What do you use your truck for? Do you consider it complete?

What do you guys use your trucks for?   Work trucks?  Cruising?  Daily?  

Are you "done" with it as it sits, or are you trying to fix it up more?  

I see a lot of trucks on FB groups.  They may have a $1000 stereo, lift and big tires, but don't seem to run. I want mine to run as good as I can get it first, then all the other stuff.  

I have had projects in the past.   I know me and know that my project HAS to run and drive at least somewhat.   Otherwise I'll get bogged down and never get it going.   And I need to be able to do most of it myself.  Soon, I will have to take my truck to an AC guy to have it checked, charged, etc.  I'm just not an AC guy.  And all the "heavy lifting" was done by PO on mine.  I'm just fixing little stuff - brakes, cosmetics, etc.  Nothing that has to be done before it is safe to drive.  Seems reliable for the moment.  

I'm kinda "done" with my truck now.  I have interior where I don't hate it when I look at it.   THe outside is rough, but serviceable.   Everyone compliments it so it looks ok I guess.  I'm trying to keep a "time capsule/survivor" vibe with it, so I don't have to have it shiny and all that.  Wife sees it simply as a tool - a beast of burden to haul things with.   So it works for that as well.  

What are you guys doing?  What's your goals?

 

Good question.  And since I have two Bullnose trucks:

Dad's Truck: Nowhere near finished.  Not even drivable.  Taking a back seat to Big Blue.  But the goal is to be a trailer queen that shows what Ford could have done.

Big Blue: Not done, and probably never will be truly DONE.  But he is now drivable after two years of transformation.  Still a fair amount of things to do, like the security system, and on-board air, and bed cover, and this winter the EFI.  But I use it for trips on country roads or Jeep trails or, hopefully, overlanding.

I didn't really answer my own question so much.  We have been using mine for what we bought it for - trips to move furniture, landfill, repaired a storm door from my mom's house.   I drive it to work on occasion for fun.  

Hoping to do some cruise in's this summer for fun.   It's at least slightly worthy - heck I'm proud of it.  40 years old and still running.  Get it good enough to be confident enough to take it out of the county at some point.  There is a seat for sale 60 miles away - do I trust it that far on interstate?  Not sure yet.  

I’m no where near done as well...

Just got my truck about a month ago and already have done a bunch of routine maintenance with some cosmetic fixes.

As far as my plans - just to throw a few out there:
- repaint
- total interior re-do
- I have bucket seats in the front of my truck already, but they’re old and dingy so I want to find a solution to change them up but, to be honest have no idea where to even start.
- power doors
- security system
- nice wood panels were put in as a bed liner but now they’re old and splintered so I want to reverb those

As far as what I use the truck for - right now it’s really only for cruising and running errands around town, with the occasional friend that needs help moving in exchange for some brews

Gary Lewis wrote

Big Blue: Not done, and probably never will be truly DONE.  But he is now drivable after two years of transformation.  Still a fair amount of things to do, like the security system, and on-board air, and bed cover, and this winter the EFI.  But I use it for trips on country roads or Jeep trails or, hopefully, overlanding.

How do you plan on putting a security system in?

By on board air do you mean AC or air compressor?

And fuel injection?! Why, might I ask?

Let's see... I have two "old" ford trucks... but only one is a bullnose. But I'll talk about both:

1984 F150: Off-and-on daily driver. Also used to haul things in fair weather, for things that are already weatherproof, or are too big for the Ranger (see below). Also gets a lot less hate than said Ranger (although I do get crap for driving old stuff all the time ), making it the preferred choice when visiting known old truck fans (or when I want to make a point). Done? Nope, and likely never will be. Interior has many issues yet (headliner, dash pad, seats, and floor are in rough shape, for one), the bed floor is rough (needs media blasted and spray/roll lined). Oh, and the rotted out baling wire exhaust (everything beyond the cats) that I keep putting off because I can't decide between a DIY kit that everybody says either works great or is worthless junk, or a custom solution that is more than I'd like to spend at the moment...

1995 Ranger: Off-and-on daily driver (when not driving the F150). Also used to haul things that need weather protection, theft protection, or are fragile enough that the F150's bed is an issue (it has a plastic liner and a Swiss Wedge camper shell). Is a lot sportier than the F150 and gets somewhat better milage (it's a long bed RWD 4.0), and has been in my possession longer than any other vehicle I've owned ever (more so if you include the 1995 3.0 that preceded it and was partially parted out to build the current ranger). Is a lot rustier than the F150, and is starting to have some concerning frame issues (rust hole by a shock mount, haven't fixed yet other than knocking out the rot to see what's solid); if another long bed 1995+ ranger (preferably 1995-1997 with a fully optioned interior and a 4.0) in better shape turns up for an affordable price, likely it will be replaced and parted out since the rust is IMHO beyond economic repair (it was from Aurora IL, lots of salt in the winter). Otherwise, is it done? No, but a lot closer than the F150... Other than fixing some issues (broken items or repairs not to my satisfaction yet), it's there... until I think of another upgrade.

Randy, I wouldn't think twice about a 120 mile trip to get a seat.
Do you usually have problems that would leave you stranded between fill-ups?
The interstate is relaxed steady state crushing.
I'd be more concerned about stop and go in town or stuck in a 30 mile traffic jam.

My truck finally did act up and get me stuck in Vermont last July.
But it wasn't immobile, and I rather enjoy it there in the national forest, so the tools/parts frustration in a town of 3,000 wasn't SO bad...  

I use my truck for moving materials and bringing my tools to jobs.
It is thirsty and I beat it mercilessly. But it is simple to fix and (on the whole) very reliable.

I have no rational reason to not trust it.  It has started every time I've asked it to.  I've run 50 gallons of gas thru it.  It has new tires.  Tomorrow I will do rear brakes and it will have all new brakes.  

Previous owner said he was driving it to work, 80 mile round trip, a couple days a week and that was the old brakes, cracking tires, bad brakes.  

Steering is vague as these will be.  But everything works.  No reason to worry about it really.  All in my head.

Jordanlogo wrote

How do you plan on putting a security system in?

By on board air do you mean AC or air compressor?

And fuel injection?! Why, might I ask?

The security system is explained in this thread: http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Installing-A-Code-Alarm-ca1155e-Security-System-td90983.html#a91039.  But it isn't up to date as the discussion about door lock motors isn't complete.  DO NOT BUY the ones shown there.  They are JUNK and do not have enough power to operate the locks.  I wound up using old Ford door lock motors, which are much stronger, and using the boots from the ones off Amazon to cover them.

The on-board air system is a 110v compressed air system for airing up tires.  It is run by a 3KW inverter, and will be used at the end of a Jeep trail to bring the tires up from 15 to 30 PSI so we can hit the road safely.

EFI is going on for several reasons.  I'm passing the truck on to my kids and want something they can maintain, so I'm going to install Ford's EEC-IV system so there's an OBD-II port into which they can plug a scanner.  But the EFI system will provide better economy than a carb, and it'll provide better performance across the wide range of altitudes that I plan to take the truck to.

I bought my truck to do weekly trash runs to the dump, trash smalls bad in the vary hot summer in my SUV!
Well when I got it home I took it completely apart for a rebuild over 4 years.
I did not rebuild the motor as it ran good before the work started, or the rear axle, but everything else was gone through.

When I got it on the road, first road test it failed big time but just made it back to the house.
A week later the fire drive was 35+ miles to my work for a car show they put on for 60 years in buss.

I found the T18 transmission was junk so I found a used NP435 and bought Advance Adaptor over drive unit to install with the swap.
I also got the AC working late last summer but had a leak I hope just fixed.
I have a oil leak that I need to find and fix and I am still tweaking the carb / timing for better MPG.

With all the work I have done to it there is nothing more I want to do other than enjoy driving it.
It was done to be a nice looking driver, back up to pull my car trailer, and hit a car show or two.
Had 2 people at the gas station and 1 today at the dump say it was nice looking truck.

I do drive it to work a lot, 35+ miles each way, and use it weekly for the trash runs.
Someone calls it the "garbage truck" LOL see the trach in the bed?


Yes I did all the work.
Dave ----

Yes!     Yes, I do.  😁

But I think "Garbage Scow" has a certain cache that is more becoming.

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I think "Garbage Scow" has a certain cache that is more becoming.

Should we move that to the Truck Names thread?  

Surewhynot?

I bought a set of emblems to replace the "custom" moniker on my truck.
But it's not appropriate for this forum, so....
The ebay item number is 254831965346

You made me look
Dave ----