For those of you following the saga, here's an update. We've been very excited to get her on the road and home - she's got WORK to do and today we took her on the road for the very first time....
So.... Repair fuel pump and carb issues - check. Got "Matilda" (changed from "Bertha") running - yipee and check. Drive around a whole bunch in an old walnut orchard after getting her going, make sure everything seems solid to drive her home.... check. Pay registration, switch insurance over - check. Drive around in the orchard some more - check. Okay, all good time to drive home - about 4 miles.
Get her started and warmed up; no problems. Have the wife be the "pilot" car, okay.... Head out on the road - oh my.... From the way she steers and uses a very generous interpretation of the term "lane" - naming her "Waltzing Matilda" was prescient. I'm about 1/4 mile out and the truck is losing power - at this rate I'll never even make orbit. She coughs and sputters and limps along; I take it easy and get about another 1/4 mile and turn in to a parking lot. She sputters and dies. I get out and see a fluid trail - yikes! - precious bodily fluids! The wife pulled in before me and a quick check shows that I'm not getting any fuel. The truck starts right up after a whiff of ether, then dies. I don't see any gas in the fuel pump at all.
Called the FIL, he came with his brand new tow rope and we returned to the ranch. I wasn't able to determine the fluid leak at this point, but did discover some dribble down the inside of the right rear tire. Funny thing is, I held my foot on the brake for several minutes and it didn't drop - the pedal felt very solid. I'm hoping it's water from when we washed the truck a couple of days ago. Lordy!
So, looks like I'm off to price a fuel pump, look for a mystery leak, find out if it's brake fluid and price some steering components.
Funny thing is, just before the truck started losing power, I had waved to a fellow coming the other way driving an old ~'55 F 100. Darn those Fords!
John
