Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

So project firewater (the 59 fleet side big window) is long underway. I have admired a bunch of builds here and I decided it was my time to post. I am a 20yo college student who holds a full time job also. Truthfully, I am grateful I am able to support quite a large budget all on my own and I am building this truck right and not taking shortcuts. Starting from day one back in April this is her:Attachment 1332532
Pretty good if you ask me. The guy I bought it from lives in a little town near Tishomingo, OK. He had recently gained custody of his son and priorities had materialized the truck which was good for me. This was a one family truck which when I heard the background and history I thought I was going to pay for it. If I remember correctly I paid $2700, which I feel is more than fair.

The only true body issue are the floorboards and the folded up portion of the bed that must have been hit by a tree stump or something. Otherwise everything else was great. Rough, but restorable. Originally a 6 cylinder the owner put in a 305 and I am upgrading beyond that, as you will see in later posts. So here we go, so long money....:metal:

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

In the last 6 months i have cleared the ugly metal bed:
Attachment 1332541
Dropped the stance in the rear with a mono:
Attachment 1332542Attachment 1332543
and added a bed mount gas tank:
Attachment 1332544

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Welcome.
be sure and post lots of pics of your progress.
Kim

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

And in the last 6 months in the front i have, removed the 305 (boat motor):
Attachment 1332546

Attachment 1332547

And I just got in my mustang ii ifs clip that I am installing this week.... It feels like christmas day around my house. Well.... for me anyways.
Attachment 1332548

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Cool. Keep us posted as you go.

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

My plan is lowered for now eventually bagged and more power under the hood. Maybe one day I'll join the ls movement but for now I like the carbureted sbc. Idk why. It's an easy go I guess. She's going to be a cruiser so I don't need all that much power. I want to faux patina with a color similar to the original blue and some pinstriping. I'm excited. Hopefully in the next few months I will be reassembled, colored, and painted. I have a lot of cool Texas touches to add like a custom step bumper that I am fitting to look flat and a couple southern touches that will make it standout as a Texas hot rod truck.

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Cool truck and anticipate the progress. Hope to see it around town sometime.

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Seriously love the work hales pumps out, especially the second series trucks like yours and Caleb mercer's. I'm an active follower between the amazing 2-link and ls beasts. Really hope we do run together sometime.

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Damn cool looking build you have going on here. Those fleetsides are some of the finest looking trucks ever built.

The faux patina is pretty easy to recreate, I did it on my 56, aging it to look like original paint that was worn

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Do you remember what colors you used to do your coats? Any advice on patina-ing? Love the truck man

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

i sprayed the entire thing with 3 coats of black epoxy primer and then used Hot Rof Flatz diamond blue metallic for the top coat. The patina process was brought o life with the use of 400 grit sand paper

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Update today the crossmember is being installed along with master cylinder Attachment 1332896

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Great to see you on here. If you are working full time and going to college you have your hands full. Keep posting.

Dwight

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Nice project!!

Keep the pics commin'.......

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Update on the mustang ifs. ITS IN!!!!!! I'm like a kid in a candy shop. but its not over yet, still need to finalize breaks, hook up all the steering and paint the frame but here it is so far-
Attachment 1333851
Attachment 1333852
Attachment 1333853
Attachment 1333855

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

With your front end having a rear steer rack & pinion, are you going to have any pan and exhaust problems????...Jim

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Looks good.
Kim

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

No. If you follow my build after this point at all I am going to do something pretty wicked with the exhaust that will defiantly not interfere And as for oil pan it should sit tall enough or back enough to have no issue.

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Oh and when I do the mock up for motor mounts I can put it where ever I might need to. I forgot to mention that

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

That is the first time I have seen a mustang II with rack in rear who made that kit?

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

its a cpp but it was more fitted by flipping it and still get all the same alignment. just had to do a little flipping is all plus when thinking about it now the rack and pinion is more protected

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

Might want to call CPP, the tube supports on cross member are designed to aid when breaking a lot of force is applied in a forward motion that's why it is designed that way and your brakes will also be located in the wrong position. just want to save you some grief on wrong install.

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

If the kit was designed for the rack to be in front, placing it in the rear is going to make the steering backwards. I hope you planned for that and got a rack that is designed to be mounted behind the spindles.

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

I've seen rear steer MII front ends, but if you just changed this on your own, you've got big problems. Russell Ashley is correct you will be steering backwards. You may have to remove the entire crossmember and install per instrutions...Jim

Re: Project Firewater- 59 fleet
 

There is peace on earth. It was a rear steer unit. That's why it went together so easily that way. You guys had me sweating that instructions were wrong when I had it done. And I thought I was changing it for the worst. I really do appreciate the concern, that's what forums are all about right? Helping each other out. Sometimes you guys gotta get after me. I'm still only 20 and it's finals week so I got a lot on my mind, last thing I need is to mess up my beauty. :uhmk: