BigBrother-84

Thanks Gary! Nice job!

Yep. For sure. In my case, when I figure out that my ordered items will keep me busy for a month, I finally have to admit that I am always much too optimistic in my projects estimated duration. Zane, I hope you're better than me!

Gary, as always, you’re on top! 👍

In case anybody is curious, if you dig into the air cleaner decals (or any of the OEM style replacement decals) they almost always track back to Jim Osborne Reproductions. They're in the Carolinas somewhere...I forget which...NC or SC, or maybe Georgia. He used to have a really extensive website, but I can't find it now. All that turns up is a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sr281/ Edit: Their phone is area code 770 which appears to be Atlanta, so I was wrong on the Carolinas park, but in the right corner of the country at least lol. Cory, They answered fast! I downloaded their PDF catalog, but don’t know if possible to share on the Forum. This is a partial screen capture of the Ford Truck air cleaner section: They have a lot of reproduction decals!

In case anybody is curious, if you dig into the air cleaner decals (or any of the OEM style replacement decals) they almost always track back to Jim Osborne Reproductions. They're in the Carolinas somewhere...I forget which...NC or SC, or maybe Georgia. He used to have a really extensive website, but I can't find it now. All that turns up is a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sr281/ Edit: Their phone is area code 770 which appears to be Atlanta, so I was wrong on the Carolinas park, but in the right corner of the country at least lol. Nice! I sent them a message, asking if they have a web site. We’ll see!

Jonathan, many thanks for these informations. Door sticker: I paid Marti to receive a supposedly identical replica of Big Brother’s door sticker. I received the report by email and still waiting for the sticker. I am really curious about the informations it will contain. Thanks for sharing yours. Stupid question: Where to stick it on the door post and what orientation? I saw on the web that some are vertically oriented, but others are 90° flipped. Front axle: We are on summer vacation right now and we came back home yesterday. The grass was so long (!) that I had to differ my truck projects: The tractor mower strap finally burned out, will repair and finalize the mower job today. Can’t wait to go under Big Bro.

Matt, Mothers sells couple of different products. Do you mean the “Mag Paste” one? Or maybe something else?

There are some free apps out there that enable you to open a font and modify any letter you want. I did it for my office logo, needed to reply a vintage "Lettraset" sheet I used that wasn't existing for computers use. I can help if needed, and Gary could archive the font for future use. For those interested, LMC sells some 5.8 Liter decals: https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Aluminium-air-filter-cover-rejuvenation-tp122523p122603.html

Well, somebody already did the exact font replica for us… LMC sells three different “5.8 H.O." decals, and for what I can see (in my case), they almost replicate exactly the original one (the H and O looks a very little “fat”, but the “r” is good):

Nice and clean, I like it! Only one thing Gary, I sincerely hope you won’t need it.

Tom, thanks for these complementary informations. This seems to confirm that the X stamped plate is really the one for the 351W. So hard to find! My junk yard has any. Found only one on the web (eBay), not cheap but I ordered it. I can't wait to receive the parcel and confirm this is the part I am looking for. I’ll post here the result of this operation. Thanks everyone for your inputs!

Move North. Big Bro has no AC. Right, much too hot… 4-5 days per year.

Many thanks Dane & Shaun, you made me realized that the Marti gives these codes informations…. So sorry guys, I am curing a Covid and it is obvious that the Marshmallow-Under-The-Scalp isn’t completely gone, my synapses are slowly working again. For my 1984 Crew Cab, W361 is identified as 9300lbs GVW. Same as the brochure. Wife and I were confined at our chalet, going back home soon, I’ll be able to crawl under Big Brother to identify the rear and front axles. Thanks again all of you, for your friendly help!

I already received the Marti Report by email, and still waiting for the door sticker. In the report, there is a picture of the sticker I suppose they are going to send me. I this is the case, I’ll be a little disappointed, some informations seem to be missing (tires, for example): But there is a Type-GVW spec on it: W361. What does it mean?

I like it!

Thanks Gary for sharing your exact same experience. I was figuring out that fine sanding was probably the way, but you know, as an avowed lazy epicurean , I was hardly hoping a magic stuff enabling to avoid losing decals. About these, yep, I already read this interesting thread https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Custom-Air-Cleaner-Decals-tp116148.html. Another To Do on my list, this project will force me to create an identical TrueType font. When done, it will be a pleasure to share it with Forum friends. Another item to organize and store in your famous library!

Hi Gentlemen! As some of you know, I recently cleaned up and repainted Big Bro’s airbox. Reading at another thread about aluminum wheels, and following Gary’s comment (https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Ford-10-Hole-Aluminum-Rims-tp122436p122451.html), I realized that some of you could have suggestions about cleaning spotted aluminium air filter cover, in order to bring it back to its young days. Compound? Wax? Clear coating? Your ideas will be welcome!

Aaaarrrgghhhh, Dane, why, why this question? Shame on me, shame on my body work friend! We lost the tag! Each time I think of it, it tortures me. Was it sandblasted? We just don’t know what happened. I ordered at Marti a supposedly identical reproduction, waiting for it.

In the past, before restoring Big Brother, I kept there four bolts used to pin my ATV ramps to the rear bumper. I knew I could find them there, at their place. Well, when not lying on the floor, since this compartment has no door and isn’t really reliable. Maybe a pocket Kleenex pack would be more stable in it. More seriously, I decided to look over the web, so I googled for you and spy about other guys usage. Some of them obviously use that hole, but pixelated pictures do not allow good identification: Sorry! I tried really hard!

Wow! Congrats Gary, and many thanks to this lady! I really have to work on this library cartoon drawing! BTW, couple of weeks ago I went back to the Ford dealer guy who owns couple of old catalogs. He answered he is not in a hurry. Not sure he is serious about giving or selling his old documents…

Gary: Thanks a lot, again you showed me the way! I’m going to religiously read at it. Shaun: So, figuring Big Bro is a F350 4x4 Crew Cab, chances are that I will find a D50. Unless my buddy's uncle's best friend tells me something else. JFI, Marti says «4.10 Dana Conventional Rear Axle». About the weight question… Marti mentions «9,001-10,000 Lb. GVW», whereas the 1984 brochure shows «9300lbs GVWR». I admit that this makes me a bit confused.

Hi Gentlemen! The Marti Report identifies the rear axle, but no mention about the front one specifications. How to put a name one a 4x4 front axle? Any code in the VIN? Only visual method? Or does the rear axle has something to see with the front one, meaning that it’s a team so if you know the rear specs, you have the front ones? Thanks in advance!

I hate FB. This « Timeline » construction is annoying, almost impossible to retrieve an information you saw and need to look again. I subscribed to couple of "private groups"…. I just almost never go. If a FB page is in order to make a kind of publicity for the Forum, kind of «Hello! Join us at this address», maybe I can buy it. Otherwise, don’t see what plus-value it will afford. Generally speaking, I use to «Google» an information I am looking for. It never takes me to FB. I found the Forum while googling. EDIT: BTW, couple of years ago, I created (and administrated) a public FB page for our local secondary school football team, for which I was volunteering. It was a nice way to rapidly share each game sport photos, the boys (and their families and friends) were anxious to see the latest game pictures. They could react, post their comments, their laughter and their tears. This FB page was a nice «group emotional sharing place». Actually, my office (also my daughter’s veterinarian hospital) each have a corporate FB page. My younger partners (yes.. I’m now the grey haired senior) administrate our page, posting our latest activities an projects. Kind of publicity for our office, showing who we are and what we do. So FB can be a tool. But its timeline structure (in my humble opinion) is not built to enable easy searching, nor any kind of cataloging or information sorting. I am pretty sure a FB page could only be a directional publicity for the Forum, nothing more.

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