81 F100 flare side custom with 300 six & T18

I agree - if you don't feel like doing it then, don't do it then.  This is a hobby.

But you are still making progress.  One suggestion though, make sure you get the Simple Green off the aluminum.  It corrodes aluminum if left on.  Don't ask.

On the SEM, if you have the room to lay all the parts out it would be great to do them all in one go.  But if not then work them in small batches.  As you said, the other parts texture, so they'll need more work.

By the way, I've not used the texture yet, but I need to on the door panels.  

Gary Lewis wrote

I agree - if you don't feel like doing it then, don't do it then.  This is a hobby.

But you are still making progress.  One suggestion though, make sure you get the Simple Green off the aluminum.  It corrodes aluminum if left on.  Don't ask.

On the SEM, if you have the room to lay all the parts out it would be great to do them all in one go.  But if not then work them in small batches.  As you said, the other parts texture, so they'll need more work.

By the way, I've not used the texture yet, but I need to on the door panels.  

If not in the mood and you do the job I feel it will not come out the best it can as your hart was not into it and why I moved on to something else.

On the green I was putting it on with a sponge that had the green scruby and I worked 1 wheel at a time and rinsed with water. I did see when work the wheels the soap would turn gray. Maybe I need to hit them again as they still have some dirt stains on them. I also need to clean the back sides for the stick on wheel weights, I don't want them on the front side and I think that is all that will fit this wheel.

When working the center caps I found they were ET's so wonder if the wheels are from ET also?

I have not used the texture yet, bought to do this, and will let you know how it works out.
Been raining pretty heavy here since 5am, even the dogs don't want to go out, so running across the yard to my garage is something I am building up to LOL
Dave ----

I knew I would have an early get out day so took the wheels with me to work and on the way home dropped them off.
If all goes good I should have them by EBD but this is me (look below) LOL


Thanks to Bill aka BRNWAXA, member on FTE

With the parts I got from Bill and some of what I have will work to make a complete working set.
I see the parts have a bracket that looks to use a mirror screw to support the mirror & outer panel from cracking, I don't know if it will clear on my truck so I wanted to test fit.

Also wanted to test fit before I got into painting them & replacing the rubbers.
I tried to fit 1 in a door, after trying for 45 min. and only getting a little farther than I did with the other wrong parts I was going to try the other side when it hit me!
Why not see if the part is the same as what came out like I did with the wrong parts!

Well besides the bracket that I can cut off if I have to they are ALSO too long! Only 1.5 inches longer but enough I cant get it to pivot it into place.
When I have time, most likely this weekend, I will trim a little at a time till I can get them into place then I will make them look new before installing for good.
Dave ----

Truck has new sneakers
Yesterday I dropped them off around lunch time on the way home from work and I stopped by about the same time today and they had 2 already mounted, other 2 while I waited.
Took a little nap, up at 1am for work kills me, then hit the garage for a spell.

Cleaned the lug nut up on the bench wire wheel. They should be replaced and I have a mix of 2 different types and some are rust pitted. Once the lugs were cleaned I mounted the wheels to the truck and got it down on all 4 again.

I am on stand by for work so I plan to get the dash pad painted and if dry enough mounted along with the bezels to get them out of my way.
I also want to get the vent frames trimmed and in the doors so I can get the glass installed.

I also have to see if Auto Zone has the door striker posts as I cant find the other 3 I should have so I have no way to keep 1 of the doors closed.
Dave ----

Perfect!  They look great!  

Thanks I would have taken the picture outside but it was raining and no glass in truck so no outside.
Dave ----

Lookin’ good Dave!!

You should certainly be proud of your accomplishments!

That's a fine looking truck.

Come paint mine, I'll buy lunch.

The good, the bad and the I hate this truck!
I had no work today so put a little time in on the truck starting with painting the dash pad, seat belt covers on the B pillar, the non-AC kick panel vents. I also washed the other part of the kick panels but did not paint yet.
I went to use the textured SEM and both cans do not spray! I don't remember where I got them so $70 down the drain. Wonder if there is something else we can come up with to add texture?

After the paint was dry on the pad time to install it and the rest of the dash. Only took about 4 times to figure out how it all went together. Then there was the issues of finding the right screws, this took most of the day but came out pretty good I think.


I removed the trany cover and installed closed cell foam to seal it to the floor. I also washed the shifter boot and got that installed.

I also installed 1 of the seat belt covers then saw that it might be in the way of installing the rear glass so held off on the other side.

Now about glass, I trimmed the 2nd set of dividers shorter and tried to fit them in the door(s).
Yes tried as I still could not get either into the doors. They are closer but just cant get them to fit.
The door has a brace at the top the runs from the outer skin to inner frame to keep the outer skin from cracking from the weight of the mirror. If this was not there then it would be able to move back a little to let the "wing" clear the front of the door.

I couldn't even get the old ones in and the doors had that brace in them before so I don't know why they will not go in? At that point I gave up and called it a day.
I just don't know what I am going to do to get them in place?
And they don't have the gasket or glass in them to make it easier to handle.

Because I got the dash bezel installed I was able to turn the head lights off so left the battery hooked up and hope the battery stays up.
Dave ----

Can you get us a picture inside of both doors so we can see what you keep running into with the vent windows?

salans7 wrote

Can you get us a picture inside of both doors so we can see what you keep running into with the vent windows?

I will try but may be a few days before I get back out to the garage.
It will also be tricky trying to get the pictures as there is not a lot of room the get the phone in there.

On another note I found 2 of the 3 door latch posts! I checked the parts cab and that was the only thing I did not remove when stripping the hardware from it. Think it was because I did not have the torx bit out with me and why I did not pull them off.
What was nice besides finding them, they still had the plastic sleeves.
Dave ----

Interior looks great Dave!  

Don't mess with that little brace. If anything, reinforce it.

Yes, that interior looks GREAT!  Well done.  

Looks beautiful. I need to get me an a/c dash, so I can pipe hot air out some vents. All I have is defrost and floor vents. No dash vents.

Thanks guys it did turn out pretty good for a trash hauler LOL

I may have found why the vent window frame will not fit.
Someone said it has to go in thru the door glass opening and kind of twisted to get the lower bolt bracket in the slot and the frame to line up right.

I am going to give that a try and see what happens I just did not think that is how I took it out 4 years ago? And most of the doors I have worked on everything but the door glass goes in thru the big hole in the door frame.

I was also trying to put the window frame between the brace and the front of the door and the frame may go behind it to the latch end?
Again I have a few things to try.
Dave ----

Yes, I think it has to go in through the window opening.  At least that's the way I've done it.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Replacing+vent+window+Ford+F150+YouTube&view=detail&mid=609E26775D1F4A3E0E7B609E26775D1F4A3E0E7B&FORM=VIRE

I do have good news!

With out you guys help I would have never figured out how they went in.
In from the top where the door glass would be and twist and turn as you slip it in.

The right side fits pretty good but the left side not so good. It is like the top of the door needs to come in but cant as the gaps to the body and A pillar are good.

I matched it up to the old one and the curves are the same. The only thing I can see is that outer skin brace was broken when I got the truck and I may have pushed it together to much and in turn pulled the inner door frame in so the lower bolt is in a different position?
The new vent dividers have a bracket for a mirror and I had to cut this off on the left door to get the frame into place.

With them now fitting in the doors I sanded and painted them. Going to let them dry good before I put the seals and glass in them.

I picked up a new dimmer switch on the way home today so I mounted it and tested the head lights, they work.
Only lights I know don't work so far are the back up & inside dome but I kind of knew it would not. If I can find the under dash light plugs I will install something under there.

I also pulled the metal plates off the kick panel area that blocks air from coming in on AC trucks. I had a set of vents from a Non-AC truck I painted the other day so I installed the vents.
I still need to paint the kick panel that finish off that area.

Thanks guys for the help
Dave ----

I didn't help, but congrat's!!!!