My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Nice job Cory.
Mine did have some rust but not bad to the point needing replacing.

How did you attach the plates to the fenders?
Looks like maybe pop rivets?
If so did you fit the fenders to the side panels and fit the SS plates in place and mark the fenders where they  should go?
I ask because if the holes were drilled for the bed side studs and then put on the fenders in the wrong place the holes & studs will not line up.
Dave ----

Well done!  Yes, you could sell those.  When you need some you need some.

FuzzFace2 wrote

How did you attach the plates to the fenders?
Looks like maybe pop rivets?

Dave,

They are attached with 1/4" stainless bolts and nuts. The factory brackets were attached with rivets and some kind of adhesive that resembled body fill. I just put the 1/4" bolts in the same holes the rivets were in. Between the holes in the fenders and the holes in the brackets, there was little to no play for adjustment, so all I really did was check to make sure the the brackets were not sticking proud of the fender edges.

I drilled the holes in the new bracket to directly copy the original bracket, and the mounting holes are quite large...maybe 1/2"?...So there's lots of wiggle room there. If I have any fitment issues I'll just "adjust" the problem holes with a die grinder. However, I expect they'll be OK. There was quite a bit of room for error there.

I would think most people south of me...or south of the northern states will not have to replace these brackets. Mine were especially bad. Below is a picture of one of the better ones that was on my truck...lol. The ones on the driver's side were not in this good condition.

Ray Cecil wrote

Nice. Cory, as usual, is inspiring me. However, I cant seem to catch a break to capitalize on the inspiration.

I wonder if my brackets are rusted out. Fenders seem solid to me. I will have to check.

If you look in there with a flashlight you should be able to see them OK. The dirt and road grime does build-up in there though, so that hide the rust.

Speaking of inspiration...mine usually comes because I have no other choice...lol.

Too bad the value is still so low on the Bullnose trucks. I paid too much for the old thing as it was, and I'll have way WAY more time and money into it than it will EVER be worth...lol, so I guess we can just say we're doing it to save another truck from the crusher, and to relive some fond memories from the 1980's.

Rembrant wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

How did you attach the plates to the fenders?
Looks like maybe pop rivets?

Dave,

They are attached with 1/4" stainless bolts and nuts. The factory brackets were attached with rivets and some kind of adhesive that resembled body fill. I just put the 1/4" bolts in the same holes the rivets were in. Between the holes in the fenders and the holes in the brackets, there was little to no play for adjustment, so all I really did was check to make sure the the brackets were not sticking proud of the fender edges.

I drilled the holes in the new bracket to directly copy the original bracket, and the mounting holes are quite large...maybe 1/2"?...So there's lots of wiggle room there. If I have any fitment issues I'll just "adjust" the problem holes with a die grinder. However, I expect they'll be OK. There was quite a bit of room for error there.

I would think most people south of me...or south of the northern states will not have to replace these brackets. Mine were especially bad. Below is a picture of one of the better ones that was on my truck...lol. The ones on the driver's side were not in this good condition.

It sound like you have it covered it was more for others that may try and make them and have them on the fenders then find out the bracket is to high or low to match the bed side studs.

Rembrant wrote

Ray Cecil wrote

Nice. Cory, as usual, is inspiring me. However, I cant seem to catch a break to capitalize on the inspiration.

I wonder if my brackets are rusted out. Fenders seem solid to me. I will have to check.

Speaking of inspiration...mine usually comes because I have no other choice...lol.

Too bad the value is still so low on the Bullnose trucks. I paid too much for the old thing as it was, and I'll have way WAY more time and money into it than it will EVER be worth...lol, so I guess we can just say we're doing it to save another truck from the crusher, and to relive some fond memories from the 1980's.

What I am not going to make a ton of money if I sell my truck
So my full rebuild is for the love of it and to keep me poor then
Dave ----

Well, here's goes nothing...first test-fit with the new wood floor (Marine plywood). I know a lot of people will not approve...lol (I know, it should be oak), but it rolled off the assembly line with a plywood floor it will be rolling out of my garage with a plywood floor.

Now, get it all fitted, drilled, and installed...and then turn around and remove it all to varnish it next week.
So much to do, and so little time.

I love it when a plan comes together!!!!!  Looking GOOD!

Looks great! That’s the catch with these trucks and Broncos. Might as well keep them, you’ll never recoup your time and money! So keeping them nice as you are is the cherry on top!

Looks great, Cory!

Cory is that 3 pieces of ply wood under the strips?

Oz Econoline/F100 wrote

Cory is that 3 pieces of ply wood under the strips?

Yes it is, marine grade plywood. Same as it came from Ford, except I'm not painting it. I'm going to be putting a spar marine varnish on it.

Thanks Cory! Mine must have been replaced at some stage. It has individual boards between the metal strips which are now twisting and out of shape. I think I will eventually go down the same route as you with the ply board.

Oz Econoline/F100 wrote

Thanks Cory! Mine must have been replaced at some stage. It has individual boards between the metal strips which are now twisting and out of shape. I think I will eventually go down the same route as you with the ply board.

Depends on the year of the truck Oz. From 1980 to sometime late in 1982, the bed floors were individual boards (7 boards, and six metal strips). After that, until 1987 it was plywood with five metal strips. The plywood was in 3 pieces, and the 5 metals strips made it look like it was individual boards.

I'm already getting some flak from a few buddies for installing plywood in there...lol. I know oak is the defacto standard for classic truck beds, but I'm not spending the money on it...not this year at least.

Good explaination, Cory.  I looked it up and it was July of '82 when the change was made, as shown here:

Gary Lewis wrote

Good explaination, Cory.  I looked it up and it was July of '82 when the change was made, as shown here:

Gary,

Yes, I should have clarified, when I said late in 1982, I meant late in the 1982 model year. I've seen a couple 1982 Flareside owners confirm that their trucks had the plywood floors, but they were late build trucks. Do we know when in the Bullnose era that Ford changed the model year production? August or September? If the floor switch was in July, there must have still be a month or two left of 1982 model year production, or else the parts list would have said 1980-1982, and then 1983-1987.

By the way, on a side note about the plywood. I've been varnishing a test piece all week with Spar Marine Varnish. Three thick coats on it now, and I think it looks pretty good. It's darker for sure, but not too dark.

That's a good question.  And I don't have a good answer for when the model year production changed.  But I've kind of assumed it was August.

However, looking at the TSB Index I see that the 1981 initial specifications came out on Sept 15th, and the 1983 specifications came out on Sept 24th.

Maybe someone knows?

Anyway, post a pic of the plywood with varnish.  I'll bet it is going to look beautiful when you are done.

We had this discussion about my flareside in another thread. Mine is a June or July 82 san Jose California I believe, with the individual boards. Someone thought it might have been one of the last of the beds with the individual boards.

When you get a chance check your build date, please. If July and you have individual boards that’s something we should capture, maybe on the Y2Y differences page.

June 1982

So, was the end of June the switch over to 3 piece ply?