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1967 J3 Bedford finished! (pics)

6K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  MARTINSR 
#1 ·
I'm declaring my current project finished! A 1967 J3 Bedford Truck..

I've driven it around 40 miles this weekend. Its performance is fantastic! Its quick and responsive, the combination of the gearbox and differential despite offering a few concerns initially seems great.. Fanging around the suburbs the gear changes (3 speed box, TH 400) are smooth and appropriate. Its really quick off the mark and the sound engine (Chev 383) is great, low, rumbly and a subtle roar as it takes off.

There's suprisingly few little issues to sort out. Probably the most significant is the proximity of the headers to the steering column and steering box. I knew it was close but the amount of heat going into the steering column, the fabric coupling and the steering box is unacceptable. I've wrapped the headers with a heat shielding fibreglass tape which is really helping and it might be enough to solve the problem.. I'll suck it and see over the next few days..

The interior isn't quite done yet.. door trims, floor carpet, firewall insulation, and a head liner still to go in and there's a grey marine carpet going down on the floor of the tray.

It's actually taken about 7 years to restore.. I completely pulled it to pieces when I first bought it and plugged away on it in no meaningful fashion for 3-4 years and then completely shelved it.. I took it back up again about 12 months ago.

So its got a new engine, new transmissions, completely rebuilt braking system, new cooling system, new interior, its been rewired, repainted, its got new window rubber, new weather seals, a new tray, and a new sound system.

When I bought it it was a clapped out old horse truck, I drove it home from Echuca (South Australia) which was about 15 miles away.. it was slow and cumbersome and very very tired. It looked like this..


Today it looks like this..



I'm pleased with the result.. The colour freaked me out a little bit initially but its growing on me every day.. I looked at the blue and red trucks today and thought they looked a little bland and tired in comparison.. The silver one has quickly become the pride of the fleet:




Cheers, Dunc
 
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#13 ·
Very cool, I have always loved "working vehicles". When I hit the lotto that is going to be a museum collection I put together. Hearsts, Police cars, Art Deco era trucks, specialty tractors and the like, I think that would be so cool.


Brian
 
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