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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"

PetesPonies wrote

My '82 has a blue engine. It is the 300. The 302 was left natural in the Mustangs, starting in '82. The T-Bird had a gray engine in '83.

Interesting info, thanks Pete. I wonder if my '84 engine was left natural? Other than the gray valve covers, I can't find any evidence that anything else was ever painted. The back of the block is bare, but has a few spots of paint...not sure what they represent, other than some kind of check marks on an assembly line.

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

Some reading I've done suggests that after about '82, depending on the vehicle, the valve covers got painted gray and the rest may have been left natural.

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"

Got the 302 out of the truck and on the stand yesterday. Started stripping parts off, but didn't get a lot done. I spent a couple hours today just cleaning up. I don't have much space to work in, so I have to keep it clean. With some more stuff removed from the engine, I see that the intake manifold looks like it was grey at one time too...and a couple of the clamps are painted grey, so I guess that confirms what my engine color was.

I'm going to be cleaning rust and grime for weeks I think;).

85lebaront2

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

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

I know Darth's engine was gray, as much of it as was reasonable accessible.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

Gary Lewis

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

Administrator

They seem to have carried the gray theme at least through 1990 as Huck is all gray.

Anyway, Rembrant, you are making good progress. Just getting the engine out is a big deal. A milestone.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

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

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis wrote

Might this help? Electrical/Battery Trays

But, I like the 1987 and later style tray better as it has a brace that bolts to the fender to take the load off things. And, it captures the battery at the bottom instead of using the top retainers.

I haven't been doing a good job of updating this thread. I shall get zero points for following up.

Question on the topic of battery tray(s). Do you know what was the stock spec battery for my truck? Both in CCA, and in physical size?

Gary Lewis

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

Administrator

Yes, and no. But I'm not sure I'll tell you 'cause you haven't done your homework.

Seriously though, there's no way to tell exactly - unless you have the build sheet, which tells if I remember correctly. However, the master parts catalog has a table that tells what could have come in your truck: Electrical/Batteries.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

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

Gary Lewis wrote

Yes, and no. But I'm not sure I'll tell you 'cause you haven't done your homework.

Seriously though, there's no way to tell exactly - unless you have the build sheet, which tells if I remember correctly. However, the master parts catalog has a table that tells what could have come in your truck: Electrical/Batteries.

Haha...understood, thanks Gary!

I'm going to order all of the parts to bring my battery tray and hold-down parts all back to stock, and I was just curious what size battery was supposed to be in there. The truck has a 34/78DT 800cca battery in there now, and it spins the little 302 over like nothing, so as long as it fits the bracket and hold-down OK, perhaps I'll just stick with that. You know, inquiring minds and all...

I'm sending my engine and all of the new parts out to a shop soon for check-up and assembly, and while they're out of the way and I have a little extra space, I'm going to work on the rehab of the engine bay itself. Not really looking forward to that one as it is IS pretty grungy...ugh.

Gary Lewis

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

Administrator

I like Simple Green to clean up greasy things. You can dilute it a bit, maybe up to 4 parts water to 1 of SG, but the less dilution the better it dissolves oil and grease. Let it sit a bit and then scrub with a nylon brush.
Then wash it well with water. Repeat.

I put it in a spray bottle, and do the same for water.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

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

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis wrote

I think Old Ford Blue is the correct color for the earlier engines. https://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-DE1621-Ceramic-Engine-Paint/dp/B00296DYD8

I picked up two cans of Ford Blue Duplicolor yesterday so that I could paint my valve covers (which I had been avoiding doing). I ended up going with the darker Ford 1606. The other can I had...1601 or 1621...I can't remember now, seemed to be too pale for what wanted. The darker blue looks like it belongs.

Ford F834

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

Administrator

That's a nice looking blue

I will keep that Duplicolor number in mind for when I clean up my engine bay. The 300 six is in great shape but it needs an "aerosol overhaul".

SHORT BED 4-DOOR DIESEL: 1986 F350 4x4 under construction-- 7.3 IDIT ZF5+GVOD

STRAIGHT SIX 4X4: 1981 F150 2wd to 4x4-- 300 I6 close ratio diesel T19, hydroboost brakes, Saginaw steering

BIG F: 1995 F-Superduty under construction— converting to 6.9L IDI diesel ZF5+DNE2

PetesPonies

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

In reply to this post by Rembrant

That's the blue that everyone think of when they hear Ford Blue. Looks good.

Pete's Ponies
Mustang RUSToration & Performance

1982 F100 Flareside
1983 Bronco

Rembrant

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

PetesPonies wrote

That's the blue that everyone think of when they hear Ford Blue. Looks good.

It was my understanding that the dark blue that I used is known as Ford Corporate blue? In any case, I'm not going for any show winning originality here, so the color was not all that important, but still, I wanted Ford blue. You can see that originally the valve covers were painted grey, and it was a dull and flat grey at that.

myrl883

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

Depending on the options ordered, bullnoses came from the factory with either a group 56 battery or (more commonly "in the day") a group 64. I don't think anyone builds group 64 batteries any more, but a 56 is fine. Believe it or not, OEM requirement was only 450 CCA for these trucks.

The original battery hold down was a plastic crossbar, 6mm j-bolts, and a triangular bracket that bolted to the top of the core support and over the forward j-bolt before you put the nut on.

Ford Parts Monkey since 1985
1981 F100 Flareside - Black, 302-4V Roller/AOD
1986 F150 Flareside - Medium Fire Red 302/AOD
1989 F150 Standard Cab 4x4 - Dk Shadow Blue 302/AOD
1993 F350 4x4 Crew Cab - 7.3 IDI/ZF-5
I think it's a sickness...

Rembrant

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

myrl883 wrote

Depending on the options ordered, bullnoses came from the factory with either a group 56 battery or (more commonly "in the day") a group 64. I don't think anyone builds group 64 batteries any more, but a 56 is fine. Believe it or not, OEM requirement was only 450 CCA for these trucks.

The original battery hold down was a plastic crossbar, 6mm j-bolts, and a triangular bracket that bolted to the top of the core support and over the forward j-bolt before you put the nut on.

Great info, thanks!
I just rec'd the new LMC truck catalog in the mail a few weeks ago, and it has all of the battery hold-down parts in it...not sure if they're a new offering or not, but I don't remember seeing them all in the previous catalogs. I remember the tray being there before, but not all of the extra parts...which I could be totally wrong on;).

Rembrant

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

In reply to this post by Rembrant

Finally finished cleaning up my new to me M5OD-R2 transmission this morning. New seals and gaskets are on order, and hopefully everything will be all ready to go in a couple weeks when I get my engine back.

Before and after pics. Lots of elbow grease into this...lol.

Gary Lewis

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

Administrator

Wow! That looks great!

Maybe even the same color as my two trannies and t-case. What paint did you use?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

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

Gary Lewis wrote

Wow! That looks great!

Maybe even the same color as my two trannies and t-case. What paint did you use?

I've been using Duplicolor Engine paint DE 1650 Cast Aluminum on all my aluminum parts...or parts that I want to be silver. It goes on nice and dries quick.

https://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-DE1650-Ceramic-Aluminum-Engine/dp/B00296CJGQ

It took me hours and hours to clean the damn thing before it was even half worthy of putting paint on. The top seal is shot where the shifter goes in, and the 3 rear rubber plugs in the top cover are known culprits for leaks...but I think this trans was covered partially in engine oil leaking out of the back of the valve covers.

Rembrant

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

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary,

While I have you...

I was reading the info you have for the speedo drive and driven gears. I made a bit of a mistake and went and sold my old 3spd transmission without confirming how many teeth the speedo drive gear had. According to my math, it should have had an 8 tooth drive gear.

Truck ('84) w/302 has 3.08 rear diff, original tires were 215/75-15 (27.7" OD), and 3-spd (three on the tree) transmission. Speedo driven gear is 18t.

The transmission I am installing is an M5OD-R2 5spd removed from a 1991 light duty F250 4x2 with 302.
Looking in the hole in the tail housing, the speedo drive gear is a light pale green color. According to the tag on the transmission, the F1TA-HB indicates the trans came with an 8t speed drive gear for either 2.73 or 3.08 rear diffs.

So, my question is, assuming I'm going from a 1984 trans with an 8t drive gear to a 1991 trans with an 8t drive gear, my existing 1984 18t driven cable should work, as long as it will reach, correct?

I know the cable driven speedos were only around for a few short years after the Bullnose right? Can I assume that the gears were all the same for the duration?

Any comments, good or bad?

Gary Lewis

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

Administrator

I think you have the speedo gears figured out. Should work perfectly.

On the transmission, isn't it amazing how hard they are to clean? The aluminum castings really seem to suck up the dirt and grease.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

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