FuzzFace2

Yes do report how it works with just the front. Being I have cast beams there is no welding to them like that. There was someone that made them that was pretty cool just cant remember where I seen it? I do have an extra set of spring cups and guess I could use them to make something that would work. First I need to come up with a bar and front & rear would be even better. Dave ----

Mine just needed something as it was to much red So I went with white But just not any white letters ...... reflective as I drive it a lot in the dark They make a red reflective but I don't know if it would match the red pin stripe? Dave ----

I guess my intake must be a little different than yours as I don't have this 3rd hole that I know of just the one for the EGR that the spacer with the ear would cover. Now because I run EFI exh manifolds and hot water I installed a casting / freeze plug in the EGR as I thought maybe water could get to that point? Or is it the thing off the side of the EGR plate that looks to have a brass fitting in it? If so I left that open as nothing should be at that port with the intake plugged. I used a pipe plug on the exh. side. I do have the EGR plate in place used as a spacer but because at the time before I got plates I did not know if the truck had to be inspected so wanted it in place so it looked like it worked. Dave ----

I dont think is the compressor bolt on hose fittings come with the new compressors. At least what I saw in pictures so you may want to check into that. Because of that I checked Ebay and found them for $100 each. That was one reason why I went with a junk yard compressor for $75 cash. Good luck Dave ---- edit: your pictures have 2 different compressors in them. Our trucks use the side bolt on hose fittings. The other has them off the back and I don't think they bolt on.

I dont think is the compressor bolt on hose fittings don't come with the new compressors. At least what I saw in pictures so you may want to check into that. Because of that I checked Ebay and found them for $100 each. That was one reason why I went with a junk yard compressor for $75 cash. Good luck Dave ---- edit: If you look at the compressors in the pictures you will see they are different. IIRC the ones for our trucks use the ones that bolt on the side. The other compressor has the hose connections on the rear.

No problem we all know life gets in the way of our trucks LOL You do have a whole lot of different year parts for the AC I just wanted to let you know what worked for me on my 81, using I think it was a 85 compressor I picked up from the junk yard. Good luck on the next go at the AC. Dave ----

Made my own tool only took a min to make an one to pull, Did dill a small hole to make it easier. Just Scrap steel Cory, why you pulling the manifolds? Swapping on EFI exh manifolds? When you have them off might want to check or even change out the freeze plugs on the block. After I got the EFI manifolds on mine I found anti freeze on the floor and in checking it was 1 of the plugs. In changing them found others that were close to leaking. Dave ----

I don't think the factory did the bags / plow on the truck, at least I have never seen a truck roll off the line with a plow on it. This would have been a dealer add on of the plow and the installer knew it needed air bags to support the weight. Now it could be the dealer you went to for the bags has delt with a lot of plow trucks and knew just were to get them from. Even more so if they sell plow trucks. When I lived up north I would give a guess any dealer that sold trucks also knew a little about plow trucks as we got snow. Down here when you talk plows they think farm behind a tractor for the fields. What little snow they get down here they shut down everything and let it melt, no plow or sender trucks, and may use a grader to do the roads if needed. Yep strange what they do down here after living up north for 55 years LOL Dave ----

You are talking of 2 different things here. The air bags lift or support the truck. The shocks DO NOT lift or support the truck. They control the springs harmonics / wheel from bouncing. So if you need to support the weight of the plow and the air bags that did this are shot, as you said, there are only 2 way I see of fixing this. The easy way is to get new bags. You can air up when the plow is on and air down when its not. The hard way is to replace the coil springs. Thing is it would need to be pretty stiff spring to support the plow and when the plow is not on would ride like crap and the tires I would think get the camber thrown off like a lifted truck. If you want to run 4 shocks you can but know they should not be the same shocks as the 2 shock setup has as the valving should be different between them. Me I would do the air bags and move on to something else that needs looking into. Dave ----

Did you check LMC as I thought they listed the right mirror with or with out that type. Now what I don't know is if that mirror head is the same as yours, some were rounded and others had sharp fold like corners. My self I do not like that type of mirror as you cant judge the distance between you and ??? and even more so when pulling a trailer. What I would do and need to on my truck, is get the small round ones and stick them in the upper outside corners of the 2 mirrors. This way you can see something in that mirror and look in the big normal mirror to judge where it is. Just my .02 Dave ----

Yes just what I was looking for. Guess I will keep an eye open for alum. flat stock to make some and use SS bolts & nuts and plastic washers as needed. Thanks Dave ----

And how do you execute the perfect signed/sealed/delivered? With the correct postal address: 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888. An official address means a quicker beeline to St. Nick, said Kim Frum, a spokeswoman for the Postal Service. “Sharing Santa’s official mailing address will allow letters to reach the North Pole faster than in years past because with an actual street number and ZIP code, our machines can sort them – unlike being sorted by hand, which is how letters simply labeled Santa, North Pole, are handled,” she said. Can someone tell me of the ">" that the extension bolts to is different than the one for a normal mirror? I am thinking it is or the mirror would hit the door when folded in. Dave ----

That is not too bad a price for something that may not work as it should. It is known that old NOS decals either don't remove from the backing paper or will not stick to the car / truck. Dave ----

$600 plus hardware (metal strips & bolts) is why I did not do wood not even the plywood. Then again I needed all the cross members and front & rear sills. Dave ----

As said it is in the prep! Before doing anything to any panels be it inside the truck or outside wash it good, you don't want to sand any oil or grease into the panel you will be working on. All my products are SEM other than their panel wash I just use liquid dish soap, Dawn. For sanding to get the chalk off 1000 is to fine in my book but also depends on how bad the chalk is. I started with 36 grit then to 80 grit and think final was 120 grit. You want the get rid of all the chalk other wise what ever you put on top of that chalk will flake off when hit, ask how I know Then again it is my cooler I take for lunch that hits the panel when driving. The SEM texture I got would not spray, both cans, so I just left the sand marks on the door panels as I want to replace them down the road just wanted them to look good for now. Someone I think said you can use a roll on bed liner to get the texture but did not find this till after the panels were painted and put on the truck. As for color matching if you are painting all the panels then it will not matter if it is a match, just close in color, as they will all match when done. The red I used is a little brighter than the factory red but I did all panels so they match I did not use clear on my truck but did on a car project I an working on. I was told it adds UV protection and if you get it in a semi gloss it will cut down on reflection, more so off the dash pad that I have issues now with not doing the semi gloss clear. Hope that helps others looking to deal with the chalk panels. The panels I want to replace down the road. Dave ----

If you look over the sticker on the radiator support you will see there should be solenoid(s) between the canisters and the PCV they only open at a certain time. I did not have the solenoid(s) so I piped it to run straight from the canisters to the small port on the PVC. When I did this I could not get the idle speed as low as I wanted it, I knew it was to high even with out putting a gauge to it. In looking why this was so I found it was caused by a vacuum leak. I don't remember just how I found it but the cause for the vacuum leak was this line from the PCV to the canisters pulling vacuum on the tanks. So I knew the canisters (dual tanks so I have 2) needed a vacuum to pull vapors from the tanks but could not be the full vacuum it was getting now because of the higher idle speed. My fix was to install the smallest jet I had from my Holley pit pack to restrict the amount of vacuum the canisters would get. This did work to get the idle down so I could adjust it better but I think the restriction is still to large for my liking and so day will look into making it smaller. I should also point out right now I have the vacuum line unplugged and capped because I am getting poor MPG and thinking it might be from pulling the vapors. It has been a few fill ups and need to check mileage but I don't think this it the cause. I know the PO jacked up the carb and why I had to rebuild it. I think they played with the high speed rod and seat and is pulling to much fuel when not on idle. I just hate to get into the carb as the truck runs so good other wise. I am "if its not broke don't fix it" school. So if you don't have the solenoids restrict the vacuum to the canisters. BTW I do think when hooked up you don't get the fume smell as I am getting that a little now in the garage that I don't remember getting before. Dave ---- Scott, nice looking truck & kids. Must be nice to get out and show it off. I have only been to 2 outings in the year since my truck has been done. N&G, sorry to hear about the truck. Good to hear you guys are OK the truck can be fixed as you are doing, people dom't fix so well. Because the roads were damp yesterday I did not use it to take the trash to the dump and its raining today so the truck will stay inside and stay clean. Was looking to take the wife out in the truck for a late lunch for our 22 years married. Guess I will be using the DD to go out. Dave ----

If you look over the sticker on the radiator support you will see there should be solenoid(s) between the canisters and the PCV they only open at a certain time. I did not have the solenoid(s) so I piped it to run straight from the canisters to the small port on the PVC. When I did this I could not get the idle speed as low as I wanted it, I knew it was to high even with out putting a gauge to it. In looking why this was so I found it was caused by a vacuum leak. I don't remember just how I found it but the cause for the vacuum leak was this line from the PCV to the canisters pulling vacuum on the tanks. So I knew the canisters (dual tanks so I have 2) needed a vacuum to pull vapors from the tanks but could not be the full vacuum it was getting now because of the higher idle speed. My fix was to install the smallest jet I had from my Holley pit pack to restrict the amount of vacuum the canisters would get. This did work to get the idle down so I could adjust it better but I think the restriction is still to large for my liking and so day will look into making it smaller. I should also point out right now I have the vacuum line unplugged and capped because I am getting poor MPG and thinking it might be from pulling the vapors. It has been a few fill ups and need to check mileage but I don't think this it the cause. I know the PO jacked up the carb and why I had to rebuild it. I think they played with the high speed rod and seat and is pulling to much fuel when not on idle. I just hate to get into the carb as the truck runs so good other wise. I am "if its not broke don't fix it" school. So if you don't have the solenoids restrict the vacuum to the canisters. BTW I do think when hooked up you don't get the fume smell as I am getting that a little now in the garage that I don't remember getting before. Dave ----

Little late Yep the way the factory did it. New & old ground cables. I moved the frame tab over to the new cable. The cable close to the exh pipe is the ground at the frame. The other cable is the pos. to the starter and it holds the cable from hitting the exh. pipe. Both cables to the starter, you can see there is another "holder" to keep the ground cable from hitting the exk. pipe. I used 2 gauge cables Pos battery cable to sol. I got 10" Sol.to starter Ford cable I got 45.5" the cable I got was 48" Ground from battery to frame to starter bolt Ford was 64" I got 55" or 4'.7" but that does not look right I also have in my notes 8 gauge wire 20" long from the motor to fire wall on the left side of motor but think I went with a 10 gauge wire. This may help others with a 300 six and the battery cables. Dave ----

Gary, The Flareside taillights are grounded by the 3 mounting studs, so they ground to the mounting brackets, which ground to the bed, which grounds to the frame. I recall somebody saying that sometime later...maybe 85 or 86, they ran a separate ground wire to the frame, but most Flareside tailights are grounded only by the 3 mounting studs to the mounting bracket. It is a crummy ground, to say the least (imho). On my '84, the only thing in the rear that had a factory ground wire from the front of the truck was the license plate light. I was going to say the same thing I had to make the tail light harness from my parts truck style side harness, both trucks were 81's. In testing after I opened the SS harness I had no lights and was like Then it hit me I needed a ground so I hooked up a jumper wire from the harness grounds, the SS lights had a eyelet at each lights screwed to the bed, I then had lights. Now When I rebuilt my truck the new neg. battery cable follows the factory path and (factory) it had a tab that a bolt goes thru and screws on the top of the frame rail. My new cable I made the same way to the frame is grounded. This Cable goes to a starter bolt to ground the motor / transmission. I also redid the factory motor to cab firewall ground using a 10ga wire, this takes care of the cab body ground. Now my Flare Side uses a Style Side metal ribbed floor not wood like the factory did and I don't have any tail light issues from day 1. I would add a bed ground say from 1 of the bed side to the front panel bolts on the under side to the frame. I would also check the battery to frame & motor ground to make sure they are good. This way when you add the bed to frame ground it will work. Dave ----

Mine is run the same way, top to the evap cans, larger to a vacuum port. Now something to know if you just run a vacuum hose from the top port to the canisters you will need to restrict the vacuum or you will have a vacuum leak ask how I know Dave ----

Jonathan, that dose stink about the AC. Is the truck an 81 in your sig? If so and using the newer compressor, the 81 should use a York, here is what I had to do to get a complete sealed system on my 81 using the newer compressor. You have to use a 81 dryer as the newer one will the fit the evap, different thread size so you have to use a dryer for the 81 to fit the evap.. So now on to the hose, you cant use a newer hose that would of fit the newer dryer as it will not fit the old (81) dryer, different thread size. What I found was the old 81 hose that fits the old (81) dryer also fit the new compressor. But ........ the hose runs totally different than the newer hose would, compressor to and across firewall to dryer. I don't remember how the York hose ran as I never had that system on my truck, remember all my AC parts came from my parts truck and the motor was sold before I bought the truck. I don't have a picture of how the hose runs but it kind of goes across the top of the motor. I also had to "tweak" the dryer & hose to clear the hood when closed but was not much. As for the vacuum pump & gauges I bought new from HF. The more thinking I did on the pump I did not know what I would be getting if I did the "loan-a-tool" if it come pull a vacuum. Same on the gauges if I could have even gotten a loaner. My gauges only hooked up to the low side, guess I needed adaptor for the high side? But I was able to pull a good vacuum and it held for an hour while I did the electrical wiring side. I did use a lot of cans of 134 before it would blow cold but the low side reading where in the green other wise it was to low. I would have to go back through my posts to see just how much if you need that. Dave ----

I did think of welding a nut on to what might be left but it looks like the stud is below the head surface and would be hard to weld to just the stud and not the head and why I did not say anything about welding a nut on it. Yes heating just the head, not the stud, should expand the head area keeping the stud cool and smaller and hopefully come right out. As said be vary careful with the EZ out. With the reverse drill you may get lucky and it will back out just drilling as maybe someone broke it going to tight? Drill, a little penetrate oil and easy with the EZ out if it does not come out use heat on the head. Go easy again on the EZ out. May want to do the heat, try, cool, try, heat, etc. a few times as the heating & cooling can break if free too. Dave ---- It looks like around the intake ports could use a little more cleaning in my book but other wise looks good. Dave ----

Even better what we are working on Is this the 250? Before I would change out the ICM I would install the plugs the truck was made to run on and not them big $$ plugs as they have been known to cause issues. Go with a good old copper plug and see what happens first. Dave ----

I'm not sure why they carried the wood floor design into the 1980's, but I assume because it was easy (rather than a redesign). The bed used on the Bullnose Flareside was basically a carry-over from the dentside models, but with different (fiberglass) fenders. Obviously there was still a market for the Flareside trucks in the 80's (the early 80's, at least) or they wouldn't have kept manufacturing them. By the time the last year came around (1987) I suppose they were getting just a little too old fashioned and had to go. I assume sales (dealer orders) for them decreased in the mid-80's. Kind of like the 3-on-the-tree transmission. They seem a bit out of place in the Bullnoses to me...like they should have discontinued them in 1979. Again, that was an antique design that was carried over...probably because it was easy. I'm a big fan of the Flaresides, but oddly it's not the wooden floor that draws my attention that much. It's the steps, the fenders, and the tailgate and chains. The best view of the Bullnose Flareside is from the rear;). What's this? 80's flare side had wood bed floors They do look nice but also work to keep them looking nice and even more so if the bed is used as a truck. I went with the metal ribbed floor bed because I would of had to replace all the bed cross members ($1000) then the wood & metal stripe and all the hardware and I did not had the money to do that. I did have an long bed style side bed floor in great shape, trimmed down to fit and worked great. It had the bed liner on it already I just did a "clean up" coat to look good. Also note the bed wood came 2 different ways. Early years and early 80's used planks, later 80's used plywood sheets for the floor. Dave ----

Now THAT'S a good idea! Thanks guys wished it had a better back ground for a calendar. Dave ----