1981 straight six manual 4x4 project

[Ford F834]

My 4-door diesel project has a hopeless case of what Gary would call scope creep. It hasn’t run since 2013 and still has a long way to go. So late last year I decided to buy another truck to hold me over. Oh wait… make that two trucks… and a huge project to turn them into one truck. A 4x4 swap is easy they said… it will be fun they said. Welcome to my BAD idea! Ten months later it still isn’t drivable and is sitting next to my diesel. In all fairness I am just fighting through the usual onion layers that any old user truck will have, and I did want a light duty straight six gas engine truck in addition to the diesel. I am just taking care of a lot of issues up front while I have things apart. There is no such thing as a free lunch, and there is no such thing as a cheap truck. All the money that I ~didn't budget to truck shopping is now bleeding out of my wallet and being beaten out of my hide in terms of labor. Here is a recap of my progress so far:

 

1981 F150 2wd T18 300 I-6 at the time of purchase. It has a strong, recently rebuilt engine and meets my criteria of pre-computer engine control and factory AC equipped. Not a peach by any means, but “good bones” as David put it.

 

1982 F150 4x4 NP435/BW1345 300 I-6 parts truck. This truck was much rougher than it looks… cylinder head was cracked in 14 places, front piston cracked in half, primer is covering redneck rust repair etc.,

 

The axle code for the 4x4 donor read H4, meaning a limited slip Ford 9” with 3.00 gears. This makes for pretty rough 2nd gear start outs with the NP435. So I decided to use the close ratio T19 that came out of my diesel. The synchronized first should make for much better starts and the close ratios are better for the low revving straight six which has about the same power band as the 6.9 diesel.

 

First order of business was the front axle swap. This is a direct bolt-over, but the parts are heavy and extremely awkward to handle. In my case I wanted to make the parts truck able to roll, steer and brake to facilitate disposal. This doubled the amount of work I had to do since the 2wd axles had to go back in. Buying a parts truck gives you everything you need cheaply, but has the disadvantage that you can’t just take what you need and leave the carcass at the junkyard.

 

I decided to swap 3rd members instead of a full axle swap for the rear because the 4x4 donor truck had a bad leak. It turned out to be just an improperly installed seal, but I figured that out a little to late (I had already removed the 2.75 ratio 3rd member from the ‘81). The hardest part about a 3rd member swap is chiseling off all the dastardly copper washers. A full axle swap would have been easier, especially since you pretty well have to disconnect the rear axle anyway to add the 4x4 lift blocks (which require the wider U-bolt plates and U-bolts from the donor).

I installed the T19 out of my 1986 F350 diesel. It shifts super smooth, its only flaw is popping out of gear when going down hill and holding the truck back. One day I may rebuild it and see if I can resolve that, but in the ten years that I drove the diesel it never bothered me much. The BW1345 that I installed behind it is what came out of the 4x4 donor. I am thinking of replacing it with the BW1345 from my diesel with the Gear Vendor’s attached, but it will require a shortened driveshaft. For now I'm just putting in the parts that fit to get it going.

[Gary Lewis]

Well written! Looks like you are also qualified to teach the "What To Look For When Truck Buying" class. And probably the "Set A Goal & Keep To It" class. 😉

Anyway, I'm looking for the next installment. Where are you with it today, and where will you be with it one week from today - in all aspects of that question.

[Ford F834]

The next thing I tackled was the power steering pump. It made horrible noises under even the slightest load, and the fluid definitely smelled burnt. Rather than replace it with another crappy C2 Ford pump I wanted to upgrade it with a Saginaw. I also wanted to replace the ridiculous I-6 style oil cooler line with a much longer one from a V8 truck. I am still baffled as to why the straight six trucks got such a chintzy oil cooling tube:

 

 

Of course as soon as I need a V-belt I-6 Saginaw set up I can’t find one to save my life. But I did find a 1982 V8 van that had a Saginaw, and I actually tried installing it on a straight six pickup that was sitting next to it in the junkyard. And… (with a little creativity with spacers) it fit! Yay for me… I thought. I failed to realize that the straight six truck that I tried it on did not have AC, and the particular bracket and pump that I bought rotates the reservoir right into the cast iron hockey stick for the AC when you go to tension the belt on my truck. So, back to the junkyard… still no I-6 vans with V-belts, but I did notice that other V8’s had different bracketry and the pump reservoir is clocked differently. I bought one, and I am really hoping it will tension without hitting the AC bracket. I have yet to try it out.

 

First Saginaw pump that I bought

 Second Saginaw pump that I bought

The first Saginaw pump ~not fitting in my truck 😩

 

I also attempted to replace the long tie rod. I say attempted because my replacement part went right back in the box when I discovered that it had no grease fitting. And neither did the U-joints that I bought for the drive shafts. And one of the U-joints turns out is a different size than the others. I am beside myself that it is now standard to eliminate grease points. I bought locally because I wanted to drive the truck to Oklahoma and have it ready on time for the GTG. Sadly that is not going to happen. I simply don’t have enough time. I also noticed that the ball joints on my truck do not have grease fittings. Can I assume then, that these are replacement parts? They seem nice and tight but I am disappointed that I cannot grease them. I was told by my alignment shop that they could only do a proper TTB alignment if the upper ball joints had been replaced with an eccentric sleeve? Can anyone tell by looking at mine if this has been done?

 

 

[Ford F834]

Well written! Looks like you are also qualified to teach the "What To Look For When Truck Buying" class. And probably the "Set A Goal & Keep To It" class. 😉

Anyway, I'm looking for the next installment. Where are you with it today, and where will you be with it one week from today - in all aspects of that question.

Gary, I wish I had better news to report, but the 1981 won't make it to Skiatook. Even if I worked on it non stop I'm just in too deep and I would have no time for a test run. And little details like front end alignment, windshield replacement and registration are appointments that need worked in to my flip flop night schedule. I thought about coming in the 1968 F250, but it really can't go much faster than 50 mph and has no AC. That would make for one. long. hot. drive...

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, I wish I had better news to report, but the 1981 won't make it to Skiatook. Even if I worked on it non stop I'm just in too deep and I would have no time for a test run. And little details like front end alignment, windshield replacement and registration are appointments that need worked in to my flip flop night schedule. I thought about coming in the 1968 F250, but it really can't go much faster than 50 mph and has no AC. That would make for one. long. hot. drive...

I understand. I've been there many times. In fact, I am there right now with Dad's as I wanted to take it to the show in Kansas on a trailer, but won't trailer it that far w/o suspension.

On the eccentric, I think the thing pointed to below is it:

[Ford F834]

I understand. I've been there many times. In fact, I am there right now with Dad's as I wanted to take it to the show in Kansas on a trailer, but won't trailer it that far w/o suspension.

On the eccentric, I think the thing pointed to below is it:

Thanks Gary, I was hoping it had it. The picture I've seen online looks different but since they are aftermarket they probably look different ways:

One of the things that attracted me to buy this truck was the fact that the previous owner is a trusted friend and he said the steering was a little loose and the brakes were a bit spongy but he wouldn't hesitate to drive it across the country. It did run well, but you can see how dangerous perceptions can be... remember that little wheel bearing video clip I sent by e-mail? He had no idea. My wife followed me when I first drove it home and complained that it smelled awful. I messed with the carburetor and found that turning the mixture screw had no effect whatsoever. Things. Just things!

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks Gary, I was hoping it had it. The picture I've seen online looks different but since they are aftermarket they probably look different ways:

One of the things that attracted me to buy this truck was the fact that the previous owner is a trusted friend and he said the steering was a little loose and the brakes were a bit spongy but he wouldn't hesitate to drive it across the country. It did run well, but you can see how dangerous perceptions can be... remember that little wheel bearing video clip I sent by e-mail? He had no idea. My wife followed me when I first drove it home and complained that it smelled awful. I messed with the carburetor and found that turning the mixture screw had no effect whatsoever. Things. Just things!

The separate pic appears to be a compound eccentric. I can post a pic of a stock eccentric in a bit if you want as they are laying on the work table - and need to be put away before company gets here.

Yes, once person's perception can be quite different than another's. People that are familiar with a vehicle will often overlook many ills that are glaringly apparent to someone that sees the vehicle the first time. And I do remember the scary video!

[1986F150Six]

The separate pic appears to be a compound eccentric. I can post a pic of a stock eccentric in a bit if you want as they are laying on the work table - and need to be put away before company gets here.

Yes, once person's perception can be quite different than another's. People that are familiar with a vehicle will often overlook many ills that are glaringly apparent to someone that sees the vehicle the first time. And I do remember the scary video!

What will you be driving, Jonathan? Does it have room for carrying wheels, etc?

[Gary Lewis]

What will you be driving, Jonathan? Does it have room for carrying wheels, etc?

And for a radiator support? Don't worry in my case if not.

[Ford F834]

And for a radiator support? Don't worry in my case if not.

Guys, most likely I will come in my Jetta TDI. Yes, the bumpers and the radiator support will fit... I brought them home from the junkyard in that car. I should still be able to bring the wheels... David, do they have tires on them or are they bare rims? I have other transportation options but if the Jetta will work it is the most comfortable and the mpg is fantastic.