The frame is back with a beautiful powder coat finish. The engine is back as well with many upgrades to the internals. No big power boost but the better head, new pistons and such should make for a great little town runner. Also picked up the rear axle today with the differential completely gone through. Replaced all the bearings in the differential, rebuilt the brakes including new brake cylinders, new bearings and seals, bead blasted and painted the drums to boot. Luckily there was enough meat left on the drums to have them turned. Could not find a new brake kit with the springs and such.... Well, need to look at that in the future. I tucked the axle under the frame for inspiration. The trailing arms and panhard bar were both sand blasted. I replaced the bushings in both. 60 years old means if it is a wear part I replace it. I just have no desire to drive this Beast for a month and find out I did not replace a $10 part while I had the rig torn apart. Plans are to start painting all the rear end and front end parts for the steering and suspension. Everything is completely torn apart, a true tear down on this girl. I hope to have the frame, suspension and steering completely rebuilt and put together before the rains start in September. I will get some help putting the front chassis pieces put back together and back on the frame. Maybe even get the drive train back in..... Still have not started on the 4 speed as I am not certain if I am going to have it torn apart and inspected... odds are good that will happen soon. The toughest part is finding the dang parts. I got a lot of wrong parts from Nationally known vendors. Fortunately Six States Distributors came through on many hard to find bearings. Yep, expensive as you would expect but they were the right parts and no higher priced than some of the places that sent me the wrong parts.
pictures: I included a photo of the one man show. I lifted the rear axle out of the truck, stuffed the wheels onto it and rolled it under the shiny chassis. One picture shows a lot of the pieces to the front steering and suspension being prepped for painting.
