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'83 F150 Short Box

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66gtk

'83 F150 Short Box

I'll start a new project thread here since I've enjoyed reading through the content on this site so much. I just purchased a 1983 F150 in AZ, but first a little history....

My first vehicle I had was an 85 F150. I took my drivers license in it, but I learned to drive in our '76 F150 while hunting with my dad. I really liked my '85 and it was dark blue/white two tone, long box, std cab XLT Lariat. It was RWD and we lived in the snow belt. I learned how to drive in the snow really well with that thing. Sold the truck in the mid 90s and started driving a Chevy Lumina. The front wheel drive was admittedly a nice improvement in the snow. At that time I was living in MN. Fast forward to now and it's time to relive some of my youth. Been searching for a clean bullnose for quite a while and a clean, rust free example in the colors I like is very elusive up here in MN. Most everything is very rusty and beat up. A friend helped me find this one in AZ and I purchased it without much information or even looking at it. I was sent photos of the underside, rockers, cab corners, doors, etc. and decided it was clean, so I bought it. Original paint in all the door jambs and the truck box so I got an honest look.

The truck was stored in a barn in CA and was repainted a few years ago and bought by a gentleman in AZ. Fuel tank related issues have sidelined it and it hasn't been running for a while. I hope to have that resolved in short order, but we will see.

Stay tuned for updates. It should be delivered here in MN in a week or so. I will plan to do some repairs and simple improvements.

'83 F150 XL Shortbox California
302 (EEC-III), AOD, 3.55 - stock original drivetrain

66gtk

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

some photos I received that were taken the day I purchased the truck. Pretty clean from the photos. This is the color and options (V8, automatic, AC) I want so I went for it. The AC has supposedly been redone recently and everything supposedly works including the original cassette player. The interior is 100 percent original still. This is an unmolested truck, which is what I want.

My immediate plans now are to install the white wagon wheels and black out the grill and light surrounds reminiscent of an earlier freewhelin' truck. Along with the wagon wheels, it will sort of be a bit of a Freewheelin' tribute in a way. I'm very tempted to recover the seats in '92 Explorer style plaid, but I haven't decided yet. I think it would look awesome, but will be expensive. I want a truck my kids can enjoy with me and don't want to break the bank going overboard.

'83 F150 XL Shortbox California
302 (EEC-III), AOD, 3.55 - stock original drivetrain

66gtk

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

In reply to this post by 66gtk

Today's project was to thoroughly deep clean the wheels. They were repainted back in the 80s and I recently learned that based on their 15x6 size and outer weld beads that they are from an earier late 70s truck or Bronco. My dad purchased them used at the tire store and they had 2 4x4 style black caps that he replaced with new OEM ones he could still buy at the Ford dealership at the time.

Here are the wheels cleaned up. Pretty darn good shape.

I found a paint that matches the finish that was on these wheels PERFECTLY. Rustoleum Antique White. I don't know if this is the correct Wimbledon White, but I'm at least going to paint the backsides and inner rim and see how it matches up to the truck's current white paint before top coating the fronts.

I must say it is a but surreal cleaning up parts that I used to clean 30 years ago. Not parts just like what I had, but the actual parts!

'83 F150 XL Shortbox California
302 (EEC-III), AOD, 3.55 - stock original drivetrain

66gtk

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

In reply to this post by 66gtk

My dad had an '81 Flareside nearly identical to this one. Same colors and freewheelin' treatment except the front lights. His was RWD. As I stated above, I want to do sort of a freewheelin' tribute hence the two tone, wheels and front grill/lights treatment planned. I really wanted to find a flareside like this, but it proved to be very, very difficult. I hope to enjoy this styleside just as much (:

'83 F150 XL Shortbox California
302 (EEC-III), AOD, 3.55 - stock original drivetrain

Gary Lewis

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Administrator

Wow! I'm signed up. I want to go along for this journey!

Beautiful truck. It really looks great. Hope it is everything you think it is supposed to be an much more.

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

1986F150Six

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Administrator

Beautiful truck and story!

66gtk

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

wheels done

'83 F150 XL Shortbox California
302 (EEC-III), AOD, 3.55 - stock original drivetrain

salans7

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Man I love the look of white wheels on an older truck.

You are correct, those wheels and hub caps are from the late 70's however they were used up until the early 80's before Ford switched to the argent spoke wheels.

Rembrant

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Nice truck!

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

66gtk

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

The bull arrived Thursday!

'83 F150 XL Shortbox California
302 (EEC-III), AOD, 3.55 - stock original drivetrain

Gary Lewis

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Administrator

Wow! Beautiful!!!! Is it everything you expected?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

66gtk

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

It's nothing like I expected. Some things better than expected, some things worse. I don't want to give the truck back, though. It's extremely original/untouched throughout the mechanicals. Every piece of wire and vacuum hose/fittings looks original still and is present. This means it was pretty much left alone and lots of deferred maintenance. However, it hasn't been screwed up by multiple owners yet. That is, except the fuel system. There is some sort of issue with getting fuel pumped into the tanks. Parts have been replaced but there is some sort of venting issue. Lot's to do to get it reliable and safe, but when I'm done it will be awesome. The expensive stuff doesn't need to be done (paint and body). Truck is extremely well preserved and in unheard of condition in this part of the country.

Going through all the suspension pieces (all rubber is dried out/crumbling), brakes and steering first. Will get all the fluids flushed throughout and service all the normal engine stuff (new plugs, wires, dist cap, carb, etc....). I'll keep it and drive it bone stock like this for a while and see if I can break anything bad enough to figure out what to do next. Depending on how the leaking remains and engine/trans performs I will likely look to replace the engine/trans rather than rebuilding the stock stuff. I'd like to keep the stock stuff as long as possible, but I don't want to flush too much money chasing a rather under powered factory 302 just to keep it "stock".

The interior will need quite a bit of work to get all the lights functional, seat repaired, flooring replaced, etc..It's useable as is, though.

'83 F150 XL Shortbox California
302 (EEC-III), AOD, 3.55 - stock original drivetrain

grumpin

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Nice!

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

Frank Wyatt

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

In reply to this post by 66gtk

If it's "burping" gs while pumping gas in the tank, that's a common issue with those trucks. I had a 81 and a 85 that both had that issue but not on my 81 that i currently own. I kept a 4" block of wood in those trucks and that worked to minimize the problem. By the way, nice looking truck you have there.

1981 F 150 Custom 300 ci with a fully rebuilt 1968 240 head Carter YFA T-18 3.25 9" rear 2WD
dual gas tanks
1990 Lincoln Town Car 5.0 AOD
Home town Mc Kenzie, TN

Gary Lewis

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Administrator

white knite wrote

If it's "burping" gs while pumping gas in the tank, that's a common issue with those trucks. I had a 81 and a 85 that both had that issue but not on my 81 that i currently own. I kept a 4" block of wood in those trucks and that worked to minimize the problem. By the way, nice looking truck you have there.

So, where did you put that block of wood? I need to know as it takes forever to fill Big Blue.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Gary Lewis wrote

So, where did you put that block of wood? I need to know as it takes forever to fill Big Blue.

Under the tire to lift the side of the truck up?...Just guessing.

Gary Lewis

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Administrator

Near side? Off side? Front tire? Rear tire? Which tank does it work for, front or rear?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

66gtk

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Been quite a bit of work done to get this old girl on the road in a safe and reliable manner. The entire front and rear suspension has been examined and all rubber/bushings have been replaced as well as shocks. New rear axle shaft and both sides complete new drums and everything inside of them.

Carb rebuilt, all new hoses, ignition wires, plugs, distributor cap, rotor, fluids. Rear diff drained and filled with new cover, trans drained, flushed, filled. Coolant drained, flushed filled.

Still need to solve the fuel filling issues, replace brake master and booster, and sort through more leaks and tune/sort the driving experience.

Cosmetics will have to addressed in the spring, but I did black out the grill and repaint the headlight buckets in an attempt to get the freewheeln' tribute look I'm going for.

'83 F150 XL Shortbox California
302 (EEC-III), AOD, 3.55 - stock original drivetrain

Rembrant

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Man that's a lot of work in a short time!

Gary Lewis

Re: '83 F150 Short Box

Administrator

Yes, it certainly is a lot of work in a short period of time. Well done!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

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