1962 7E5 Champ

[62champ]

Finally got the axle back from having the king pins rebuilt and put if back where it belongs. Will need to do some paint touch up and then it off the the other half to take care of that part where the "rubber meets the road."

[52-fan]

You're making good progress. Do it right now and you'll never be sorry.

[62champ]

Do it right now and you'll never be sorry.

That is the plan - it was never meant to be a show vehicle - but I would like to make it as good as I can...

[62champ]

Well, I am glad to see there is a notable difference from the before and after...

[62champ]

Yesterday got some more POR15 on the front end. Got all the bearings repacked and the drums remounted on the spindles today so I could take the front end off the jack stands for the first time since January...



Tires make it look like a Champ version of the sand vehicles Studebaker built back in 1950 - that poor little six would need some help spinning these big things.

[StudeRich]

I like those Truck Tires, they help a Lot Raising the usually too Low axle Ratio a bit which always helps.

My 5E6-122 '60 Champ has 700X15 Tubeless, Bias 6 Ply rated Truck Tires and sits about like yours, probably the same size.

Mine came with the Optional 7.10X15 Firestone Deluxe Champion Car Tires, instead of the Standard 6.70X15 Car Tires.
Truck Tires are much taller than Car type, I believe today they would be 85 aspect ratio.

[62champ]

Truck the day it arrived at it's new home


One year anniversary photo...

[62champ]

Poor bed - sat outside for 20 years waiting to be put back on a truck to only be there one year and removed once again...



I am thinking it will be much easier to work on that tail-end without having to do it from the bottom...

[62champ]

Despite a steep approach to the garage, I managed to get it out with some Farmal help to power wash the rear part of the frame.





Found at some point in the trucks history, one of the bolt holes that toward the rear, bottom, had a pretty intense yank - hole is no longer round and bent the frame around it...

[62champ]

Started getting the back end broken down from outside in.

Right rear brakes is missing the emergency brake bar but plenty of cobwebs.



Left rear came off without any problems, including the brake shoes from their brackets...



All the braking hardware is off and getting ready to attack the rear springs and diff.

[Milaca]

I'm happy to see your progress. I have the same things to do to a pair of Champs. When you are finished, you can come help me.

[62champ]

I'm happy to see your progress. I have the same things to do to a pair of Champs. When you are finished, you can come help me.

You might want to hold off on any invitations until this thing is actually back on the road - but it is nice to have another Champ sitting on the other side of the garage...good reference.

[62champ]

Everything is out from under the rear of the truck, except the emergency brake cable, brake line, and rear wire harness - would love to get the rear frame POR15ed before the temperatures are too cool...

[62champ]

So the end of summer temperatures held on into the second week in October so the last part of the POR15 went on some of the exposed metal on the truck.

Got much of the rear frame covered - wish there was a way to reach into the cross members and paint them...





The bed upturned against the back wall gives good access to the underside, but again, there are places that cannot be reached. Had enough to almost cover the underside parts I wanted to cover.

[62champ]

Winter and a new position at work has really put the brakes on things - not much has been done - other than finding some items that are needed.

Was convinced that an NOS gauge cluster was probably out of reach so I had started getting individual parts when I brought the truck home initially. Ended up with a good used fuel/temp gauge housing and an NOS fuel/temp gauge housing. Found a $5 NOS metric speedo with a broken glass and an NOS metric speedo - still in the original box. Last May, someone at the South Bend meet had an NOS unit on a table, but it had a dozen of the numbers/hashmarks that had fallen off the inside of the gauges - price was $150...

I asked a couple vendors about a complete clusters and most did not have any - the one who did have one said it would run four bills - way out of my price range... After waiting and watching, finally found one online from another SDC member - arrived today and looks as nice as the NOS one in my other truck that was installed back in 1997... I can remember a chapter swap meet back in the mid-90s where someone had four of these complete NOS clusters for $75 each - I think he only sold one that day.