Re: 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100
 

Eagerly awaiting updates.

Re: 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100
 

Just a couple. The rear view camera has been plagued by both rain an glare issues impeding visibility. Took a section of 2x2" square steel tubing whacked off like 1.5" and cut it in half. Made some quick bolt on brackets, rattle can black and bolted it on. Works great and really sets off my exotic $1.49 temu backup camera.

In another issue engine started running rough again for no reason. Thought it might be the new HEI or ground issues AGAIN!!. Mechanic friend took a listen and immediately asked what fuel was in it. When i said ethanol regular he just laughed at me and said go get "white gas". At only 5.59/gallon ethanol free ain't cheep!. It is the most i ever paid for gas in last 75 years but worth it. Far cry from the 16.9 back when. Its Running great again and ready for the Florence Oregon "Rhody Days" parade, car show and cruise.


https://florencechamber.com/event/11...hody-days/189/

Re: 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100
 

Attended first real car show yesterday. Annual Rhody Days show and cruse in Florence . About fell over when they gave me a 2 foot tall trophy. Show was huge and overwhelmed at response. Only 2 ADs out of like tons of vehicles. The other was so perfect it was amazing but would b scared to own it for fear of a scratch. The Jeep was great with .30 MG, Thompson on dash and Garand in scabbard. That evening over 100 cars made the cruise.. Actually made it thru myself with one eye on road and other on temp and fan controls. Made it ok but what crowd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100
 

Been a busy 2 weeks. Had to replace all 4 shocks and steering stabilizer. All were leaking oil. Working with Rancho to replace all under lifetime warranty. Sad cause there's pics on back on post 83 showing them new in 2017. Also replaced the original drivers side door hinges in hopes door would seal better. Hinges are nice seal is still bad regardless of adjustment. Lastly i fixed my chrome harbor fraught foglights. Tired of replacing halogens i spent a whole $1.87 (shipping included) on a pair of yellow leds. Modified mounting holes as shown and hot glued in the leds. Will use them as running lights from now on and still have the lower led fogs to blind deer and oncoming cars with.

Spring Update
 

Wow ;

It seems not so long ago that Advance Design trucks were everywhere, now not so much .

It's nice to see all your hard work being rewarded .

Those M-B Jeeps look so cute ! I wanted one -so- badly in the 1960's got to work with a pristine 1952 M38A1 but never did buy a flat fender, now I'm too old (boo hoo) .

The cruise looks like fun too .

As far as your shocks I hope they'll stand behind them, I've managed to wear out / break a few Bilstien HD gas charged shocks and they flat refuse to even talk to me :whine: .

NOT cheap but I love 'em, I have an old pair taken off a junked VW Sand Buggy, they're now on my 1959 VW #113 Beetle and still working AS-NEW .

Work carefully, the heat is rising and it's not easy for us old guys .

Re: 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100
 

So far Rancho said they would honor the warranty on the shocks. Were really rusty and crusty too. Shocked to see them dripping oil on my recently cleaned concrete. Only 4000 miles in 7 years!!!!. This time i painted the bodies red (3 coats) and heavily waxed. If it wern't for the warranty would have gone with Bilsteins.

When I changed the plugs i found them all at .035. New ones gapped .045 and had to reset the timing due to a high speed miss that developed. Changing the plugs mad me instantly regret dumping the cast iron stock manifold for headers. Also adjusted idle and choke- running fine (for now).

The poor door alignment has me convinced the upper door is bent outward like 1/2"+. Still trying the seal route but about to give up. I should have fixed the original door back when and not "saved $" by finding a replacement. The latter has threaded holes for the door cards so i think its a an earlier year than 54.

Last or next to last will be hooking up the PA system side of the CB radio. Might be nice for parades and for irritating protestors.

The yellow fog/running lights look great and will run them when key is on. Halogens are now history and now all LEDs with exception of headlights and front turn signals.

No heat issues here. Rained yesterday and temp rarely goes past 62F. Our only issue is the very strong wind which goes to 25 MPH daily.

Am collecting all the spare AD parts (speedos, gauges, trim, emblems hardware ect) and will put on FB and some AD trader sights. I will never use them.

Re: Spring Update
 

Attended a small show here in Florence. Turnout was kinda pathetic and barely worth a pic. What was worthwhile was a fellow that has been hunting me down to ask questions about restoring a 53 ad. He showed me his calculations based on current parts and labor. Starting with $2500 parts truck he came up with 28K in parts alone and not including his own labor. Hes on the fence now.

Update
 

Good to hear things are going well .

I love that Caddy ! a sky blue coupe of this series is a bream car of mine since the 1960's .

-Nate

Re: Update
 

Caddy belongs to lady here. Was completely rebuilt some years ago and the top works great.

Just sent the old Rancho shocks back -- all 30 pounds of them (which feels like 100+ due to old age)

Couple issues remain.

Drivers side door still doesn't close properly and had to add full size weather strip to opening to block birds and wind. New hinges made no difference and bending the door scares me. No one around here will help,

Rear window leaks and think they installed wrong seal

Need to figure out how to wire the auxiliary ign switch position so i can use radio without ign on.

Detail Works
 

The radio should be on it's own live fuse, rarely will it need more than 8 amperes, running the radio's load through the ignition switch is always poor practice .

Advance Design doors were well known for lousy fitment when new, the proper thing to do is : adjust the door and striker so it opens easily and closes firmly and fully .

Then you just have to look at the improper belt line, GM really did say 'close enough' on these .

When I had my unrestored '49 3100 series shop truck I noticed it was one of the few with perfect door alignment jamb and out side skin .

One of the older Mechanics bought a '49 and built a ground up Hot Rod of some note, he screwed around with those dang doors for a year or more, tried removing the outer skins and re welding them back on again, nothing helped, maybe his cab wasn't properly jigged when built, I don't recall but he was wild to buy my '49 simply for the cab , I said no dice, he offered $10,000.00 cash, no thankyouverymuch, I'll be rattling my way across the Desert with my 235 and Muncie SM429......

Re: 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100
 

Will likely wire radio direct along with alarm soon. Am building courage to bend top half of door in 1/2" .

Re: 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100
 

Sounds good to me .

I hate bending the doors, ideally it's done before the respray .

Unless it whistles really loudly or blasts you with cold air I'd live with it .

Re: 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100
 

I have seen some fellas who simply install some weatherstripping tape on the body where the door stuff has a gap.

Re: 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100
 

Yes doing that right now to close the gosh awful gap and maybe reduce the wind noise and rain entry. Using standard door weather striping on BOTH sides on top and thinner "stick em" foam type on middle front. I swear the door is bent at top but will leave the door bending for next paint job (prolly not in my lifetime). Have been having to slam door for a over a half century so used to it. hopefully my ancient arms won't fail me. . May add i bought some cheep double sided tape to reattach used weatherstrip as my 3m glue is a pita. Its 1/2" with red pull off cover. Seems better than 3m glue too and looks same as what originally came on it when new. Will drive in am an report back.

Fwiw i milled the elongated adjustment slots longer in the door striker a bit to give me more room. Seems to work.

Re: 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100
 

Gave up on door. Been slamming it for 56+ years and just used to it. Unless someone steps up who can bend the brand new hinges and possibly the door this old man is done for this lifetime. It does closes and latch with extreme adjustment so there's that. This was a replacement for the original and regret it.

The extra weather strip on the cab opening has quieted the wind noise considerably. Added the foil covered insulation to under the door panel with double sticky and it helps even more. Needed to really push hard on the inside door and window handles to overcome the added thickness when installing them. The cardboard washers under the handles let them move freely and are a must. Even so i wonder why anyone spends big bucks on a sound system they can only hear clearly parked with engine off.

Will see how they leak or don't next wash. Next effort will be to see why my aftermarket rear window slider leaks so much. I paid installers extra to use correct seal but think the $ went into their dope fund, The slider is nice when its hot.

The Work It Takes
 

I'm guessing the original door was rusted out ? .

The main thing is if it remains closed ~ my '49 got N.O.S. latches and strikers after I made a hard left turn and the passenger door flew open unloading all the crap I carry on the front seat .

Yes, it had seat belts and my Sweet used them but thinking or her or other precious cargo flying our the door made me do this .

It looks pretty nice to my eyes .

Re: 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100
 

Original door had a big old dent. Should have had it pounded out but had current door handy. This the other major mistake besides using a cheech and chong "restoration shop". The latter Of course, after much insistence, assured me they could fix all the body work before the fecal paint job. The only upside is that it all happened before the mass devaluation of the dollar.

Body Shop Horrors
 

Understood, been there and done that .

For serious good door repair one removes the exterior skin for hammer and dolly works then sorts out the hinges and other fitment issues, once that's all done and the door opens, closes and latches okay you tack on the outer door skin as close to the belt line matching as you can then open it and slowly finish it .

As I've said so many times : when new most of the Advance Design trucks were sold long before they were made and GM refused to run a third shift so Ford was beating them in light truck sales, GM's answer was to crank up the line as fast as it'd go and shove them out the door with appalling build quality .

The old Hot Rodder in my old shop spent over a year fighting with his cab, the passenger side door (it almost always seems to be the passenger side) on his '49 3100 series was simply awful, mostly the cab's jog work was done so poorly that no amount of pulling, stretching, bending, cutting and welding would give him a decent closing door much less one that wasn't at least 1/4" off along the belt line .

There is a company called (IIRC) "Trique" that makes modern day door latch kits for your '54, they're safer too .