Gary Lewis

Proposed phone holder: https://www.amazon.com/Huhoo-Dashboard-Rotation-Adjustable-Smartphones/dp/B08GWQQDRN/ref=asc_df_B08GWQQDRN/?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=&hvpos=&hvnetw=o&hvrand=&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583932710343469&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=1285329449391383&hvadid=80333178208075&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583932710343469&hydadcr=Truck is looking good, Gary!John - Thanks, both for the compliment on the truck as well as the link to the cell phone holder. Do you have one like that? Do you think it would clip to the lip of our dash cover? As for what I did this afternoon, I ordered the Yitamotor LED lights, and they should be in on Sunday. Given that, I needed something to hook them to, so I installed the fog and backup light relays, as shown below. (For those not familiar with this truck, you are looking at the area ahead of the firewall on the driver's side, with the hood hinge showing in the bottom right of the pic.)They work perfectly and now the fog lights can come on with the marker lights or any time I want. And that blue wire in the pic, which is the one to go back to the backup lights themselves, is hot when I put the Backup Light switch into the On position. I haven't yet wired into the backup light circuit so that lead will be hot when in Reverse, but I hope to do that tomorrow as well as extend the blue wire all of the way to the back.

WOW!!!!!

To complicate matters I do have a 1981 color chart. Ignoring names and numbers, my paint most nearly resembles 8R - BRT Caramel Iridescent. However, not sure who makes fords charts but mine is R-M auto products. Inmont Corp (not Ford proper) No matter how i rotate it, it comes up sideways That's kind of hard to read, so here 'tis with a couple of changes. Anyway, if you use the # from Ford's paint chart, 5757 if I remember correctly, then the supplier ought to be able to mix it to factory specs. However, that won't match what it is now as it will have changed. So if you want what it is now they they'll have to scan it and mix to match.

Well, no comments yet. But y'all are probably waiting for this. Here's a BAD () rendering of one of those lights in two different positions. First is with it secured to the step plate of the bumper, and that puts it 3" forward of the rear edge of the plate and 3" back of the crossbar on the hitch. The second pair is with the light against the crossbar of the hitch, meaning that it is 6" forward of the back edge of the step plate. I think I like the lights and am about to order, although you might be able to talk me out of it. But I'm also interested in your thoughts on placement. I think I like having it close to the crossbar, but far enough off that the light can be rotated outward slightly if I want to get farther to the side. That gives the maximum shielding of the light by the step plate, and protects the light as much as possible.

That's a lot of money, and I'll bet it goes on up. Maybe to $45K?

Grew up driving a '55 Buick Century. Would run 85 MPH all day long, but took its time getting there. However, if he's working on mounts I'm guessing he put an LS of some sort in it?

Yep, I do both as well. Have TurboCAD for the computer version - not the best choice, but it works for me and has let me make some 3D-printed things. But simple things like a backup/worklight for the truck go so much easier with cardboard. That kayak is impressive! That's a big one. As for the visor, it might not have originally been designed for blasts down the quarter mile?

We are into that "Tease Of Spring" season. After the Deep Freeze it feels like Spring is right around the corner. And apparently the plants & trees agree 'cause the pollen count has taken off. But Mother Nature usually isn't done with us, so I'm not getting my hopes up.

Yep, Cardboard Aided Design. Plan to do some of it myself today. Anyway, it really is looking GOOD! That head-on shot is cool! Love those headlights. And the high roof.

Looking good! And congrat's to your son. Well done! Doesn't look like much snow on the ground now, so maybe things will clear up soon?

These trucks are just onions, and we peel them and cry, peel and cry. But soon we have enough to have a mess of onion rings, and they taste soooooo good! So, keep peeling and you'll get there. And it won't be long for the driving season there. How long is the good weather?

Scott - I'm thinking about pulling the ball and placing the 7-way in the center. That way I can place the lights where I want them and angle them out if I want to. Jim - I agree about being back in, both for protection when backing up as well as keeping the light out of people's eyes. I'm thinking they'll be used in camp as well as backing up, and it would be nice to have them back far enough to use the bumper as a shield to cut off the beam's upward angle. Cory - Thanks! I never would have noticed if you hadn't said. Bob - None of the lights I'm looking at are over $20/ea, and some are less than $10, although I'd spend a bit more if I found exactly what I want. But I don't think I mind LEDs in the rear. Don't know why, but they would be functional. Chris - If you'd start a thread we could put lots of thoughts and ideas in it and they wouldn't get lost in this YITAMOTOR LED Light Bar 2PCS 18W 6 Inch Flood LED Work Light. As it says, it is a flood light, not spot, which is what I want. And given the height of ~2 1/2" they should tuck back in nicely to either side. And the stud mount would let me angle them if I want. I'll use something to mock it up tomorrow and see how they'll fit. Thoughts?

Pull all you can pay for. Nutmeg is an unusual color and you'll be able to sell it over time.

It looks great, and will last forever. But I would put a little graphite or some other dry lube on it to ensure that it'll stay lubed over the years.

Yes, lots of things have been held up at that hub. Bummer for you!

That would work, Jim. But I think I like mounting them to the flat part of the step, as shown below. A 4" high light will be protected by the cross bar, and even taller lights would be protected to some extent by the hitch itself. So, just have to pick some reasonably inexpensive lights to go there.

Good point, Cory. Thanks!

I'm pretty sure they are, but I believe I have a Mustang air cleaner so will check tomorrow.

Yes, that's my thinking as well. I think I could put them beside the hitch, but don't want to put them below. Looking at that pic I might have an issue with the trailer connector, but I can move that.

X2! Your father's shop does good work!

I would use the numeric paint code instead of the name. That's because Ford wasn't too consistent with their naming. Go to the page at Documentation/Specifications/Exterior Paint Codes. The 6 and 7 are spring codes: Documentation/Specifications/Spring Codes.

I don't have a place to put a phone holder on the dash. So far we've just laid the phone in the little drink holder thing that sits on the seat, but we are considering one of the arm rest/drink holder combos so dunno how that would work. Scott - Not sure those lights would go on the back of BB. Wouldn't want them to hang down, but the shot below from this brand light, that clamps on the same way, shows the lights side-by-side and that might work nicely. But, how did they do that?

Interesting. All of the ones I've seen, none of which have been CA, have two.

That's cheap, even with $10 shipping. Should be a desired part.