fiftyfordfloored

Would like to find a SuperCab short bed with an automatic in the North NJ or Eastern PA area. Engine doesn't matter, although I would love to find one with a 300. Would love to find a 4x4, but I think I'll have more luck finding hens teeth. Has to run and drive or be really close to daily drivable, and can't be a rot box because the wife will kill me. Will pay cash or trade for parts/truck stuff.

Wouldn't say missed it, but it wasn't there when I got to the truck. It was on an '83 F150 with a 300, and someone took the carb and everything connected to the vacuum system. Guess the speedometer sensor is worth keeping for future projects.

First one I've ever seen, so I grabbed from a junked truck. Anyone have any information?

1979 and prior it's a real pain and usually requires a frame graft/swap or a lot of welding. 1980-86 trucks just swap over, and '87-96 swap as well (bolt on). Sway bar setups change from '86-87 and so do the radius arms for some reason.

I just put in a new factory c-clip and put the axle stub back in with a new seal. I'm not really worried about the thing pulling out; my 4x4 needs are that of a daily driver to get me to work in the snow.

That's true. I'm on the fence. I was thinking F250 springs because I do like to put this truck to work. That and I also like the lifted look that looks factory. If I put F250 badges on it, no one would know the difference at a glance.

So now is the perfect time to modify since everything is apart... Considering a 2 inch lift kit (nothing crazy). Any thoughts? Alignment nightmare? Does anyone have any pictures of a mostly stock truck on 31's with a 1.5-2 inch lift?

Because you have to get inside the diff to pull that shaft with the factory clip. But with the homemade one, the shaft pops out & back in like a modern CV shaft in a transaxle. I thought that the stub axle was supposed to be fixed because of the spline drive the outer axle slides in and out of slightly as the passenger side travels up and down. I'd be concerned about yanking the stub out of the carrier.

While you have the passenger shaft out, I highly recommend swapping to a homemade spring retainer in the axle's inner groove: https://supermotors.net/getfile/766014/thumbnail/22snapring.jpg It works great, and is essentially free. This isn't free (the drill & tap cost me ~$35), but it's a good mod: https://supermotors.net/getfile/766016/thumbnail/24beamhole.jpg This makes alignments easier & cheaper: https://supermotors.net/getfile/843080/thumbnail/cambercammoog.jpg Good advice, but why the home made retainer clip vs the stock one? My stocker is in good shape, but just in case it goes "ping" and is never to be seen again... I have another on order with my coil spring bolts.

I'm not touching the third-member other then new inner axle seals and fluid. New joints and bushings and balljoints and the like I'm doing. Not swapping the quad shocks, and my truck already has a swaybar. I'll be using which ever one is the larger diameter but that's about it.

So before I start work on the '83 or '81, I'm using the '86 for my 4x4 conversion to make use of all the spare parts I don't need. First step, renew the front axle and swap that under the 87. I figured I'd document the swap as most of the same parts apply to the '80-86 as well. The road so far... Victim: Donor:

We thought it was very cool. She wanted to learn how to weld, so now she'll get her chance. Going to keep the '81 black with red factory pinstripes and black interior, and a set of 80's RamCharger Hurricane wheels for that nifty 80's look. On the '83 Rootbeer Float, I need to find a nice set of 90's Alcoas. I have so many sets of ford wagon wheels now... I think her's is going to end up with the fuel injected drivetrain out of the '86, and if I can figure out how to put a electronic T-Case in it... She likes the creature comforts. The '83 has a 302 in it, but I'm ether going to build a 300 six, or swap in a 351W I have laying around. Eventually.

Plans for this one are to clean it up, probably wiring harness swap since the mice got to it... and daily drive it/rolling restoration while I 4x4 swap my '87 Bricknose. If you want a clean 4x4 truck in New Jersey, start with a 2WD. Less salt, rarely driven in the winter. The '81 is going in the garage and getting an actual resto. That's going to be the Mrs's. She liked the idea of going to shows with His and Hers Broncos. The '86 is going to donate it's parts to both the '81 and '83.

My sister decided to go with something more modern and bought an Expedition, so here's a picture of the '83 that's now mine as well. Pictured after I pulled the plow setup completely off. Yes, now I'm hording Bullnoses. First thing with this one is to take the stupid body lift off of it. Body mount hardware is insanely expensive.

That's awesome. He did a really nice job on that truck. Ended up at the junkyard this past Sunday and grabbed a cylinder head off of a '69 240 six. There was a really nice front half of an '81 F150 flareside next to it with a complete 300 and all the accessories and Duraspark II set up. Bed was shot, fenders were nearly mint. May have to go back for that stuff.