Golden Jubilee
Posts: 609
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:55 am
Location: Cassville, Wisconsin
1956 S-102 Build
I'm Kris and live in NE Missouri (for now). Working on moving to Phoenix. Been on this site for a while and decided I better start a build thread.
I picked this S-102 up in 2009 from a Craigslist ad for $2100 here in the St. Louis area. The previous owner bought it from a person for $2100 on the Texas/Mexico border (I actually got the Texas title) and hauled it back to Alton, IL. When he got home he said the wife got mad because he used her new fence money so he turned around and sold it for the same price he bought it for and he brought to my house at no charge (50 miles). Ford LTD hubcaps and all. It did run and drive when I got it but only had rear brakes and the carburetor leaked. The driveshaft had been cut rewelded and bad job it was (worst weld I had seen).
The extension cord wiring
My plan was to rewire it to 12 volts and have it as a daily driver but that plan has since gone to the way side. After getting into the wiring I saw little things that needed attention like all the wiring was household extension cord, the parking brake cable was wound around the frame and wire tied to the frame, all the brake cylinders were leaking and the front motor mount horseshoe was rubbing on the timing gear cover. These were just a few things.
Come to find out the reason the front mount was rubbing on the timing gear cover was due to the wrong rear motor support was used in the frame. The cross support was the wrong support and in backwards and it looks as though it like this from factory with the same rivets as the rest of the frame. So from here I kept going and one thing led to another.. the box came off, then the front clip and then I said as long as the all the body panels are off I might as well remove the cab and clean the frame. Yes you guessed it.. it never stopped there. I am now down to the bare frame.
Some of the things I have done so far. Changed the front brakes to disk brakes, changed the vacuum operated wipers to a 12 volt system made by parts I acquired, changed the rear end to a Ford 8.8 with 3.73 gears, rebuilt all the suspension with new bushings, changed the carburetor to a two barrel, changed to a different 3 speed which allowed me to change to the different steering shaft with the blinker switch in the column thanks to a member here. Have also changed the generator to an alternator. Have also removed the after market gauges in the dash and filled in the holes.
12 volt wiper conversion
Yes they go the same direction now, the plan is to redo this conversion and make them go in opposite direction like were originally.
This is how not to adjust your clutch linkage
Rebuilt brake and clutch pedal arms.
Front disk brake conversion
This is the rear engine support that was the wrong support, notice how far down it drops compared to the one I replaced it with. It was also in backwards.
All new spring bushings installed
This past week I have been busy cleaning the frame, engine and suspension for painting. I got them all cleaned, stripped, put on rust inhibitor on all bare metal, primed and now working on the paint. I did decide to paint the engine IH red because I like the contrast under the hood.
Everything coated with rust inhibitor
Cleaned out the one inch of scum out of the oil pan.
The engine, frame and suspension all primed in red oxide primer.
Today was good day, got the engine painted in the IH red.