Upgrades To Big Blue For Overlanding?

[Gary Lewis]

But, you said "I am barely tolerating it in my single cab...". So, tell me more. That's not what I gathered from your previous post.

Sorry for the confusion on that. I love the seats and console in the regular cab. What I am barely tolerating is the 40/20/40 seat pan mounting system. Most of this is cosmetic. It shows too much. The individual chairs and console leave a lot of ugly black metal frame exposed and the early console sits too high (if front is shimmed/blocked) or it sits too far back if the slope is placed behind the pan. It interferes with the correct seat belt receivers (again cosmetic, but the 40/20/40 receivers look way different and have an integral center belt that needs cut off leaving slots in the sheath). The sliding track for the seat sticks out past the corner of the cushion and it kept catching my pant leg. I rounded it off with a file so it does not do that anymore, but it just looks and feels a bit like a hack. It may look better once I get black carpet in the truck and the frame will blend in. The receivers will basically be hidden by the console, and once mounted well everything may look and feel more like it came that way. The crew cab will show from the back and I just don't think it will be acceptable for me. And I might even opt for drilling and shimming the original seat tracks for both trucks if I don't like the end results with the seat pan and early console.

Oh, ok. So, in thinking about it there are two issues to be considered: comfort of the seats and convenience of the console, and what it looks like. And it is the latter which concerns you. Got it.

And, for Big Blue that may not be a problem, although I don't know yet. But, for Dad's truck it will probably be a problem. So, we need to come up with a better way to mount the buckets. If we knew someone that could draw up the needed brackets and had the equipment to fabricate them we'd be "in".

Seriously though, we should consider that. Perhaps it is a project Ron/Reamer will want to undertake?

[85lebaront2]

Thanks, Bill. If I decide to go that way I'll contact Matt, although I'm not sure I still have his email address, so if you don't mind emailing it to me I would appreciate it.

Going with the EEC-IV system would actually be pretty easy as I have everything needed. In fact, I have this book coming in on Thursday:

But, do you know if the exhaust manifolds are different between the carb and EFI heads? If so, that would mean that I need to go with stock manifolds, which I have from Huck. And, it would solve the exhaust problem since I have a complete exhaust system, although it does have to be welded back together.

Manifolds and head pipes are different, Carbureted ports are oval and EFI are rectangular so manifolds will not swap nor with the front part of the exhaust. Unfortunately when they cut the Huck off, they chopped the converter flange which I still have and it allows me to remove the front pipes without cutting anything.

That book is great, but, it only covers up to 1993 which is just about the point the EEC-IV became capable of a live data stream.

[Ford F834]

Oh, ok. So, in thinking about it there are two issues to be considered: comfort of the seats and convenience of the console, and what it looks like. And it is the latter which concerns you. Got it.

And, for Big Blue that may not be a problem, although I don't know yet. But, for Dad's truck it will probably be a problem. So, we need to come up with a better way to mount the buckets. If we knew someone that could draw up the needed brackets and had the equipment to fabricate them we'd be "in".

Seriously though, we should consider that. Perhaps it is a project Ron/Reamer will want to undertake?

Mount yours up and see what you think Gary. Maybe I am being way too picky and making a big deal out of nothing. Maybe I should just buy 92+ consoles and let it be good enough. As far as custom brackets, I would think some small modifications to the existing ones is all one would need. For the crew cab I have a pair of double slider type captain chair seat tracks out of a bricknose Supercab. I hate the catapult base, and these give front/back adjustments to both seats. The front tilt lever actuated both sliders, but if a bullnose seat is used that lever does not exist and only the one slide track will operate via the lever on the front of the seat track.

[Gary Lewis]

Manifolds and head pipes are different, Carbureted ports are oval and EFI are rectangular so manifolds will not swap nor with the front part of the exhaust. Unfortunately when they cut the Huck off, they chopped the converter flange which I still have and it allows me to remove the front pipes without cutting anything.

That book is great, but, it only covers up to 1993 which is just about the point the EEC-IV became capable of a live data stream.

Bill - I thought I remembered that the head ports were different on both sides, so both EFI intake and exhaust manifolds are required. But, since I have those from Huck, not problemo.

And, I have the complete exhaust, as shown below. All that has to be done is to weld them back together, and that's not too hard. But, are you suggesting that I put flanges there and then be able to replace the rear section and the mufflers?

Speaking of mufflers, are those original? Look like more glass packs to me. What I'd really like is a Magnaflow 2-in/2-out right there. I may check into that.

As for the book, at least it'll get me started. Yes, the ECU I'll use, if I go this way, will be the one from Jim's 1995 F450, so the book won't cover the latest capabilities. But, hopefully it'll have the concepts, inputs and outputs, wiring, etc.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Mount yours up and see what you think Gary. Maybe I am being way too picky and making a big deal out of nothing. Maybe I should just buy 92+ consoles and let it be good enough. As far as custom brackets, I would think some small modifications to the existing ones is all one would need. For the crew cab I have a pair of double slider type captain chair seat tracks out of a bricknose Supercab. I hate the catapult base, and these give front/back adjustments to both seats. The front tilt lever actuated both sliders, but if a bullnose seat is used that lever does not exist and only the one slide track will operate via the lever on the front of the seat track.

Jonathan - I'm gonna have to see pics of the tracks out of the Bricknose to understand. But, not right now. You are busy getting ready to go on vacation, and I'm supposed to be finishing the stripping of Huck - although I'm really fitting a 3G to its engine and checking to see how I might fit a York where the AIR pump went.

Speaking of the York, the gentleman that made the brackets got back and said he doesn't make them anymore. Further, he doesn't share his drawings. So, maybe I can figure out how to do it. Or, convince Luke that he needs to get rid of that problem and go electric.

[85lebaront2]

Bill - I thought I remembered that the head ports were different on both sides, so both EFI intake and exhaust manifolds are required. But, since I have those from Huck, not problemo.

And, I have the complete exhaust, as shown below. All that has to be done is to weld them back together, and that's not too hard. But, are you suggesting that I put flanges there and then be able to replace the rear section and the mufflers?

Speaking of mufflers, are those original? Look like more glass packs to me. What I'd really like is a Magnaflow 2-in/2-out right there. I may check into that.

As for the book, at least it'll get me started. Yes, the ECU I'll use, if I go this way, will be the one from Jim's 1995 F450, so the book won't cover the latest capabilities. But, hopefully it'll have the concepts, inputs and outputs, wiring, etc.

Gary, here is what the converter flange should look like. The back portion is made by cutting the flange off a dead cat.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, here is what the converter flange should look like. The back portion is made by cutting the flange off a dead cat.

Flange and hanger.

Closeup of above.

Bill - Got it. Now I understand, and that would make a convenient junction. Could be put right where the pipes are cut and not have to weld them together, just bolt them.

But, that flange look huge and it hangs down. I'm not sure we want something hanging down that much to get caught on things. Is there a smaller version?

[Gary Lewis]

Bill - Got it. Now I understand, and that would make a convenient junction. Could be put right where the pipes are cut and not have to weld them together, just bolt them.

But, that flange look huge and it hangs down. I'm not sure we want something hanging down that much to get caught on things. Is there a smaller version?

As an update on the York compressor possibility, I've taken it as far as I can at the moment, and am looking for input.

As explained below, I can see how to fairly easily make a mounting plate for it to attach where the AIR/smog pump went. However, if it is to be driven off of the alternator's belt it will cut the "purchase" of said belt on the alternator by something like 40%. That's shown by the red arrows, which show approximately where the belt goes tangential to the pulley. The top and bottom ones mark the current "purchase", and the middle one shows about where the belt would come off if the York compressor was being driven by it.

Is this too much reduction?

As for how to mount it, here's a pic of the compressor sitting almost against the alternator/pump bracket:

And here's the same shot with a bracket drawn in. It would bolt to the top of the compressor, and there are mounting bolt holes there, and it would have lips that stick up and are then captured by a through-bolt that goes through the pivot point for the smog pump.

And then there would be an arm from the plate that was secured in the anchor hole for the smog pump shown here:

[85lebaront2]

As an update on the York compressor possibility, I've taken it as far as I can at the moment, and am looking for input.

As explained below, I can see how to fairly easily make a mounting plate for it to attach where the AIR/smog pump went. However, if it is to be driven off of the alternator's belt it will cut the "purchase" of said belt on the alternator by something like 40%. That's shown by the red arrows, which show approximately where the belt goes tangential to the pulley. The top and bottom ones mark the current "purchase", and the middle one shows about where the belt would come off if the York compressor was being driven by it.

Is this too much reduction?

As for how to mount it, here's a pic of the compressor sitting almost against the alternator/pump bracket:

And here's the same shot with a bracket drawn in. It would bolt to the top of the compressor, and there are mounting bolt holes there, and it would have lips that stick up and are then captured by a through-bolt that goes through the pivot point for the smog pump.

And then there would be an arm from the plate that was secured in the anchor hole for the smog pump shown here:

Shouldn't be too much, remember the smoke grinder used to be driven by that belt also. At worst you could put a smooth idler on the backside of the belt to increase the wrap. I assume that the compressor is only activated when needed so spinning it too high shouldn't be a problem. You might want to add a high pressure air tank so there is a readily available charge.

[Gary Lewis]

Shouldn't be too much, remember the smoke grinder used to be driven by that belt also. At worst you could put a smooth idler on the backside of the belt to increase the wrap. I assume that the compressor is only activated when needed so spinning it too high shouldn't be a problem. You might want to add a high pressure air tank so there is a readily available charge.

Good idea, Bill. I actually have one you sent me a few years ago, and could do it like shown below. And, I would put a tank in, probably under the bed, with a pressure switch to bring the compressor in. Plus a switch in the cab to turn it on. But, I don't think I need the in-cab gauge that the Viair system has. However, I will need to figure out where to put a quick-disconnect port.