Gary Lewis

Someone correct me if I’m wrong... but I think this topic has come up before and the consensus is that Ford did not make any F350 Supercabs with 4x4. There are a few random picks of such running about the internet but the assumption is that they were conversions. I’m not here to start an argument about whether Ford did or didn’t offer it, but if they did... they are that rare. This includes the Bricknose and Aeronose years as well, so I think you are unlikely to find a 155” wheelbase 4x4 chassis with a mono-beam front axle unless someone swapped it. If having a straight axle is a hill to die on for you, consider an RSK. If it isn’t, then consider a F250 TTB donor chassis with the right engine. That would make perfectly good sense as to why I have not seen a single one in the past year of searching locally, and currently can't find one nationwide. Thanks for saving me a few hours of internet boredom! I think Jonathan is right. I'd forgotten that you have a Supercab. (Maybe because you don't have a signature with information in it about what you are doing? )

Thanks, Dane.

I'll bet that V8 sounds good! And good job on the transmission cooler lines. On the oil leak, several of the trucks I've worked on had a leak where the wall between the cylinders is supposed to seal to the intake manifold. That then runs down the back of the block and looks like a pan or seal leak. Hope the stabilizer bar work goes easily this week.

Good work, Cory! That was a whole lot you got done. A month's worth for me. But I think you are right, there was no need for friction material on that corner. That system wasn't going to move. As for the ride, the bed doesn't weigh much, so.....

Got the fuse box wiring done today. Let's just say that getting 4 retaining clips released simultaneously to pull that buss strip out isn't easily done. But I got it out, finally, w/o breaking any clips, crimped and soldered a jumper in, and put it back. Then plugged the terminal connected to the jumper into a slot, added a connector & wire to the other side of the slot, and now have hot-at-all-times power for the security system, fused at 10A. Then I fished the three power wires up through the dash in convolute, joined the convolute carrying the driver's side door lock wires, and ran that over to the security system and beyond. Taped the wires up, rolled them up and tie wrapped them, and stuffed them into cavities in the passenger's side of the dash, as shown below. Then I put the dash pad on and pronounced Big Blue ready to have his picture taken tomorrow. Lots, and lots of wire needing to be connected:

Welcome, again, Michelle. Glad you joined. What part of Mississippi? Could add you to our map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) if we had a city or zip. Nice truck. I rotated the pic and made it a bit bigger. But you fell afoul of the antiquated software on this form. It doesn't read the orientation info in the pic's file, so you have to rotate offline. I use Photoshop Elements.

I don't know why they made it complicated like that, but that looks like a bandaid to some problem with the hot air choke.

Yes, if we can get the right part we can make it part of the how-to. But I don't think it is going to be the one Ford spec'd.

I'm happy to help. On the reel, you can pull one side off, the side w/o the mounts IIRC, w/o having the spring go everywhere. The reel stays on there fine if you are careful. And I think you could drill the rivets but leave the unit assembled, pull the wire all the way out to the last notch, and then pull the cover. That should let you replace the wire, although I've not done that. But the spring will be wound tight at that point and you will need to be even more careful. Maybe a clamp or a weight to hold the reel in place. As for that switch, Lakeland Ford has one for $70.60. How many do you want?

I'm not understanding that statement. Are you lifting it off the ground or just taking weight off by hand? Anyway, you are making progress. Good luck!

Yes, 300ma might be enough. And the https://www.amazon.com/Gikfun-Switch-Sensor-Arduino-EK1044/dp/B00R2MQD1Y gets you 10 of them for $5.98. You could put two or more in parallel but they won't close at the same exact time so the one that closes first would get the initial current.

True, Jim. But a question I've had, and failed to ask, is if it is really the wheel that is moving or the brake drum. The picture where he mentioned the movement shows the brake drum, not the wheel. And with the wheel off there's only the studs and axle protruding through to keep the drum from moving. And now he says the bearings are good, which is why I asked about the drums. He said this happened when he pulled the truck out of its winter hibernation, and I've been wondering if it is rust in the drum(s).

Yes Vic, there are far better lights but I like my OEM stuff and want it to work. I've done some more web surfing and have come up with little. A lot of stuff on this light was posted ten years ago and pictures and such are gone. We need a nice "How Too" on this little gem. It makes sense that the mercury switch is no longer available, but I found something on a replacement mechanical switch (ball tilt switch), albeit not sure where to acquire it. See below link. Where did you read about adding the toggle switch? https://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/71664 John - We need that how-to. Please write it. As for the switch, I've Googled and the ones I'm finding are very low current. The highest I've seen is .3A, which would probably work but is marginal. However, I think I have a mercury switch from the light I disassembled where the spring went EVERYWHERE. You are welcome to it. I'll look later today to ensure I actually have it.

Sorry I'm so late on this, but yes that is for intermittent wipers. The MPC says 80/86 F-U100/350 — w/intermittent wipers E0TZ 17A553-B and marked SW-1572 &/or E0TB 17A553-DB

Well done! I'm following along as there's lots to learn.

Cute, but needs a lot of work. Would be a good project, but I don't need another project.

Jochen - How did the brakes look? Any chance they were rusty and making the noise? On the shipping, I'm wondering if several of you in Europe could coordinate and have a container shipped over from time to time. Was just discussing this on Facebook with a guy from the Netherlands, who said he's going to join here. Don't know how or if it would work, but...

Thanks for that. I don't doubt for one second that the RKS setup and SD axle conversion is a superior option, but for my purposes, and what this truck will be used for, I don't know that it is a reasonable option to me at this moment. And again, if I'm wrong there, the worst case scenario would be I have a "phase II" of my project and do a RKS on a bricknose. The difference in cost would be at the cost of the donor I'm searching for now, and I don't think its a matter of cost as much as it is just finding the right truck/configuration. I would be looking for an '86 or later F350 4wd. That will come with the D60 where an F250 will get you the TTBs. But note that it needs to be an '86 or later as the '85 F350s had TTBs. And I think you want single rear wheel (SRW) not dual rear wheel (DRW).

I'm working on how to document my fuse box changes, and my plan is to laminate these and put them in the fuse box - once I get them correct, sized right, etc. The fuse box layout is the one from the EVTM with the stuff about the connectors removed, and the fuse size and circuits protected one is a spreadsheet I created to mimic the factory table. I'll be changing that to have all of my info in it. I'll be happy to put these out where others can use them if that would be helpful.

The 2150's didn't have a full electric choke. It was mainly hot air with electric assist. This is from our page at Documentation/Fuel Systems/Carburetors, Chokes, & EFI/Chokes:

If I'm looking at the right kit from Sky, it's around $600. I doubt I come by a SD axles for less than $500. So....am I safe to assume a 4x4 conversion is going to be roughly $2k in parts? Honestly, that seems reasonable, and would provide more benefit over just the 4x4 (ride, etc. as you mention). However, if I'm ok with the ride and design of a bricknose chassis 4x4, wouldn't it be a much more cost effective way to approach it just to swap the body? I'd still retain the option to do a shackle kit upgrade and axle upgrade in the future in the event I really did hate the ride that much. Please correct me if my thinking is wrong here. Thanks again! I paid a salvage $1225 for a D60 axle, panhard bar & bracket, brake calipers, shocks & towers, lockouts, rotors, & SuperDuty & F350 springs as well as about the front 1/4 of a frame. And the Sky kit I bought was their 85-91 Ford F-350 4x4 2" Front Shackle Reversal (Superduty Spring) and it was $995. Not saying that is what you need, but that's what I bought. So if you are "ok with the ride and design of a bricknose chassis 4x4" then you'd be far ahead, money wise, to use it and do a body swap.

Good to hear that the dash/gauge issues are at least resolvable. Yes, definitely two strikes, both of which are caused by my own personal preference. In all honesty, I did quite a bit of reading prior to purchasing the truck I have, but didn't quite take into considerations the issues of maintaining the original interior as much as possible. I'm not against custom gauges like I mentioned before, knowing that they aren't a cheap option, but if it means retaining the original interior as much as possible, so be it. I'm simply not a fan of the newer interiors. I bought the current truck because after a year of searching, anything with even remotely close body condition/paint/interior was selling for anywhere from $7-16k, and still weren't exactly the truck I wanted, so I figured I'd buy this one, and make what I want. Regarding emissions/diesel VIN...non-issue, thanks to good ole' fashion Missouri ways. Regarding the core support, I've seen a couple examples elsewhere where a bricknose core support was ultimately used with some massaging. I'll be looking more into that. I have not explored the option of the RSK option...I'll look more into that tonight. I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to this being a two-part build, with the first being a drivetrain swap from a bricknose IDI ZF5 truck, then later an RSK for the 4x4 component. I would also retain the well preserved frame by going that route. You need to get Shaun/salans7 on here to discuss converting a 2wd F250 to 4wd. It isn't as easy as doing the same on an F150. I'll tag him.

That's a bummer! Call them? They are pretty easy to talk to.

Yes, I've had fits with the capped ones.

That's a nice truck for the price. If Hagerty is right, that one is a good buy.