1980 F150 4x4 Flareside Project

Gary Lewis wrote

Cool!  But why wait to swap the cab?  And, why the 300 six if you have a roller 5.0?  I'm guessing the 300 is because you already have a 5.0.  And I'm going to also guess that the reason for the delay for the cab is that while you have the EFI on the 5.0 you need the wiring in the cab.  Right?

Anyway, congrat's!  Great project.  That's going to keep you busy.

Gary. You are right on all counts.
And the whole point is to keep me busy...more so in the winter, but just busy in general.
You know, idle hands and all that...because god knows that the last thing I really need is another truck...lol.

Yes...so there are a few things that drive my plans, but the Bullnose clip swap first and foremost is to put the Bullnose parts somewhere. I have them stored in the warehouse at my work, and I can't leave them there forever. It would be easier (in my own mind) to install the Bullnose parts and get rid of the '95 front clip asap. Same thing with the '95 Styleside bed. I may just cut the bed up and re-purpose the Styleside floor in the new Flareside bed. Scrap the quarters, sell the tailgate, and save the floor. Maybe.

I'm intrigued by the 300/6, and would love to try it, but getting it in the truck and ready to run is going to have to be a longer term project, and maybe the roller 5.0L will be too nice to take out...I don't know. I do like my 5.0, and the 5spd with the 3.55 gears might make it a much nicer truck to drive.

Right now I want to keep it mobile, so I'm not ditching the EFI 5.0L until I'm ready to carb/DSII swap it, or to install the 300/6.

Maybe once I learn more about how the 5.0L EFI is wired, maybe I can figure out how to run it in the Bullnose cab. Again, maybe...lol.

Several have run the EEC-V EFI in the Bullnose cab, so I'm sure the EEC-IV should be about the same.  You may like the EFI well enough to keep it.  

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I hope Mrs Rembrandt recovers from her indiscretion soon!  

I'd be a huge seafood whore if I were in the Maritimes in summer.
PEI mussels and catch off the dock would be my everyday.

We caught some Bass in the lake on Saturday, just for fun though. Tossed them back in.
I love seafood, but don't eat it all that often really. I like mussels, but rarely eat them. I like my fish and chips, or pan fried haddock...scallops, or clams mostly. Lobster every now and then.
If you like seafood, the Maritimes is a great place to be for sure. There are fish trucks on the side of the road selling fresh all the time. I drive by them every day. Too bad for me my wife doesn't eat the stuff...lol.

There's a fish and chip truck one mile down the road from me. You're making me want some now, so I'll have to grab some this week while I'm off.

Gary Lewis wrote

Several have run the EEC-V EFI in the Bullnose cab, so I'm sure the EEC-IV should be about the same.  You may like the EFI well enough to keep it.  

Gary,

That reminds me. Can you make new fuel lines for the factory EFI systems? This '95 has a rear tank only (which seems kind of odd to me), but they did come that way apparently, and I'd be more content to have a factory side tank in the stock location.

I didn't think shortbeds came with the side tank?

It would be 16 gallons, I guess?

Do you intend to pull a Dave? (in reverse)

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I didn't think shortbeds came with the side tank?

It would be 16 gallons, I guess?

Do you intend to pull a Dave? (in reverse)

Yes, side tank in shortbeds is 16 gallon.

Yes, I might do a Dave in reverse...lol.

Yes, I think you can make fuel lines, but ask me again in a week or two.  I say that because I'm going to put Huck's lines in Big Blue, I hope, and know they'll take some mending.

The line appears to be something like Nylon, and there are repair kits for it.  But by heating it I found it is pretty easy to work.  We shall see.

But, back to fish and chips.  I got hooked on that while in England, and the best I ever had was in Rye, where they cook what they just caught.  GOOD!

Rembrant wrote

Yes, side tank in shortbeds is 16 gallon.

I wonder if Huck was a short-bed?  He seems to have had a 16 gallon tank, but when I got him there was nothing behind the cab so I didn't know.  And I didn't decode the VIN nor the certification label.

You seem to be all over the steel floor idea too.

"Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery"  

Rembrant wrote

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I didn't think shortbeds came with the side tank?

It would be 16 gallons, I guess?

Do you intend to pull a Dave? (in reverse)

Yes, side tank in shortbeds is 16 gallon.

Yes, I might do a Dave in reverse...lol.

Why not do the "full Dave"?
Then again I don't know if you have a 16 gallon front tank to use at this time?
The only thing that may be why not do the "full Dave" is if you stay with the EFI and the needed tank switch valve.
With the carbed 300 six you could use the cheaper 3 port valve to switch between tanks.
I got to say the best mod I did has to be the dual tanks on my flare side.

And to go 1 step more go "fuller Dave" and do the metal floor

What trans would you be using with either the EFI v8 or the carb 300 six?
I would like to know how a M5OD would work with the 300 for a street truck.
Dave ----

Don't forget that he has a '95 with EFI, and they use fuel delivery modules in the tank(s) and no external tank switching valves.  All the switching is done in the FDM as controlled by the switch on the dash.  The fuel lines just have a wye to join the the front and rear supplies together and the same for the returns.

Gary Lewis wrote

Don't forget that he has a '95 with EFI, and they use fuel delivery modules in the tank(s) and no external tank switching valves.  All the switching is done in the FDM as controlled by the switch on the dash.  The fuel lines just have a wye to join the the front and rear supplies together and the same for the returns.

That is why I said unless he stayed EFI as it would be harder to do the dual tanks mod.
If he went with the 300 I don't think he would be able to run the FDM as the psi would be to high for the carb.
I am sure Cory has a good plan LOL
Dave ----

If he stays EFI the dual tank approach is easier since there's no external valve, just a wye in both the supply and the return.

If he goes to a carb all he has to do is to stick Holley regulator, Part # 12-881, on there.  That will step the EFI pressure down to whatever pressure he wants for a carb, so there's no need to change the fuel system.  And, hopefully very soon, I'll have a how-to on connecting the nylon fuel line to that regulator.  

The only downside is that currently the "estimated ship date is 8/12/2020".  But, for $56 it isn't too bad.

I absolutely meant that Cory was going to use the metal floor, as well.

But building on your experience might not have quite so much 'back and forth' as you.

Gary Lewis wrote

If he stays EFI the dual tank approach is easier since there's no external valve, just a wye in both the supply and the return.

If he goes to a carb all he has to do is to stick Holley regulator, Part # 12-881, on there.  That will step the EFI pressure down to whatever pressure he wants for a carb, so there's no need to change the fuel system.  And, hopefully very soon, I'll have a how-to on connecting the nylon fuel line to that regulator.  

The only downside is that currently the "estimated ship date is 8/12/2020".  But, for $56 it isn't too bad.

If that is the case then FDM would be the way to go I am not up on this new fancy stuff on out old truck
Dave ----

Very sure that's the case as that's what I'm doing on BB - after a LOT of research.  Have a new 18 gallon rear tank/FDM coming in today for like $135 delivered.  And the 19 gallon side tank is coming in today as well, but the FDM is hung up at the Post Office.

But, I forgot to say that the Bricknose sending units are upside down and backwards to ours so will read incorrectly on a Bullnose w/o my upcoming Arduino project.  But the Arduino should come in for well less than $100 and also read lots of other things.  For instance, it will be able to read the coolant temp and oil pressure and sound an alarm/light a light if they go low.

Gary Lewis wrote

 But the Arduino should come in for well less than $100 and also read lots of other things.  For instance, it will be able to read the coolant temp and oil pressure and sound an alarm/light a light if they go low.

Or, too high?

1986F150Six wrote

Or, too high?

Yes, or too high.  My plan is to have a warning light in the "eyebrow" of the instruments that tells the driver something is wrong, and then readouts elsewhere that tell him/her what the problem is.  So the Arduino is planned to be watching:

Coolant temp, with over-temp warning

Oil pressure, with low pressure warning

Starting battery voltage, with warning for both under and over voltage

Aux battery voltage, ditto

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I'd be a huge seafood whore if I were in the Maritimes in summer.
PEI mussels and catch off the dock would be my everyday.

You guys had me craving fish and chips after all this seafood talk the other day...lol. As I said, I don't eat it all that often, but it sure is good when I do. This was in a small restaurant in a local hotel. "Some good" as we say around here.



Here's a picture of the donor truck that will be turned into a Bullnose. I just stopped by and paid for it last night and will likely have it picked up next week. Like everything else around here, it's a rust bucket, but I'm OK with that. I still have almost a full gallon of Ospho and lots of wire wheels and flapper disks (and wire for the Mig).



The good news...for me..
It's a factory 5.0L 5spd truck. I like that.
Short wheelbase means I don't have to shorten it.
Front and rear factory swaybars are nice (don't have to hunt for them)
3.55 geared diffs. I'll be running 31's, so I think the 3.55 gears will be a great match up.

..... ok, I'm drooling now.  

Seems like good 'bones' for your bitsa Flareside.
Have you found a needle scaler you can run with your compressor yet?
You are going to end up so covered in rust you look like an oompa loompa!