Time to sell the Hearse

[Big IV]

My wife told me the other month that I could buy a second project Valk, but I didn't. I had a feeling it was about time to do a project for her soon enough. I could feel that in the air. So I held off.

She had asked her father about a truck left at her grandparent's house. The truck had been sitting there since the grandpa's death but my wife had fond memories of it. He hem-hawed around and I never thought much about it.

I went over there to help her Dad move a tractor and spotted the truck. 1956 Ford with good metal, tires holding air, and in need of a bed. It had promise. I mentioned to my wife it was probably savable (she hadn't seen it in years). She asked her Dad about it an again he hemmed-hawed about it.

That continued for a while. Eventually her Dad told her he'd sold it, but the guy had not actually paid for it. In fact the guy hadn't called in months about the truck, but my father-in-law felt he'd promised it. So he called the guy who surprise surprise wanted the truck still and wanted until the end of the month to come up with the cash. So we spent January waiting to hear if we could get the Ford truck.

On the last day (after a few exhausting non-committal phone calls between my wife and her father) it turns out the other buyer has the money and is supposedly coming sometime in the nondescript near future.

That's how the cookie crumbles. The non-committal hem-haw is annoying but what can you do?

However, my wife has now spent the past few months thinking about step side Ford trucks. She wants her grandpas, but at the same time, she now wants one in general. In part my wife thinks her father didn't think she could manage to paint a truck and get it running, now she wants to prove him wrong. So a little want and a little spite goes a long way. I'm hoping that we'll get something that will only need light tuning, but we'll see how these things play out.

Her looking for a 50s-60s Ford truck is going to cause her to sell her last toy: 1985 Cadillac Hearse. Only room for one in the driveway at a time. And to be honest we rarely use the Cadillac anyway because it averages about 15 miles to the gallon and is a pain to back into/out of a parking spot.

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/1581773190.html

So it doesn't look like I'll be getting a second project Valk anytime soon, and I'll have to spend some time on whatever we drag home next. But that is okay. If it makes my wife happy then we'll do what she wants. We need a second car/truck from time to time and something a little more practical than the Hearse would be good on occasion.  All I ask in a second car/truck is that it has leg room (her Volvo doesn't) and is something slightly different (if it has to be a cage it should at least be interesting). So I'm curious to see what she brings home next.

It most likely won't keep me from riding around on my Valk (especially shouldn't get in the way of my commuting). I wonder if she'd let me paint a 60s model Ford truck to match my Valk?

[wdvalk]

Had a 64 ford pickem up that I restored and customized,had it 13 years and sold it to a guy who made me an offer I could not refuse,6 months later I was kicking myself in the azz,man I miss that truck.

[Tx Bohemian]

WOW!!  Your wife sounds cool wanting to fix up a project car.

My wife is the same but she got the hots for a Jeep Scrambler.  I've been looking for one for awhile on ebay (they must be made of gold there) and lo and behold, by chance, I just happened to come across one here in my home town.  Unfortunatly I just bought the Valk (with the wifes encouragement) so the funding isn't quite there right now.

I understand the frustrating deals with the inlaw.  The pop-in-law been talking about getting down to one car and when that happens we will get his '02 Chevy xtcab truck (it has like 42K miles), which I need something bigger than our Nissan Frontier, but he too keeps changing his mind.  Like you said "what you gonna do??"  Keeping my fingers crossed! Maybe one day...

[Mikey]

There's a few around here:

http://eauclaire.craigslist.org/cto/1581716700.html

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/pts/1565422841.html

[Big IV]

If I lived closer to Minneapolis that second truck looks like a deal. But I found a 1960 F100 with a 1956 bed running for a decent price locally.

Nice '60 F100, been setting alot of years when I got it. I got the original 223 6 banger running good, rebuilt the carb, new fuel pump and radiator. Brakes have been gone thru with rebuilt cylinders and new shoes. Has a stepside bed on it, no floor in the bed . It was a long wheel base truck at one point, the frame has been sectioned to make it a swb and the rear was flipped to lower it. Very little rust, hell the horn still blows and gauges work! Clean title. Would make an excellent old school truck to kick around in.

I went and looked at it. My wife and I both liked it. It is a project truck that will need some work, but running is a good place to start.  The rust is minimal and fixable. I'll need to figure out what I want and what I can afford to do.




I went back today and talked money with the guy.  I picked up the paperwork.

I'll have to go back in a day or two with the trailer and pick it up.

Now that that is done I have to figure out how to make bed mounts. And another project begins...

[Bob E.]

Awesome!  I would love to have a project like that.  It's not in the cards right now, but one day...  I'd actually like to get a mid-50's ford pickup and stretch the cab to a crew-cab/4-door.  I think that would be awesome...and different.

[Mikey]

Kinda like this??

[Bob E.]

Kinda like this??

Now THAT is BADA$$!!!! 

[Big IV]

No government bailout money paid to have this truck built.

And in my professional opinion it counts as recycling so it must be saving the environment and thus is fighting global warming.










I try to avoid political rants...but I just couldn't resist.
So before anyone starts: yes I know I'm wrong and yes I know I'm right. No reason to remind me. 

[Big IV]

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/916349-my-1960-a.html

Do you want something like this Bob, but with fatter fenders?

[Bob E.]

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/916349-my-1960-a.html

Do you want something like this Bob, but with fatter fenders?

Nice!!   

[f6john]

     "No government bailout money paid to have this truck built."


     Or crushed!!

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I have a 50 model GMC deluxe 5 window sitting behind the shed that is on a 17in longer than stock frame from 68 chevy pickup. It's waiting for me to finish someday. I've got a cab from another pickup to make the rear section and doors.Maybe when the son gets out of college I'll be able to go thru the whole thing again.

[KW]

Big IV, Check out "LMC Truck" and "Brothers" for you bed mounts. They're other companys out there specilizing in truck parts, but I found these two to be the best (I perfer LMC.) Good luck with the project!

[Big IV]

The warning tells me that this thread has not been used in over 120 days. That sounds about right. As most projects go, this one is moving on no definite schedule.

I finally had the truck cranking and running, but sitting on bad tires mounted on good 15" 70s wheels. I was tinkering, but the bed was attached, the wiring was redone, and needed to consider paint. My wife wanted to paint it her self, but is having time constraints. So, I need an painter, but to do that I still needed to sell the Hearse. 15 mpg and it being a hearse equally make it a hard sell. I finally found a painter that would prep and paint the truck for a trade on the hearse. That sounded fair.

I was supposed to put fresh tires on the truck and ride it down to be painted. After I put on the tires I realized the carb had sprung a new leak.  I sent the carb off to Az to be rebuilt. A week later the carb looked better than new.

Last weekend I cranked up the truck and took it for a short spin. When I pulled back into the driveway Dad met me asking questions. I slid over on the bench seat and he slid in. As we were making a lap around the country block, with Dad behind the wheel, the truck stopped. After a little poking we found the leaking gas hose and a new water leak. The truck will crank and move but isn't roadworthy, so we put it on a tow dolly to take to the painter. Working the truck into his schedule it needed to go now. We'll finish making it roadworthy when it is green. That's not the order I would prefer but it is the one I can afford.

This morning I delivered it to south Shelby to the shade tree painter (with his small building and cheap air compressor) to see how that turns out. When the truck is done I'll tow the hearse down and the truck back.


This is what it looks like today as we delivered it to the paint shop. I'll let ya'll know how it turns out. I can't wait to see.

[KW]

I can't wait to see the finished product! (Of course, you're NEVER "done" with them  )

[Big IV]

When I was a kid one of my parents favorite movies was Tom Hanks's Money Pit about a couple trying to restore an old home. Every time they ask about when the house will be done the contractors say, "two weeks." My parents would laugh at that time after time when we rented it from the video store because every they remodeled anything my parents heard "two weeks" over and over again.

I have since watched the original movie Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream Home that Money Pit was based on. I have also watched the Are We Done Yet? which seems to be the third remake. I understand that concept of "two weeks" not meaning two weeks.

So, when my painter emailed and said, "truck is coming along great, it'll be two weeks," I knew it would probably take longer. Today is two weeks from when I dropped it off, only a week since the infamous "two weeks." So, I suppose I need to remain patient.

It's odd. This truck sat nearly untouched for a year in the drive way, but after I cranked it, took it for a short maiden voyage, and have now passed it off to the painter I am anxious to get the truck back and get finished. Honestly, even if it rolled in today I wouldn't be able to work on it again until two weeks from now when my schedule clears up but I want the option. I want to be able to go sit in it and dream a bit before heading off to work. I want to be able to run my hands down the fenders on my way in at night. I want to be able to sneak away from something responsible and do a little work. Heck, I just want to see it!

But, it'll be "two weeks."

[old2soon]

Kinda like a new york minute. RIDE SAFE.

[Big IV]

Let's see, in the four months my painter has had the F100 he has been sick, been hurt working at a wrestling match, been having trouble with his gal, been side tracked by hail damage & insurance checks, and most recently been in a wreck totaling his El Camino. If his dog dies I might have to write a country & western song about why I'll never see my truck again.

Projects, without the money to do them easily, become fun sometimes.

I dropped by today. As he claimed on the phone he's almost finished the prep work. Because of the heat he's working mostly in the evenings and at night which is slowing him down a bit. He had a sample of the color mixed so he could check it. The paint shop had never mixed a color similar to the one we want. The sample looked good. We checked it while I was there.

He had a few questions about the bed liner, front end height, cab detailing, and a few odds and ends. Some he needed to know to make sure he was going in the right direction. A few he was just curious about why we were setting the truck up this way or that.

It was a nice visit. It was good to see the truck again.

Probably should have snapped a couple of pictures in case I need to make up a missing truck poster to post on telephone poles, but I think it will be alright.

Should be getting close, but probably won't be soon.

[The Anvil]

The non-committal hem-haw is annoying but what can you do?

Tell him to man up and sell the truck to family with cash on the barrel-head rather than some deadbeat.

[The Anvil]

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/916349-my-1960-a.html

Do you want something like this Bob, but with fatter fenders?

Damn that thing is sexy...

[Big IV]

The Cadillac Hearse was fun for a while, but it was time for it to go. So, today we loaded it onto the tow dolley and took it to the guy who painted my F100. The F100 '60 was finally finished so it was time to trade. This is what we gave our Hearse for:

A paint job that we are happy with!

The paint job is just a step in the right direction. It is still a long time before the Valk needs to fear being left behind on trips in favor of this truck. My wife and I will be using it for hauling trash for a while when we get it finished. The Valk still knows it's place in the family and the driveway.

[Hoser]

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/916349-my-1960-a.html

Do you want something like this Bob, but with fatter fenders?

Nice!!   

That was actually a model offered by Ford in 1958-60.  I drove one just like it (except it was Union Pacific yellow" when I worked for them about a million years ago. Hoser 

[Walküre]

Tough to lose the '56! The '56 Ford is the epitome of excellence, in an older truck. It is by far, the MOST collectible, of all the pre-'70 Fords. I hope he got lot's of money for it!

Here's my '51 as she sat, when I got it:  My '51 Ford F2

Awesome!  I would love to have a project like that.  It's not in the cards right now, but one day...  I'd actually like to get a mid-50's ford pickup and stretch the cab to a crew-cab/4-door.  I think that would be awesome...and different.

Here's a friend of mine's '48 COE, that is on a Dodge Dakota frame - stretched, with a set of front doors as the back doors. He brought this up to my place, to pick up a couple '50 doors I gave him...





Yeah, I like the old flathead Ford's...I took a few years off from working on my '51, about to get started back on it, now that the Valkyrie is just about how I want it:

My On-going '51 Project...

Have fun!!

Roger

[czuch]

You'd think Dad would want to keep Grandpa's truck in the family.
Either way, that is a nice straight truck ya got there.
I had a 63 Caddie  hearse a long time ago. Great car.
Some friends wouldnt get innit.

[Big IV]

Like many projects they just don't move at the speed I'd like. The truck is painted but not moving. I keep having other thing pop up and get in the way. Time, money, and know how don't want to line up together and play nicely. Good weather is also not cooperating enough.

I had a little time off of work recently but didn't get good enough weather to work on the truck.

In the mean time, today,  my wife and I went and picked out a used car for a second daily driver. My wife's Volvo wagon is dependable 10 months out of the year. A second Volvo should help cover the other months. We'll take possession Monday...and then I'll fix the ground issue when I get a second. Hopefully, that won't take longer than the good weather we'll have next week.

In the mean time, I just keep doin' what I can when I can.

I'll finish the truck eventually. It's been ready for a rebuild for over 20 years. The truck probably isn't in a rush at this point. Why should I be?

[Thulsa Doom]

I like old trucks.
Here's mine:

[Big IV]

Nice Thulsa. I won't ask how long yours took to restore because I'm afraid you moved faster than I did. Most people do.

Oh well.

I've still got a Valk as my primary ride. So, I can't complain.

[HayHauler]

Awesome thread and truck.  Don't give up, you'll make it. 

Thanks for sharing.

Hay
Jimmyt