68 F250 "special" Camper Special Project

[cash667]

little "how to" remove leaf spring bushings without any special tools:
what you need:
- vise
- metal hacksaw
- couple of different size nuts
- hammer

1. punch the inner metal tube out of the rubber. If you can´t punch it out, use the vise and 2 nuts as a press



2. disconnect the blade from the saw to slide it into the bushing and connect it back when it´s in. Make 2 cuts in the rubber so that you can remove the rubber from the outer sleeve


3. make 1 cut into the outer sleeve. be carefull not to cut to deep into the spring eye. When done, remove the saw and give the outer sleeve a few punches to compress it. Now you can punch it out with a correct size nut.


Cheers
Chris

[hfdco4]

Nice write up!

[sargentrs]

[cash667]

Update:
since my 429 crankshaft is not in good condition, I´m able to get a good used 460 crankshaft for little money. So I´m converting my 429 to a 460
I just need new Pistons for the conversion and of course I´ll use new crankshaft and rod-bearings. Rods stay the same.
The last days I disassambled my heads and cleaned eveything. I´ll reuse everything except the springs.





I also did some work on brake components, cleaning and painting! Ready to be installed:






2 weeks ago the frame and some other chassis parts are gone to be sandblasted and primed. When they come back in early september the sandblasting company will get my cab and box. The plan is to keep everything which is orignal paint and visible. So I´ll cover this painted surfaces so that they´re not sandblasted. Everything else (firewall, inside, underbody and box inside) will be blasted and repainted with 2K PUR. The orignal paint surfaces will be polished and sealed. Hopefully this works for the next years

Cheers
Chris

[hfdco4]

Sounds like a good plan.

[cash667]

Update:
cab, hood and fender paint surfaces are covered and ready for sandblasting:




today I also got my first parts back primed and the frame already painted!



some previous owner "repaired" the trunk lid very bad,...was full of bondo and thats what left:


I´ll try to weld new sheetmetal in...

Next topic was the engine today. I bought a flex hone brush and did the crosshatch on all cylinders. This tool worked very well!




Tomorrow I´ll paint the engine block and then it´s ready to be put together. I just need some parts and wainting for rockauto to make them available..

Cheers
Chris

[cash667]

Paint day´s done!

Engine back in blue:



frame parts back in black:




I like painting things...it looks so good

[hfdco4]

Really moving along! Those hones do a great job, engine looks good. I have a feeling you will have an assembled engine in a short while.

[bellamor]

Progress, I am so excited to see how it will turn out.

[Ohiotinkerer]

Looking good! Always a good feeling when parts are painted and ready to put together!.....

[sargentrs]

Very nice!

[cash667]

Thanks guys

Axles are back on the frame right now! New bushings all around, new kingpins and axle seals.





cheers
Chris

[cash667]

Big Update! many things dones!

Frame is back on it´s own wheels:


and I took the challenge to repair the butchered tailgate. Build new sheet metal and welded all together, looks way better than before!





next big topic on the weekend was the engine assembly. Freezeplugs and camshaft back in:


I bought new pistons because of the conversion to 460. I brought them to a machine shop where they pressed them on the old rods. I assembled the rings by myself:



Then they went with the 460 crank in the 429 block. Timing chain and oilpump aswell:





checked clerances and engine turns very well. I hooked it on my chain hoist an put it back on the frame:



This is a good feeling I´ll put heads and other heavy stuff on the engine when the transmission is connected and that whole beast sit´s on 3 mounts on the frame to handle the heavy load properly.
Bevore the transmission I need to run all the new brakelines since I have better access to the front crossmember till the transmission is in.
Hopefully this is gonna happen this week!

Cheers,
Chris

[hfdco4]

First, nice work on that tailgate!!!!!!

Engine looks good, and glad to see it's back on its feet.

[sargentrs]

Great progress! Keep the updates coming!