Gary Lewis

What did you find?

Scott - Looking great! It really looks neat and well thought out. I like it. On the fuel system, I'm leaning hard on going with the later FDM's and bringing the supply and return lines up over the transmission and back of the engine. That will keep the lines farther away from the exhaust and let me feed the carb from the rear. Have you thought about coming in that way?

Ok, thanks anyway.

Thanks, Jim. As for what I did today, I had success! But, that wasn't all I did. First I made a spacer, put it in, and discovered that it caused the header to hit the perch on the passenger's side. Then I took the header out, and cut the frame like this: Then I took the spacer out, painted the frame, reinstalled the padding, reinstalled the header, and found that I can get a 3/8" drill bit in that space easily. In fact, a 1/2" will almost go. And that is w/o a spacer. I still have a bit of work to do as one bolt doesn't want to go in so I need to loosen the others up and get that one going, but I think it was a good day.

Off-the-shelf distributors will work. But they won't have a curve optimized for your engine. Scotty is a big-time 460 guru and really knows what it takes for them to work. But he also works on Ford's other engines, and can dial a dizzy in for them as well. So the question comes down to if you want generic or a dizzy curved to your setup?

I recommend Scotty Johnston, aka The Mad Porter. He runs Parkland Performance Auto Machine. He built my short block and several of us have purchased distributors from him. You tell him what you have and he sets a new dizzy up with the right curve, inc vacuum advance, for your truck and usage. Tell him I sent you. And, he's a member on here. This is his introduction thread: http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/New-forum-member-td43238.html#a43345

Jim - You are correct. If you use the Insert Image button that puts the image on the forum's server and it shouldn't go away, unlike on some other forums. The exception to this is if you were to "embed" a picture, like I embed Word & Excel documents or PDF's. Then it is a link to another server. But I don't think anyone is embedding pics.

Looks like it is a single piece of .1" thick aluminum 5 1/2" wide that sticks up 2" on the front end and 2 1/2" on the back end. It is just bent to follow the two breaks in the bottom of the box, and is riveted in at one spot, with a hole for a drain in another. Should be easily replicated.

I'm seeing the pics, but they did take a while to load.

I haven't mounted the bumper yet. Hadn't even realized it was going to be a problem until that recent discussion, and have been too busy on Big Blue to explore the options. As for those brackets from DC and then modifying them, maybe. But at $120 it is pretty steep to guess on. Sorry, I'm not much help. But I'm anxious to see your pics on your progress.

"Glued on?" "Pressure sensitive" is how Ford described it. It is attached with double-stick tape, just like the 1982 - 1986 emblems. I have noticed that every time that early 1985 trim shows up on a 1986 model, it is always on an F-250 model, and it is usually a single color truck. Pressure-sensitive just didn't seem descriptive enough, so I said "glued on", which isn't right. But, you are right that it on via double-stick tape. And I agree, it is usually on an F250 with a single color, although this one has two colors currently. I wonder what color(s) it had originally.

Myrl - If you can come up with a good catalog of these things we could put it up on here and it would be a big help to us.

Is that a fair trade?

Shaun - I'm sorry to be an "indian giver". (My wife's an indian, and I'm not ABOUT to give her away.) But I checked the inventory of parts that came w/Big Blue and I have two of those motors, NOS. So, how 'bout I keep one for Dad's truck and return the other to Florida?

Shaun - I have this one. Will it do? The hint of maroon is overspray appears to be from when Mom had Dad's truck painted years ago.

Oops. I thought Bill had answered that and so I didn't look. But will in a bit - after a couple of cups of java and some cereal. Sorry. Scott - I can easily do it w/o any leaks or drips. Let me. Ok, I just checked. This site says that the measurements on the first line are for 1/2-20 flares. And the measurements on the second line, in bold, are what I found on my C6 and cooling tubes. MALE THREAD OD & PITCH DASH SIZE MALE THREAD OD FEMALE THREAD ID TUBE SIZE 1/2 – 20 -08 12,7 0.50 11,4 0.44 5/16 My measurements 0.495 0.453 5/16

Yes, that's even better than encyclopedia.

No smog equipment whatsoever. No A.I.R pump, no cat, no EGR, no evap canister that I remember, nada. Just a simple DS-II ignition and Eddy 1406 carb on an Eddy Performer 400 intake.

What happened? Perhaps your learning could save others a similar fate.

Thanks, "the" encyclopedia" on Bullnose trucks is what I'm striving for. And the examples to-hand often get staring roles. I'll pray that all goes smoothly for you & Rusty. Don't remember that the A/C was working, so I hope it is still cool down there.

Just found a few other pics of Rusty. Several are in Documentation/Cooling Systems/Coolant Recovery & Windshield Washer Reservoirs. Several others are in Documentation/Underhood/Vacuum Systems (click on Vacuum Systems). Rusty if famous!

Shaun - I should have one, and I could send it along with your documentation. Let me go look - after I finish my cup of French roast.

Ouch! That looks ugly. GOOD LUCK! I've rotated and enlarged your pic to make it easier to view.

Ok, after perusing what I have in the Documentation/Electrical section with regard to terminals, connectors, etc I've come to realize that IT IS A MESS! Here are the pages and contents we have, with the bullet showing the name of the page and then the tabs listed: Connectors: This is the new page and just has the 2015 version of the Wiring Pigtail Kits Identification Guide Terminals & Connectors: Illustrations of the connectors, including a type #; Connectors - part numbers for many of the connectors/sleeves used and their type #; Terminals & Connectors - I think these are actually the terminals; Sources - has Bill's spreadsheet on where to get some of the terminals Wiring Connectors: Has supposedly links to both the 2008 and 2015 Wiring Pigtail Kits Identification Guides, but the 2008 version is MIA; also has info and pics of two terminal types. Obviously this needs to be reconciled.

It is a nice looking truck, but I agree with you that the blue seems wrong. However, the '85 brochure shows the darker blue to be Bright Regatta Blue Metallic and the '86 brochure says the darker blue is Dark Shadow Blue Metallic. So maybe I'm just not used to that color? EDIT: Notice that it has the glued-on trim that was an early '85 option. We've seen other later '85 and even a few '86 trucks with it. My theory is that the last of it was used up on "speculation" vehicles, meaning those which weren't ordered by the customer.