Love my truck

[IowaTom]

I've had my truck two years now and after many challenges and posts here - with your super helpful answers - knock on wood, I think most of the bugs are worked out and I really enjoy driving the truck. In fact, I've gotten to where I no longer hold my breath on start-up or go dry mouth in traffic!

Replaced a lot of stuff when I first tore into the project, and had other issues pop up, alluding to that "peeling an onion" characterization Gary mentioned. Thankfully, now she shifts fine, stops great and after replacing the column with a good rebuilt tilt model; starts great and is comfy to drive.

This one's a keeper. I've owned a few Rangers in my time but glad my neighbor had this ol' girl to sell when I came over.

The last thing I had done was windshield replacement and I let professionals do it. The old one was delaminating around the edges and it leaked terribly in rain. Took her out in a driving rain this morning and was delighted when nary a drop got in.

I could go spend a ridiculous 70K on a new, big ugly something that does everything but blow my nose, but I'd never have the fun and sense of accomplishment I get with my $3,500 investment in my almost 39 year old Ford.

[Gary Lewis]

It really is fun when you get essentially through peeling the onion. I say "essentially through" as there's always something - like the Blue Top box I'm installing now. But I've sure had a lot of fun with it, and know what you are experiencing.

[Ifitaintbroke]

I totally agree with that about new vehicles. To me, they don't even look good(except the Mazda MX-5 Miata), and they sure don't look like any fun to drive or own. Nobody that I know who has them really likes them, and they all wish they had their old truck that they are still kicking themselves for getting rid of. Everyone thinks I'm crazy for the effort I've put into this old bullnose, but when it's done it'll be just like I want it.

[FuzzFace2]

I could go spend a ridiculous 70K on a new, big ugly something that does everything but blow my nose, but I'd never have the fun and sense of accomplishment I get with my $3,500 investment in my almost 39 year old Ford.

:nabble_anim_claps:Well said I even like driving the pick up more than my 02 Durango as I bought it new and did no work to it unlike the pick up, full cab off rebuild.

Dave ----

[Gary Lewis]

I could go spend a ridiculous 70K on a new, big ugly something that does everything but blow my nose, but I'd never have the fun and sense of accomplishment I get with my $3,500 investment in my almost 39 year old Ford.

:nabble_anim_claps:Well said I even like driving the pick up more than my 02 Durango as I bought it new and did no work to it unlike the pick up, full cab off rebuild.

Dave ----

There's another perk that hasn't been said. Everywhere I go in Big Blue I get someone giving me a thumbs-up.

And the other night a young lady and her boy friend came by trick-or-treating and she said to her boy friend "This is the guy I told you about with the pickup."

I don't get that with my new truck.

[FuzzFace2]

There's another perk that hasn't been said. Everywhere I go in Big Blue I get someone giving me a thumbs-up.

And the other night a young lady and her boy friend came by trick-or-treating and she said to her boy friend "This is the guy I told you about with the pickup."

I don't get that with my new truck.

I stopped in for parts when fixing the bucking issue and when I walked in a mon & son were walking out.

When I came out they were waiting and the son wanted to talk about the truck.

He was 13 and into the older cars & trucks.

I had my picture book I take to shows to show them all the work that was done.

I told them he should get something he likes that dose not need a lot of work, could get over his head and give up. Build it the way he wants not the way others want him to build it.

Also if they had classes at school to take them. Also if he knew anyone that has a shop or works on cars & truck so spend time with them and help when he could as he could learn from them.

We talked for about 30 mins. I also told them of car shows around the area and how to look them up. Maybe we will have new blood keeping the old iron going

Dave ----

[Gary Lewis]

There's another perk that hasn't been said. Everywhere I go in Big Blue I get someone giving me a thumbs-up.

And the other night a young lady and her boy friend came by trick-or-treating and she said to her boy friend "This is the guy I told you about with the pickup."

I don't get that with my new truck.

I stopped in for parts when fixing the bucking issue and when I walked in a mon & son were walking out.

When I came out they were waiting and the son wanted to talk about the truck.

He was 13 and into the older cars & trucks.

I had my picture book I take to shows to show them all the work that was done.

I told them he should get something he likes that dose not need a lot of work, could get over his head and give up. Build it the way he wants not the way others want him to build it.

Also if they had classes at school to take them. Also if he knew anyone that has a shop or works on cars & truck so spend time with them and help when he could as he could learn from them.

We talked for about 30 mins. I also told them of car shows around the area and how to look them up. Maybe we will have new blood keeping the old iron going

Dave ----

That's neat, Dave. New blood!

I really should do a picture book. I have all the pics, but haven't printed any of them. Instead I rely on the info card I've printed to tell everyone what I've done to Big Blue, and that seems to be enough to win "best modifications". (Or maybe it should be "most modifications"? )

But your advice is very sound. Build it your way, but do some research before starting to figure out what "your way" really should be. And join a forum.

However, there are forums and then there are forums. Steve Fox/Foxford33 was over yesterday and he was bemoaning the fact that the people in the Jeep Wagoneer forums are the "buy it" rather than "build it" types. He is going with a Ford drive train in his Wagoneer and will need to interface a Ford speedo cable with the Jeep speedo.

The Jeep speedo has threads while the Ford cable has the white plastic snap that latches onto the speedo. But it turns out the Jeep speedo has the exact same threads as a Ford speed sensor. But no one in the Jeep Wagoneer forums has figured that out.

[FuzzFace2]

That's neat, Dave. New blood!

I really should do a picture book. I have all the pics, but haven't printed any of them. Instead I rely on the info card I've printed to tell everyone what I've done to Big Blue, and that seems to be enough to win "best modifications". (Or maybe it should be "most modifications"? )

But your advice is very sound. Build it your way, but do some research before starting to figure out what "your way" really should be. And join a forum.

However, there are forums and then there are forums. Steve Fox/Foxford33 was over yesterday and he was bemoaning the fact that the people in the Jeep Wagoneer forums are the "buy it" rather than "build it" types. He is going with a Ford drive train in his Wagoneer and will need to interface a Ford speedo cable with the Jeep speedo.

The Jeep speedo has threads while the Ford cable has the white plastic snap that latches onto the speedo. But it turns out the Jeep speedo has the exact same threads as a Ford speed sensor. But no one in the Jeep Wagoneer forums has figured that out.

Yes forums / internet for information and what you may want to go after to build.

That "other Ford forum" has a lot of different years from day 1 of ford up to the last truck that rolled off the line.

I look over all of them, well not so much the new stuff, to see what others have done and maybe steal a clue or 2 from them.

Then again someone has to be the first to do something that has not been done or posted of.

Take the ribbed bed floor of my flare side. I dont remember seeing that posted any where before.

The rear dual tank I have seen but the posts did not really go into all that it took to make it happen.

The "floating" bumpers, no bolts showing, front & rear is more of a 50's thing my dad said they did back in the day. Sorry to say he is not with us to see I took his clue on them.

And my flare on the front bumper was to add the fog / driving lights in the bumpers like the new stuff has.

You cant limit yourself to just the years your car / truck was built to make it your own.

Dave ----

[BigBrother-84]

That "other Ford forum" has a lot of different years from day 1 of ford up to the last truck that rolled off the line.

And a LOT of annoying and distracting adds and videos popping here and there.

I heard somewhere that, in its past, this site was similar to Gary’s forum… before somebody “sold” it to some web moneymakers.

[Gary Lewis]

That "other Ford forum" has a lot of different years from day 1 of ford up to the last truck that rolled off the line.

And a LOT of annoying and distracting adds and videos popping here and there.

I heard somewhere that, in its past, this site was similar to Gary’s forum… before somebody “sold” it to some web moneymakers.

Yes, from what I've heard the "other" forum had no adverts originally. But by the time I joined in 2010 there were adverts. And yes, it got sold and that's when the adverts popped up.

My intent is that this forum will never have adverts. I've instructed Janey and our kids that they need to keep up the various things that make it tick, and never sell it. But I really need to write that into my will.