Restoration Project

[KY Nick]

Starting to restore this 525.  It is a 1956 model year.  Will be mounting it on a 1966 Ford F600 4x4.  Can anyone tell me if the body shown in the picture is a Holmes body?  It does have the tunnel box up front.  

[KY Nick]

Left boom disassembly.

Have to do a some repair on boom tube and lattice.  

Edited April 24, 2020 by KY Nick

[KY Nick]

More photos.  

Plus the other half of the restoration 1966 F600, 1st truck dad bought new. 

[Njsss]

Interesting project.   

[KY Nick]

New steel delivered today.  Project moving along.  

[KY Nick]

Well stage 1 for blasting and primer happened today.  Start reassembly of body tomorrow.  Hope to have sides and tailboard on by week's end.

[rreschran]

Those are HUGE spools ... perfect for an off-road recovery truck. Thanks for sharing.     R.

[KY Nick]

It was in its day.  This truck got us through a number of winters and it's fair share of off road recovery.  It used to have a large drag winch on it.  

Now its going to be retired and be a show piece.

 

Today's progress.  

Edited June 10, 2020 by KY Nick

[KY Nick]

[KY Nick]

Tailboard cut outs finished. Along with cradle mock up and mounting.  Coming along just fine.  

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by KY Nick

[Orcas Tow]

Looking good, keep the updates coming!

 

[KY Nick]

Will do.  Congrats on the Donnie Award just read your article.

[Orcas Tow]

1 hour ago, KY Nick said:

Will do.  Congrats on the Donnie Award just read your article.

Thank you Sir.

 

[EdsTowing]

What a great project. Best of luck with it.

[dperone]

She's sure going to be a beauty! Can't wait to see the finished product

[KY Nick]

Thanks for the posts.  

Just a couple of little updates.  Light brackets fabricated, Holmes plate polished, truck bar fabricated and mounted.  Waiting on controls to come back from machine shop to complete a full mock up install.  

[rreschran]

Hey NIck ... question ... did your company have the truck since new? Looking at the seemingly over-build of the, structure's mast, over-sized winch spools and the staggered  knobby tires, it looks like it could have been military?  What't the truck's history or did I miss that?     R.

[KY Nick]

This chassis was the 1st chassis dad bought new in 1966.  It originally had a Holmes 515 that dad installed on it.  At one point in late 70's dad sold the truck to a local gas station.  Mom was not happy about that, so Dad had to go buy it back.  When he got it back he took the 515 off.  At the time we needed a four wheel drive.  He installed a 1942 Chevrolet transfer case and a 1945 International front axle and installed Warn lock out hubs.  What a machine off road.  He installed a 20k Tulsa drag winch with a Stringfellow mast to use as an off road truck.  All this from what he had laying around.  We used this for off road only.  The reason is has mud tires.  In 2017 we decided to start a restoration on the chassis.  Dad passed in 2018.  So in 2020 my brother and I decided it was time to finish it.

The wrecker crane is an original 1956 525.  Which is the year we went in business.  It was bought by an independent garage in Louisville mounted on a 1956 Ford.  That garage remounted it on a 1973 Ford along with some body modifications.  Eventually the local Fire Department got the truck to use around the training grounds.  I traded a small hydraulic Wrecker for this 525.  So this 66 Ford and 56 Holmes 525 is the closest I can get to out original 1946 Ford with 515SP which was our first wrecker.  It looks tall due to increased spring capacity.  The big drums were standard in 1956 according to the literature I have.

In trying to keep it original we have added some things that make it ours and the way Dad would have had it back in the day.  Can't wait to get it finished.

[Orcas Tow]

Great Family history, thanks for sharing.

 

[rreschran]

What a great tribute to your family's story Nick and nice words spoken about your Dad. It's stories like these that kindle my past and I'm sure many others. Thanks for sharing the history.    R.

[KY Nick]

Found this old advertising sticker.

[rreschran]

That sticker's a great find NIck. ... XKE  ... one of the hardest cars to lift and tow without a wheellift and without a sling. The key was to release the reverse bonnet and lay a folded towel (longwise) in the gap of the hood and the firewall. Ya' gotta' love today's modern wreckers right?    R.

[KY Nick]

You couldn't tow from rear due to knock off hubs. 

My hope is to find one and make another picture on "wheel lift" when the project is finished.  

[GRUMPS The Towman]

Your doing an awesome job on the restoration. She sure is a beauty. I love the fact that you and the truck share a deep family history. Keep up the good work. I am sure your Dad would be very proud. 

[KY Nick]

I promise more truck pics soon.  We are in the final mock up stages before the cab comes off for restoration.  Just getting the lever controls on and adjusted.   Making brackets to hold equipment on deck.  Just a few little things hoping not to have to drill too many holes once painted.  

I did run across an item the other day that i had to pick up and will go great on here once completed.  I don't know what this came off of or if the serial number can be traced.  But I think it's a great find

 

[KY Nick]

Well after some set backs we are finally making some decent progress on the 66.  We are down to bare frame.  All the components are at their respective shops for rebuilding and restoration.  

[KY Nick]

Frame is back.  Engine is rebuilt, original block but heads were cracked.  Differential, transfer case and axles all were dry ice blasted and getting painted.  New suspension ready to install.  

[Stubborn66]

Great Project, can't wait to see it finished