Thoughts on original vs custom?

Curious about what you guys think when it comes to customizing these trucks.  I know this is a highly opinionated question and I would expect opinionated answers!  When it comes to customizing these trucks do you guys like to keep it mostly (or entirely) original?  For example I have thought about using bedliner on the entire exterior, but not a rough textured look, more like a smoothed out paint code matched matte finish with bedliner.  It will be a while before I do anything major like this, but again I am just looking for some thoughts/opinions.  I even thought about fabbing up a flat bed like the one in the picture below.  I love the flatbed look on certain trucks, but I just do not know how it would look on these bullnose trucks, especially a 1/2 ton 2 wheel drive.

I'll admit, for whatever it's worth, that 9.99 times outa 10 I prefer original and stock. One of the few examples of customization that i like (that comes to mind) would be running lights (they aren't visible/change the look) but at night when lit, they look awful purty. On my truck, ill redo my bench seat in the future, and ill admit that the original patterned fabric doesn't really appeal to me - in that case i may pick an "era appropriate" style/ pattern, but that i like more than the original.

....i know, i know, i'm a wild a crazy guy  

I think there are Bullnose trucks that deserve to be kept stock, like Paul's, and Bullnose trucks that beg to be customized.  Dad's truck will be far from stock, but may look stock to a Chevy guy.  Big Blue will look more stock but with EFI on a 460 and a ZF5, both of which came out years later, still won't be.

So, it is the owner's opinion that counts.  But, I'm not sure I'd like bed liner on the outside.  I'd have to see some pics in order to really decide, but it doesn't sound good at first blush.

But the flatbed I think I'd like.  Especially if you got a girl to drive it.  In Winslow.  (I've been on that corner a couple of times.  There's a red flatbed Ford there.)

I've never found any practical advantage to "keeping it stock" on such a common, inexpensive, utilitarian vehicle as an 80s pickup truck.  Sure, there are vehicles that it pays on, like Corvettes, Mustangs, & XK-Es; but no one is going to care or pay you a penny extra for an "all-original" '84 F150 vs. a sensibly-customized well-maintained '84 F150.  For me, the more modern systems an antique truck has, the more valuable it is.

From 20' away, my Bronco can be mistaken for "stock" (other than the bumpers) even by those who KNOW Broncos.  But it's pretty far from stock, by any standard, and getting farther every day.

My philosophy has always been: start with the closest you can buy to what you need, and then build it into exactly what you need.  I need reliable transportation over many terrains hauling & towing with as much comfort as I can get working or playing, so that's what I built.  My friends who buy new (or relatively-new used) vehicles every few years give me hell about driving the same vehicle I had in college; but when they need real help, they ask me to bring the old Bronco.

So think hard about what you NEED your truck to do.  If you need it to sit in a museum so people can see how these trucks looked when they were new, keep it stock.  If you need to drive or work it...

Steve83 hit the nail on the head. Build it the way and how you need it to do what YOU need.

One question to ask yourself if you are on the fence is can you put it back the way it was if you wanted to? Things like wheels/tires, or a flatbed are relatively easy to edit undo if you keep the old parts. Aftermarket sun roof or hood scoop would be a lot trickier.... and I would say spraying bed liner all over it falls into that category. It is not impossible, but extremely difficult to remove if you ever change your mind.

jstone4646 wrote

Curious about what you guys think when it comes to customizing these trucks.  I know this is a highly opinionated question and I would expect opinionated answers!  When it comes to customizing these trucks do you guys like to keep it mostly (or entirely) original?  

I like them customized, but within reason. Re-sale is always a big consideration for me. There's a good chance I will sell my truck later on and buy something different, and that is always in the back of my mind.
I have looked at lots of vehicles for sale over the years, and I've walked away from many of them because undoing the previous mods that I disliked was just going to be too much work and/money. I've also seen vehicles for sale for years and years because they were painted electric lime green or Highlighter yellow.

The problem in my area is the rust, and now, the condition of most of these trucks, my own included, is crusty enough that they're not in good enough condition to keep them original. If I somehow found an all original rust free Bullnose tomorrow...and it was still in factory original condition, then I would keep that truck all original, with the exception of throwing a nice set of wheels and tires on it.

I personally like factory original paint colors, or colors that look factory and don't stand out too much. I was looking at a Bullnose on Craigslist the other day that was all painted up in John Deere green and yellow....everything from the engine block and oil pan to the door panels. To me that really limits the resale of that truck. I personally wouldn't buy it...even if it was free...and delivered to my door...I just couldn't have it.

Bedliner on the exterior is something I have a higher tolerance for. It's not my thing personally, but I'd buy a bedlinered truck before I'd buy one that was painted up like a John Deere. Usually by the time bedliner goes on them, they're well past the point of ever being returned to anything original. I see it as a protective layer added to a vehicle that is still being used and abused (with love).

I would never touch a bed liner truck.... especially if it was a home made job. To me they just look like a dog that rolled in 💩 and it is so much work to remove that you might as well just buy a different body. I understand why people do it, I guess I would just rather look at scratches and chips and 4x4 patina than bed liner. How’s that for some honesty 😜. Not that I recommend against it if that’s what the owner likes and wants, but it will narrow your resale market if that matters to you.

There have been good answers or opinions posted so far and here is my opinion.

I am not into the bed lined or flat black trucks but would buy (and did) a flat black over bed lined any day.
As said I would not even look at a lined truck but I also see why some do it like running thru the woods but how many do that?

I do like seeing a good looking all stock truck as you don't see many around any more, they show they are loved. Most are now flat black, bed lined or look like they are driving to the junk yard.

As for me it depends on what I will be using the car or truck for.
On a car project (70 AMC Javelin) I have made a custom dash overlay out of real silver carbon fiber.
Base model had a engine turned silver overlay, car is not a base model, so first look it looks stock.
I also installed custom gauges where all the stock gauges were. Again a quick look you would say stock but the 160 PMH speedo a 4 gauge cluster where warning lights were an 8K tack where the clock was and the gauges printed with "AMC or Javelin" is not stock.
I have also added a T5 5speed trany in place of the factory 4 sp, again hard to tell when you look at it quickly.
On the out side I am doing flush mounted front & rear glass, a different year rear deck spoiler, looks like the right year but stands up more, and will have after market wheels.

On my 81 F100 flare side again little things you may not pick up on.
The big one is the style side metal bed floor in place of the factory wood floor.
Added the duel rear tank and molded the filler door into the rear fender to look factory stock. Even the dash switch is factory stock looking.
I am in the middle of adding driving / fog lights into the front bumper, not above or below it but in it.
I have already made the  front & rear bumpers "floating" as they do not show bumper bolts from the outside. It will also have aftermarket wheels.

Would I like to do a CV frame or front end swap on the truck? Yes I would but then I don't think the truck would be as useable as it will be now. It will be used to make dump runs and pull a trailer when needed. I just want a nice looking driver that I would not mind taking to a show or 2 when done.

So as said build it as you see fit to do what you need it to do. If that is factory stock or add a little custom touch or a full out custom build go for it. It is yours so build it your way.
Dave ----

I learned with my 1980 that although original is nice, it's just not as fun as custom. There will always be a part of me that loves clean, all original trucks. However, making them your own is what sets them apart from all of the other trucks out there. I get more complements on my Ranger with it modified than I ever did when it was stock. It's different, there isn't another one like it in town, and it definitely turns heads. Not only that, but it's built the way I want, and this new bullnose of mine will be the same way.

All good replies and thoughts to chew on from everyone so far, thank you for that.  My regular go to vehicles for about the past 15 years has been Wranglers, so customization is the name of that game...but customization within reason also.  I am a function over flair kind of guy when it comes to the Jeeps, no silly light bars, or "angry eye" grills for me as they are called around the Jeep watering holes.  Axle upgrades, lockers, lifts, tires, etc...I prefer function.  I would like to customize her up, but she is a 2 wheel drive long bed so I have no plans of going crazy with it.  If she was a 4x4 short bed step side....yea I would probably go ham, but I like the idea of having a rugged but stock~ish looking 85 with modifications that I can revert should I sell it at a later date, or want to change the function.

That all being said my goal for her is about half and half utility vs fun.  Runs to lowes/home depot for this that and the other.  Drive her to work a couple times per week during the warmer months.  Tow my Jeep with her occasionally to short trip events...that kind of thing.  The reason I have the idea of a flat bed in mind is so that when I do use her for those fun times I can strap all my gear to her while towing the Jeep, such as a generator, welder, etc.  Now a bed would do just fine for that but the benefit of a flat bed is that I can use it as an elevated sleeping/tent platform while camping.  The flat bed would be easily removed just like the regular bed using the same bolt holes through the frame so reverting would be easy.

I have however removed the idea of bed lining the exterior.  Most of you guys said it best, that stuff is practically impossible to remove should you ever want to revert back.  I think I will just get the current red (which I believe is a factory color) resprayed.  My wife wants me to do the patina thing...but IMO an 80s truck is not really in the patina category.  Do not get me wrong a lot of trucks pull off the patina thing very well, but for my particular 84 I just do not see it.

I think you have a reasonable plan.  But, with a plan you need to weigh each decision against the plan.  And if this decision doesn't fit with the plan then either alter the plan now, knowing full well the implications thereof, or don't do whatever it is you are considering.

I say that because I didn't adhere to my plan on Dad's truck, and I now have a trailer queen and a seriously-flattened wallet.  I like the results, but don't know how I got here.  

Gary Lewis wrote

But the flatbed I think I'd like.  Especially if you got a girl to drive it.  In Winslow.  (I've been on that corner a couple of times.  There's a red flatbed Ford there.)

"Take It Easy"

Well, I'm running down the road
tryin' to loosen my load
I've got seven women on
my mind,
Four that wanna own me,
Two that wanna stone me,
One says she's a friend of mine
Take It easy, take it easy
Don't let the sound of your own wheels
drive you crazy
Lighten up while you still can
don't even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand
and take it easy
Well, I'm a standing on a corner
in Winslow, Arizona
and such a fine sight to see
It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed
Ford slowin' down to take a look at me
Come on, baby, don't say maybe
I gotta know if your sweet love is
gonna save me
We may lose and we may win though
we will never be here again
so open up, I'm climbin' in,
so take it easy
Well I'm running down the road trying to loosen
my load, got a world of trouble on my mind
lookin' for a lover who won't blow my
cover, she's so hard to find
Take it easy, take it easy
don't let the sound of your own
wheels make you crazy
come on baby, don't say maybe
I gotta know if your sweet love is
gonna save me, oh oh oh
Oh we got it easy
We oughta take it easy

Who is that good looking guy?

According to Wikipedia is it just a likeness of some unknown man w/a guitar.  

But here's a better pic w/o the old man in it:

As most of you on here know, Darth is a far from stock 1986 F350 crew cab DRW pickup. First reason for some needed work, previous owner parked by feel, either when he heard metal bend or fiberglass crack he knew to stop. He had also slid on the frozen camp ground RV slots as the area was on a hill going down toward a lake. As a result both front fenders and one side of the hood were bent and a chunk of the left rear fender was broken off, He had been getting repairs at the Ford dealer in Gordonsville VA, who had a 3 day a week part time mechanic, who probably moved to Florida to work on Big Blue, or was at least related.

Got him April 1994, for $4500.00, took our 1987 Horizon up with my youngest and camped in the tent area, met the owner and paid him, drove back to the tent area and proceeded to fix the accelerator pump, link was not even touching the pump lever on the Holley front bowl. Hooked up the Horizon tow bar (from towing it behind the 1977 F150 with a pickup camper) and headed back East via I 64 going off track to Northwest Suffolk VA where a good friend who could do fiberglass work lives. Proceeded to look the front end over, wash the oil off the Horizon front end and look for the oil leak. 3 tie rod ends later and it drove a lot better, tightening the oil filter adapter bolt solved the leak. While this was going on Roy Weidmann was repairing the rear fenders.

Drove him like this through 2005 and into 2006, wife passed away from MS complications the end of 2005 but we hadn't been camping much since 2003 due to her MS. I had purchased a 1990 F250 parts truck for the EFI system and E4OD transmission, but wanted to go to MAF/SEFI as the bank fired 460s have a penchant for #5 cylinder problems and the parts donor engine was no different, #5 was burning oil, heads turned out to be fresh, but excessive leakage in #5 rings. I installed to top end on the 1986 short block, put in the E4OD and drove him a while as a bank fired system, I re-sequenced the injectors so they worked like a TBI or carburetor, 1467 and 2358 instead of the 1458 2367 they came as. The 460 lower intake is essentially an aluminum 4 barrel dual plane so this was a better sequence. While I was doing this, using a 302 SEFI engine harness, I did the grouping in the chassis end. My original plan was to use the 1990 dash and wiring, but there are not enough pins available in the engine harness for SEFI, a total of 32 available, 33-34 minimum needed, 1992 up, the engine to chassis interface changed to a 42 pin connector.

While I was researching this I was running into a major stumbling block, no one really had much information on MAF/SEFI for a 460 as only some 1996/97 CA spec models got it. I actually had someone on a FB group say it was a unicorn, I informed him I had his unicorn including an actual FEZ3 EEC-V box, but I digress, I was contacted by Adam Marrer of Core Tuning LLC, who sold me a nice package of EEC, Mongoose Pro pass-through cable and software along with about 1 year of excellent support. We spent about 2 hours the first night while he walked me through the parameters and what to lock out in the software. Since I was still in Newport News at this time I had Cox broadband internet and digital phone so he was able to login to my laptop and show me the procedure. The advantage of using the Ford EEC rather than aftermarket, I have several spares and actually sent one to Gary for Dad's Truck. I just need ones with the ML1-441 hardware code, doesn't matter what it actually came out of.

The final was the interior, HVAC etc. 1986, even a full power truck only had front power windows and locks, due to the door configuration, adding those to the rear doors borders on Mission Impossible. I had actually gotten a pair of 1987-91 rear doors when a 1996 crew cab came into Pete's Used Parts with a crushed roof, it was a Centaurus custom, with Ford/Alcoa rims and a really nice interior. Change of plans, go for the 1996 interior! so that is where the interior and wiring came from, 1996 uses a pair of plugs on the firewall, one for the front end and one for the chassis, everything is weatherproofed and the 1990 up does away with the triple fuel pumps, TFI module is remote and the EEC mounts from underhood just inside the left air box, so no need to cut into the air box area. Steering column also sits straight! I ended up with a nice, later looking truck, still with my original king pins and most of the exhaust.