BigBrother-84

I can actually testify that the guys on this site make us feel at home, as full membre of a nice family. No matter about where we live, even the ones from the Frozen North! Many Thanks to all the admins and membres!

The guy who will invent a kind of "split" shrinkable sleeve that can be installed anywhere along a damaged wire will be rich. Any idea my friends?

Will be a nice gathering! Sorry to live so far!

Well, it appears that you have put your finger on the solution, Sherlock. Curious that Marti doesn't use the designated wording for that specific colour pattern.

More seriously Invisibleman, I am wondering why you prefer not to replace all the panel and cut it in order to keep the contour and the tail light corner? I am absolutely not a body guy, I had the great help of a friend when restoring Big Brother. So, maybe this is a strategy to facilitate the installation of the new panel? Will you cut the new panel with exactly the same dimensions, or will simply install it over the existing remaining contour? http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/uploads/6/5/8/7/65879365/thinking-26_orig.jpg

Great news Gary, happy to hear that the nice preparation of the metal base and the glue did the job! Now, let's patiently observe the test, only 3649 days left, regardless of leap years.

OK, I see that "invisibleman" is working on transforming his Bullnose invisible too, beginning with the bed side right panel, uh?

David - You sum up my question perfectly ! Gary - Thanks for the pics! But... Was it deliberate that you posted only front bumpers ones? What about the rear bumper, do our European friends have to "fold" their licence plates? What about the plate lights? Still wondering...

Hi Gentlemen! Really not important subject, just curious. Looking here and there on the internet, and crossing some Bullnoses owners located in European countries, I suddenly realized that the bumpers dot not allow long slim licence plate, space is made for more "squared" American style ones. I am wondering how you handle this issue?

I fully agree that , for now, and for lot of years ahead, I won't be able to reach my fishing camp and come back home with any electrical vehicle. And not to mention the winter time here which reduces by more one third the battery range, big deal! But I sincerely hope that you're wrong about the delay, and that it will take less than a century of technology progress to get vehicles with similar range than our gas cars. Maybe a different thread will be required for that. Hydrogen, maybe? Let's keep optimistic!

While I see the advantage of going electric, 87 or 99 miles doesn't seem very far - even with 14,500 lbs on board. And a 6-hour recharge time seems very long. But, how do they safely put 14,500 lbs on board an F150? Gary, you're right! This load seems so heavy. Not surprising about this small autonomy range. But technology goes fast, I am confident that there we'll not have to wait a lot of years before there will be acceptable kits on the market.

For those who, as me, are curious about the subject. In August '21, Gary posted this: https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Ford-Announces-The-Eluminator-Crate-Electric-Motor-tp103351.html Last May '22, Cory posted this: https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/1980-F150e-Ranger-Electric-Conversion-tp119131.html I recently discovered that a company near me (Montreal, QC) does an electrical conversion kit. Interesting. I suppose this could fit in a Bullnose as well. http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/uploads/6/5/8/7/65879365/thinking-26_orig.jpg There is a paper about them (Ecotuned inc): https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1124262_electric-ford-f-150-already-exists-as-second-life-conversion-kit They already have couple of electrical F-150 running around Montreal. I propose that we group these different electrical conversion kits in a unique thread. If someone finds another kind of kit, just post it here, will be easy to find! What do you think about this suggestion?

David, it is really weird! This rail has the same scratch at the same place than the used one I bought... so similar that we could this about a manufacturing default. Life is sometimes so strange...

I agree Gary, but this new technological mirror is certainly heavier than the plain one, so it probably participated in your bracket sudden death. Would be bad that it falls again during your trail trip. I wouldn't take any chance.

When I had to change the windshields (yep, couple of, Big Bro had a long gravel story), they always came with the Ford fixation already in its place. Have no idea about the glue the manufacturer uses. But for some other car I had (I think it was one of my Renault 5), I remember I messed up with this thing... even with the supposedly specific dedicated glue. A good friend of mine owns two Ziebart shops. I questioned him and he answered this is a very specific commercial glue, not available for customers, he suggests to go to such a shop to repair it. Here, he does it free, so maybe not too expansive in your region too.

OMG! That's the Gari Baba's cave treasure sale!

You own the first 1986 F-250 Snake Edition!

Ok, bed rails finally installed! I bought a used 8’ rails kit that was in fair condition, although the 4 corners chrome supports were tarnished and all six black plastic pads were missing (not a surprise, this was clearly described by the seller). I had to complete my purchase with a 6’ kit from Dennis Carpenter (8’ kit is back ordered for almost two years now), and two center support black plastic pads form other source. About the 6’ and 8’ kits: Rails length set appart, they have different center supports since the short bed does not have six rectangular holes on bed top, only four. Then, the center support of the 6’ rail has to be drilled on the bed top, but the long bed allows the center support to be attached the same way than the corner supports, using a fixation plate. The rest of the kit is the same. With this miscellaneous hardware on hand, I had all parts needed. New stuff: - The four corners supports, their black plastic pads and their screw - The two bolts for the center supports - The two black plastic pads for the center supports - The six fixation plates and their little black plastic tab - All rail screws - The sliding load retainers Used parts: - The two rails - The two center supports and their side plastic covers There is no installation instructions in Dennis Carpenter’s kit, just this parts diagram. More detailed instructions would have be useful, since they send two different thickness of the corner supports black plastic pads. Without any clear instruction, I had to figure out why the kit contains these different pads. Looking closer to the pads, we can see that the thick and slim ones have the same end part number, but they have different prefix: Thicker begin by E2TB Thinner begin by D3TJ Considering that the kits numbers vary for different years, I concluded that E2TB ones were ok for my ‘84 Bullnose: Not sure why the pads differ... Maybe the bed top is slightly different for F-Series generations, from 1973 to 96. There is a guy who posted these pictures on this thread from the Other Forum (https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/180208-bed-rails-2.html), showing bent rails: Anyway, the thicker corner pads were significant, using them kept Big Brother’s rails straight and not curved. Conclusion, seems that Dennis Carpenter is right when they sell their rail kits for 1973 to 1996 trucks, the beds are enough similar to enable the rails fitting all these years, just requires to play with the plastic pads thicknesses.

So Gary, do not take any unnecessary risks: Never anchor Big Blue's winch to something higher than its bumper!

Looking closer, you're right! And considering The Gods Must Be Crazy was filmed in 1980, can't be Big Blue. And with a name like that, can't be Gary neither.

Was this Big Blue???

Changed all coolant hoses. Flushed the rad, rinsed thoroughly with fresh water. Changed rad cap and thermostat 195° (curiously the old one was 180°). Did not drill the 1/8" hole, stainless steel is too hard. Filled the system with new coolant. Changed the headlight bowls with Ford OEM. LMC sells good stuff... and sometimes cheap one. Their bowl kit was VERY cheap So I found OEM bowls and adjusting screws (all new!) and changed them. Solid now, will just have to adjust the beams.