Gary Lewis

It does look a lot like Big Blue, but w/o the Warn bumper. Anyway, I think I like the last one best. However, Big Blue currently looks "stock" to the uninitiated, and that grille would give the game away.

Would you like to be on our map? Just give me a zip. As for Salina, I know the country fairly well. Spent a couple of years about 60 miles east on I-70.

We will all have FUN! As for getting ready for the trip, I got the 10-second relay module & switch in as well as the project boxes. The module just barely fits in the project box, height-wise, but it does fit. We are taking Big Blue on an outing tomorrow to test the new seats, but perhaps Friday I can power the relay up, make sure it works, and determine the voltage to the on-board LED. Then I can order a panel-mount LED to replace or parallel it and move on to get the panel ready to install the switch & LED. I'm planning to powder coat the panel to match the one the aftermarket gauges are in. And I need to order the white-on-clear label tape for my Brother label maker. Also, the hand throttle came in today, but that'll be discussed in another thread: Hand Throttle For Big Blue.

Bob/Nothing Special has convinced me that a hand throttle would be helpful on our trip to Moab this summer. And he suggested this Terraflex hand throttle kit. I ordered it in and plan to start the installation after I get the clutch safety switch bypassed. So stay tuned...

Welcome! Glad you joined! But tell me more about this "central Kansas" thing. Having been born and raised in Ark City, having worked in Newton and lived in Wichita I think I know something about "central Kansas". And you are right, I don't think there is such a thing as "too many trucks". Especially if some come with parts - as my Big Blue did. Again, welcome!

I don't think it is related to the driveline. I think it is to do with the EFI, like the air/fuel ratio is going lean. If it had a carb then I'd say your accelerator pump is faulty. But it EFI not a carb. Maybe the throttle position sensor is faulty of improperly adjusted. If you ease into the throttle and don't move your foot at all after the hesitation starts does it change? Or what if you go past the point where the hesitation starts?

Interesting. But I didn't get too much out of the last one, the video, as I didn't understand everything he was saying. But I did discover that you can pay $20/month to have Copilot lie to you.

Remind us of how hesitation feels and when it happens? Is it in all of the gears on the AOD? If it does it in OD then it isn't the torque converter. And does it do it at all temps?

The NP435 is a heavy duty tranny and might not be what you want for casual driving. You won't use 1st gear as it is really low, so you'd have another 3-speed in reality. What do you want to do with the truck? You said "daily driver around town", but does that include highway driving? If so I'd want to consider a tranny with overdrive, like the M5OD Cory mentioned. But we really ought to ask what your rear gear ratio is, and for that you should decode your certification label. Go to the page at Documentation/Specifications/Certification Label. If you have one of the really high-geared rear axles maybe you don't need overdrive.

Welcome! Glad you joined. Where's home? I ask because we have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) and we can add you with a city/state or zip.

Bummer on the hesitation, but goodness that everything else seems to be working. I don't have any pics, unfortunately. And I just looked through the 85 EVTM and didn't find any illustrations that help either.

https://www.google.com/search?q=welcome+back+kotter+youtube&rlz=1C1AWFC_enUS753PS760&oq=Welcome+back+Kotter+yo&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBggBEEUYOTIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIHCAQQABiABDIICAUQABgWGB4yCAgGEAAYFhgeMggIBxAAGBYYHjIICAgQABgWGB4yCAgJEAAYFhgeqAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:c38602df,vid:xZzEzDkeHzI,st:0 Thanks, David. We will educate those youngsters yet.

Right. I don't think I'd like it, but without seeing it on a truck it is really hard to say. I think what would sell better is a Raptor-like grille. Basically that one with FORD on it.

Right, at least Gary will have fun. But I have to remember that this is also Bob & Lesley's vacation, so they need to have fun as well. And it is Janey's vacation, so I have to ensure I don't freak her completely out as she will almost always be in the truck since she can't be in the sun. And, Bob, I know that you know that I know you aren't going to push me to try anything like that first video. So you are saying that for the other's sake, not mine. But it IS going to be an EPIC vacation!

Yep. Go to Documentation/Exterior/Bumpers and the Rear Bumper tab followed by the Part Numbers tab. There you'll find that the arms are different.

Yes, I am adding complexity. But it is not "mission critical" complexity - if it doesn't work at some point we won't get stranded, we just might lose the clutch safety if it fails closed. But it'll still start. And there will be a connector that can be unplugged to take the thing out of the circuit to put the safety back. And yes, it keeps me happy. And gives me serious bragging rights. Yesterday I got a note from a guy I used to work for giving me a link to his Factory Five '35 Ford Pickup build - on the Factory Five forum. (Whatever forum platform they are using is NOT what we are looking for!) I read his build thread and then sent him a link to mine and commented that Big Blue probably has as many mod's as his truck does. Then I listed a few, including factory EFI, winch, 3G, inverter, front/rear cameras which he also has, onboard air, etc. He came back this morning saying "Wow Gary..... that's one heck of a truck. I didn't see any pics. Send me a couple when you get a minute. Take care driving that beast!" So I sent him a few pics, inc one in Animas Forks near Ouray, and one in Valles Caldera in NM and told him about those trips as well as the upcoming ones. Bottom line, I'm having fun. And I'm not concerned about complexity, especially at this point after having installed a 1996 EFI system including fuel tanks and pumps as well as all the necessary wiring for the sensors and ECU. So a little more for a function I hope I won't need but will LOVE if I do won't hurt.

Jeff - There are two factors involved in this - the "arms" as Ford calls them, meaning the mounts, and the bumpers themselves. Our page at Documentation/Exterior/Bumpers has a Rear Bumpers tab. And in that there's a Part Numbers tab where you'll find the PN's for the arms and the bumpers themselves. The arms appear to be the same from 1980 through 84, and then again from 85 through 89, which is what "85/" means - 85 to end of catalog. But in the bumper section there's the entry below and that bumper fits from 1980 through at least 89. So whatever change was made between 84 and 85 was apparently for the frame as the same bumper fits both years. So yes, I believe the bumpers will interchange.

Jim introduced me to PST and I now use it on a lot of things. I always use it on stainless/stainless fittings after I had a brand new nut gall on a brand new bolt. Just turning it on with my fingers and it got hard to turn. Then it stopped turning and wouldn't come off with wrenches. And it works well on things like seat bolts, the ones that go through the floor. I've had to repair threads on two trucks recently, so use it to prevent more of that. And hydraulic fittings, for sure.

Nah, you have to feed this thread man. You cannot simply drop a techno subject, titillate our curiosity and vanish in the dark. But I also understand that this operation is not going to happen soon, we’re talking months, if not years. Please just don’t forget to keep your thread up to date, when some new things will come! I'll try. I'm not retired, still doing 40-50 hours. Still raising kids. Homesteading too. Large garden, and raising 75 chickens at the moment. Not to mention, we take in foster kids for respite care now. Also got 2 f150s to restore for the boys. 1 brick and 1 bull. I can post Deboss garages updates. They are the guys partnering with Edison Motors to develop the kits, so they are tackling full kits for later model fleet trucks first. Then they'll start on the older classic trucks. I tried contacting them to see if I could help design any of the kit, but no response yet. I'm sure they have a lot of people asking the same question. And you are going to document those builds here as well, right?

Yes, progress and it is good! But I hadn't realized that the sun is going to move so fast. Seriously though, I'd forgotten we are going to Spring forward again, and so soon.

Trust me, when the engine cranks and you are in 1st, even in 2Hi, the truck MOVES. I had Big Blue connected to the trailer with the trailer's jack down hard, and accidentally hit the key. It started and took off, trailer, jack, and all. That's when I discovered that someone had bypassed the clutch safety. Up through 83, I think, there was no clutch safety switch. But when it was introduced in '84 people got used to having it and didn't think about the consequences of starting in gear. Years ago one guy hit the key on Dad's truck and almost went through the garage door - into Janey's GLK. People don't understand that with low gearing things are going to GO someplace.

And if anyone wants a visual of why that might be important or how it works... Here is a Jeep going up a VERY steep hill (I "put tires on it" in 2022, but chose not to actually try driving up it). He stalls the engine near the top and the Jeep comes to a safe stop with the engine holding it from rolling back down. He's given the advice to "crank yourself over" but chooses to hold the brake and push the clutch in to restart the engine. This could've gone VERY badly, but don't worry, the video is still rated G (or maybe a weak PG). (the applicable stuff starts at 9:11, the link should start you there) And here's a time where the driver did follow the advice. It was a much easier situation (I'm not sure the guy in the first video COULD have cranked it over), but it shows the concept at work. (starting at 15:08) Both of these vehicles are under-powered, and have carbs that aren't working well. And at least the second Jeep doesn't have very low gearing. Those are definitely factors that make this more necessary. And in all likelihood Big Blue, with his fuel injected 460 and granny-low 5 speed, won't have any need of this. So (as I told Gary already) it isn't strictly needed for this trip. But it is a nice tool to have in the toolbox, just in case. Yikes! I do NOT want to "put tires on" that! But I sure get the reason why I want/need to be able to "crank it over." However, as you said, the EFI is going to make a world of difference. Those Jeeps were pig-rich, maybe from altitude and maybe from angle, but Big Blue won't be. And he's got low enough gearing to make cranking it easy, peasy. So while I don't think I need to be able to crank it over, I sure want to be able to. If I can I won't need to.

Which would be exact same situation than Big Bro, living without a clutch safety switch. I like the idea! An adjustable delay would be great too. Doesn't Big Bro have a safety switch? I thought they were introduced in '84. The relay unit I have on order adjusts from 0 to 10 seconds, but the adjustment will be way up under the dash in a project box. I thought about using a 555 timer and with it I could put a dial on the dash to adjust it, but I think 10 seconds will be about right. And if it isn't the instructions say I can change out a capacitor and extend it a bit. The idea is to allow starting in gear when in low range, and probably 1st gear, without having to push in the clutch and potentially rolling backwards. The PMGR starter is quite capable of moving the the truck in about any situation, and if I need a bit more power I can parallel the batteries with the push of another button.

Boy, I prefer a massive temperature drop than your red flag situation, Gary. Thanks for information. I got this map on YouTube... Critical red zone very close from Skiatook! Please be careful. Luckily for us the weatherman just said that the front, which is about 90 miles away, has already changed the direction of the fires out west. The wind has shifted to the north so while we are still in the red, those fires won't get to us.

Crazy here as well. A new record high yesterday of 82F, and another record today. We are under a red flag warning for high fire danger due to the high winds and extremely dry conditions. And in Texas they are experiencing uncontrolled fires that are likely to wipe out some towns.