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My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"


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It DOES affect handling, though. Poly gives much-better handling.

Gotcha. In my case, the truck handles fine...well, it could handle better, but it's current limitations are the sloppy reman steering box and the lack of swaybars. I currently can't drive it to the point where I'd be taxing the leaf spring bushings. With a new RedHead steering box this winter, and newly installed front and rear swaybars, and all new suspension bushings throughout the whole truck, it will be miles ahead of where it is now. I have no intention of carving corners with this thing anyway...it's just meant to be a summer weekend cruiser.

It would still feel safer & more-functional on poly. But new rubber is probably an improvement over those old plastic bushings.

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It DOES affect handling, though. Poly gives much-better handling.

Gotcha. In my case, the truck handles fine...well, it could handle better, but it's current limitations are the sloppy reman steering box and the lack of swaybars. I currently can't drive it to the point where I'd be taxing the leaf spring bushings. With a new RedHead steering box this winter, and newly installed front and rear swaybars, and all new suspension bushings throughout the whole truck, it will be miles ahead of where it is now. I have no intention of carving corners with this thing anyway...it's just meant to be a summer weekend cruiser.

Some more progress on the rear half of the frame this morning. I've drilled and chiseled the heads off 24 rivets in total, 12 down each side. This is how she looks after the first pass with the wire cup wheel.

IMG_6093.jpg.77975d92106ab070eec9b6ee87b411ce.jpg

IMG_6094.jpg.8d50f97ac501db8d870de41d1a4c684e.jpg

I think it will clean up OK. Going to require several passes to get all the gunk and rust cleaned up. I hosed it down with brake clean when I was finished.

Two perforations that need attention:

One spot, that didn't pass the "Reamer Test" was dead center of the three mounting holes for the driver's side upper shock mount:

IMG_6097.jpg.7e0a4ce1f095a866e1a6afade7c621b1.jpg

The other is a small hole where the driver's side front leaf spring bracket mounts. Small hole next to the lower left hole. The area itself is a bit thin there, so the repair will be quite a bit bigger than the hole itself.

IMG_6099.jpg.0509926033852c842487f00a22eb333f.jpg

They are both bad areas where water, dirt, salt, etc will collect and just sit. Passenger side is pretty much OK. Driver's side is always prone to rust earlier anyway, so nothing surprising here.

A few more cleaning passes, then some Ospho treatment, and if all goes well I will be painting next weekend.

I have the rear end, leaf springs, and a few other bits and pieces all loaded on a pallet to go out for sand blasting.

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One spot, that didn't pass the "Reamer Test" was dead center of the three mounting holes for the driver's side upper shock mount...
Instead of patching that hole, consider boring it out & leaving it open so trash can't collect there any more. Just make sure it meets all the criteria near the middle of this caption:

https://supermotors.net/getfile/895898/thumbnail/frameb8081.jpg

I also recommend adding holes to the bottoms of the rear leaf brackets so they don't hold water/mud.

https://supermotors.net/getfile/983087/thumbnail/35bedrodv.jpg

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One spot, that didn't pass the "Reamer Test" was dead center of the three mounting holes for the driver's side upper shock mount...
Instead of patching that hole, consider boring it out & leaving it open so trash can't collect there any more. Just make sure it meets all the criteria near the middle of this caption:

https://supermotors.net/getfile/895898/thumbnail/frameb8081.jpg

I also recommend adding holes to the bottoms of the rear leaf brackets so they don't hold water/mud.

https://supermotors.net/getfile/983087/thumbnail/35bedrodv.jpg

Good ideas Steve, especially on the new rear leaf brackets.

For the shock mount, I was going to patch/fill the frame hole properly, and then drill a little hole in the bottom of the shock mount itself for a drain. That was my plan at least.

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Good ideas Steve, especially on the new rear leaf brackets.

For the shock mount, I was going to patch/fill the frame hole properly, and then drill a little hole in the bottom of the shock mount itself for a drain. That was my plan at least.

There's less metal in the shock mount to bear its loads, so I wouldn't remove any of that. The frame has some extra metal, if you obey the limitations in that caption.

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Good ideas Steve, especially on the new rear leaf brackets.

For the shock mount, I was going to patch/fill the frame hole properly, and then drill a little hole in the bottom of the shock mount itself for a drain. That was my plan at least.

There's less metal in the shock mount to bear its loads, so I wouldn't remove any of that. The frame has some extra metal, if you obey the limitations in that caption.

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Good ideas Steve, especially on the new rear leaf brackets.

For the shock mount, I was going to patch/fill the frame hole properly, and then drill a little hole in the bottom of the shock mount itself for a drain. That was my plan at least.

Lots of progress on the old F150 this week:

Got the two bad spots on the frame all fixed up.

Got a bunch of miscellaneous stuff blasted clean...

blasted_parts_1_(Medium).jpg.ea96322a27797480e80203b0b8b08f34.jpg

Blasted_parts_3_(Medium).jpg.79e3bf83c566cf84b5410ec84f55ee00.jpg

And made it over to the US border to pick up my new RedHead steering box:

IMG_6134.jpg.678bed335a646e91d854d62ab8a69de1.jpg

Some more grinding and wire wheel work on Friday night and Saturday am, then some rust treatment, then I'll pop the new bushings in the leaf springs, and if all goes well I'll be painting on Sunday.

 

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Lots of progress on the old F150 this week:

Got the two bad spots on the frame all fixed up.

Got a bunch of miscellaneous stuff blasted clean...

And made it over to the US border to pick up my new RedHead steering box:

Some more grinding and wire wheel work on Friday night and Saturday am, then some rust treatment, then I'll pop the new bushings in the leaf springs, and if all goes well I'll be painting on Sunday.

That's great news! And great progress! I'm envious, for sure. :nabble_smiley_good:

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Lots of progress on the old F150 this week:

Got the two bad spots on the frame all fixed up.

Got a bunch of miscellaneous stuff blasted clean...

And made it over to the US border to pick up my new RedHead steering box:

Some more grinding and wire wheel work on Friday night and Saturday am, then some rust treatment, then I'll pop the new bushings in the leaf springs, and if all goes well I'll be painting on Sunday.

I would STRONGLY suggest painting all those parts with Master Series Silver. It is a moisture cured primer, that is fantastic. It can go over clean new metal as well as rusty metal. It will take any topcoat your choose. I have been using Master Series for 20 years now in restorations. I have not been let down.

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I would STRONGLY suggest painting all those parts with Master Series Silver. It is a moisture cured primer, that is fantastic. It can go over clean new metal as well as rusty metal. It will take any topcoat your choose. I have been using Master Series for 20 years now in restorations. I have not been let down.

Pete, is this paint a sealer? As in does it require an immediate top coat or can you use it and leave it until you are ready for paint?

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