Rembrant

I like it, but you're right...according to the cert label, it should have 3.54 gears. If they were swapped out for 4.30's, boy she would be a screamer. I think it looks good. I like the height, stance, and tire size. Sexy.

You have no idea how badly I want to run around the PNW looking at old trucks for sale! I see ones all the time that I'd buy if I had access to them! Well that's cool. Tell him good luck! In the small pictures it looks like a lot of truck for the money.

Here's a fairly nice similar diesel just listed for sale for a fraction of the price... https://missoula.craigslist.org/ctd/d/missoula-1985-ford-250-lariat-4x4-69/7074804606.html I don't really know what these versions of these trucks are worth, but $2950 seems cheap for one that runs and drives and looks as good as this one does.

Price drop down to $21,000... https://www.ebay.com/itm/254510473300 Not sure if the market is ready to pay $20K+ for it, but I'd be willing to bet it gets into the low to mid teens for sure. Maybe not...who knows.

I assume he is down south this time of year, but if by chance he is in Newfoundland still, I can tell you that they're still digging out from a snow storm they had a couple weeks ago. They got absolutely pounded...3 full feet plus in under 24 hours...the whole peninsula was in a state of emergency for a solid week.

I haven't seen him around much. I've seen him pop up on FTE occasionally if somebody needs help with a 302 EFI, but he seems to be quiet otherwise.

I thought Vinny mentioned a while back that the early '85 302's were still carbed, and that the full switch to EFI didn't actually take place until around February of 1985. I thought he said that most 302 trucks with a build date of 02/85 and later were EFI, and before that were mostly carbed. It might have been January, but I'm not sure now.

Yes, that is my understanding of it. I have it on my to-do list for down the road. The carburetor choke was my first thought for it, but I could also use it as a trigger for other devices so that I don't have to go digging through my wiring harness to get an ignition on/run signal.

But the gear ratios were basically the same, weren't they? It's not like there's any real world difference between a 3.00 in a 9" and a 3.08 in an 8.8, or the same between the 3.50 in the 9" and the 3.55 in the 8.8, is there? I saw an '86 F150 4x4 a couple years ago with a factory 9" rear end and found it odd. It was a 302 truck with NP435 4spd. I was told that it had the 9" because it was a 302 4spd. I had an '85 F150 4x4 with the AOD trans, and it had an 8.8 in it.

I know there's already lots of great info posted here, but I was just going to add that you could buy one of the smart relays like the Rostra one here listed below: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rostra-250-2951-SourcePWR-Plus-12V-7-5-Amp-Intelligent-Accessory-Power-Supply/123077949915?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649 I am currently running my Holley choke with the Ford factory wire from my 1G alternator, and it seems to work OK. The only reason I did this was after some reading online I found a lot of people that had done the very same thing with Holley carbs on Fords going back decades. However, I do remember reading that the Edelbrock carb chokes don't like the lower 7vdc supply? In any case, yes, I know it is not correct this way, but if I ever do get around to changing it, I was just going to use one of these relays so it could be a stand alone circuit.

Welcome aboard!

That is in decent condition except for the missing lenses. That is a 1984 bezel by the way...if it matters. I looked for an '84 grey weave myself for quite a while and ended up buying an '85-'86 AC bezel. I've replaced a couple of those lenses...razor blade and a glue gun.

Wrong color for me obviously, but that is a super deal. Curious if it fit OK otherwise? I will likely put carpet in my truck at some point. Since I went from the flat/solid floor to the high hump for a 5spd, I need to order a carpet for a 1987-1991 truck.

I posted this truck a couple weeks ago when it was first listed on Ebay, and I'm surprised it hasn't sold yet. I really like this truck and would probably buy it if was closer to me. The truck is fairly well intact, and has original paint. 300/6 with a 4spd and factory tach and AC...it's a nice little unit imho. I realize there is no floor in the bed...but the fact that it still has the smog pump and there's still a belt on it says a lot...lol. I'd clean it up, tune it up, and drive it just like it is.

By the way, has anybody had one of these joints apart before? I'm thinking that a rubber boot from a shock or a steering rack might be able to be used as a replacement, but wasn't sure if that joint can even be disassembled. I may play with that later on and see what I can find for a replacement solution.

Well, I guess we will see how ingenious it is when it starts getting used...lol. Right now the truck is collecting dust! I was trying to figure out a way to tighten up that joint, and set-screws seemed to make the most sense to me. I read where other's have simply welded the joint rigid...which certainly works, but then you have to remove the steering box to install the steering shaft, and that's no fun. There is the issue of losing the collapsing joint...but I'd argue that it is barely 3", and that it would probably still move...it is still in a plastic sleeve internally. Another layer of the onion as Gary always says;). I'd love one of the Borgeson shafts, but boy they are spendy...by the time I'd get one in Canada I'd likely be out the better part of $400, so a $15 part that looks factory was worth the try.

The 9A819 is the clutch switch, right? I was looking at this kit a while back, and I believe there were all kinds of these switches on Ebay as the same ones were used on the Mustangs? If you have a manual trans truck with hydraulic clutch, you could buy one of the factory cruise clutch switches that are on Ebay...there are several, as I just bought one the other day. If you have the pedal assembly for it, then you already have a mounting bracket for the switch. That is, assuming the wiring logic is the same...and I assume it is.

I wonder how many Bullnoses with 3.8 V6's are still on the road?...lol. I know there's at least one as he had a thread on Facebook about swapping in a 5spd from a 1997 or 1998 F150.

I was pretty careful with all of my bends and measurements. I was trying to make them look like factory run lines. I was a little more fussy than usual on the rear axle only because people have a tendency to look under there...lol. The one running left to right under the engine did not get as much effort. Yes sir, same shocks are still on there.

I finally got my new (newer, actually) steering shaft installed tonight. The torn rubber on the upper joint of my old shaft was an engine bay eyesore that was driving me crazy... The "new" shaft I have is from a 1987-1991 pickup, and was in overall decent condition. It has a dry sealed U-joint on the upper end, and a bonded "rag joint" aka "coupler" at the bottom end. The newer shaft seemed to fit pretty well. I had to grind a hair off the inside of the upper joint to get it on the column, but I think it was probably just some rough edges from old age, etc. Not sure. The downside of the newer shaft was that the slip joint (or telescopic joint if you will) was a bit sloppy. I took it apart and found the strip spring inside to be broken in multiple pieces. I tried multiple different pieces of metal...shim stock, metal strapping, etc...and I just could not get it tight. In the end...I welded a couple 5/16" nuts on the outside of the tube and put a couple set screws in it to hold it tight. Now there is zero play in it. That's it for now. I was going to install a Borgeson shaft, but for the $15 this one cost me, I figured I'd give it a try and see how it stands up. It too is at least 30 years old, so who knows. If it doesn't least, I'll get a new shaft. For now, I really just wanted to get rid of the unsightly torn rubber boot as the truck will be going for it's mechanical fitness test in a couple months.

Gary, Just curious, does the MPC break it down further as to which trucks got the 8.8 and which ones got the 9"? I did see somebody mention on FB one day that there was a determining factor. Something like all 2wd F150's with 351w engines still got the 9" rear diff until 1986, as did all of the F150 4x4 trucks with the Non-OD 4spds? And all other F100/F150's 1983 and later got the 8.8?

302 and 351w engine mounts were the same from 1980-1996 according to LMC. That's all I've got Dave!

The 8.8 rearend showed up in 1983. I'm not sure if it was in ALL 1983 models, but I know that is when they were introduced to replace the 9" rearend as the standard.

Well, that narrows that particular truck down to being a 1982-1983 only, assuming the emblems are original/correct. Assume it does not have the so-called Swiss Cheese frame? I think the SBF engine mounts would be used only with the 302 and 351, but they should be the same for all years of the Bullnose (and after) as far as I know. I didn't think they were used with any other engines, but somebody on here may correct me on that. The 302 oil pan (1980+) was considered a rear sump pan, but as Bill (I think) mentioned earlier, it was more of a middle sump pan. A front sump pan would indicate a pre-1980 pickup or a car model...

Excellent thread!! I am a big fan of the 351W engine and I suffer from a severe case of 35W envy! (I have a 302 in my 1984, with the same 3bar GT40 heads that you have). Love all of the pictures. A friend of mine has a 1997 F350 with a 351W roller engine in it that I would love to get and build up like yours. Anyway... Curious what you did for your fuel line there. Are you running a mechanical or electric pump? I see the hose there, but can't see where it goes...