BigBrother-84

They look to be out of stock everywhere, for more than a year. I frequently do some web search, even the plain black one seems nowhere to be found. So I repaired Big Brother’s one (mainly replacing the speaker grill, acceptable clean look), waiting to find a new one someday. I’ll post some pics in the «Dash Pad» thread.

Curt, Of course I am interested. Slightly used parts are much better then no parts at all. I will do some clutch work on BigBrother, so working around the transmission would be a good time to replace these bushings. I am located in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada. Be comfortable to tell me if you prefer not shipping across the border, I will understand. If not an issue for you, you can email me directly to discuss the price and other conditions. Thanks!

I always stop, backward or comment movies each time a Bullnose (or even an older gen F-Series) appears on screen. Which earns me to be booed every time.

Thanks!

Well, not sure if Big Brother ever had a Catalytic in his ancient life, but under the hood it is written «non catalytic».

Hi! We had a very BIG thunderstorm and heavy winds here on Saturday pm. Just have electricity back this morning, bit of internet (soooo ssssllloooooow) still no phone. Lost some trees, but no major damage here, we were lucky. They had 8 death in Ontario, one life lost here in Quebec (Outaouais region, next to here Laurentian region). I’ll come back to the forum in few days, time to get back on our legs. So, my silence isn’t lack of interest!

Hi Gentlemen, Made some search to find these parts. Not easy. Gary, I saw you had (couple of years ago) similar discussion on "another" forum. If somebody has some more recent infos (where to find these parts, or using other bushing to make some), it will be welcome!

That thing used to be an exhaust mount, back when the truck still had it's original exhaust! Super! Thanks for the fast answer!

Hi everybody! Another question from the Bullnose Dummy. While under the truck, taking pictures of the transmission crossmember (planning to change the last crushed bushings of Big Brother), I saw this « thing », don’t know why I never did before… Thanks to illuminate my mind!

Just enough to look as a 747 cockpit?

I was joking, but I realize this could be potentially interesting. If such projector can act as a projector, meaning display any data from video input…. Why not access every data we want? https://www.caraudionow.com/best-head-up-displays/

Gary, What about Windshield Projected Active Display? Kind of:

Same for me! Curious about the carb swap. You certainly specified it earlier but I didn’t see. What MPG presently, and what are your hopes with this swap?

Partial picture of Big Blue’s 747 cockpit?

These ones cannot be confused with factory ones, but they could have some appeal for those who want a modern look in their old truck: https://www.cafr.ebay.ca/itm/293505393392?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=FbUvpIMuS2i&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=IndEmVWHQBa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Just curious, not planning to equip Big Brother with some. Does any forum friend have installed one of those? How do they fit?

Well, after reading at some threads and googled for “steering damper” (I even didn’t know how this was called, thanks Gary ), I conclude that… there is no conclusion at all. Everyone has his own opinion, it looks more to a philosophical belief than a proven scientific fact. Thanks to have shown me how to search about this subject!

Very nice wheels! And, very nice bed rails too!

Thanks Gary! Going to instruct myself…

Sort of Karma. I am the kind of guy who keeps "old things" for very very long time. Often for years and years. Just "in case", we never know... Systematically, I need them just AFTER throwing them to garbage. That's not an exception, that's a rule.

Ok, friends, possible to teach me about these famous direction shock absorber? What is exactly the goal? To avoid the “pizza paste rolling syndrome” that I suffered of, before finding a brand new steering column without any loose parts? Or for any other purpose, even with a really firm direction? Thanks!

I wish I knew you were looking I have a set! OMG Angelo! If only we could have realized this before! I sent another post two months ago, without success... https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Styleside-Bed-Top-Rail-8-Foot-Bed-td115533.html It's really sad! If my eBay buy is a flop, maybe your kit could fit better, who knows? I will post my "rails journey" on this thread: https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Bed-rails-8-Styleside-box-td110412.html

I reply to this thread, in order to clarify the rail kit compatibility. I hope that the 1973-1979 used ones that I bought today will "perfectly" fit my '84 8 feet bed. I will post the results here when I will have received the rails and all the fitting parts (I had to complete my buy with some Dennis Carpenter and Greensales items). I made a lot of search and I am confident. An interesting thread is available here (https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/180208-bed-rails.html), but without clear conclusion. Does it fit "perfectly", or simply "correctly"... We'll see. I plan to list here the complete OEM parts numbers, to avoid any confusion. For those interested, I grabbed these nice and clear diagrams (for 6' and 8' bed). Stay tuned! -Diagram-4-D3TZ-9932230-B.pdf -Diagram-3-D3TZ-9932230-C.pdf

Today, I spent money... After almost two years of searching the Web, and waiting for Dennis Carpenter to re-stock a back-order reproduction unit, there was a used one punching out of eBay this morning. This was the last part I was desperately looking for, without any success. I jumped on it, no time to hesitate. I bought OEM 8' Top Bed Side Rails for Big Brother. Cost an arm and a leg, I know. Strictly emotional, absolutely no intelligence involved in that move. But I finally got it. They look nice, although with some "life scratches". I will consider to send them to a chrome refurbish shop, we'll see.

Thanks Gentlemen for these explanations! In fact, I am not planing any «Jekyll & Hyde» operation on Big Brother, but I find this kind of modification VERY interesting. And with the fuel price "explosion" (ok, bad dad joke), who knows if couple of us will eventually look at this possibility more seriously. Just knowing this is possible is already a great thing. As long as it remains occasional truck use, it will probably still be more economical to pay for gas (even at 10 MPG). But for those of us who ride their old F-Series more often, this could be an attractive solution. We can also wait and see if any «EV retrofit» will ever become a reality, such as "Ford Eluminator concept" or other similar proposals. If such kits ever see the light of day, it will probably be much more complicated than going EFI, since all the propulsion, drivetrain, transmission, etc, will also have to be replaced or seriously modified. If some day you feel you have too many free hours in your life, copy-pasting your «Carburator-To-EFI-Frankestein» journeys in a specific thread could be nice. If only for posterity...

Gary, I suppose there is a specific thread about these EFI conversions? Or maybe each member had his own? If so , possible to have it (them)? Thanks!