Dont Panic!!!!!

Well what's been happening at Holmsey Acres then?
Two jobs were buggin me like crazy, so much I couldn't sleep properly until they were sorted and out my head. One was the cool goldflake wheel and how it now sat as high as a Leyland Bus wheel. I sat and looked at the job and knew there was only one real answer and that was to shorten the column, as for lessening the dish that was always a no no in my head, but I am never one to say never ;o) .. I looked and looked then Bing bloody o.... the Jag is a collapsible column aint it ha ha.. so lets just simply collapse the fukker.. one quick thwack and that was it the very tiny pins sheared and the inner shaft slid into the outer nicely. now how much did it need shortening again 4 inch.. ok no problem.. well 3 3/4 will have to do. The outer column was just as simple a job to with the same 3 3/4 in removed it was welded back in place and the inner shaft I will pin later and the column drop just needs a reweld.. now how cool is that. Not usually my kinda luck that maybe the worm has turned, I sure friggin hope so as the whole project has reduced me to a gibbering wreck ;o)

Well here it is re-adjusted for a nicer feel. The real weird thing is since I have shortened the column and got the wheel sat where I wanted it to, I have seen several what I was would class as super cool Rods and Customs in a 60's style with yeah you guessed it steering wheels in a Leyland bus styleee .. Bugger if I had left it I could of been super cool and trendy eh ;o) *wink*

Here is a pick of how it was as a comparison. Beep Beep Fares please !!!

Second thing doing me nut in was the brakes or lack of them. It was now put up or shut up time, it is ok hoping your brakes will be ok after a total rebuild, but it is another thing putting them into practice with fluid and pipes and pads pistons and so all working as they should... So I put a full day in. And what a day, would it be anything else where I am concerned?? I doubt it don't you ;o)
First bit of fun was fitting the rear calipers, those bolts.. Man... how hard are they to get at, it was the fun of being 53yrs old laying on my back, squinting up into a dark abyss with a spanner that you could barely struggle to get on the bolt and turn one flat at a time until it was nice and tight, then on to the other side. To find once you had all that done, and sighed with relief to find you cant get the handbrake calipers on Ha Ha how I laughed ;o) So do a reversal of the caliper fitting to fit the handbrake calipers oh what fun.. so after what seemed hours I had the rear brakes all fitted *phew*.... I was real chuffed with the handbrake cable I had made up from the original F100 one and the Jag one. (photos to follow I lost them all) That was fitted with ease, and the handbrake pulled on a treat... but wouldn't release?? A sticky caliper, that worked ok before fitted, so back again off with the friggin caliper. to find it not springing, that fixed and refitted, it worked once then same again argghhhhhhh I was now ready to kill.

And relax......... I cleaned up a spare caliper, painted the bugger and did it all again.. Viola!! at last a working handbrake, I was so chuffed I kept smiling and pulling it on and letting it off again like a big kid.. Progress.. just in time for Tea.

Back again, it was plumb in the hard lines time, Jag in their infinite wisdom, when they changed the front to metric in the late 70's or early 80's left the rear imperial?? go figure. So the pipes have different threads for the fittings front to rear, not a problem as long as you can get them. I had to do a trip to Accrington about 100 mile away just for some piddly bits like flexy pipes, bleed screws and a few simple fittings. So I did what I could and needed another full day to finish I thought.

One phone call to my mate Langy for advice and after fiddling for ages to fit the pipes into the brake proportioning valve, a few minutes talking with Langy my problem was sorted, simple take the turned end off the fittings Bugger me they fitted. So now all plumbed up and looking good with all new Kunifer pipes all polished up to I might add, with stainless polished clamps to things were looking mighty impressive from reservoir to caliper. Just need to get fluid through them all now and hope for no leaks and everything working as should... I crossed my fingers and filled the ressy.

Here is the Servo all plumbed in and the brake pipes wind their way to all four coners. Clamped every few inch with hand polished stainless clamps.

Now bleeding the brakes on your own isn't an easy task, but as I seem to be Billy no mates a lot of the time it was what I had to do. I opened the rear most bleed nipple and waited.... and waited..... and waited *hum?* nowt happening.

I used the same hand polished stainless clamps throughout the braking system and they do look cool just 3 bloody short arghhhhh

I undid the unions at the M/C and no fluid? Now what?

I know what's the most stupid thing I can do? I usually do that... I got a piece of pipe and sucked ;o) and some very dark kakky substance emerged??.. must be blocked how about a light blow with an air line....NO ... NO.... NO... I shouted in my head.... yeah very light will be ok my other voice said... so I did it and yeah the only real possible outcome really happened.. I sprayed said kakky substance all over my bulk head...

I swiftly tightened up the union and washed the bulkhead with soapy water.. sheeett how daft was that then. So I tried the suck and see method again, and soon some real nice clean fluid flowed. A quick nip up of the union and I thought I would check the front brakes see if the fluid was flowing. Nope nothing, then I noted the reservoir level had dropped dramatically and rushed to the rear to find a pool of brake fluid all over the fresh painted calipers and my garage floor. So as with before I tightened up the bleed nipple and washed the calipers, a quick undo of the other rear bleed screw and that was back brakes and did that pedal feel good .... Oh Yes.. Just the fronts to sort now. ( I will be posting photos in a few days, I need to redo as I lost them all).

I tried the same sucking method to no avail other than to breath in some crap and the odd droplet of brake fluid. It was late and I suspected the front brake section of the M/C to be wrongly fitted somehow, I didn't relish the thought of taking that twat to bits as I now had lovely rear brakes just no sodding front one's ?? I was going out the next night and work all day so, I thought I will leave it now until Sunday Morning.

Well I felt unwell all day at work and struggled when I went out Saturday, got up Sunday felling very unwell. I thought I gotta get these brakes sorted they were on my mind constantly, not good when you are feeling under the weather. I went in the garage and couldn't believe, the reservoir was down to the lower lever, I had left the front brake bleed nipple undone with a pipe into a jam jar and it was full of fluid.. Ya thats right the fairies had been in and fixed me brakes. A quick undo of the other front nipple till fluid flowed a nip up and 100% perfect brakes. I couldn't believe it. I filled the ressy and shut the garage door and went back to bed. And stayed there for the best part of a week. Not sure if it was the Kakky brake fluid I swallowed or just because I was run down, but nearly 2weeks later and I am just about feeling human again. 20 lemsips, I don't know how many paracetamol and I am halfway through a course of antibiotics.

I couldn't just lay in bed or sit and watch daytime TV any longer I had to get back in the garage. A trip to the Dr who said I had a viral infection what ever that may be and a course of antibiotics and I knew I wasnt dieing. So wrapped up I started the front metal fitting, with not to much success to be honest, I need some expert help at this stage I feel. Not sure where to get some yet though?

I read on a Ford Enthusiasts site the proper sequence to fitting the panels, I had it for reference and followed it and scratched the first inner panel *Hum?* so I did it my way, as they said I started at the Radiator horseshoe, got that square and level, then I fit the inner wings not the air deflectors as they said and all went a lot smoother with no more scratches. The lower gravel pan, then the slam panel all loosely.

I was going to leave it at that as I am still working in the engine bay, but excitement and feeling I needed cheering up ;o) so I proceeded to fit the wings to.. that's where the fun started as this showed up how far away everything and I mean everything is from lining up Kak!

so much harder to get a nice panel fit, than it is with panels you don't mind scratching, this is going to be so much more fun.

Oh yeah forgot to mention how many bolts? (set screws) do them front ends take and washers. all stainless aswell that all needed polishing, it was an hour polishing hardware before I could even fit a single panel and more hours later, but is it so much worth it it looks stunning when you open the hood and see all the polished button head and washers matching.

I had to do the wheel bearings on my daily van so took the opportunity to take some outdoor photos and stand back and admire my work so far... It looks fuking ace.. though I will be honest and say it doesn't stand to close a scrutiny. So I hope people will just accept it as it is and not delight as so many do in pulling it to pieces on the parts that aren't 100% kock on, remember I know what isnt right, I dont need it pointing out to me and nor does anyone else.... ;o).

I am just hoping I haven't taken to much of the old truck identity away with my mods, but hey to late now eh!. Going to be stunning and impress I am sure... just niggling away in the back of my mind I have maybe tried to hard and gone to far smoothing it out?? will know better when its all together eh.. as I said though to late for any regrets now ;o)

Bed should be ready this next week mid March then the fun begins.

So now I have steering and brakes, just need to get the front panel fit sorted then its sort the side windows and line the doors up that will be another leap forward.. still so much to do.

Here is just another gratuitous photo of the front panels that need some serious lining up. I am waiting for some more stainless washers to get all the bolts in place before I get into the serious job of panel fit.

It sure does make me smile and takes my breath away when I open the garage door and get greeted by this sight ;o)

A little anecdote that made me smile. My sister in law was round visiting my wife and saw the truck outside glistening in the sunshine looking mighty impressive I thought. And she turned to me, ( I thought I bet it is blowing her mind) and she says " That's Jazzy"........ ;o) Yeah I said it is isn't it..... yeah that's what it is Jazzy..... I am trying to think of a suitable name to call the truck as I think they should all have names. But Jazzy Truck will not be it!

While I waited for the washers, I got out the cermakrome and painted the headers, sure is an impressive material that goes on like primer and polishes up like chrome with wire wool and some elbow grease with the aid of some metal polish to.

Another job jobb'ed.

I am thinking maybe "The Hey Daddio!" or just "Hey Daddio", I just think if its was known as the "Hey Daddio 55 F100" that would be kinda cool;o) I used to call my old Dad "Daddio" all the time and so it feels kind of apropriate, as I so wanted him to see it finished and take him for a drive and it just didnt happen.. so Hey what the Hell eh! " Hey Daddio"

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