Gary Lewis

I like the idea of using the coat hooks found on these trucks! And, they come with rubber covers. But I'll take a look to see if there's a place in the center to put the mike. Hadn't thought about that.

Dane - Thanks, but I have a mic holder, which has an adhesive backing but also has screws and that's what I'll use to secure it. I'm looking for something(s) to hold the cord when the mic is in the holder.

Jim - There's not much room inside. There's not even enough to put any of the Carling switches I'm going to use, so I doubt I could put one of those in there. The cord is just barely too long, although it is surely going to stretch some. What I've been thinking of is to put a couple of hooks up there, as shown below. That would keep the cord laying along that soffit and if they were very shallow the cord would come off of them easily. However, now the hooks are starting to look like something that could hurt me in the event of an accident. So maybe a shelf with a little lip? http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/uploads/6/5/8/7/65879365/thinking-26_orig.jpg

Jim's in a much better position to answer your question than I am since, as he said, he's running a v belt on a 3G and I'm not. And, I fully agree with his recommendation of an LRC regulator. That's because even with a serpentine (ok, Bill, "polygroove") belt mine still squealed on startup with the "right now" regulator. But with a 2 second regulator it doesn't make any noise because the load is applied smoothly over that 2 second period.

Shaun - I'd aready seen that number as a replacement in the MPC for the E0 part. I got a few hits on that it so I'll see how much they want for them. Jim - Amazon has Quad for $6.28, which seems to be a much better deal than buying a new light. I'll probably go that way, but will see what the dealers want for the light. Now for my progress - the Highliner is IN! Not completely done as I have to install the speakers and do their wiring, which is hanging down in this picture. But boy was it WORK to get the speaker wiring up the B-pillar and across inside the roof. Wow! I installed the radio and tested it, and it works well! The sound comes out the speaker holes very nicely, and Janey's voice was as clear as a bell. I'm pleased! Anyway, here's a driver's eye view of the radio: One thing I'm thinking about is mounting the microphone's bracket where the arrow shows. But I need some way of keeping the cord up, out of the way. Any suggestions?

LOL! I didn't know anyone but Bill and I remembered Chicken Man.

Cool! I especially liked "Don't you laugh, it could be you!"

Have you tried Rock Auto? I've had problems with them, but for the most part they are one of the most complete suppliers around. And don't miss Jim's comment about buying a complete system. I did. As for the check valve, this search turned up several. And the assortment on Amazon looks good.

I like that rubber one, Scott. I've never seen one of those. As for the LMC kit, $45 + shipping will be last resort when I have a good light. But I'll keep it as a reserve. Thanks.

Thanks, Scott! If he can do it I can send my old one if he needs it. Jim - Yes, good idea. What about exterior caulk?

That's a bummer! I'm thinking about trying to make one out of that Noico sound foam. Or just RTV.

Midday report - the antenna connectors are installed and the antenna lead shortened. But does anyone know a source for the cargo light gasket? The MPC shows it as part of the light kit, and gives it a # of 15A551. I guessed that the whole part number is E0TZ 15A551-A since the light is E0TZ 15551-A, but haven't found it that way nor as E2TZ 14A551-A, which it might have been since the kit has an E2 prefix.

Ok, now I think I understand. Thanks for the explanation.

Yes, I kinda thought the wiring approach was cool. Tomorrow I plan to work on the antenna wiring/connectors, and then I'll move on to the speaker wiring. And if I get that done I can install the Highliner.

I couldn't wait. E3UZ 9H307 ID # crosses to E0UZ 9350-C part #. And, I think I hit pay dirt:

I don't think it was deleted from the MPC, although I can check my late 80's MPC to see. But I found this entry for the fuel sender, which has some implications:

Bill - I was with you until I got to "so just the knob, push buttons, hazard switch and power point are located". Should that be "will need to be located"? Anyway, yes, I think using an ABS panel would be your best bet. If memory serves the "bumpy" stuff is called "hair cell" for the finish it has. But if the panel has to span the width you may need to put a piece of aluminum angle across it.

Best of luck to the new owner, that thing looked like it was ready to crack if you looked at it the wrong way. Yep. After your experience years ago I wouldn't buy a used dash pad unless I needed one to put a cover on. It is simply a matter of when it cracks, not if.

Yup. (I was expecting 49, but I'd forgotten about the mounting holes. ) The mill made that work very precise. Not easy, mind you, but precise. I took Scott's advice and mimicked the dash cover, which has 1/8" holes set on roughly a 1/4" grid. But I made it exactly .250".

Wow! That pump/sender assembly is .... AWFUL! I've never seen a float that far gone. As for E3UF-9H307-CC, that's not the part number. Since the late 60's no number on a Ford part is a part number. What's on the part is an ID #, which is what you've found. I have a cross reference and will see if I can cross that ID # to a part # tomorrow. But I'm quite surprised with what I'm finding in the master parts catalog. Below is everything in the MPC for the E-Series vans. As you'll see, it starts with 1986. But yours is an '85. Further, your ID # of E3 says it was originally designed in 1983.

This might be a use for an on-off-on switch set up like NW Power Products(?) has on their battery isolators that I'm pretty sure we've talked about before. In the center position it would shut off all power to behind the seat, while in one "on" position it would be on all the time and in the other it would only be on when the engine was running. I haven't thought that through completely, but it seems like it could be a nice function to have. Bob - That's an interesting idea. It would let me shut everything off behind the seat even when driving. But it would take a single-pole double-throw switch, and since I'm using the Carling V-series switches I'll have to see if they have one. As for what I did today, mostly this will be a bunch of pictures. First, I connected to the dome/map light wiring, as previously discussed - as shown below. But for details, the light is held on with #8 sheet metal screws that go into those Nylon terminals, so I just put ring-tongue terminals on the wires, ran the screws in, and then coated the hot ones with "liquid tape". Then I turned to the GMRS radio. I blasted the bracket, tacked two nuts on, and powder coated it: How many holes do you see? Here the bracket and radio have a layer of Noico foam on them: And here's a shot of the radio's speaker through the "conduit" created when the bracket goes onto the radio: Here's a layer of foam on the L-bracket: And here 'tis all put together - 4 layers of foam channeling the sound from the radio into the cab:

Good! Glad you found one.

I sent him an email with a link to here. Let's see what happens.

Missed that. And him! But you are right.