Molasses Carnage Corrections

Well, here it is. Not the progress thread I wanted to start with here, but I guess I was getting restless not getting to do any enjoyable mechanical work. And by no means do I consider replacing parts, particularly body parts or body work enjoyable, but it's giving me the chance to get to some things that need attention and some things that I want to pay some attention to.

I'm sure most of you know by now (I've been whining about it for awhile now ) that 2 weeks before I got laid off from KW I got hit by a brainless, uninsured 19 year old girl driving her boyfriend's Escalade. Instead of ranting some more, I'll just link to the thread. http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...vember-3rd-Wreck&highlight=November+3rd+wreck

I took a knee and got a bit screwed on insurance payment (truck was in her boyfriend's mom's name and insured). So now that I feel like I'm 2 months behind schedule getting into this thing I'm finally getting a chance to turn some wrenches. Found the only heat-able, dry place that could accommodate the massive size of the Enterprise, my grandparents barn. It thinks it's a garage. All steel, 2 windows and a nice, flat concrete floor (something I've been ******* after). Even thought most of it is paled with unused crap, years ago, long before I was a thought, my father partitioned off a portion of the back as a wood shop. I've made a makeshift paint booth out of it. Just got the tools out to it today and piddled a little. I'm hoping to get all this done before I get called back/have to go back to work. Pics and updates in next post.

Here's the slow progress so far. It'll be a bit slow going, but it's a start.

"Paint booth" papered. Electric heater. Ancient steel box fan for evacuation. The counter space is a plus, even though they take up space and will make it a challenge to get around the new/used hood. Pleasant surprise that the old fan stand can double as a hanging rack for painting small parts.

And the piddling around I did today. New/used front bumper had a Westin grill guard on it that I picked up with it. Never seen one with light mount inserts on it like this one. Got 2 Blazer guarded flood lights and 2 driving lights for it. Pulled the light mount section out of it today after removing the cruddy, busted, rusted lights off of it that came with it. The 2 bats linking them together are just spinning with the bolts, so I'll be taping them. I'll sand and rattle can these since they have some surface rust on them and I hate the burning brown/red cancer.



Backed the truck up a little so I can freely walk all the way around and between all the storage junk.



She's packed full of parts! It hurts me to have her like this and not out on the road.



Plan is to repair or replace the FSV, block off mechanical fuel pump and install Duralift. New sticks, unbent fuel injection lines, drill/tap/install pyrometer, oil pressure, fuel pressure, water temp gauges, coolant filter (and fleetcharge) and finish bracing the mirrors and tie in their marker/flasher lights. This is on top of removing and painting/replacing the hood, both fenders, core support, replace support bushings, headlights. The past I'm really fearing is repairing the surface damage on the fiberglass fender flares. It's more about finding out how bad the rust really is under them and determining of it's repairable or I'll have another truck in line for a new bed.

Next step (hopefully next week) will be draining and flushing the cooling system...with 5 gallon buckets. Garage has no hose available. Still haven't found any place local that will dispose of coolant. Local disposal instructions are to pour it down the drain with lots of water and me being a bit of a tree hugger, I don't really feel comfortable doing that with 12 gallons of coolant, then the tap water flush. It'll be a chore! But then we'll see some half naked IDI action

Finally went into town to get more stuff today. I couldn't find any brass petcocks. My radiator doesn't have one and some PO replaced the block plugs with el cheapo drains and the steel parts have rusted them both shut. Managed to find 5 all brass drain petcocks for $15 on ebay. They even have a smooth barb 90* from the body for a 3/8" tube. As soon as they get here I can start draining and flushing the cooling system into the mass of buckets I've accumulated. Good news is since it's taken this long to get the ball rolling, I shouldn't have an issue getting the ambient temps up to paint the new body parts. Pics next time.

crash-harris,

I really LIKE that PU. = NICE.

yours, satx

Thanks stax!

Parts fairy came earlier than expected. The ALL brass drain petcocks came in early. Tentative plan is to go drain the cooling system Tuesday. I think I'm going to have to at least replace the #4 injector return cap temporarily before letting the engine idle up to temp to flush the cooling system. It pumps fuel out pretty quickly and I don't want to let it puddle up while trying to get the coolant circulating.

Pic as promised.

Those look pretty slick. 1/4" NPT in the block? May have to pick some up as I'll be doing a flush soon.

IIRC and from my searching, that's the correct size. The radiator doesn't have any clean way to drain it either, the plastic petcock on it has no barb or anything to put a hose one. That's on the passenger side, but the driver side has a 1/4" NPT plug, so I plan to replace that with one of these drains as well.

Somewhere in that zen garden of oil dry is the allen head plug that came or of the bottom left side of the radiator. I had loosened it and was holding the allen wrench and plug loose since it was draining when I slipped and it all let go. The plastic thumb screw on the other side was split and wasn't coming off without a coolant explosion all its own. Progress is progress!

Drivers side cheap petcock wouldn't turn, so it had to be removed with another coolant burst. Waiting for passenger side to finish draining so I can remove it as well. Then it looks like I'm done for the day. I decided that I'm going to put the new petcocks in with 1/4" NPT extensions from the block for easier access. Broke one already attempting to install it in place of the plug in the radiator. It caught a rib on the tank and pryed the nipple off so I used the one extension I have here for that one. Also got the light mount for the grill guard prepped and painted.





I'll get the new drains in the block tomorrow and fill the system with tap water for the first flush. May start loosening the front clip before doing the flush since injectors are suppose to show up Thursday. Thinking about getting the new sticks and lines in/on with a new return kit before warming up the engine and dumping fuel all over the intake.

Decided I'm going to sit on my hands until Monday and I have the injectors in hand. Coolant is all drained out and the plugs in the block are out. Come Monday I'll get the new drains in and turn my attention to getting the injector bores cleaned and the new sticks in and buttoned up, then go back to the coolant system. I don't want to risk leaving straight water in the system right now. We could still get a below freezing night here.

wow now I'm a hop and skip from you up in circleville. I know i have seen that truck always liked it and then disappeared now i know why. that sucks that you have to rebuild her prematurely but
I am staying tuned in what else do you have planned for it just fix all the damage?

Replacing the damaged panels and doing some fuel system maintenance and upgrades.

You are the closest person to my location on any forum I've ever been on! Haven't been up that way much with it. Actually, fiance says the only time we've been in your neck of the woods with it was when we went to get it. Bruiser looks almost the same. Colors are reversed, info is in my sig. There have been a lot more gassers show up around here with stacks in the last few years. Mine are the only black ones though She needs lots of work and mostly just sits right now.

yeah i use to go to chillicothe alot had friends down there also worked for vitatoe for a year and drove the hoods over and would see your dually i was usually ethier in the back 40 or opposite side of the building so to speak. believe me I seen that and just wanted one. I have also seen other newer fords parked all the way in the back too that just made me think damn they are making good money.

but those layoffs at kw just blow me away sometimes one guy waited three years to work for another 6 months and then back to unemployment i couldn't handle that.

bruiser looks good wouldn't mind getting my hands dirty on that one..

Everyone goes and buys something new when they start working at KW. I haggled on an old truck to take over Bruiser's duties instead. I almost made a year and a half before I got caught in the layoff. Missed the first one. Had I not gotten hit the week I was laid off, this thread would be a lot different and cheaper

It is nice to see the person I live with and have time to work on things at home though, but the money sucks. Always a trade off. Makes feel a little warm n' fuzzy that you've seen the Enterprise in person!