62 F100

[SteveG]

Are you adding more leaves to the pack or installing it as is?

[johncharlesb]

They will get bolted up at least like they are for a look. I will probably run it and save my pennies for a set of Deavers. I could salvage from some other leaf packs or get a mini-pack from Deaver, but it could wind up as an expensive set of junkyard springs. Working with these helps lay everything out though.

My definitive answer is I'm not sure.

[johncharlesb]

The shackles are almost done. I boxed and extended the stock shackles with 1/4" plate and welded them 100% before they were completely closed up. The welds are okay. No stack of dimes, but they have good penetration. I am still getting used to this welder, and was just getting the wire speed right towards the end. The first pics are the second shackle before I have a go at it with the grinder. The other pics are the comparison to a stock shackle. The bushings will need to be replaced and the stock weld beefed up, but I had to retain the bushings initially to get the dimensions right. I still need to clean them up a bit, round the ends, drill the 1/2" holes to 5/8", change the bushings, and give them some paint.

[philofab]

I think flux core is more difficult that welding Titanium with a TIG so I give you thumbs up sir. Better than I would have done.

[johncharlesb]

I think flux core is more difficult that welding Titanium with a TIG so I give you thumbs up sir. Better than I would have done.

Thanks Philo. All of my previous welding was stick. I built and caged my Baja Bug by buying a stick welder and just going to it. The mig is relatively new to me, and have only used it for small stuff so far. I will get some shielding gas and solid wire and try that out.

[ChaseTruck754]

As Philo said - flux welds in general look like crap. When you get the shielding gas going you will be amazed at how much better your welds look.

[AirBender]

Where did you buy this shackles?..im looking for shackles, hangers and mounting hardware. I already saw a mounting hardware...for my project..

..

[ChaseTruck754]

The stock ones he used to cut and extend? If you are looking for those I have a few sets.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

I use flux / gasless. Its a pain but if you buy the lincoln wire with the lincoln tips itll help out ALOT. I've learned that you have to treat the welds different. Way to go on the welds! They look good!

[johncharlesb]

Where did you buy this shackles?..im looking for shackles, hangers and mounting hardware. I already saw a mounting hardware...for my project..

There are many 6" shackles available. I needed longer 9" shackles for the longer 64" springs. You can make your own like me, or have them done for you by many of the competent fabricators on this site like Mark Kiefer or Baja Scott. If you want some for cheap get a set of GM 1500 lowering shackles from DJM. I think they are 6-7" and for a 2.5 spring.

[johncharlesb]

Okay, I have not been doing much because it is so damn cold out and general laziness. It has been consistently in the single digits and teens, which just makes working on the truck hell. Everything works on the truck now, it runs like a top and will start right up when its 0* out. All the heater controls and choke cables are the recent projects, as well as changing a lot of old light bulbs.

I need to replace the speedo cable. They don't stock it at Napa and the discount stores use a universal cable that has to be shortened. Has anyone tried these cables out? Are they any good?

Any tips on getting the spring bushings out easily? 'Fire or a press? I don't have a proper press and they scoffed at my big old clamp and a big socket. I am too cheap to take them in, maybe I will jig up something if I don't end up just burning them out with propane.

On Christmas I took it to my folks house in Livonia, fifty miles on a major metro interstate going 70mph plus. Everything was cool with it, did not wander or anything. The 3.90 gears are okay at speed with the 6:1 1st and 1:1 final and the Y-block 292ci. The trip felt like a milestone with confidence to drive a fifty year old truck that has been sitting for nineteen of the last twenty years. It does feel like you are driving a tractor at 70 though, but my early Bronco was the same way.

It is interesting daily driving and putting to work something so old. A lot of people will come up and talk to you or waive. It is hard to be grumpy driving this truck. It looks good when I go on estimates or hit the suppliers too.

The hubs have been locked for about six weeks straight. It gets used in 4wd about 50-75% currently with all the snow and the crazy roads I drive. I washed off some of the salt today and got some pictures of it going out into the woods for firewood. The snow is really wet right now; it slides around a lot. It is fun, but the deeper snow is really hard on componets with the wheels spinning all the time when you are trying to cut a path. It was walking out and getting stuck in the deeper stuff, I just backed up and hit it again carrying that momentum through the snow and trying to stay in my tracks.

It is supposed to get into the 30s or 40s next week, maybe I can get something done.

[philofab]

My local auto parts store has a kit for building custom speedo cables. I use it on all the old stuff I do. Maybe Napa or one of the more industrial stores around you has the same?

[hobbyturnedobsession]

Way to go! It can be a pain getting a carburetor to be in tune enough to have it be able to start in the cold. I've ran into that problem before.

[johncharlesb]

The shackles are done, but I think they are gay:

[philofab]

That's boredom right there.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

Round the edges where the spring mounts, then re enforce the hole itself and they'd look even better. I think they look good as is tho.

[magic carpet XLT]

very cool build. how did you re arch the springs?

[johncharlesb]

With something like this:

Others have used a tube kinker:

[johncharlesb]

Updates (sorry about the fuzzy pics):
Cleaned up the engine a bit. I need to work on the wiring, change the master cylinder and get some new used fenders and liners eventually.



The floor on the box is shot. I was going to replace it, but I am thinking I will just build a flare side out of square tubing and some original fenders. Here is a two new floors I picked up while scavenging around the local metal scrapyard. I will section them to get the proper length, the width is right on.

[johncharlesb]

Passenger side forward cab mount was rotted out. The other mounts were good. The drivers side could use a little work, but it is solid. I cut around a previous patch and pulled out the old cab mount. The truck is resting on the frame and the cab is being held together but a bit of patch. I welded the inside pillar and step plate together to preserve the integrity of the cab before I jacked up the cab and rebuilt the cab mount.





Brazed flatstock was the floor, why even bother?