81 F100 flare side custom with 300 six & T18

FuzzFace2 wrote

I know Cory ran grounds to each of his new lights, I did not and they are grounded.

I only ran them to the frame. My taillights were originally grounded through the bed...and good grief what an awful system that was...lol. However, it did indeed work, even on an old rusted out thing like mine. I don't think my bed would be a good ground now though, so I just went straight to the frame. My new taillights are working great btw...nice and bright!

Rembrant wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

I know Cory ran grounds to each of his new lights, I did not and they are grounded.

I only ran them to the frame. My taillights were originally grounded through the bed...and good grief what an awful system that was...lol. However, it did indeed work, even on an old rusted out thing like mine. I don't think my bed would be a good ground now though, so I just went straight to the frame. My new taillights are working great btw...nice and bright!

I went with the same lights and I do like the brake / turn how bright they are but would like the running light a little brighter. I also used the alum. silver duct tape on the inside where the stock ones were painted white to help make it brighter.
Dave ----

Little set back, well maybe a big set back today
I was all set to install the new vent window seals into the replacements I picked up years ago and install them in the doors.
When I pull the old seals I saw they were a little different from the new ones (clue 1) but never gave it another thought.
Had a hell of a time installing the seal, about 90% in and I look at the old seal and see I installed it wrong so had to fix that.

The next fight was trying to install the frame back in the door.
First just trying to get it in the door was hell but do able (clue 2).
Once in I could not swing the frame into place (clue 3). I even pulled the glass back out because I thought the upper hinge was hanging it up.

When that did not work I then moved to see if I could install the other frame I had not touched yet.
Never made it pass trying to get it in the door as it was not going to go (clue 3) WTH?
That is when I pulled out the 2 old frames to see what was going on?

The new ones are longer by 5" and why I had a hard time just getting them in the doors and could not swing it into place. So thinking I could cut the 5" off I tank a closer look and see something else.
The frame the channel seal sits in is wider by 1/2"!


So till I can come up with a fix the doors sit empty!

So I looked at the dash pads and dash cover to see what dash & cover fit the best and see what I need to do to install in the truck.
I took the edging off the pad I was trying to fix to see if the cover would fix better. It kind of dose but when installed there is a gap between the cover & dash frame that the dash pad fills in. So that pad I was looking to fix is now mostly junk.
I was not in the mood to mount the cover to the pad at this time.

With the pad / cover placed in the truck I them fitted the bezels to see what tabs need fixing. Looks like the bezels & pad use the same screws so will need to repair a few tabs.

Being I had the bezels out I found my silver paint pen and started painting the raised parts that should be silver. I went outside the lines in a few places so need to touch up with a black marker and should be ok.

Wife and I had plans to go out for 21 years being married, so called it a day.
Dave ----

FuzzFace2 wrote

Wife and I had plans to go out for 21 years being married, so called it a day.
Dave ----

Congrat's on the anniversary!!!!

As for the truck, what a day it was!  Wow!  What could go wrong did.  

So, where did the vent windows come from?  How could they be 5" longer?

On the dash cover, I've installed them while the pad was installed to the dash.  But I'm not going to do that next time as it is so hard to ensure you get the cover down against the pad to let the adhesive set.  Instead I'm going to do it while the two parts are on the work table.

Anyway, you did make some progress with the painting. so it wasn't all for naught.  Hang in there!

Those are bricknose vent windows. They are longer and wider than the bullnose variants. There was no way those were going to work without the bricknose door glass as well, it's narrower to account for the larger arm on the vent window. If you pick up some bricknose door glass from the junkyard, then you could use those vent windows.

1987-1991 vent window glass is the same as 1980-1986 vent windows but the frame may differ slightly but the glass is interchangeable. 1992-1997 vent windows are squared off on the leading edge of the window requiring squared off glass. Either complete assembly will fit in the truck. I kind of wish I went with the new version in mine simply for cost and availability.

92-97 window

Gary Lewis wrote

How could they be 5" longer?

That's the glass run channel that drops inside the door - it's longer on later trucks to keep the glass in-place better, so it's an upgrade.  No need to cut it off since the door is the same shape, so it will fit into an early door exactly as well as a later one.

Steve83 wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

How could they be 5" longer?

That's the glass run channel that drops inside the door - it's longer on later trucks to keep the glass in-place better, so it's an upgrade.  No need to cut it off since the door is the same shape, so it will fit into an early door exactly as well as a later one.

I tried for hours to get that 5" longer glass divider into place in the doors and there is NO WAY it fits. I had to force it just to get it in the door.

The bottom hit the bottom of the door, the part that sticks out of the "wing" hits on the front where the hinges bolt up and the tab that bolts to the door panel side gets hung up on the regulator.
If it was shorter the bolt tab would drop down just a little to clear the regulator and may fit up into place.

Then as pointed out the divider is wider so I would need the glass that fits that but would it fit is the question?
Being the channel is longer is the glass longer?
Is the regulators different between the trucks?
Being you have to cut the divider shorter to fit it into place what will hat do to the glass from going down all the way?

From what I can tell of the parts I have the wing parts are the same from the pivot frame that pop rivets to the divider.
BTW the wing frame is not part of the divider and I need them also.

So unless someone has all the parts to send my way, I will have to cut the divider shorter (little at a time) to get it into place then fit the rest to see if it all works.
I will be looking for the shorter & skinner dividers.

I may have a line on a set from a member on the other forum I will keep you posted.
Dave ----

Rembrant wrote

Just checking in here to say I'm subscribed;).

Yeah....me too!!!

FuzzFace2 wrote

...there is NO WAY it fits.
...
The bottom hit the bottom of the door...

IDK what to tell you except: the door is the same size, shape, & construction from '80-96/7, other than a few things that DON'T affect the windows like:
-the sill button hole
-the small contour at the bottom rear
-the ventilation louvers
-the '94-up wiring harness hole diameter
-the '95-up side impact beam
-the mounting holes for the optional mirrors

FuzzFace2 wrote

...the divider is wider so I would need the glass that fits that but would it fit is the question?
Being the channel is longer is the glass longer?
Is the regulators different between the trucks?

Check out the pics I posted in your other thread.

Steve83 wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

...there is NO WAY it fits.
...
The bottom hit the bottom of the door...

IDK what to tell you except: the door is the same size, shape, & construction from '80-96/7, other than a few things that DON'T affect the windows like:
-the sill button hole
-the small contour at the bottom rear
-the ventilation louvers
-the '94-up wiring harness hole diameter
-the '95-up side impact beam
-the mounting holes for the optional mirrors

FuzzFace2 wrote

...the divider is wider so I would need the glass that fits that but would it fit is the question?
Being the channel is longer is the glass longer?
Is the regulators different between the trucks?

Check out the pics I posted in your other thread.

I will look at the pictures a little closer but with out cutting the 5 extra inches off the "wrong" dividers it's not going in. I also don't know if I was to get the glass to go with the dividers it the regulators I have will work? I just don't want to get in deeper and have parts that don't work and I cut up to try and work and cant sell or give them away to someone that can use them the way they are.
Dave ----

Some have asked why I need to replace them?
I can tell you it's not because they are dirty and I don't want to clean them
Here are some pictures
Bottom of 1 of the dividers rusted away.

The real issues is the outer frame that is not there any more and the broken bracket to keep the glass from turning to far.


Dave ----

I hope to have the vent window dividers under control and being I had the day off I got some more done on the truck.

Back a few weeks ago when trying to figure why I had a high idle and was pointing to a vacuum leak I tried the HVAC control and found it was stuck on defrost. In the pass it had worked as it should so this was new to me. First thinking was the hinge broke for the blend door and was stuck on defrost.
Well in checking none of the vacuum motors would move?

So thinking the worst I pulled the radio to get to the control but it looked like the dash would need to come out to do so.
I then checked for vacuum as I had an issue when putting the HVAC together. First was no vacuum to the tree on the firewall and then the juice can had pin holes, maybe the same thing happened again?

So that is where I started this time. I found where the supply plugs into the system under the heater core access panel and pulled that apart and found almost no vacuum?
Thinking back when I first got this together I went to the check valve thinking it may have a restriction, I checked that and no restriction but no check either, so will need to look into that later, but the vacuum was good.

I was still not happy with the flow (like none) going thru the plastic line that supplies the HVAC control.
Thinking maybe a plug in that line so I took air to blow thru it and it sounded good so I hooked vacuum buck up and still nothing WTH!
So pulled that vacuum harness out to bench test with air and found the problem.
The plastic line had a crack right at the grommet and could not be seen or heard but felt with air blowing thru it.

Did not get a picture was in the zone but I cut the plastic lines flush with the grommet, drilled the holes bigger and used rubber hose as part of the grommet and pushed the plastic lines from either side into the rubber hoses. It now works great better than before because I would need to play with the control to get some of the air flow to work as it should.
Took way more time than I wanted but I did not need to do a hinge replacement.
With that working I put the HVAC control and radio back in.

With that out of the way and no need to remove the dash I worked on the dash pad & cover to be one.
I did a test fit and lined up all my clamps then was to wash the pad, most of the time I do this when the wife is not home, not this time LOL

While the pad was drying I installed the door jamb light switches, not that I have any lights under the dash and I don't think the dome light will work but they are installed.
I also ran speaker wires from the cab thru the doors with grommets and gave a quick test. Used 3 different pairs the radio & tape deck does work but sounds like crap. At some point down the road I will dig out my 3 other after market radios to see what I want to use.

Dash pad now dry I glued the cover lay on and clamped it down and put weight on the flat tops to hold them to the pad and left it to set up.

I turned the truck around, front out, so I had room to pull the grille to square it in the opening and keep the hood from hitting the head light door on 1 side.
It is now square and have a little more room and don't think the hood will hit but I think it is the hood.
That was the side that got crunched when the truck rolled. I thought just the top took the hit but it looks like it pushed that area down 1/8"or a little more.
Good thing it's a driver and not a show truck LOL

Only picture I took today of the cove lay glued to the pad. I need to prep it so I can paint it with SEM paint to match the dash frame. SEM is a brighter color, the cover is more maroon. The rest of the panel will also be done with SEM to match.

Dave ----

Dave - That plastic through the firewall has bitten me before as well.  Glad you found it and fixed it.

And I like the approach on the dash cover.  Doing it out of the truck has to be better then in.  

Keep on keeping on!!!

Don't the bullnose trucks have a plastic screw in adjustable stop at each hood corner like my bricknose?

Take a wrench or pair of Channellock's and back the stop out.
The hood is like a potato chip.

I often wondered why Ford didn't use a bulkhead connector where the vacuum lines fit from each side, but I guess they see it as another part, another minute of labor, and two points of failure for each line.

Dave, your truck's looking great!
Keep up the good work.  

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Don't the bullnose trucks have a plastic screw in adjustable stop at each hood corner like my bricknose?

Yes.

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I often wondered why Ford didn't use a bulkhead connector where the vacuum lines fit from each side...

Because the vacuum harness is in the wiring harness, and it all passes through a grommet on the top of the recirculate-air register, then through the large recirc. hole in the firewall, and hangs through so it's easier to reach & connect than if it was clamped to the firewall.  And it uses an existing hole in the firewall that's too large to ever chafe it, so another hole isn't needed.

Gary Lewis wrote

Dave - That plastic through the firewall has bitten me before as well.  Glad you found it and fixed it.

And I like the approach on the dash cover.  Doing it out of the truck has to be better then in.  

Keep on keeping on!!!

I don't think I would have found it if I did not remove that short hose harness and blow air thru it as it was leaking right at the grommet. I did not see the crack but felt the air so I pulled on each end and it came apart so it had to be fixed then LOL
In my hast to fix it I cut the other hose so that is why I used hose to pass thru the grommet for both.
I don't think I will have any issues with them inside the cab its the engine bay side with the heat that kills the plastic tube.

On the dash it has been out from day one so made sense to do it outside on the bench. Going to prep & paint it and the kick panels being I will have all the paint out.

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Don't the bullnose trucks have a plastic screw in adjustable stop at each hood corner like my bricknose?

Take a wrench or pair of Channellock's and back the stop out.
The hood is like a potato chip.

I often wondered why Ford didn't use a bulkhead connector where the vacuum lines fit from each side, but I guess they see it as another part, another minute of labor, and two points of failure for each line.

Dave, your truck's looking great!
Keep up the good work.  

Yes it does have the adjustable plastic things and I did raise it some but it pushed the hood up higher than the fender.
It is where the hood lip goes from flat across the front to the sweep back part on the outer foot of the hood lip. Just that bend is lower and hit the grille. Looking at the hood with no grill it looks good put the grille in and you can see it is close at that point only.
If I was to try anything to fix this I might end up doing damage so it will stay till it bugs me but have a feeling it will not LOL.
Dave ----

FuzzFace2 wrote

It is where the hood lip goes from flat across the front to the sweep back part on the outer foot of the hood lip. Just that bend is lower and hit the grille.

I'm having a hard time imagining where you mean.  Can you post some pics showing the point of interference?

Steve83 wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

It is where the hood lip goes from flat across the front to the sweep back part on the outer foot of the hood lip. Just that bend is lower and hit the grille.

I'm having a hard time imagining where you mean.  Can you post some pics showing the point of interference?

I will tomorrow when I get back out to the garage.
I meant to get one before and forgot.
Dave ----

I had great plans to do the SEM paint on the dash but......
Just before I was going out my alarm on my phone went off ... drivers safety meeting in 1 hour!

Before I left for the meeting the wife and I were talking and she wanted to know if the truck would be ready for my work's car / truck show Nov 9th? Told her was not sure as I need to get the windshield in and new tires. I can drive it with out the door glass in or door panels and other little things but tires are a big one.
Wife cant drive stick so she cant take the truck anywhere and I don't want her to drive it before me testing it. So the plan is I will load the tires in my truck, it has room, and she can take them to get new tires mounted, and off I went for the meeting.

So when I got back home I just did not feel like doing the dash and if you don't feel it don't do it is what I say so I moved on to something else.

You know them black wheels that have tires that need to be changed? I pulled them off the truck and used paint stripper on them. Paint came off pretty easy and I think it had silver paint under the black.
I also used Simple Green and a green scrub pad then used Alum. wheel cleaner and a soft brush.
They look OK but they need some type of HD cleaner and a quick polish on the outer ring & fins.


I took a DA sander to center caps as they had black paint on them to cover up the rust they had and then sprayed them with the same bright silver color of the bumpers. I wanted to use a little darker silver but the can would not spray. I need clean the lug nuts of paint yet.

I drilled & taped the trailer hitch mount for the 7 blade trailer light connector. Need to pick up wire for the trailer brakes and run that and a 12 volt power wire from the engine bay to the light plug before I wire up the plug.

I went back thru all my parts bins looking for the 3 missing door latch post .... still MIA, have to check the thread size of the 1 I have and get new ones.
I also pulled out the rest of the plastic that needs to be washed and painted with the SEM paint. Don't know if I will do them the same time as the dash pad / cover as they will need a lot more prep and SEM texture spray before the paint goes on.
Dave ----