Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

I was thinking to not worry about an air filter as you are driving across a river. You won't be kicking up any dust there, and you would stop on the other side and put it back together.

Something more permanent that you can drive the entire trail with might be better. But if it requires making any permanent modifications that you don't want to make maybe it isn't.

And sorry, I'm not following all of the thoughts completely here, but is the thought to still be getting the inlet air through the grill? While that's a great place to find the coolest, cleanest air, in a river crossing it's not necessarily the best place for the driest. The bow wave can go all the way up and over the top of the hood. Higher in the grill is better than lower in the grill, but somewhere else might be better. Right behind the core support wouldn't be my first choice, but it's more protected than the grill.

Given the number of mud holes and creek/river crossings I don't think I want to have to stop, open the hood, remove the screws to pull the filter cover, and then put the holy cover on before each crossing - and then do the same on the other side. So I am looking for something more permanant.

And while the top of the radiator support might not be ideal, it is at least 1/3 again better than what I have, meaning 12" higher than the 36" I have. And I think that is acceptable so I want to pursue that.

But as said on the other thread, I'd consider a true snorkel but cannot find one that appears to fit. I don't know that I really want to cut that big of a hole in the fender, but I'd consider it.

[Nothing Special]

Given the number of mud holes and creek/river crossings I don't think I want to have to stop, open the hood, remove the screws to pull the filter cover, and then put the holy cover on before each crossing - and then do the same on the other side. So I am looking for something more permanant.

And while the top of the radiator support might not be ideal, it is at least 1/3 again better than what I have, meaning 12" higher than the 36" I have. And I think that is acceptable so I want to pursue that.

But as said on the other thread, I'd consider a true snorkel but cannot find one that appears to fit. I don't know that I really want to cut that big of a hole in the fender, but I'd consider it.

What do people say about the fan? Do you expect to get into deep enough water to worry about that? Fans are made to move compressible air. When they try to move incompressible water they tend to turn into a propeller. Best case they just throw water all over the engine compartment. Worst case they pull themselves into the radiator and you're dead in the... well I guess you'll get out of the water, but dead on the riverbank. I've heard it recommended to pull the belts every river crossing. Or go to an electric fan and pull the fuse (or switch it so you can shut it off).

This gets back to what I said at first. If you aren't dealing with water that deep, then maybe just driving slow enough to avoid a bow wave is good enough (especially if you also raise the intake 12")

[Gary Lewis]

What do people say about the fan? Do you expect to get into deep enough water to worry about that? Fans are made to move compressible air. When they try to move incompressible water they tend to turn into a propeller. Best case they just throw water all over the engine compartment. Worst case they pull themselves into the radiator and you're dead in the... well I guess you'll get out of the water, but dead on the riverbank. I've heard it recommended to pull the belts every river crossing. Or go to an electric fan and pull the fuse (or switch it so you can shut it off).

This gets back to what I said at first. If you aren't dealing with water that deep, then maybe just driving slow enough to avoid a bow wave is good enough (especially if you also raise the intake 12")

Fortunately the clutch on the fan should be disengaged since we'll be going when it is cold. But I agree that an electric fan that can be shut off for water crossings would be ideal.

Hopefully we won't be dealing with water that deep and we can go slowly enough to not create a large bow wave. But I think that 12" is going to be crucial. The more I think about where the air inlet is the less I like it.

[Gary Lewis]

Fortunately the clutch on the fan should be disengaged since we'll be going when it is cold. But I agree that an electric fan that can be shut off for water crossings would be ideal.Hopefully we won't be dealing with water that deep and we can go slowly enough to not create a large bow wave. But I think that 12" is going to be crucial. The more I think about where the air inlet is the less I like it.

Well, Santa did bring the Koito headlight shells and the Tungsram +120 bulbs yesterday. And with the snow melting off today I'm hoping to install them tomorrow evening.

 

But several of the screws that hold the stainless headlight retaining ring are hidden behind the headlight doors so I pulled the doors today. And in doing so I was reminded of how badly the doors need the black paint freshened up - as you can see below.

 

So I decided I'd do that tomorrow, but that required removing the turn signal lenses. You can read how that went in the thread entitled Removing Turn Signal Lenses, but let's just say here that I learned something.

 

As for installing the headlights, I'm going to follow Daniel Stern's instructions which are on his page entitled Why & How to Aim Headlamps and Auxiliary Lamps. But instead of hiring it done, as he strongly recommends, I'm going to do it in our driveway. It looks to me like the driveway itself is flat across its width and has a very slight tilt toward the street, so I think it'll work. And that will let me mark things off as Daniel recommends during the day time, and be ready for pictures and aiming tomorrow night.

 

The plan is to:

1. Aim the existing headlights according to Daniel's instructions
2. Take a few pics of the output of those headlights and record the camera's settings
3. Pull the existing headlights & replace them with the Koito/Tungsram combo
4. Align the new headlights according to Daniel's directions
5. Set the camera to manual, dial in the previous settings, and take pics

 

Anyone have any suggested changes to that process?

 

[1986F150Six]

Anyone have any suggested changes to that process?

 

https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n128972/DS_Headlight_Bezel_-_Before_Painting.jpg

Gary, I would return that light bulb in the photo... it looks bad!

[Gary Lewis]

Anyone have any suggested changes to that process?

 

https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n128972/DS_Headlight_Bezel_-_Before_Painting.jpg

Gary, I would return that light bulb in the photo... it looks bad!

Looks a bit cracked, doesn't it. Hopefully the new bulbs will be better. :nabble_smiley_wink:Speaking of the new bulbs, and their soon-to-be homes, here they are on the left. And on the right are the newly-painted headlight doors with the cleaned turn signal lenses. They aren't perfect, but are better than before.And while I got all of the nuts on the turn signal lenses nicely I did use a bit of heat to make it go more smoothly. However, the color of two lenses I picked yesterday didn't quite match so I found another that did match. But it had a broken off stud. Fortunately there was enough left that I threaded it 3/8-16 and put a nut on it - and a dab of hot-melt glue to persuade it to stay.Next step is to take BB out to in front of the house and lay out the marks on the garage door and driveway in prep for tonight...

[BigBrother-84]

Looks a bit cracked, doesn't it. Hopefully the new bulbs will be better.

Speaking of the new bulbs, and their soon-to-be homes, here they are on the left. And on the right are the newly-painted headlight doors with the cleaned turn signal lenses. They aren't perfect, but are better than before.

And while I got all of the nuts on the turn signal lenses nicely I did use a bit of heat to make it go more smoothly. However, the color of two lenses I picked yesterday didn't quite match so I found another that did match. But it had a broken off stud. Fortunately there was enough left that I threaded it 3/8-16 and put a nut on it - and a dab of hot-melt glue to persuade it to stay.

Next step is to take BB out to in front of the house and lay out the marks on the garage door and driveway in prep for tonight...

I like the black painted bezels.

Big Brother was born with the grey/silver ones. But I find he looks better since I installed black ones.

Matter of taste...

[Gary Lewis]

I like the black painted bezels.

Big Brother was born with the grey/silver ones. But I find he looks better since I installed black ones.

Matter of taste...

Thanks, Jeff. I, too, like the black better. It seems to tie in with the black way back behind the grille, as shown in this beautiful pic I found of a Bullnose dressed for Christmas. See how the black of the headlight doors mirrors that of the black in the grille?

And, to finish off the mid-afternoon report, the truck is staged in the driveway 25' from the garage door and I have tape on the door where Daniel said to put it. So I'm ready to jump into action when it gets dark.

[BigBrother-84]

It seems to tie in with the black way back behind the grille, as shown in this beautiful pic I found of a Bullnose dressed for Christmas.

Thanks Gary.

[BigBrother-84]

[...] the truck is staged in the driveway 25' from the garage door and I have tape on the door where Daniel said to put it. So I'm ready to jump into action when it gets dark.

Sure it's going to work. I equipped Big Bro with LED beams (clear beams with LED bulbs), and I am half satisfied. Much more light at night than regular H4, but no easy adjustment between high/low beam.

Result, everybody flashes Big Bro at night, looks on high position all the time.

I am following Big Blue's new beams story, very interested about the results. Maybe will go that way too.