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1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Project

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Rembrant

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Dave,
31.5” from the center of the cab. It’s been painted though so no idea if that’s original or not.

1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

Rembrant

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

That's a wrap for today. The 8ft bed and rear step bumper left for a new home earlier today. Engine and trans will be out tomorrow, and that will be it for this week. I have to organize the parts I'm keeping and get rid of the rest. Having the frame bare will make the job of shortening it a little easier.

I'll be putting what parts I can inside the cab, and it will get shrink wrapped and placed outside until I get another cab to swap all the parts over to. I'd rather swap from cab to cab to save myself any confusion from just having loose parts laying around.

Last thing I did before sweeping up was to recip the exhaust off the truck. It's already in the scrap bin.

The frame is in pretty decent condition in this old thing, which is surprising considering how terrible the body was. Heck, even the rear cab mount bolts screwed out with ease. I didn't get to look to closely at the engine, but I did notice that the timing cover does have the mechanical fuel pump mount cast into it. I wonder if it's as simple as cutting the hole open and threading the two mounting bolt holes? I was reading on FTE that there's even a fairly good chance that this engine will still have the fuel pump eccentric in it.

It'll be a few weeks before I get to that, but if I already have what I need to make a mechanical pump work it will save me the trouble of scrounging the junkyard in the winter.

Gary Lewis

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Administrator

You are a man on a mission! Well done!

Yes, from what I understand you can cut the hole open, thread the holes, and put a pump on there. But, I've not done it, so keep that in mind.

And, I like your organization. Keeping the parts in the cab in their original position will keep the fasteners in place as well.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

Rembrant

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Gary Lewis wrote

You are a man on a mission! Well done!

I'm on a bit of a mission because I only have limited use of the shop and equipment. I can usually use it as much as I want, but we do have a couple projects starting soon, which means all my junk has to be out of the way...lol. I have free rein of the shop on the weekends, but I try to have all my stuff cleaned up and out of the way by Sunday evening to keep the peace.

This first part is happening very quick Gary, but it's going to be moving pretty slowly from here on out.

Oh well, there are worse things a fella could do with his time...haha. No idle hands here.

Gary Lewis

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Administrator

Yup, Proverbs 16:27 is right. And that's not you.

Seriously, I'm impressed. If you'd done Huck he'd have been done overnight instead of overmonth.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Gary,

This 85 happens to have air bags in the front coil springs. I know they're aftermarket, but did they come as an assembly with aftermarket springs as well, or did the airbags fit inside the stock coil springs? Are you familiar with these? I'm just curious what else was changed when these were installed, or was it simply that the air bags were installed and everything else is stock...

Rembrant

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Oh, and another question...

I haven't removed/installed and automatic transmission from a vehicle in 25 years (and that was a 700R4 behind a SBC).
To pull the AOD in this truck, I'll have to remove the lower bellhousing inspection cover correct? And then unbolt the torque converter from the flexplate? (Is that what you call it? The flexplate...or ring gear? Or is the ring gear ON the flexplate? Trying to get my terminology correct here...lol).

Finally get to use some real hand tools today, instead of...

Zip cut disk on the angle grinder
Drill...
Recip saw...
Cutting torches...

It's going to seem, so,....civilized.

Gary Lewis

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Administrator

Cory - Pretty sure the air bags were just slipped inside the coils. That's the way I've seen it done. But I don't know if you have stock coils, although that is the most common way I've seen. The bags go up/down against the supports on the end and provide more lift as you add air.

On the AOD (AOT

) removal, you do have to pull the inspection cover and remove the bolts holding the torque converter to the flex plate. And you'll have to rotate the engine between each bolt. But watch out for the drain as if you pull it you'd better be ready for a bunch of fluid.

And it is a flex plate with a ring gear on it. At least that's the common usage. Ford typically called that a flywheel, but in the case of the diesel they called it a PLATE (FLYWHEEL TO CONVERTER FLEX).

Anyway, enjoy "wrenching". I find it much more rewarding that cutting as there's always the nagging fear that I'll need the part I just cut up at some time in the future.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

FuzzFace2

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

In reply to this post by Rembrant

Rembrant wrote

Dave,
31.5” from the center of the cab. It’s been painted though so no idea if that’s original or not.

Thanks for the information it is better then nothing.

Man you went crazy on that thing and you got to do what you got to do to keep the peace so you have a place to work inside.

Being the bed is gone, a day short!, you cant get the other info I was looking for on the long bed shields NP.

On the air bags as Gary said most of the time they were slipped inside the stock spring.
Wonder if they were added to level the truck? If it had a plow then I would say that is why they were added.

As for keeping parts on the parts truck till needed I did the same thing. Right up to where it was taking up too much room. Now that I am down to little things it is getting ruff on how things go back together, 3+ years don't help either.
Thanks
Dave ----

Dave G.
81 F100 flare side 300 six / AA OD / NP435 / 2.75 gear
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1980-Ford-F100?page=1
81 F100 style side 300 six/SROD parts truck -RIP
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1981-Ford-F100

Steve83

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Banned User

In reply to this post by Rembrant

The torque converter nuts are probably 9/16" (or 14mm). Mark one of the studs & its flexplate hole with paint to indicate the original assembly orientation. Also mark the flexplate to the crank hub - I like to use a cold chisel for that (since it's truly permanent) and then add paint for visibility.

Rembrant

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Thanks Steve. I got it out this morning. Once I got going it all came back to me;). I hadn't pulled an auto trans in 25 years, so my memory was fuzzy on the topic.

Rembrant

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Hey,

Have any of you guys ever removed the crossmember under the engine? Picture below is just an example from the web.

Drilling the rivets out is no problem, I'm just wondering if this particular crossmember can be maneuvered out from between the rails?...

Gary Lewis

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Administrator

Glad you got it out. As for the crossmember, I've replaced the engine stands and replaced some bolts on the crossmember, not removed the whole unit.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

FuzzFace2

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Man you are starting to make me look bad on not working on my truck

I got to ask why do you want to remove that cross member?
The only thing I think is different between them is the 460 ones with the notch for the oil filter no?
I did pull the 300 six frame stands off the parts truck frame before it went to it's new home up north.
Dave ----

Gary Lewis

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Administrator

Dave - I think you are right. The 460 crossmember is different but the others are the same. I think. So I wondered the same question of why remove it.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Gary Lewis wrote

So I wondered the same question of why remove it.

There is a small spot on the frame I'm going to need to repair. I was thinking that I'd have to remove that crossmember to fix properly, but after looking at it some more, I don't think it will be too bad. I should be able to fix it by just removing the driver's side spring/shock tower. I have another weekend worth of work to finish stripping the frame on this old thing.

On a good note, I have a sale pending on the AOD trans and associated parts (starter, flexplate, etc), and I've located a 302 manual trans bellhousing tin cover for $25 bucks.

Rembrant

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

In reply to this post by FuzzFace2

FuzzFace2 wrote

Man you are starting to make me look bad on not working on my truck

Dave,

I had a busy weekend getting the old truck stripped, but things are going to slow way down on this thing right now. I basically have it down to the frame now. Few other odds and ends to remove...brake lines, power steering box, etc. This thing is getting quite a bit of work...both in repairs and in shortening. It may be on the road next year...maybe.

Gary Lewis

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Administrator

In reply to this post by Rembrant

Now I understand. Hope you can repair it w/o removing the crossmember though.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Steve83

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Banned User

In reply to this post by Rembrant

Rembrant wrote

There is a small spot on the frame I'm going to need to repair. ...just removing the driver's side spring/shock tower.

These captions are relevant to those jobs:

Rembrant

Re: 1985 F150 Bullnose 4x4 Donor Project

Steve83 wrote

Rembrant wrote

There is a small spot on the frame I'm going to need to repair. ...just removing the driver's side spring/shock tower.

These captions are relevant to those jobs:

That's great info, thanks Steve.

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