Brad's 1954 R Series Build

I'm running a full Ride Tech air ride system using their Shock Waves under my truck and the recommendation was not to use a sway bar under those circumstances. (I'm also using a Ride Tech parallel 4bar rear suspension with a panhard bar to your triangulated 4bar.) But in your case with coil overs, I'd recommend the sway bar, especially up front. I can feel my truck lean in curves now, even with the lowered stance, and wish it didn't. Granted it's not much lean, but enough I can tell. These old trucks have a high Center of Gravity and were never made for modern handling and speeds, so any help you can give them, the better.

I checked and fatman fab has a sway bar built specifically for my kit up front......so, i will be ordering and installing that.

in the evenings, after youth baseball games this weekend, i did get the exhaust put together.

54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr

cherry bomb mufflers. had a set of those on a 64 fairlane with a 289 I had in college. The longer it ran the louder they got when the glass started blowing out. Sounded great.

It was a Cherry Bomb muffler that went on the Silver Diamond 6 when it needed a muffler back in the mid '70's!

I figured, the old school sound from a cherry bomb fit this trucks personality. At least for now

Hey Brad I've been offsite for and while, your truck is looking like a race truck. Looks really great, cannot wait to see it's completion. John

speaking of the sound:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cWlVfDXZBk

Slowly but surely.... Maybe not a race truck, however, pretty sure the work horse days are long gone


Anyone want to come help me bleed these brakes?! Spent 3 hours on it so far and havent figured it out yet. I bench bled the MC, put a vacuum bleeder on and i still seem to be getting air everywhere. Clearly, i have made a mistake somewhere, and i'll have to figure it out.

I did get the parking brake all mounted at least
but, the boot I have for the brake lever isnt going to work. It certainly did not take into account the mounting bolts.

54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr

when bleeding breaks, start the wheel farthest from the master cylinder and work to second farthest, etc. so likely, start with right rear, then left rear, then right front, then left front. Assuming your master cylinder is on the left side on the firewall, or below the floor. I did not notice where you had located it in your photos. This is what I have read in multiple how to articles on breaks anyway, and is how I have done it. seems to work. good luck.

Unless you have a power bleeder, it is really a two person job. I miss mine. Just an observation, make sure after each wheel, to check/add more fluid in reservoir.