Custer Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 After 30 years of trying to find my 67 Fairlane XL with no success, I switched gears and decided to go old school on a truck. I was living in Texas and discovered an '84 F150 XL, which coincidentally, is on this site. After I tracked it down, I discovered it was 15 miles from my new home in NC. Karma I suppose. Go figure. So anyway, I bought it a month ago and have been diligently going through it chasing down OEM parts. I admit, I have become obsessed with it early on. My first move was to go from front to back mechanically. It's in remarkable shape, but it sat for all practical purposes in a garage for 20+ years. (There is a worn oil change sticker on the door from 1992 with a next change due at 43,000 miles.) It only has 53k on it today! As you would expect, when I started driving it she began to leak from all over. Well anyway, this week I completed all the mechanical stuff and we don't leak a drop. So now to the body. In its childhood it was a construction truck. So while the body and interior are almost flawless, the bed is rough. Which brings me to my next decision point. This truck is 100% original. (The original plugs were in it until this week and I am trying to do everything factory.) I am asking for opinion on a bed liner. On one hand I don't want to touch the bed, just drop in a liner - stays original for the most part. On the other, I want to spray in a color matched bed liner. Am I goofing up the factory thing if I spray in? Could I ever get it out? I would appreciate any guidance or opinion. Anyway, happy to be aboard and I am learning daily but I have so much to figure out. Ever onward. Paul paul.mypc@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Paul - Welcome! And, for those that don't know which truck you are talking about, it is this one: Picture Galleries/1984 F150 XL. And I'll include a pic below to jog their memories. But before I start tying about your truck, we have a member's map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu), and I will gladly add you if you'd like. Just give me a city and I'll do so. Now for the truck. I've now realized that none of the pics in the gallery show the bed. And apparently there's a reason for that - it is "rough" as you said. But dents on the inside of beds are hard to remove. My paint/body man spent a lot of time on Dad's bed and finally said we needed to do go with a bed liner to hide the dents he couldn't get out. So we discussed the idea of a drop-in vs a spray-in liner, and he suggested that a drop-in liner will retain moisture and ultimately rust the bed out. So, we went with a spray-in liner and it looks good. Given that, my vote would be for a spray-in liner. Yes, it isn't original, but the original bed isn't in the kind of shape the rest of the truck is in, so that will help hide the damage. But, I think you'll want the color to be essentially flat to hide things the best. In any event, I recommend that you start a thread about your truck in the main section. Link to the pics, and give us some new ones. Tell us what you've done and what you are considering doing. Again, welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Custer Posted March 30, 2019 Author Share Posted March 30, 2019 Paul - Welcome! And, for those that don't know which truck you are talking about, it is this one: Picture Galleries/1984 F150 XL. And I'll include a pic below to jog their memories. But before I start tying about your truck, we have a member's map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu), and I will gladly add you if you'd like. Just give me a city and I'll do so. Now for the truck. I've now realized that none of the pics in the gallery show the bed. And apparently there's a reason for that - it is "rough" as you said. But dents on the inside of beds are hard to remove. My paint/body man spent a lot of time on Dad's bed and finally said we needed to do go with a bed liner to hide the dents he couldn't get out. So we discussed the idea of a drop-in vs a spray-in liner, and he suggested that a drop-in liner will retain moisture and ultimately rust the bed out. So, we went with a spray-in liner and it looks good. Given that, my vote would be for a spray-in liner. Yes, it isn't original, but the original bed isn't in the kind of shape the rest of the truck is in, so that will help hide the damage. But, I think you'll want the color to be essentially flat to hide things the best. In any event, I recommend that you start a thread about your truck in the main section. Link to the pics, and give us some new ones. Tell us what you've done and what you are considering doing. Again, welcome! Charlotte NC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Charlotte NC You are now on the map: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/members-map.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 You are now on the map: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/members-map.html Welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Welcome to the group! That is a beautiful truck and I’m glad you chose to join and share your journey with us. I agree with Gary that slip-in liners are a bad idea... there actually is one pic in the gallery that shows the bed, and while it isn’t mint like the rest I wouldn’t call it rough either. I’m betting that professional spray in liner would hide almost all of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 I admit, I have become obsessed with it early on. You're in good company! There may be another member or two on here that is obsessed. I may or may not be one of them... As for the bed...most people would still consider that to be in the "Mint" category. I'll add another vote for the spray in liner. And welcome to the site. I travel down to Monroe NC with my work for training every few years. Lovely area in and around Charlotte. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Wyatt Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Welcome to the group! That is a beautiful truck and I’m glad you chose to join and share your journey with us. I agree with Gary that slip-in liners are a bad idea... there actually is one pic in the gallery that shows the bed, and while it isn’t mint like the rest I wouldn’t call it rough either. I’m betting that professional spray in liner would hide almost all of it. Compared to my trucks bed, that is mint. Mine looks like a wash board. I vote for the spray in liner as well, in a matching color. Welcome aboard and super nice truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1986F150Six Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 Compared to my trucks bed, that is mint. Mine looks like a wash board. I vote for the spray in liner as well, in a matching color. Welcome aboard and super nice truck. Welcome aboard! Spray in liners are nice [i have one] and can be done "under the rail", so from the side, it would not show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Custer Posted April 3, 2019 Author Share Posted April 3, 2019 I admit, I have become obsessed with it early on. You're in good company! There may be another member or two on here that is obsessed. I may or may not be one of them... As for the bed...most people would still consider that to be in the "Mint" category. I'll add another vote for the spray in liner. And welcome to the site. I travel down to Monroe NC with my work for training every few years. Lovely area in and around Charlotte. Thanks. If you get to NC, give me a buzz. We could grab a coffee. 832.229.1416 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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