Big Blue's Transformation

[1986F150Six]

Yes, and no. A wider flange would work, except with the Holley the cable needs to be moved outboard a bit - closer to where I first had it and maybe farther outboard. And I didn't check the Street Demon as there's no stud on it.

However a wider flange won't work on the Eddy 'cause the linkage won't reach the stud since the flange will run into the back of the carb. So it doesn't look like this approach is good for a "universal" bracket.

But the boss isn't a problem. The top of the carb's base is ~1/2" above the boss, so as long as you stay above that it'll be fine.

As usual, very nice work, Gary!

[Gary Lewis]

As usual, very nice work, Gary!

Thanks, David.

Didn't get to work on the truck today. We needed to shop for a new dishwasher, the electric kind, so went to Owasso because I wanted to see them in person 'cause I'm particular about how I like to put the dishes and silverware in.

And when we got home I put up documents on overdrives and scanned in an '84 owner guide. Unfortunately this takes a whole lot of time, so didn't get to the truck.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, David.

Didn't get to work on the truck today. We needed to shop for a new dishwasher, the electric kind, so went to Owasso because I wanted to see them in person 'cause I'm particular about how I like to put the dishes and silverware in.

And when we got home I put up documents on overdrives and scanned in an '84 owner guide. Unfortunately this takes a whole lot of time, so didn't get to the truck.

Worked on the truck today, but not a lot to show. First I powder coated the throttle cable bracket as well as some of the bolts for holding the grille and associated "stuff" on. Here's the bracket:

Then I pulled the original throttle cable out as well as the pedal, lubed the pedal and a spare cable, and installed them. Then I installed the carb and throttle bracket, and attached the cables to the bracket and carb. Done!

Then I decided that now, before I install anything else around it, might be a good time to remove the old Bullnose lower steering shaft and install the Borgeson. (You may remember that when the time came to install the lower steering shaft the Borgeson was hiding, but subsequently I found it.) Boy, was that a battle! First the old one fought me as I tried to take it off. Finally I had to resort to a small hammer to tap it repeatedly to get it off. But just getting to it to tap it wasn't easy.

Then the Borgeson fought me, in several different ways. First, I had to tap it to get it on the steering column - and again getting the hammer down there ain't easy. Then the Borgeson wasn't long enough to fit correctly on the steering box and onto the steering column at the same time. Turns out it is extendable, but it had to come completely off for me to figure that out.

Last, it doesn't have a flat on it like the factory ones, so can go on may different ways and I tried most of them before finding the one that lined up correctly - the one where the lock bolt hits the flat squarely. That got the steering wheel lined up about right with the tires.

Boy, was that a battle! I'm toast.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Worked on the truck today, but not a lot to show. First I powder coated the throttle cable bracket as well as some of the bolts for holding the grille and associated "stuff" on. Here's the bracket:

Then I pulled the original throttle cable out as well as the pedal, lubed the pedal and a spare cable, and installed them. Then I installed the carb and throttle bracket, and attached the cables to the bracket and carb. Done!

Then I decided that now, before I install anything else around it, might be a good time to remove the old Bullnose lower steering shaft and install the Borgeson. (You may remember that when the time came to install the lower steering shaft the Borgeson was hiding, but subsequently I found it.) Boy, was that a battle! First the old one fought me as I tried to take it off. Finally I had to resort to a small hammer to tap it repeatedly to get it off. But just getting to it to tap it wasn't easy.

Then the Borgeson fought me, in several different ways. First, I had to tap it to get it on the steering column - and again getting the hammer down there ain't easy. Then the Borgeson wasn't long enough to fit correctly on the steering box and onto the steering column at the same time. Turns out it is extendable, but it had to come completely off for me to figure that out.

Last, it doesn't have a flat on it like the factory ones, so can go on may different ways and I tried most of them before finding the one that lined up correctly - the one where the lock bolt hits the flat squarely. That got the steering wheel lined up about right with the tires.

Boy, was that a battle! I'm toast.

The cable and bead chain seem to sit nice and straight! 👑

Glad you won the battle. I hope that steering shaft is all they say it is.

I may try to find one of the U-joint ones.

Maybe Theo has a spare aeronose one?

I had a very frustrating morning myself.

But I need to get some things done now that the exhaustion has worn off.

[Gary Lewis]

The cable and bead chain seem to sit nice and straight! 👑

Glad you won the battle. I hope that steering shaft is all they say it is.

I may try to find one of the U-joint ones.

Maybe Theo has a spare aeronose one?

I had a very frustrating morning myself.

But I need to get some things done now that the exhaustion has worn off.

Thanks, Jim. Yes, I was pleased with the way the cables lay. But it took the spare cable to get there as the original cable had a set to it that caused problems. So I swapped it out and it worked nicely.

On the steering shaft, I hope it is all it is cracked up to be. It is very tight and fits the shafts extremely tightly, so there's no slop in it at all.

Glad your exhaustion has worn off. I think I'm going to take it easy until tomorrow.

[85lebaront2]

The cable and bead chain seem to sit nice and straight! 👑

Glad you won the battle. I hope that steering shaft is all they say it is.

I may try to find one of the U-joint ones.

Maybe Theo has a spare aeronose one?

I had a very frustrating morning myself.

But I need to get some things done now that the exhaustion has worn off.

Jim, the problem with the aeronose is the column itself, remember the F450, stub column that bolts to the huge cast aluminum support. Then a U-joint inside the firewall and one at the steering gear.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim, the problem with the aeronose is the column itself, remember the F450, stub column that bolts to the huge cast aluminum support. Then a U-joint inside the firewall and one at the steering gear.

I must be misremembering.

I was under the impression that there was a era that had a lower U-joint instead of the weird rag joint that I have.

Unless -of course- my truck being the oddball one year wonder that it is, just happens to have a Bullnose part in a Bricknose body.

But I don't know anyone with a collection of Bricknose junkers in their driveway.

These trucks definitely don't have the iconic look, nor nearly the fan base that the Bullnose do.

[85lebaront2]

I must be misremembering.

I was under the impression that there was a era that had a lower U-joint instead of the weird rag joint that I have.

Unless -of course- my truck being the oddball one year wonder that it is, just happens to have a Bullnose part in a Bricknose body.

But I don't know anyone with a collection of Bricknose junkers in their driveway.

These trucks definitely don't have the iconic look, nor nearly the fan base that the Bullnose do.

Jim, my parts donor truck was a 1990, and I don't remember exactly what the differences were, but I believe it had a different rag joint, a flexible plastic one and may have had a U-joint at the base of the column but I do not have any pictures of it. By the time I had the front sheet metal off, the column was already out.

Here are two pictures of the 1992-97 stub column and upper U-joint:

 

[Gary Lewis]

Jim, my parts donor truck was a 1990, and I don't remember exactly what the differences were, but I believe it had a different rag joint, a flexible plastic one and may have had a U-joint at the base of the column but I do not have any pictures of it. By the time I had the front sheet metal off, the column was already out.

Here are two pictures of the 1992-97 stub column and upper U-joint:

Interesting! That may explain the extra long steering shaft and separate u-joint & rag joint I have. They probably came from Huck but got separated as I put things away.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim, my parts donor truck was a 1990, and I don't remember exactly what the differences were, but I believe it had a different rag joint, a flexible plastic one and may have had a U-joint at the base of the column but I do not have any pictures of it. By the time I had the front sheet metal off, the column was already out.

Here are two pictures of the 1992-97 stub column and upper U-joint:

I guess this means I'm sol for finding a factory shaft with a lower U-joint.

Time to figure something else out.