Backyard Bullnose finds, good and bad

Finding a matching 85/86 grey weave instrument bezel will be easier than finding a good 84 radio bezel. I have one I could give you, but the indicator lenses are kind of rough so it probably isn’t worth the price to ship it. The skinny beads paint just fine... I did some test painting on a junk ‘86 burlwood bezel. They just won’t exactly match the instrument bezel. I can keep my eye out for a good ‘84 radio bezel, but it will be a knob & shaft radio opening, not DIN.

Ford F834 wrote

Finding a matching 85/86 grey weave instrument bezel will be easier than finding a good 84 radio bezel. I have one I could give you, but the indicator lenses are kind of rough so it probably isn’t worth the price to ship it. The skinny beads paint just fine... I did some test painting on a junk ‘86 burlwood bezel. They just won’t exactly match the instrument bezel. I can keep my eye out for a good ‘84 radio bezel, but it will be a knob & shaft radio opening, not DIN.

Thanks Jon! I was specifically looking for the 85/86 DIN bezel. This one...being 5 bucks is worth the risk of me ruining it trying to color the edging/trim. It doesn't need to be perfect at all...it just has to match at a glance...most people would never notice the difference anyway. I need to maintain some of the patina here...I can't make things too nice...lol. I'm going to try it tonight, and I'll let you guys know how it works out.

This actually works out pretty well for me, because I didn't want to pay the Ebay prices for a complete 85/86 dash set...nor for a single radio bezel for that matter. Where this one is out of a plain truck like mine, I think I'll get it to match close enough...it's just going to be a matter of coloring that rounded edge (as opposed to the square/flat edging on my 1984 piece).

Ok, so I have to say this worked out much better than I expected! Here is the freshly Sharpied bead trim on my 85 radio bezel next to my 84 radio delete bezel. I guess the only question I have is: Is the little bead surrounding the radio opening supposed to be in silver also? I guess it probably doesn't matter much...I'm not going for anything "factory correct" here....I just want it to look like it's a matched set (and even then, just at a glance). However, I think it turned out great for a $5 bezel that I scrubbed with Spray-9 and a toothbrush for half and hour to clean...lol.





I don't even have a stereo yet...that will come this winter, but for 5 bucks and the cost of a 2-pack of silver Sharpie pens (also 5 bucks) I have washed away the potential guilt of cutting a hole in my radio delete bezel (not that it even mattered, really).

Looks great, Cory.    I applaud saving the radio-delete bezel, and this one looks very good.

Yes, nice job! It looks good, and will certainly match “at a glance”. Whether the radio opening should get the silver edging is a matter of taste on your part. The knob and shaft version has a silver frame but the whole area is obviously different. If you try it and don’t like it, 90% isopropyl should take it right back off.

So...back to the backyard Bullnose hunting!

I stopped to look at this old girl today. It's a 1980 F100 that the owner is looking to get rid of the drivetrain and chassis. He is building a hotrod with the body on a different (CV) frame.

This thing is a bare bones stripper! It is a 300/6 with 3-on-the-tree manual trans, manual steering and manual brakes. The interior is nice too...idiot lights instead of gauges, but it does have a radio and antenna, so it had at least one option installed.




I've been casually looking for a 300/6, but they're pretty rare around here. This one is cheap, but it has issues. Believed to have been run/overheated and then possibly hydrolocked.

The "3 on the tree" parts would be wanted by some. Some of the parts are obsolete.


And the Duraspark wiring harness, distributor and carburetor.


Time to time, people are seeking that type of mirrors.


What about the tailgate? And bed?

He is keeping the entire body and steering column, bumpers, and 9" rear-end.

Only thing available is F100 Swiss frame, engine, trans, and front suspension and axles, etc. DSII ignition might be available...he won't be using that. I'm thinking about some of the items;).

Like I need more junk...omg...

Somebody might be interested in the fan guard.

Motor mounts and perches are sought, from time to time, but would be a bugger to get.

People look for the oil dipstick.

1986F150Six wrote

Somebody might be interested in the fan guard.

Motor mounts and perches are sought, from time to time, but would be a bugger to get.

People look for the oil dipstick.

Did they even have a fan guard in 1980? This thing didn't have a clutch fan, so I assumed it was all wide open under there, but I don't know.

I must go research those 300/6 engine perches again...I know they changed several times over the Bullnose years, but it was never clear to me as to why...or how, etc...

I believe this fan guard is to protect fingers, not aid air flow. The perches are desirable to someone wanting to repower with a six banger.

1986F150Six wrote

I believe this fan guard is to protect fingers, not aid air flow. The perches are desirable to someone wanting to repower with a six banger.

Gotcha! The perches would be for me! But...would they fit my 1985 frame without modifications?...That's what I meant, I have to check into that...I know there are different versions aren't there?

I believe they will fit just fine.

1986F150Six wrote

I believe they will fit just fine.

Well that's good to know. It's not a big deal...aftermarket replacements are inexpensive. I just remember seeing in the LMC catalog that they changed several times from 1980-1996. It seems odd since the engine block didn't change much, nor did that part of the frame...not that I'm aware of at least. In the Bullnose era, they show one set for 80-84, and then a different set for 85-88. However, I know from experience that the LMC listings have been wrong before...

We have this table here: Exterior/Frames/Engine Perches.  (Boy do we need someone to rationalize this place!)

Gary Lewis wrote

Boy do we need someone to rationalize this place!

Why not organize things (especially parts) the way other Ford parts websites are organized?  You can't actually find many parts, but look at the categories on
https://parts.ford.com/shop/en/us/shop-parts
https://www.tascaparts.com/auto-parts/1984/ford/f-150/xlt-trim/5-0l-v8-gas-engine
https://www.rockauto.com/
https://shop.broncograveyard.com/1980-96-Ford-Truck_Bronco/departments/20/ (the worst of the bunch)
http://www.fordpartsgiant.com/

My intent has been to use the categories from the Master Parts Catalog.  I'd looked at several other sites but every one differed so I chose the MPC.  But, I've not stayed with it in every case.

One of the reasons I've not stayed with it is that we have many things that aren't included in the MPC.  Like literature.  Fasteners - yes, the MPC has them, but scattered willy nilly through the catalog.  EVTM's.  How-to's like Voltage Drop Testing.  And on and on.

So I don't want to change the main structure.  But there are issues that need to be sorted.  Things that are in what seem to be illogical places and we need a way to think through where the be more easily found.

Given that, I'm open to suggestions for tweaks to the layout.  If you find things in a place that doesn't make sense, at least to you, tell me - probably via the Website & Forum Suggestion Box.

Cory if you need any of that 300 6 Cyl gear and can't find it over there I have all the brackets from the engine that I have just pulled out to convert over to the 351 Windsor.

Oz Econoline/F100 wrote

Cory if you need any of that 300 6 Cyl gear and can't find it over there I have all the brackets from the engine that I have just pulled out to convert over to the 351 Windsor.

Hey Oz,
Thank you kind sir on the offer. I'm going to go look at a different engine combination tonight after work, so I will wait and see what shakes out from that. I was off my 300/6 kick for a while, but when this truck (parts) showed up for sale it got me thinking about one again. I've been wanting a full swap from a Bullnose, even with a failed engine, so that I didn't have to run all over the countryside chasing all of the extra parts.

I'll be in touch;).