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My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

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Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Not much new news on the old Blue Mule project truck these days...everything is working very well, and I've been getting out for the weekly car gatherings (Thursday nights, weather permitting of course).

I guess no news is good news? Just driving it, waxing it, and showing it off whenever I can. With the classic car shows all cancelled this year due to Covid-19, I haven't gotten it out into the public eye as much as I'd like to, but I did attend a classic car show and shine today and the old Bullnose got rave reviews (But no trophies).

Something worth noting...and I forget exactly where we were discussing it earlier this spring, but my new door seals have settled in quite nicely and the doors are no longer difficult to close. When they were new, I could barely close the doors at all without slamming them as hard as possible. Now, they actually seem fairly normal...or like tight doors should feel I guess. Two thumbs up for the Fairchild door seals kit.

I have all of the new SEM paint for the dash and door panels, but haven't gotten to it yet. Between the humidity and being in the middle of car season (driving the truck on a weekly basis) I haven't really wanted to rip things apart for painting. I hope the paint is OK sitting for a while...which reminds me, I should go and give it a good shaking...lol.

The engine does have a lifter tick on cold starts that annoys me greatly...it seems to hang on a little too long sometimes, but it does go away and quiets down. Once warmed up, the engine/carb starts and runs as well as any EFI 5.0L does.

In any case, it's a huge hit with the old guys (even if they're not Ford guys...lol). Flaresides are always a hit (even though nobody calls them that...lol).

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

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

I'm SO JEALOUS! Sure must be nice. Congrat's!

And glad the door seals are settling in. That is good news.

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: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Gary Lewis wrote

I'm SO JEALOUS! Sure must be nice. Congrat's!

And glad the door seals are settling in. That is good news.

Well Gary...I'm not sure what I think about this, but I decided today that I must get one of those folding camping chairs to take with me now so I can sit by the truck...hahaha...and I swore that I wasn't going to do that...lol.

And I got a sunburn today too...maybe I also need one of those umbrellas too...

Cooler full of ice and cold drinks...
Folding chair...
Umbrella (or ball cap at the very least)

Showing it off is fun

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

Rembrant wrote

Well Gary...I'm not sure what I think about this, but I decided today that I must get one of those folding camping chairs to take with me now so I can sit by the truck...hahaha...and I swore that I wasn't going to do that...lol.

And I got a sunburn today too...maybe I also need one of those umbrellas too...

Cooler full of ice and cold drinks...
Folding chair...
Umbrella (or ball cap at the very least)

Showing it off is fun

Make sure you have someone take a pic of you by your truck in your folding chair and under the umbrella, cooler by your side, for the up-coming virtual truck show.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Machspeed

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

Awesome build thread and resulting beautiful truck! I like the way you ran your exhaust versus how I had mine done. From the factory, my exhaust run from behind the passenger rear wheel. When I put full dual exhaust on it, I kept with the same configuration. At start up, it throws moisture and raw fuel on anything that side of the truck.

Forgive me, as I may have over looked it but what headers did you go with? I know they are shorties, just didn't catch a specific brand.

John

"Blackie" - 1986 F150 4x4 - Mildly warmed over 351W HO - Original owner

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Machspeed wrote

Forgive me, as I may have over looked it but what headers did you go with? I know they are shorties, just didn't catch a specific brand.

They are BBK shorties.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bbk-3510

I know a lot of people kinda frown at shorties and prefer long tubes, but I wanted a nice clean and easy exhaust install, and the shorties allow for that.

Machspeed

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

Thanks! I'm with you on the Shorties.....I put JBA shorties on my Mach 1.

John

"Blackie" - 1986 F150 4x4 - Mildly warmed over 351W HO - Original owner

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

In reply to this post by Rembrant

I bumped into a couple of local automotive journalists a week ago during our local classic car night. They are a husband and wife team that do automotive testing, and arrange large auto events and new model presentations. Anyway, they had been doing a print section in the local paper every week and now run a website. One of the things they do is an East Coaster of The Day feature every day or every other day. The old Blue Mule was posted today.

My Bullnose's 10 seconds of local fame...lol.

https://www.eastcoasttester.com/

Link to my truck just in case.

https://www.eastcoasttester.com/east-coaster-of-the-day-39/

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

That is cool! So COOL! Beautiful. Well done, Cory!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

grumpin

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

That is great! Glad to see it.

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

ArdWrknTrk

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

In reply to this post by Rembrant

Well deserved recognition for a beautiful truck, Cory!

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

71_badmach

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

In reply to this post by Rembrant

Man, those headers are a thing of beauty! Thanks for sharing. I like the ease of shorty's over the long tubes anyday.

Dave
85 F150 EFI 302
Ohio

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

In reply to this post by Rembrant

Another little thing I have been wanting (and trying) to get done for the past year is to have somebody make me a new Ford dealer decal to replace the original one that was on my tailgate. The dealer where the truck was sold originally is long closed and gone (mid to late 90's I'm told), and I like the fact that the truck has a local history. Most 'nice' old trucks around here are from down south, so I feel the old Blue Mule can have some honor as a long time local east coast truck. The original dealer was on Cape Breton Island, almost 180 miles away from me. It's a small enough town that you'd be surprised that it even had a main brand dealer, but I suppose the days of the small town dealers are mostly gone now, I don't know.

The old decal when I bought the truck:

And the July 2020 replacement:

It's a weird little thing, I know, but it makes for good conversation;).

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

I really like that. It is a neat touch. Well done!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

grumpin

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

I like it too!

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

kramttocs

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

In reply to this post by Rembrant

Looks perfect!
Little stuff like that makes all the difference.
Just an fyi on a similar vein but there is an ebay seller that has those window seat belt decals/stickers. So if anyone has to remove them for tinting or whatnot you can add them back after. I believe these trucks came with two different kinds so it may not be the exact same that gets removed but 'close enough'.

Scott
'Camano' 1986 F250 Supercab XLT Lariat 460/C6
'Chanute' 1980 F350 C&C 400/NP 435 - Gin Pole

But there ain't nothin' wrong with the radio

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

kramttocs wrote

Looks perfect!
Little stuff like that makes all the difference.
Just an fyi on a similar vein but there is an ebay seller that has those window seat belt decals/stickers. So if anyone has to remove them for tinting or whatnot you can add them back after. I believe these trucks came with two different kinds so it may not be the exact same that gets removed but 'close enough'.

Funny you mention that, I've had a couple people ask me where I got the seat-belt stickers or whatever they are on the driver and passenger door windows. I don't think I even really noticed them prior to them asking, and now I see them every time I get in the truck.

I like little things like that. It's funny what some people notice. I like the original dealer decal as a conversation piece. People often want to know the 'story' on the truck...where did it come from, what did you do to it, etc.

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

Start writing that story as you'll need it for our upcoming show.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Simple mind, simple pleasures....

I got some vintage Ford jewelry for the front of the old Blue Mule. I've been looking for one of these "Ford Trucks" plates for a couple years now. I like my plain chrome front bumper, but at the same time I wanted something to put on there to break it up a little bit, ya know? The province did away with our front plates here 15-20 years ago.

Funny story: So one day a couple weeks ago I'm scrolling through the online classifieds coast to coast looking for 1980-1986 Ford stuff. I see this ad on the west coast, a good 3500+ miles west of me for a 1980-1986 Ford truck grill, and the seller said he'd throw in this vintage Ford Trucks plate with it (Both had been hanging on the wall in his shop for decades). The grill wasn't a Bullnose grill at all, and appeared to me to be a 1979-1991 Econoline grill. So I messaged the guy and said hey, that's not a truck grill it's a van grill, and by the way would you sell that plate? He replied and said that a couple people already asked about it and he was thinking about it and had no idea what it was worth. So I emailed back with my offer on it, had a couple more exchanges with the guy and two weeks later it's in my mailbox. It's not mint...a bit dinged up and a couple whiffs of overspray on it, but it fits well with the other roughed up areas on my truck, and my front bumper isn't so bare anymore!

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

Looks great, Cory! And that is a neat story.

So, the Blue Mule is covered for the winter?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

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