Gary Lewis

Yes. If you follow the discussion above re the backing plate on eBay, it fits either rear axle.

For $89 that looks like a good solution, Dane. Thanks. Would just need an antenna to make it work? So maybe a magnetic based antenna? SWR. Haven’t played with standing wave ratios since building a meter and tuning my Heathkit way back when.

I think you need to find out what the problem is before deciding what to do. I keep thinking a linkage is on incorrectly or in a bind, meaning that it is an external thing. If so, fix that w/o tearing into the innards.

No!!!!!! Say it isn’t so!!! I’m so sorry. My wife just said “Did you sell him a faulty truck?” I told her I didn’t think so at the time, but..... Would you consider changing to a manual tranny?

Barry - I want you to see where the info is so you'll have confidence in it. Go to the page at Documentation/Literature and it'll show you a spreadsheet for much of the complete doc's that are on the site. Scroll down to the row that says Dealer Facts Book and click on the On Site for 1983. That opens up the 1983 Dealer Facts Book. Then click on the Vehicles tab and then the F-Series 4x2 tab. And then go to: Page 4: Standard features, and it looks like the base trucks had no extra trim Page 7: Shows the XL trim, and those trucks got "bright" trim on the front doors, which I take to be the chrome surround. Page 8: Shows the XLT trim, and the doors there got "woodtone applique" Does that help?

I'll let Matt update us on where he's gotten to in the end, but here's a bit of background. He tried calling SEM but couldn't get through, so asked me to contact them. I did via email and they got back very quickly saying: Matt then reached out to the outfit in the UK that mixed the paint and provided them with the above info from SEM. After some discussion I think the route they are going is to mix paint to match Matt's color by scanning one of his parts. But I've not heard that they've done that yet, so don't know how successful that was. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I asked Vinyl Pro, who appear to have both an excellent track record mixing SEM products as well as outstanding customer service, if they could ship to Matt in the UK. They told me: I passed that on to Matt and he said he'll give the local people another shot and then go with Vinyl Pro if he has to.

I'd be happy to do that. And, I have the flywheel, clutch, etc. Engine has an Edelbrock intake and aluminum water pump and is complete, just the way it came out of BB.

Jim - To paraphrase another Okie, all I know is what I read in the MPC. But there's not one page that gives the answer, so here goes. First, I look up E5TZ 2211-B and find it is part of Parts List #2: But that just says "80/" meaning from 1980 until at least the end of the catalog, which is 1989. However, it doesn't say what trucks use Parts List #2. To find that out you turn to the applications table, which shows the list that I posted in the E-bay thread - although I omitted the E-Series van as that's not part of our remit. But the key there is that it is used on axles with 3.75M capacity. Which ones are those? To answer that you go to the rear axle application table and learn that there were both 8.8" and 9" axles with that capacity. So that backing plate fits both, and fits trucks with them from 1980 until at least 1989.

Have a safe work trip. We will be here when you get back. Perhaps the rod will fix things.

Yep, but you get there. I really appreciate all you do, Jim.

Ray - Thanks, but I think I'll watch for something with all the parts. That one looks like not only does it need cleaning and painting, but it is missing the connector and other bits - unless you have them as well. I really don't need another project, so would probably be better off getting something that was known to work. But again, thanks. I appreciate the offer.

John - Welcome! Glad you joined. Okiehoma? What part? I'm in Skiatook. Would you like to be on our map? Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu. Nice looking truck! I'm glad you decided to keep it. Pretty sure Jim is about to post and say he promoted you to Member 'cause he beat me to it. So WELCOME!

And I have the old engine out of BB, which may be a very well-worn original from a salvage. Might have a good crank, rods, etc.

Ford came out with lots of upgraded parts along the way and added them to the MPC. Unfortunately they frequently took the earlier part number out of the MPC instead of adding their "r/b" terminology, so I frequently can't even tell what the old number was. Any, as shown on that thread, that PN is shown to fit 1980/on trucks.

I assume "thefineIDI" is Dan Unger that messaged me. You are going to get a lot of good input here, but it would help the guys if you had a signature that told us about your trucks so we don't have to guess. And, placing your name there would make it easier to say "Dan" than "thefineIDI". You might be interested in this thread: Sky's Front Superduty RSK on a 2wd You aren't planning on doing the Sky reverse shackle kit, but a lot of what VW ran into might apply. And Shaun has been participating in VW's thread as well as doing something similar on his truck. But, you might want to consider Jim's suggestion of a cab swap. In the end, this isn't straightforward, and will be work no matter what way you go. So I'd suggest that you do some reading and asking questions and then develop your plan from there.

Check out this post from our "finder", David: http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Brake-backing-plate-E5TZ-2211-B-NOS-td62907.html

Wire colors are shown below, which is from the page here: Documentation/Electrical/EVTM/1985 EVTM/Radio (Stereo).

That's neat, Dane. But in order to communicate with the chase truck I'll have to add a CB unit to BB. Hmmm....

Excellent work! Well done! That is probably the best installation I've ever seen. I can see those pics ending up in a how-to page for installing security systems.

The knobs come off by pressing a spring on them with a hook. You'll see a notch and you can pull towards the rear with a hook and then pull the knob off. But the headlight switch's knob and shaft can be pulled out by reaching up under the dash to the switch and pressing a spring-loaded pin then pulling the shaft and knob out. But I can tell you that reaching up there isn't easy.

Do you have speakers in the doors? I ask because the 1986 F-Series brochure implies that a mono radio was standard. If so, it only had a speaker in the dash and you'll have to add speakers in the doors as well as the wiring thereunto. But, that should be a really nice upgrade. On the seat, you may well be able to find one at a salvage or elsewhere that will bolt in. But it is also possible to put foam on the frame yourself and put a new seat cover on. It might cost less, but a replacement seat might not be very expensive.

2wd?...maybe I posted the incorrect link? It will never sell for that kind of money for sure. No, you posted the right one. I just can't see.

So, what makes it worth so much? Or, maybe not "worth", but why does he think it might sell for that? Looks like it was listed a year ago and he still hasn't gotten it? ("Gotten it" can be taken at least two ways. ) It is a 2wd truck, after all. And I think you could actually build it, or even a 4wd version, for that price.

Jim - That brake line is about 3" from that clip, and wasn't designed to go there. But what you can't see is that there's another clip on the outside of the frame that is tightly holding that line. Now, for what I suspect is the last update for a while on Big Blue. Today I saw the Holley fuel pressure regulator I have, which is a 12-803BP, and thought I ought to check the specs on inlet fuel pressure to see if I can use it with the EFI pump. But the literature that came with the regulator doesn't have that. So I called Tech Support. Turns out that the 12-803BP is designed for low-pressure pumps, like what a carb'd 460 would have. So it is a good replacement for the hot fuel handling system's orifice. But, to do what I want to do, which is to use the EFI pumps in the fuel delivery modules, I really ought to go with their 12-887 (black) or 12-881 (polished) regulator. He said they are both by-pass style regulators and they are designed to be used with EFI fuel pumps. That way I can put the EFI fuel system in save for the fuel injectors and fuel rail/regulator combo. And if I use the Ford EFI connectors then when the time comes I can just install the injectors, rail, etc and connect it right up. The instructions are here.

Not sure I can agree that I should have those moments. But I'm down with you having those moments. Thinking about this, I'm wondering if my son will be available for that much time. But, he might be available for the CO portion. Or, maybe if he can do the CO section maybe he and I'll continue on from there into UT.