Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

The contrast does look good!

Given the width and wheelbase I expect Big Blue to be wearing more than just a few new pinstripes from the Ozarks.

Thanks, Jim. And you may well be right on the "badges" Big Blue will be wearing - assuming he does travel the OOAT.

In prep for that the Windsor air inlet is to be in on Tuesday, so I'll see how well it is going to fit. However, I'm fairly confident that surgery will be needed, so when I go to Owasso on Tuesday for an appointment I'm going to stop by the local salvage to see if they have another one. They've been closed this week, but I've driven by a couple of times and they do have trucks that should have, or have had, one. So if I can pick up a spare it might come in handy.

[BigBrother-84]

Sounds good, Jeff.

Got a bit done today. Installed the headlight doors - twice on the passenger's side as someone forgot to clip the turn signal in.

And I lubed the exterior mirrors so they can swivel nicely should we have to on the trail.

Here's a head-on shot of the headlights and the doors, and then a before & after that was intended to show the difference in the headlight doors. But since the lighting is different it doesn't show as well.

Looks good Gary, I really like the black headlights bezels.

Looking at Big Blue's before and after picts, I see that you had grey bezels with the black grill. Now I understand why you said «this ties in with the black way back behind the grille». More uniform look, yes.

Big Bro was born with the grey bezels and grill. They were worn and cracked, I had to change them and chose the black style instead. More contrasting, embossed and textured.

Grey style looks more "flat" at my eyes, looks good too, but different. Matter of taste, but I prefer Big Bro with the black kit, same for Big Blue.

(July 26th 2001, stuck in the mud on a fishing trip with one of my sons, aged 6).

[grumpin]

Sounds good, Jeff.

Got a bit done today. Installed the headlight doors - twice on the passenger's side as someone forgot to clip the turn signal in.

And I lubed the exterior mirrors so they can swivel nicely should we have to on the trail.

Here's a head-on shot of the headlights and the doors, and then a before & after that was intended to show the difference in the headlight doors. But since the lighting is different it doesn't show as well.

Nice!

I like them black much better.

[Gary Lewis]

Looks good Gary, I really like the black headlights bezels.

Looking at Big Blue's before and after picts, I see that you had grey bezels with the black grill. Now I understand why you said «this ties in with the black way back behind the grille». More uniform look, yes.

Big Bro was born with the grey bezels and grill. They were worn and cracked, I had to change them and chose the black style instead. More contrasting, embossed and textured.

Grey style looks more "flat" at my eyes, looks good too, but different. Matter of taste, but I prefer Big Bro with the black kit, same for Big Blue.

(July 26th 2001, stuck in the mud on a fishing trip with one of my sons, aged 6).

Thanks, guys.

Jeff - How did you get it unstuck?

[1986F150Six]

Thanks, David. It was a free upgrade since I had the tape and paint. I'd been considering doing this for some time, so when I pulled the doors off to install the new lights I thought "Now is the time."

And free is good! Or you could have gone another route:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/295398451070?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=295398451070&targetid=1645685074008&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=9012661&poi=&campaignid=16730423415&mkgroupid=135815925780&rlsatarget=pla-1645685074008&abcId=9300841&merchantid=101981145&gclid=CjwKCAiA2L-dBhACEiwAu8Q9YHq0b9y5WGIu4WB2SWI0A-O5RvC5JISNcaLboZqnfDKiYnS6cOmRrBoCdjcQAvD_BwE

 

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, David. It was a free upgrade since I had the tape and paint. I'd been considering doing this for some time, so when I pulled the doors off to install the new lights I thought "Now is the time."

And free is good! Or you could have gone another route:https://www.ebay.com/itm/295398451070?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=295398451070&targetid=1645685074008&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=9012661&poi=&campaignid=16730423415&mkgroupid=135815925780&rlsatarget=pla-1645685074008&abcId=9300841&merchantid=101981145&gclid=CjwKCAiA2L-dBhACEiwAu8Q9YHq0b9y5WGIu4WB2SWI0A-O5RvC5JISNcaLboZqnfDKiYnS6cOmRrBoCdjcQAvD_BwE

Yikes! I'll take free with some blemishes rather than $450 that might get damaged the first time out.

 

Speaking of damage, I did do some to Big Blue today. I messed up the passenger's outside mirror.

 

Remember that I oiled the mirror arms so that they can easily be moved forward and back? Well, today I realized that the passenger's mirror was in the rear of the two detents so I decided to put in the front one as I think it'll be easier to see there. But that required that I change the angle of the mirror on the arm, and it wouldn't budge.

 

So I got the T40 bit and tried to take the mirror head off the mounting arm. Unfortunately it wouldn't come off, but did come loose enough that it won't stay in place, and I can't tighten it back down.

 

I went through my stash and found another mirror that will move on its arm, but there's no lower mounting "foot" on that arm. (Should it be called an "arm" if there's a "foot" on it? ) So I drilled the rivet out that attached the foot to the arm and attached the foot to the other arm using a 5/16 button-head stainless screw and a stainless nyloc nut, with the Nylon washer in between. The 5/16 screw is a very good fit, so I'm sure this will be a solid fix.

 

I've not re-installed it as I want to clean everything up before I do it, but I think I may get it on next year. Pics when I do, if I can remember that long.

[Gary Lewis]

Yikes! I'll take free with some blemishes rather than $450 that might get damaged the first time out.

 

Speaking of damage, I did do some to Big Blue today. I messed up the passenger's outside mirror.

 

Remember that I oiled the mirror arms so that they can easily be moved forward and back? Well, today I realized that the passenger's mirror was in the rear of the two detents so I decided to put in the front one as I think it'll be easier to see there. But that required that I change the angle of the mirror on the arm, and it wouldn't budge.

 

So I got the T40 bit and tried to take the mirror head off the mounting arm. Unfortunately it wouldn't come off, but did come loose enough that it won't stay in place, and I can't tighten it back down.

 

I went through my stash and found another mirror that will move on its arm, but there's no lower mounting "foot" on that arm. (Should it be called an "arm" if there's a "foot" on it? ) So I drilled the rivet out that attached the foot to the arm and attached the foot to the other arm using a 5/16 button-head stainless screw and a stainless nyloc nut, with the Nylon washer in between. The 5/16 screw is a very good fit, so I'm sure this will be a solid fix.

 

I've not re-installed it as I want to clean everything up before I do it, but I think I may get it on next year. Pics when I do, if I can remember that long.

Well, I haven't installed the mirror since I've not gotten it cleaned up like I want. And that's because I spent time looking at the bolt I was using and discovered that it really isn't long enough. So I spent some time finding the right bolts and got some on order. They won't be in for a week or so, but I'll install the mirror anyway as it'll be easy to change the bolt.But here are a couple of shots showing what I have. In the one on the left you can see the original LH mirror foot vs the RH mirror's foot with the rivet replace with a screw. And on the right you can see what I might about the screw being too short. It is a 3/4" screw so I ordered 1" ones. This one just gets into the Nylon lock so will probably work, but I want to to be fully in. And I'd like to get a washer on it as well, but we shall see.

[BigBrother-84]

Jeff - How did you get it unstuck?

With a Forestry Skidder.

[BigBrother-84]

Yikes! I'll take free with some blemishes rather than $450 that might get damaged the first time out.

I keep an Excel file about the parts I bought for Big Brother's restoration.

I bought these from LMC (repro), very good quality, I would say same as originals.

Was curious and went to LMC's site, to verify if they still sale them.

Yep, they do... but not at the same price!

April 2022, I was able to buy a complete front grill/bezels & mouldings black/chrome kit for 188$. Same kit is now 348$!

I realize I renovated Big Bro just in time!

 

[Gary Lewis]

Yikes! I'll take free with some blemishes rather than $450 that might get damaged the first time out.

I keep an Excel file about the parts I bought for Big Brother's restoration.

I bought these from LMC (repro), very good quality, I would say same as originals.

Was curious and went to LMC's site, to verify if they still sale them.

Yep, they do... but not at the same price!

April 2022, I was able to buy a complete front grill/bezels & mouldings black/chrome kit for 188$. Same kit is now 348$!

I realize I renovated Big Bro just in time!

Wow! You got lucky getting those parts for that price!

And it is good you got help getting the truck out. It looks like it was really STUCK!

I remember getting stuck like that once, and we only got out by finding just enough boards to dig out and put under the tires to let us move forward about 6' off the boards, dig out & move the boards, repeat, repeat, repeat. That was a pain, so I'm glad you got help.