the swabs are hinged [pinned] and held rigid with 2 bolts [3/8 from memory ] on removal the back swab will hinge forward . And they are close to the right width . If you get an old one that needs upholstery then you can devise a way of locking the back swab to the cab rail .Just a suggestion . Haydn

Nice truck Martyn,

Would look great a little bit lower too.

Cheers

Ed

Hi all, thanks for the comments.

DJ, yep, it's pretty original.The tray and the rest of the external appearance will be staying as is, no painting or sanding and sealer. I like the idea of keeping it with barn find appearance but functioning and safe mechanicals. I'm not polishing the tray and I don't want to modify it either if I can avoid it, other than setting it up for ramps, hence why I'm really hoping a complete FC will fit on the back as is.

Haydn, thanks for the info on the xm or xp seats, that's handy to know in case I come across one. I currently have a 48 Chev seat sitting in it but it'll require some mods to fit neatly and even then I wouldn't have the option of using the area behind it for storage.

Regards, Martyn

Martyn,

Just a question. How will you get the car up on the tray?

It looks like you may have access to some pretty big lifting equipment.. but if using ramps they would need to be very long.

Cheers

Ed

Hi Ed, good question!
Yep, it'll have to be via ramps, and yep, they'll need to be a decent length! The tray is 3.650 long, so if I use ramps that just fit on the tray when travelling, I'd use 3.600, possibly with a drop down adjustable support mid-span. I'm onto another almost identical truck that has a tipper, so it may find its way onto this one.
My calcs show I'd need 199mm clearance under the sills to get on without scraping if i used the ramps, so if that's not manageable some blocks at the right point under the front wheels would see it on OK.
My real issue is getting the whole shooting match in my garage. As things sit now, the tray is 1100mm from ground level, a standard height FC is 1549mm (according to my manual), making a total height of 2.649mm. I just re-measured my garage door height, and it's 2.310 high, so I'm 339mm too high. I have a few options to get around that but it'll take a few beers to work out the best way.
Could someone please throw a tape on their car and give me the length from front of front bumper to the middle of the rear wheel, as well as ground clearance on a std FC? My car's on a rotisserie right now so I need some help with measurements.
Many thanks

Martyn

the Bannana back trays make a huge difference that way you can have fixed ramps ect.

Also i would hate to be at any sort of height driving a car on a full height tray.

The other thought to would be to lose a heap of leafs out of the springs and install overide air bags truck style ones
 They are not overly expensive that would also help get the truck a lot lower?
Also you could probablly go a lower rolling diameter tyre...


Just a thought.

If you have the physical room on the property why not build a loading ramp the height of the truck tray that and back the truck up to.  This way you can use as much soil as necessary to get a reasonable angle to drive the car up.

Keith

Cant see you getting 14" either way . Might have to remove the head beam and door depending on the roof pitch .Anyway here is another idea on the seat . My Vauxhall project required a very small seat about 1100mm.The original was going to be impossible to repair[I recovered it but it was way out of shape and weighed a tonne]. I found a ford courier [bravo] extra cab bench seat on ebay that needed recovering . I removed the headrests and the vinyl and the foam and then cut about 150mm from the centre welded it back together and replaced the foam. It has a lever to fold it forward .

 (http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a589/hsv-001/SAM_0177_zps9c446b01.jpg) ($2)

  (http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a589/hsv-001/SAM_0178_zps9beade62.jpg) ($2)

Haydn

Hi all, thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Pete, I have access to an Inter chassis with 16 inch wheels, and will be doing some measurements this weekend to see whetehr bits will transfer to mine.
Air bags sounds like a good option too. The long term plan possibly involved a banana back but I'd rather keep it as a flat tray if possible. Still have to check out the tipper thats available as well, so i have a few options.

Ed, unfortunately I have a suburban house, but with a big garage under, so earth banking is not an option!

Haydn, that's a great idea for the seat and will do some homework on that. You must be happy with the way yours turned out.
Doing the header over the garage is a no go!

The tray is mounted quite high on big timber blocks, and could be lowered quite a lot, especially if I use the 16 inch suspension, so I reckon the drop I need just might be possible.

Last resort is to store the truck in a shed at my old man's farm, not too far from where I live.

Thanks to FCDave who pulled out the tape and gave me the good news that the FC will fit on the back of the truck length wise, if I can get it on!

Regards, Martyn

Martyn, a mate of mine has a car trailer that pivots so it makes it easier to roll on/off, so maybe the tipper hydraulics could work. Just a thought, if you make the tray similar to a car trailer, you would gain a fair bit by fixing the frame direct to the chassis with nylon or rubber spacers, although this would be a fixed frame so you would need to look at some form of pivots. You could also look at a tilt tray system similar to a tow truck.
Jim

This reminds me of my father's place - ended up with a new lean-to off the side of a double garage for each additional car/truck/mower. It was the most convenient way to provide shelter & easy access to any vehicle. Work was carried out in the main double garage & if anything needed to stay there for a while the daily drivers used the smaller sides temporally. But then it was a 1.25 acre block.

Does it lean all the way back?

(http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a589/hsv-001/SAM_0149_zps38a95369.jpg) ($2)
Where would it lay back to? Hoping for just a quick easy daily driver. Haydn

(http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a589/hsv-001/SAM_0172_zpsa73b24e8.jpg) ($2)

Yeah DJ, that'd be a nice option! That's sorta the setup where my parts shed is on my old man's farm, with the lean-to enclosed and with a concrete floor. That may end up being the home for the truck but I'll know better tomorrow after measuring the Inter chassis.

Haydn, I'm the same, I don't need it to fold back, just enough forward to give access behind.
Had sorta resigned myself to losing the storage area but that setup you've got gives me hope.
Nice project too!
Martyn

My back seat if it were in my car!

Martyn, could you load/unload with the truck in the shed - would the distance from the end of the tray to the door opening allow enough headroom mid-way over ramps?
(http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y472/davidbolton1/Untitled-1_zpsff9b032d.jpg) ($2)

DJ, The prize goes out to you for the simplest solution!
I spent a lot of time measuring on the weekend. Long story short, the swap with International bits won't work.
DJ's suggestion works. I'd thought about doing it but really wanted to avoid having a brain snap and backing out with the car on the back. I like FC convertibles but don't want one for now...
However, given other options look too complicated I think I'll follow DJ's lead and spend the money on making up a good set of ramps instead.
I can still gain a couple of hundred mm anyway by taking out some of the timber blocking under the tray. It sits too high and I can see that sometime in the past it's moved sideways slightly.
Thanks for all the comment everyone.
I'll post a photo later showing how the exhaust had been held in with wire hanging off the brake line.
Regards, Martyn

I'd leave myself a note on the steering wheel of the truck (and say it was to warn others)

Hey Martyn, nothing like farmers & wire. I ended up with half a bucket of wire, nails & sharpened bolts when I did the Inter. Sharpened bolts for clevis pins, nails for split pins & wire for everything else including the handbrake assembly :o  . Bloody farmers.

DJ, yet another good idea! Maybe I could leave the truck keys in the glovebox of the FC, that way I'd hopefully remember why they were there!
Have had a few successes recently. Welded up splits that were each side at the rear of the centre bonnet section. Rebuilt a fuel pump out of a red motor kit, a kit FCDave had and the original pump. The red motor diaphragm was identical but the centre shaft was too long, so swapped the existing shaft to the red diaphragm and it looks like it'll do the job. The truck was originally positive earth so I had the polarity on the generator reversed so I can now run it as negative earth. Not that I expect anyone else to be working on it and get caught out but if I have a fuzzy day I don't have to remember which way it goes. I found a seat that looks like it'll be perfect, out of a L300 Mitsubishi Express. The seat back folds forward, and the base can be set to lift as well, so I can make use of the storage under the seat. Took off the exhaust to make up a new one. Found the muffler hanging from wire looped through the chassis rail around the brake line and back outside the chassis rail. Regards, Martyn

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20Exhaust/FargoExhaust_zpsd4802976.jpg)

Gotta love that fencing wire, versatile enough for anything from keeping the vehicles together to drying your rabbit skins.

G'day all.
The FC's taken a bit of a back seat for now. Still plugging away on the truck, fitted the cobbled up fuel pump on the weekend. It works but the fuel line keeps blocking up so will pull the tank out later and flush it. Started the truck using a can of fuel with a line dropped in, and it sounds sweet as, with a really nice idle. Very satisfying! That confirms the change to the generator polarity was all good too. Dropped the Mitsubishi seat in for a rough fit-up, and it looks as though it will be pretty well perfect once I set the right height and mount it. Looks like I'll be able to swing forward the rear section and lift the base up to get underneath the seat too. The shifter clears too, so no notching the seat. Over for now, Martyn.
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20Seat/FargoSeat_zpsabe63d33.jpg)

I fitted a F##D  split bench in my Inter  from a 90's 6 seat wagon  It  lines up over the original floor mount very nice and only need a plate to bolt it down   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D........FC427..........

Just wondering about the polarity change on the genny. Did that make the amp guage read in the negative . As I recall doing that when using a alternator on the old Inters produce such a result . My second question is "why a generator?" I would probably use a alternator then use H4 headlights , these old trucks are fun to drive [ I learnt to drive in AL,AR,AS Internationals usually full of horses] but they are not so quick [hence the headlight upgrade].Keep us updated ,its a nice project . Cheers, Haydn

Hey guys, I'm an auto elec, and have access to generators that have been made with alternator internals for the classic car market.. Rated at 45amp current output and close to 14volt stable depending on harness/ battery condition.. Look pretty sweet, with minor wiring modification ..
Cheers, Penners


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Penners, handy to know, thanks for that.

Hi Haydn. To be honest the gauges are so dirty I've never looked at them! I've only had the truck running a couple of times and I've been more interested in motor noises than what's happening on the dash. Next time it's running I'll have a look and let you know. It's something I hadn't thought about. Re alternator V generator, you're absolutely right, but I just want to get it on the road as quickly as I can without too many mods right now (hence my change of heart on lowering it for now). It's not stored at my place, so I want to get it registered and get it home, then I can start to play with it. Whatever happens, the body will be kept as is, except for a wash and some minor rust repairs. Regards, Martyn 

My Genny on the Inter run neg when charging now it is 12v neg earth.

Originally they were positive to chassis . Haydn

To check the correct polarity. Check the wiring connections on the coil   negative side of the coil to the distributor. Look for marking on the coil indicates negative to earth. Positive side of the coil to the distributor indicates positive earth. To change polarity to negative earth. Momentary flash a live power to the field terminal the small one on the generator. Change the two wires over on the coil. And if it is fitted with a amp meter swap the wiring over on the terminals. Or the amp meter will read in the opposite direction. 

Hi Mickrat, thanks for the info. Wish I'd heard from you before I took the genny to an auto electrician! He checked it over and the regulator as well, so it wasn't a total wasted exercise.
I'll hopefully set up the seat this weekend. Unbolted the front clip last weekend but won't lift it off until I have room at home to work on it. Not much to show in the way of photos yet but once there's something interesting to show I'll stick up some more.
I've been cleaning rust off parts using electrolysis the last couple of days. Wow, how easy and great results. Will put up some photos soon.
Call on the brains trust - What's a good method of flushing out and then sealing a fuel tank that's full of crud? Steam clean and POR15? Any other suggestions?
Regards, Martyn

Hi all, these photos are of a couple of exhaust hangers that I'll be using on the truck, kindly provided by FCDave. Thought I'd show the effect of rust removal using electrolysis. Both hangers were identical in finish before i gave one the treatment. Bucket of water + mix in some laundry soda (not baking soda), using a slot car 12v transformer, hook negative to the workpiece to be cleaned, positive to a sacrificial piece of mild steel, drop both in the water without them touching and give it some time. This bracket was in overnight. I did a couple of scrubdowns during the process to get rid of paint remnants that had gone very soft and just needed a light brushing to be removed. Once the piece is done the rust is gone but it has a very fine black powder covering. An hour or so in a bath of vinegar softens that and then a light scrub with a fine wire brush and it's done. Get WD40 on straight away if it's a part that won't be painted as surface corrosion begins immediately. If it's a part to be painted I'd suggest primer or sealer immediately.
Regards, Martyn

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Rust%20removal/Rustremoval_zps02a33020.jpg)

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I don't have the temperament for it . I just grab an angle grinder with a wire wheel . I sometimes pay for it though as I've had the grinder [and some nasty scars] in some strange places . I'll give it a try down the track on my three window project . Cheers Haydn

Hi all,

Making progress. Fitted up the Mitsubishi seat, and it fits well. It lifts up nicely and the back cushion folds forward too.
Picked up a VL Commodore V8 radiator for it today, which will also cover the V8 conversion further down the line.
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/FargoSeat2_zps03f884c4.jpg)
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/P1080286_zpse9e92e6e.jpg)

Still hasn't had a wash yet.
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/P1080270_zps7de2e144.jpg)

Front clip is off for rust repairs, plus gives me a chance to sort the headlight wiring and fit up the front parkers/blinkers.
One thing to watch out for, bought some fancy schmancy what was sold to me as LED combined parkers/blinkers at the Clarendon swap meet a month or so ago, put them on the shelf till I was ready to use them. Pulled them apart the other night and bugger me if there's not a twin element incandescent bulb inside, not LED. Still, they'll do the job but not happy at being caught out.
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/P1080261_zps2a85fe8e.jpg)

Also, found out something tonight. I've always gone through this routine of exporting files from my photo library, then dragging to Photobucket. Found out by accident that I can drag straight from iPhoto into Photobucket without exporting. Probably I'm the only person that didn't know that, but just in case, thought I'd put it out there  :)

Stay dry (not easy on the East Coast at the moment). Martyn

The seat looks good . Have you thought about H4 headlights [they already have the park lights in them ,this is good because if you blow a headlight it still lights up] .I like this because you don't get pinched, then I would use those magnified amber LED lights you can buy on ebay under the original lenses .I'm just thinking out loud .Keep the posts coming .Haydn

Hi all, long time no post.
Work on the truck is going well, although way slower than I'd like.
Might have to start a new thread, for Crump Snr's third project. FCDave put me onto a "parts" truck that had the badges I was looking for. Turns out it's good enough to be a rebuild in its own right, so it's getting the treatment in the future. It's also the 108 model I wanted originally. It's now in storage until I get some time. Meanwhile the FC sits waiting some more work! Pics attached for info. I've been told I'll be sleeping in the next project I bring home. That's OK because it's gonna be an FC wagon!  ;D
Will try to post more often in future! Martyn

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/BigTruckWash_zps71570080.jpg)

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You bought a Jeep!?

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that!!  ;D
However, very happy with it, and now I can pull a trailer I don't need to try to carry the FC on the back of the truck either! Although it's still a setup I'd like to get working in the future. For now just happy to get the truck registered as standard.

I know the feeling!!!

Here's mine
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Niiiiice! :)

You can get messed up trying to use LED's for indicators . Hard to get the flasher unit to work . Apparently I needed 2x50w 3.5 OHM resistors .What are OHMs ,thought it was the way that friends from West LA greet each other . Cheers Haydn

Nice!

Is that an SRT, NES?

And Martyn, another project? Good luck sweet talking the wife  ;)

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I hadn't seen your post before but your truck is similar colour to mine. I have same idea to float my 2 holdens.

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Hi Haydn,

Most standard flasher cans won't operate unless the current flow is above a set level and most flick very fast if only one bulb is ok.
This is so the driver is aware if there is a problem with bulbs, etc.
You probably already knew this.

The LED lamp has a very high resistance, (i.e. high ohms) compared with a standard lamp, and draws very low current (amps), so the flasher can thinks one or two bulbs are blown.

The resistor is connected as if it is another bulb or two in the system, and draws enough current to trick the flasher can into thinking all bulbs are ok, but has the drawback that the driver won't know when he has a bulb problem unless he gets out of the car to have a look.

Some (not all) electronic flashers don't need the resistor, and are a direct plug-in. These guys have them.http://www.brightlightautoparts.com/NEW_LED_LIGHT_ACCESSORIES.html ($2)

If you need a hand, email me. Always willing.

Cheers,
Prof.

Nope, didnt have the spare 20k for that engine. It's a diesel "BLACKHAWK" only limited run of these and very sought after. It has a blackout pack i.e. all the chrome badging etc is now black (except round the windows) and has swade/leather interior. Those 20's are standard! The black Blackhawk looks good to but I think its better in white. Dealers can't sell enough of this particular variant.
I get a lot of questions about it too!
(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/22/0f24ab8ff18a47e906678c258f881b20.jpg)
(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/22/7277ce827778a5212ee3be28e1b2a10f.jpg)

Will the smaller truck fit on the tray of the larger . It would be an awesome display .Haydn

Mines a tipper Haydn. I have some long 6 ton aluminium ramps from my excavator. I plan on having some kind of roller setup for the ramps. I haven't worked it all out yet lol. Mine has a 2 speed diff.  Which larger one are u referring to.

What's the load carrying capacity? Mines nearly 5.5 ton in the truck and another 6 ton for a float. Seems a bit high. Its bad enough driving my acco fully loaded with air brakes! So 2 cars should be good.

You're right Haydn, the little one'd look awesome on the back of the bigger one! From what I can find of measurements on the net, the little one should fit with a cigarette paper to spare. I'll throw the tape on it next time I'm at the shed and confirm it.

Martyn

Martyn if you are on Facebook there's a buy swap and sell that might interest you.

Hi Dean, not on Facebook unfortunately. little enough time as it is!  :)

If there's any parts you need let me know cos out here there's quite a few trucks laying around.

Thanks Dean. I'm after two rear brake drums for the big truck. It's a 359-AF model. Getting them back over to me might be a challenge! They're not light.  Regards, Martyn

Where are you roughly

Can you give me more info on the big one, make, year etc. You got more about the little one.

Hi Deano,

The big one is a 1953 Chrysler Fargo (same body as Dodge, Desoto and International), Serial number is 359AF which I understand indicates it's a 3 ton, 159 inch wheelbase Australian built Fargo. Hope this helps.

Can't find much on the little one, but I'm getting the feeling it was originally a pickup.
This is something along the lines of how I want it to end up:

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/RatRodTruckforsale--8298142614667659572_zpseef82902.jpg)


I'm just South of Wollongong, or as FCDave would say, just East of Robertson  ;D.

Regards,

Martyn

The rounded edges look cool.

Well, it's been a long time between drinks.
Long story short, the big truck is now running, with an electric fuel pump. Couldn't get vacuum after rebuilding the original. Apparently it's a known issue with them. Can't believe how well it runs considering I haven't touched the carb after it sat for 30 years. Brakes have been fully rebuilt, just haven't been bled yet. Moved the truck a few feet in the shed backwards and forwards under its own power just to check clutch and gearbox. Both seem OK at first glance so hopefully no rebuilds will be involved. It sounds great. The exhaust is a section of trampoline frame that I got from the local tip with the holes welded up, and no muffler, which will do fine in the workshop until I get a proper system. I now have the little truck in my garage at home. Long story but lost the storage where it was being kept. It's gonna go to another farm shed for temporary storage when I bring the big one home to finish off and register. I'll have some fun with the big one then I'll have to sell it due to my garage only stretching so far! The little one is then going on an HQ chassis with a late model V8. Haven't posted pics as there hasn't been much visible change to show. The FC is also coming along slowly. Will put a quick update on its build thread. Regards, Martyn

Almost current pis of the big Fargo.
All brakes are rebuilt and re-assembled and it's down now on its wheels. Just need to bleed brakes and I can test it out with a spin around the farm.

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Big%20Fargo_zpszfpgb5jw.jpg)

It lives...

http://vid1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/Fargo%20test%20drive_zpskt4he8hj.mp4

Hope the link works, first time posting video.

First time running outside in 30 years, doing laps around the shed. Sounds good, muffler fell off the lap before (just had it jammed on the end of pipe, didn't expect it to shake off so easily!). The drive looks fairly sedate but I felt like a milkshake in the cab. Nasty knock in second but all else sounds and feels OK. I have the spare box from my little Fargo, so hopefully can get one good one out of 2.

(http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y472/davidbolton1/Like_zps2520991a.png) ($2)

Martyn and that's all we get ::)
cheers
Scott

Sorry Scott! In the cab that felt like 5 minutes! I'll get my mate to take some more footage next weekend.

Pretty happy to have some life back in it. I'm still grinning! Yesterday was like death by a thousand leaks after putting brake fluid through it. Gave up and just drove it around the shed using the handbrake. Brakes will be bled next weekend after sorting out any remaining leaks. Next step will then be to put the tray back on and get it in my garage at home so I can get it ready for rego. Judging by the nasty noises in second I'd say the gearbox is coming out for a checkup. I'll get back on the FC soon too. Martyn

 

Heard that a bit lately too ;D

Heh heh.  ;D
Check my FC build post...

In the meantime here are a few more of the truck until I get some more vid!

(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/thumb_20151122_144012_1024_zps6wumytvs.jpg)
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/thumb_20151122_145649_1024_zpsoankop0h.jpg)
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/thumb_20151122_143959_1024_zpsbr2fs2hz.jpg)

The signalling arm? It looks naked.

Well spotted DJ!
It's sitting soaking in WD40 to free it up. It's been stuck for a long time so might have to look at other options.
Then it goes back on...

Great day on Sunday seeing it running around, beats playing golf. Less frustration, & you can still have a beer at the end.

Yeah but if we keep buying old trucks and rusty cars we could still lose our balls! ;D

sounds like it's more about the thrill of the chase now

I'm always in the sh#t, its just the depth that varies.  ;D

Ain't that the truth FCDave :)

Hey Martyn,

Have you ever seen a show called Roadkill? I was watching an episode recently, and thought of your Fargo - they shortened the chassis on an old F-Truck to create a truck called 'Stubby Bob'. How about this treatment for the Fargo?

Regards,

Josh.

(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff271/Ol_Girl_58/maxresdefault.jpg)

Hi Josh,

I haven't seen the Roadkill program but Tuesday nights up here have a few car programs, including Welderup which shows a US based rat rod shop.

It's an interesting look for that F truck! That'd solve my garage space dilemma! I'm going to need to pull my wall-mounted bench out of the back of the garage to fit it in. Gee that thing'd be bouncy inside.
It looks like I'll be going with the original chassis for my little one, which is in better nick than I'd originally thought. Means I avoid ADR requirements like dash pad and a few other things I didn't want to have to change on the body. It'll also make it easier to put an original style pickup bed on it. FCDave might have got me onto an ideal donor car for a few bits. Will keep you posted.

Regards, Martyn

Quick update on the big Fargo. Bled the brakes today with FCDave, good to see no leaks through the lines. Had good pedal then found fluid leaking out of the boot at the front of the master cylinder. Turns out you can't go full to the floor with these cylinders when you're bleeding, otherwise you push past a passage that allows fluid to leak. It should be all systems go next time. Nothing really to show with photos for today's effort.
Martyn

Roadkill is on Youtube, watch anytime you want.

https://youtu.be/Bqwok5-ehbA

It's an excellent show  8) 8) 8)

Thanks guys, I'll get on it!  :)

Hi all,

Well, time flies.
We've only just sorted out the brake issues after a few re-builds of the master cylinder and a lot of wasted brake fluid...
Turns out the push rod from the brake pedal wasn't in line with the bore of the master cylinder, and we suspect it was pushing the piston to one side and pushing the seal enough to allow fluid to sneak past. FCDave and I have had a fair few frustrated afternoons in the shed but 2 weeks now with no leaks so we reckon we've got it beat.
The tray's back on now, and new tyres fitted. The tyres cost more than the whole truck...
Still haven't touched the carbie after 30 years in the shed and it starts first time and runs sweet as a nut.
Second gear's got a nasty knock so a gearbox swap's on the cards. It's non-synchro up or down so it's fun to drive.
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/20160124_130407_zpswoaycxbw.jpg)
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/20160124_130349_zpsesizkebb.jpg)

As for the third project....
It's garage art at the moment but have tidied up a few little things. Plan is to build an original style pickup bed for it.
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/P1130488_zpsqgumkroy.jpg)

That badge and it's mate on the other side are worth more than the truck...
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/P1130474_zpsr343torh.jpg)

Now that's patina... Note the expensive shifter knob.
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/Crumpsnr/P1130387_zps4mtvibth.jpg)

Josh, forgot to mention I watched Roadkill. Killed a lot of hours going through a stack of episodes. Loved it!

Mate ,you must go for an old tennis ball for a horn button if you are keeping that gear shift . Great trucks .

Hello all, long time no post! I've been stalking though  ;D
I've been busy and time flies!
I've had my shoulder op, and all is good.
Unfortunately in the job shuffle I took a position in Sydney, chasing the $ (more for car parts) but I'm now on the road 4 hours a day.
We can now list projects 4 and 5 since my last post. I picked up a dead original FC wagon, with fantastic patina. It's going on the road dead stock. Floors are full of rust but the body is fantastic. It's a dead ringer for lowlife's. Same colour and all.
I also picked up an EK wagon, ex shooting wagon, covered in moss but looks a lot worse than it is. Harv, might need a chat to swap notes about yours.
The big truck is a runner, and is about to be sold to make way for the 2 wagons.
I've been gathering bits for the little truck, which is going on an HQ ute chassis. FCDave even found an original pickup bed on an old Austin truck in the bush near Bundaoon.
I'm trying to work around the Photobucket issue so I can post pics.
More later!

Dads Fargo. Sold now
On HQ chassis(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180321/0ea6aa389014a4f2c99709ca80ec8f96.jpg)

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

Hi Whealy,

That's nice!
You don't see a lot of those utes around now.