BigBrother-84

I found replacement rear armrests on eBay. One came complete with the angled clips but not the second one. I used square plastic clips for license plate and clipped them from behind (pointing towards the cabin). It is strong and the armrest is like new.

End of summer, one of my son decided to give me a hand and began to wash the north facade of my home with my pressure washer. Suddenly it ceased working. I took my tools for a deep surgery, opened the heart, pump, switch, etc, trying to find the problem, cleaning everything. Everything seemed ok. I wrapped, rebuild and closed the body, and tought that it this time, it really was "the end"... then realized that I did not checked the outlet. Yep, the safety breaker was out, just had to "reset" it. Lost my PM, wall is still dirty, but the pressure washer is like new.

I'll go back meet him and see what he agrees to share with us. I'm not a professional photographer, but I have a good equipment and I can take pretty good pictures. Hope he will agree to let me document his "Aladdin's Ford Cave". Not sure he can join a Web Forum... The phone is maybe the most technological device he can use. We never know, I'll discuss with him and see.

When offering my own Dad a drink, he always answers "we are never not thirsty". BigBro seems to fully agree...

Just for fun, today I went to one of my client's home, a Ford collector. Just to show him BigBro restoring result, knowing he will be captivated. First time I went there, couple of years ago, I had to park my GMC Terrain there, but everywhere were signs with "Ford only, all others will be towed". This gives you an idea about his humour. Unfortunately, he wasn't at home. This gentlemen owns two Ford-T, one 82 F-150 (brand new, less than 100 miles. Right, not 100,000, but really only 100), a Ford fire-truck with skis and caterpillar, and some other machines that Ford museum asked to have, but he refuses. I took this picture at his "private museum" (totally private, no public there). He transformed his garage looking as a vintage gas station. What a character he is!

Looool! That explains lot of things! Yesterday, I had a short trip with BigBro (about 40km, 25 miles) and was surprised how fast the fuel level dropped. It's been two years I didn't drive it and, I admit, I forgot how much he is thirsty. In fact, I was almost suspecting a hole in the gas tank... Reading at you folks, I simply realize that BigBro runs smoothly and is just drinking "normally".

OMG! I hope you'll recover fast!

OK, well received!

Wow, that's a pretty good lead! I'll check at it, if something with proper dimensions is available. Many thanks!

Loool!!!

Good to hear! That sounds very similar to my "Clutch-Bearing-Twitty-Bird". 😉

No Problemo! I feel you excited about that, like a kid hearing Santa's sleigh bells! I hope this won't be a false alarm! Don't worry, I'll do my very best and take this really seriously. I'll come back with the most precise infos as possible.

Ok! I'll go meet him next week and see what he has. I'll try to collect the more precise description as possible and will come back. If interesting things, I'll "pdf" and organize them.

Gary, from time to time, when I'm looking for some parts, I give a try at my local Ford dealer (we never know). Usually they don't have what I am looking for. The guy at the parts department knows very well his stock, he works there for almost 40 years. Last time I went, talking with the guy about BigBrother's restoration, he told me that he kept at home all the original parts catalogs instead of throwing them to garbage. Not sure about the exact nature of these documents, but I surely can ask more precision, if you think this could be interesting.

Happy that you found the noise source. Is it completely gone? I ask because, listening at your video, behind the main loud "screaming", I think I also hear kind of weaker continuous "tee-tee-tee-tee". Do you have manual transmission? I have this kind of "bird" in BigBrother, this comes from the clutch bearing. When clutch pedal is pressed, bird is gone, comes back when pedal released.

Thanks for suggestions, I'll study the question!

Hi Gary! Question: What is this "New Home Page" menu? Using my iPhone or my desktop Mac gives the same, it appears as a blank page when trying to open it. Thanks!

Hi people! Somebody has a solution? Exhaust pipe and RH mud flap are too close, and the flap tends to "melt". As far as I remember, I always had this issue with BigBrother. Maybe there are some moulded and rigid flaps (so they could be more vertical and distanced from the pipe) but I didn't find any that fit our trucks years. Flexible flaps follow the angle of the fender's contour, which results in an "angled" position. Thanks for suggestions!

I realize that I was probably lucky... I have look for parts/repair solution when last July I found a bran new OEM column on eBay (no tilt). Wasn't cheap (around 300$) but, wow! it is SO comfortable to drive straight without having to roll the wheel left and right as if preparing a pizza dough. About the turn signal, I had success disassembling it, major cleanup and reassemble it. Works like a new assy. Quite precise and delicate job, but it was worth the effort.

Relax Dane, you got your public! I catched and smiled since BigBro doesn't have any neither. I am serioulsly considering to design something that could fit our tailgates, maybe "inspired" by something similar to Pop & Lock. Can't admit there's nothing to do!

OMG, Dane!!! I just precise that here, shooting from any type of vehicle (even ATV) is completely ILLEGAL! So imagine my little person when I look at these guys, who are calmly talking about "hunting" with machine guns mounted on an "easy to operate" automatic tripod... it seems completely surreal! It sounds to me as a humoristic Hollywood Rambo parody That said, I also tought about a "James Bond" similar approach, when his car simply explodes during an attempted theft. Goodbye the thief, but unfortunately the car too... Well, I would prefer a solution that enables to not keep the truck locked in my garage when going to the grocery with a "fake truck", so if I am stolen, it won't be the authentic one. If a nice lock solution does not exist, there's money to make to create one... I'll think about that!

Hi Gentlemen! Searched over the topics and did not find a conversation about this. I'm probably blind, pretty sure this subject is already covered... Anyway, I'm back with it: Is there an anti-theft lock solution to protect our precious OEM tailgates? Thanks!

Hi Bill, You're right, this seems to be a "tough" setup. I'll search info about it. Thanks!

Hi gentlemen! I didn't pay attention when restoring BigBrother, and discovered last weekend that the new rear chrome bumber is probably larger than the original (which I didn't kept, too rusty and lot of pucks). The hitch is now very far under the bumber, and the ball mount is now too short, so the ball is almost stuck to the bumper side. I went to local shops to find a hitch replacement, they all have the same answer: This is the only listed model available. I ordered longer ball mount, but this solution results in a lower towing charge capacity. Cannot move the hitch further, already at the frame limit. Am I the only one with this problem? Any suggestion?

Hi, I had exactly the same trouble (passenger side). I had to take out the latch assembly to understand that the rod linking the lockset to the larch assy was bent. Not easy to detect, since this rod has already couple of twists in it. I don't know if this is similar with powered keylocks. Hope this can help!