Kicked off vacation week in the garage

[wallster]

When we set out to build the new garage out back two years ago, the idea was to free up our single car garage (which was used as a small shop) so I could park my '51 Ford F1 in it for the summer and store it in the new garage during the winter (also a handy place to do some work on it). The plan hit a snag when we ran out of money and I had to sell the truck to finish paying for the garage, D'OH! Since that time, I was fortunate enough to buy another '51 F1 and build it into a better version of the first (and ironically, I built the truck in the new garage!) Yesterday was my first day of vacation since last summer so what better way to enjoy it than working in both garages on a project. I'm restoring another old gas pump so Ol' Red was taken out of the front garage (good excuse to drive it around town too) and the front garage became a paint booth. I had chemically stripped the paint off of the sheet metal, sanded and primed them, then finally laid down some paint. Meanwhile, we've been busy over the past month pouring a sidewalk from the house out to the garage so we can walk from the deck down to the garage without getting all muddy during the messy weather. We back filled along the new side walk and in front of the garage so we just have to top coat those areas with some clean topsoil and grass seed. The stairs (off of the deck) need some paint as well so that's next on the schedule. Here are some pics of both garages, Ol' Red, and the new walkway/sidewalk.

Wally

 

[Sunbimmer]

Dayum that is a very nice place you got there, absolutely love the pump collection
Oh and uhhh...AWESOME truck

Thanks for sharing it gives me inspiration.

 

[j p smith]

Nice looking truck & shop!

 

[ajohno]

Nice shed top truck

 

[nine4gmc]

They both said it well, nice stuff!!

 

[don long]

Good morning Wally
Your play pen looks very inviting and begs to be used
Your gas pumps are quite nice. I haven't restored any of mine yet but I am getting closer.
I see a motorcycle lift in the garage, but no bike???
Your truck is sure one to be proud of.

And did I say welcome to the garage journal (WELCOME)

Enjoy

Don

 

[wallster]

Good morning Wally
Your play pen looks very inviting and begs to be used
Your gas pumps are quite nice. I haven't restored any of mine yet but I am getting closer.
I see a motorcycle lift in the garage, but no bike???
Your truck is sure one to be proud of.

And did I say welcome to the garage journal (WELCOME)

Enjoy

Don

Thanks Don, I love the new garage. I enjoy restoring stuff and the gas pumps are intriguing (surprisingly, there's a lot of work that goes into them, from removing mice hotels to removing stubborn rusty nuts and bolts). I've put that motorcycle to use over the winter (and not just to set my popcorn and beer on!), I usually buy a few bikes in the Fall or in the winter and fix them up for springtime selling season. There's a bunch of them on my website that have come and gone. The truck's nice, just a driver though, not a show truck by any means. I tossed six 80lb bags of concrete and some lumber in it two weeks ago so it's for fun and some work.
Thank you for the official welcome, I lurked around here for about a year until I joined last year, I appreciate the visit.

Wally

 

[Kevin54]

Wow, very nice indeed!!!!

I don't know out of everything which I like best.....the pump collection, the truck, or the garage, as all look just fantastic.

I see what you did with the lift though. Makes a nice table to hold the cold ones while kicked back in the bucket seats watching the tube.

 

[Kevin54]

Is that a gas pump over at the neighbors across the street, or a person getting ready to get in the vehicle?

 

[wallster]

Is that a gas pump over at the neighbors across the street, or a person getting ready to get in the vehicle?

Just a person wandering to their car, good eyes though, I never noticed him (or her). Thanks

Wally

 

[wallster]

Wow, very nice indeed!!!!

I don't know out of everything which I like best.....the pump collection, the truck, or the garage, as all look just fantastic.

I see what you did with the lift though. Makes a nice table to hold the cold ones while kicked back in the bucket seats watching the tube.

Those seats came out of a Ford Ranger that was going to the scrapyard. I welded up bases for them and I was going to install them in the '51 but I ended up putting the bench seat back in it. I thought about selling them but they're comfortable so they've become my "kickin' back" chairs. I have a kegerator I made in the garage too so the motorcycle lift does double as a beer holder as well.

Wally

 

[wallster]

Finished my gas pump project this morning.

Wally

 

[Lord Vader]

Your gas pump collection is impressve!

I noticed you have a 2 car bay on your garage, but no real driveway. Are you not planning to store vehicles in their in the future?

 

[wallster]

Your gas pump collection is impressve!

I noticed you have a 2 car bay on your garage, but no real driveway. Are you not planning to store vehicles in their in the future?

I drive along side the house when I park my truck in there over the winter. When Springtime comes around I pull it around to the front garage.

Wally

 

[rinker1]

What a way to spend vacation!! Great looking garage and pumps. The truck sets the whole garage off. Great job!

 

[ryanp77]

Those pumps are amazing. I would love to get one someday

 

[captain14]

Nice truck , garages and gas pump collection

 

[MacmanSW20]

Love the truck and the gas pumps!

 

[southalabama]

Nice indeed.

 

[don long]

Wally

That pump looks very nice.
I really like the american oil logo. Wish I could find some of that brand memorabilia around here.
What year is that pump?? I like the way the top shadows over the glass

 

[wallster]

Wally

That pump looks very nice.
I really like the american oil logo. Wish I could find some of that brand memorabilia around here.
What year is that pump?? I like the way the top shadows over the glass

This pump was built around 1955 (according to some literature I've read) but I've seen them primarily in early 1960's photos. They're pretty abundant around here (this is the third one I've owned) and they're not very expensive to buy and restore (as long as all the parts are with them). The light fixtures are tucked under the canopy that hangs over the glass. I saw one on the net that was decorated like this one so I more or less copied it.
Have fun Don!

Wally

 

[WarrenJ]

Great place to live and relax. Work on pumps is nice. Are you a body/paint man?

 

[captain14]

Do you have any photos of the other '51 Ford you sold previously?
Great shop to get some work in.

 

[wallster]

Great place to live and relax. Work on pumps is nice. Are you a body/paint man?

Thanks. No, I'm not a body/paint guy, I work at a sign shop so I had most of my pumps painted there (by the painter) but my boss started charging me too much for paint so I took over the painting myself.

Wally

 

[wallster]

Do you have any photos of the other '51 Ford you sold previously?
Great shop to get some work in.

Thanks, here are a few pics of "Lucille". I really hated selling that truck but in the end it all worked out. Lucille had better paint, wheels, and interior but Ol' Red has a better drive train, wiring, and gauges.

Wally

 

[captain14]

Nice truck, how long was Lucille yours?

Were you able to keep your parts and use them if needed on O'l Red?

Thanks for posting the photos

 

[wallster]

Nice truck, how long was Lucille yours?

Were you able to keep your parts and use them if needed on O'l Red?

Thanks for posting the photos

I bought Lucille in 2011 from a guy who spent twenty years building her. He did all the heavy lifting for me. The body was all done, the interior, wiring, engine, drive train, brakes, etc. I drove her for a few months and then stored her until Spring. A friend and I removed the front axle and installed a heidts mustang II suspension kit. It gave me rack and pinion steering, coil suspension (rather than the leaf suspension which was still in the truck), and disc brakes. This kit lowered the front of the truck so we also lowered the rear. I installed an aluminum radiator, electric fan, and I bought Cragar SS wheels and all new tires. I was running out of money building the garage (the building was up but no electric, heat, or approach) so I sold her to a guy in Michigan. I used most of the money to finish my garage (ran all the electric, gas lines, drywalled, etc). The money that was left over I used to build (then sell) a cafe racer motorcycle, I restored (and sold) a sportbike, bought and sold a harley road king (as well as a few other items) until I had a small nest egg for another '51. I found Ol' Red in the Spring of 2013. The previous owner did all the body work and paint but the engine and transmission were pretty worn, the steering was horrible, the brakes barely worked, and the wiring was all pieced together. We dismantled the entire front end, (sold the engine and transmission), and installed a front suspension kit. I cleaned and dressed a low mileage sbc with transmission (Ford guys hate the engine but I bought it dirt cheap from a friend and my budget drove the majority of my decisions) and once it was able to roll and steer on her own, I had her flat-bedded to my garage and finished all the work here. I spent all my free time finishing her up by myself. I paid $8000. for the truck and spent another $7000. in parts. I'm still doing a few odds and ends to her but she's on the road and I've driven her over 300 miles this year. Sorry for the long story but hey, you asked!

I have a website that shows the entire process if you want to check it out here.

Wally

 

[captain14]

Thanks Wally for the story of your 2 Fords. I will read the link later.

It's great to have a secure place where you can work at your pace and turn off the lights and lock the door when you reach that bump in the project.