1950 Ford F-1 Pickup - Project F-1

As you can see with the spring in place, a very clean look is achieved without wires dangling or being pinched and shorting something out. The other nice thing about this method of running the wires is the accessories continue to work when the doors are open, unlike the "contact-type" plates that do not operate when open.

This is the stock door latch assembly out of the F-1. After the guys cleaned it up and lubed it for another 50 years of service, they attached the small cable that will be controlled by the solenoid to open the latch.

Here, the solenoid from AutoLoc was being located for a direct pull on the cable to open the door. We wanted to make sure that the cable had a direct pull so that it won't bind. It made for a smooth operation.

Four holes were drilled to locate the solenoid. These solenoids have quite a strong pull and need to be securely mounted to the door.

Peter now mounts the solenoid inside the door using the supplied hardware.

The cable was then fed through the solenoid and secured by crimping the ferrule that will keep the cable from slipping during the pull of the solenoid.

Because these solenoids pull a lot of current, a relay was used for electrical safety. By mounting the relay close to the solenoid, the large current doesn't have to travel very far--eliminating the potential for overheating the wiring or blowing a fuse. The remainder of the wiring and the transmitter were hidden in the kick panels. Now with just the push of the key fob controller, the doors will open like magic.

Moving on to the remainder of the glass, Peter installs the Steele Rubber Products weatherstrip to back window (shown) and the windshield. These replacement weatherstrips are an exact reproduction and fit great.

Here Don was pulling the string that he installed in the groove of the rubber and slipped the weatherstrip into the opening. With a little soapy water applied to the rubber and a slow, even pull, the windshield installed easily.

With a little pressure from the outside, the windshield popped fully into place.

From the inside you can see how the rubber conforms to the shape of the window opening and fits like a glove.

From the outside, the glass and rubber also fit the truck perfectly for a leak-proof installation.

With all the glass and new weatherstrips installed, the F-1 is looking more complete everyday. The one-piece windows clean-up the look of the doors considerably. They complement the shaved door handles. The smoked glass and tinted windshield not only look good but will also help keep the cab cooler on those hot summer crusin' days.