Gary Lewis

Surprised Jim didn't say "Progress is good!" And, it is. As for the bolts, I used a pair of 2x4's screwed together to make a 4x4 and put them up under the cab to lift on. Pull the bolts for the mounts, raise that side of the cab, and pull the crossmember bolts. Drill new holes, put the bolts in place, and go do the other side. But watch the linkages/tubes, like clutch, brake, and throttle.

Yipee!!!! I love a happy ending! Edit: Yes, those voltages seem to be about right.

Truck IS NOT good and strong. Rusty's engine is out for inspection and tear down. Crankshaft runout is excessive and the main bearing caps don't look good at all. Pretty disappointed for being a, "rebuild" with less than 10k miles. Engine mounts are cracked, 1 spark plug was completely fouled and another was cracked. So I'll probably tear this engine down after the shop gets the new 400 installed. The cylinder heads are probably good so I'll sell those and whatever other components that aren't completely "wallered out." I did decide to go with a TCI heavy duty forged flexplate with a SFI 29.1 rating, so it should outlast the truck which is good because I'm D O N E replacing $40 hecho en mexico flexplates. Seems I was mistaken in a previous post as the transmission shop had checked end play and not run-out. So there it is ladies and gentleman, the smoking gun. Well, in a twisted way I'm glad the crank had runout. At least you found something. I HATE it when I can't find the problem and then it goes away. I never know how long it is going to stay away and when it might raise its ugly head. And this does seem to explain why the flexplates broke. When it appeared the tranny shop had given the engine a clean bill of health it looked like there was no smoking gun. Like one of those mystery novels where the guy has been shot but there's no bullet, only to find out later the bullet was made of ice and it melted after killing him. I'm certainly sorry you are having these problems. Especially since I sold the truck to your FiL.

I don't understand why you cannot find things in Chrome. I'm just baffled! As for your truck, you've worn that thing out. You need that beater or loaner and spend some quality time with your truck.

Interesting thought. Tall wheels or wheels with blocks might get the engine stand above the shop crane's legs and solve the problem.

Some of the other guys need to chime in here, but I'm afraid your expectations are way too high. I sold Rusty, an '81 F150 regular cab, for $2500 a few years ago. Granted he had engine problems I wasn't aware of, but he had a strong 351M w/an Edelbrock intake and 4bbl carb, C6 automatic transmission, and operable 4wd. The tires were 32" mud & snows in good shape, and it was a strong performer. So, I personally think the $4k is optimistic. But let's see what the other say.

Yes, when you get things put back correctly I'll bet it starts from the key w/o the bypass button. And, things are looking good! Midnight sun!!!! We'd hoped to make that cruise some day, but now aren't sure we want to go on another cruise at all.

I forgot yours is an Explorer. That was a once-a-year package and they are only show in the Explorer brochures, which might explain why you don’t see them. But they aren’t really strippers, so I was wrong there. Go look at the Explorer brochures.

Yours is a “stripper”, meaning that it has no options. And, since many of the trucks back then had options, yours is unusual as opposed to rare. The term “rare” is usually reserved for options, like the extremely rare power mirrors or the somewhat rare underhood toolbox. And a truly rare truck would be one with the XLS package. My theory is that the base or stripper trucks were frequently bought by a company to be used in a fleet, or by a farmer to be used on the farm. As such, they were USED and sometimes abused. So while many of them were bought back then, fewer of them have survived than those which were purchased by a family, which added some options, and took care of them.

Allen - Welcome! I've edited your pics to load properly on here, and you can read about that on the page at Bullnose Forum/Forum FAQ's. What part of SC? We have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map) and I'd be happy to add you if I had a city or zip code. Nice, clean truck. Love the headliner, which is a Highliner. We've been talking about those and I'm thinking of adding one to Big Blue.

I've scanned in the documents Jim sent and added them this way: Documentation/Electrical/Alternators: Added a tab called DB Electrical 130A Test Results, and it has both the results of the tests on Jim's new 3G alternator as well as typical pulley ratios. And I added a link to that page from the 3G Conversion page. Documentation/Engines/Starters: Added a tab called DB Electrical PMGR Test Results which has the test results from Jim's starter.

Wow! Those are NICE! And, they aren't that expensive.

Lots of good points, guys. And I agree that a combo unit is rarely as good as two dedicated units. In this case the overall length while using the engine stand would be huge. And getting the pulled engine off and onto a stand so a new engine can be installed is the same issue as I have now. Let me say that another way: I've rarely pulled an engine, put it on a stand, worked on it, and put it back in. The vast majority of the time I've ended up sending the engine to a machine shop or just replaced it. So this combo really doesn't solve the problem I have where the legs of the shop crane and engine stand need to be in the same spot at the same time. Y'all are free to continuing discussing it, but you've helped me make up my mind. This is not the way I want to go as it doesn't solve my problem. However, could you suggest ways to solve that problem?

Yes, lets hope that's the problem. But also check your oil. Does it smell like gas on the dip stick? A bad fuel pump can put gas in the oil and cause problems with the engine's bearings.

Just a tee into the recirc line, right?

I haven't had an Audi since our 100LS in about 1970. Consumer Report said not to buy it and listed several reasons why. And our car had every one of those things happen. But my DiL drives an Audi and loves it. So apparently they got things sorted.

Yes, time for new gas! That stuff looks like varnish. You are really making PROGRESS! And as Jim says, progress is good.

I don't know, and I don't find anything in the MPC about them other than that drawing. And by "Ford Hardware catalog" I assume you mean the Standard & Utility Parts Catalog? If so, then you've seen this info below. From that you could have some made, but you'd really need to take measurements off of existing ones to get better dimensions.

A B&O system surely had to sound good! But, isn't an A4 a piece of paper? (That's not original to me. I remember my boss, another Yank, saying that one day while we were in the UK.)

I once was an audiophile. I had an Eclipse head unit w/a digital signal processor, ADS amp, and Boston Acoustic speakers in my Miata. And I had a center channel speaker on the back of the rear view as well as stereo speakers in the headrests for the rear channels. The head unit was connected to the DSP via fiber optics, and there was a mike that allowed the DSP to analyze the response and automagically tune it so it was flat.

David - Those look like the ones for inside. No? I may be looking for the inside ones as well. Didn't someone post about how he'd done it?

Yeah, Old Gary Grandpa will do fine keeping up in Okie Homie until we hit sand. Then the bikes might struggle a bit. Once we are in the hills strattling ruts and navigating switchbacks....bye bye Grandpa! Hahaha. Didn't I read this story to my kids? And, grandkids? Perhaps Aesop didn't envision the hare running out of gas, or having a flat, or just breaking down. But I think he did envision this journey.

Keep your eyes open for a beater.

Sometimes the plans of mice and men.... But, it is the thought that counts.

I appreciate the intent. The virus has scuppered a lot of plans.