thing_in_a_box Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Hello, I have been wandering around this site for a little over a year and finally decided to join. In December of 2018 I picked up my first truck, and what do you know it's a Bullnose. I wasn't kidding myself when I got this truck, it definitely needs work. My goal is to restore it to factory conditions but swap out the C6 for a manual transmission. I'm a bit of a purest when it comes to restorations, however I will deviate from that as long as it doesn't irreparably alter the vehicle. Currently I'm trying to scrounge up a manual transmission and spare engine, that way I can rebuild them but still have a driveable truck in the meantime. -Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Patrick - Welcome! Would you like to be on our map? (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu.) I can add you with your permission. We have a number of purists on here, and that's a noble cause. Hope you'll start a thread in the main section to document your progress. Is that an '80 or '81? (The turn signals may be amber, which would be an '81, but it is hard to tell.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thing_in_a_box Posted January 27, 2020 Author Share Posted January 27, 2020 Patrick - Welcome! Would you like to be on our map? (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu.) I can add you with your permission. We have a number of purists on here, and that's a noble cause. Hope you'll start a thread in the main section to document your progress. Is that an '80 or '81? (The turn signals may be amber, which would be an '81, but it is hard to tell.) Gary, Sure, don't mind being listed on the map. It's an '80, assembly date was 11/79. As far as the turn signal lights go, I can't tell if the amber has faded or if that color around the rim is from dirt/rust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Gary, Sure, don't mind being listed on the map. It's an '80, assembly date was 11/79. As far as the turn signal lights go, I can't tell if the amber has faded or if that color around the rim is from dirt/rust. Patrick - You are now on the map. But the turn signal lenses are the ones in front. Ford's Master Parts Catalog says that yours should have clear lenses. Right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thing_in_a_box Posted January 27, 2020 Author Share Posted January 27, 2020 Patrick - You are now on the map. But the turn signal lenses are the ones in front. Ford's Master Parts Catalog says that yours should have clear lenses. Right? Gary - Yes they are clear, sorry for the misunderstanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salans7 Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Gary - Yes they are clear, sorry for the misunderstanding. Oooo I like the truck! (I'm partial to 80-81 trucks, especially the higher trim versions) Welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Welcome aboard, and nice truck. There are a few of us on here that have 5spd swaps...in my case a manual to manual swap, but either way the process is mostly all the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Welcome aboard, and nice truck. There are a few of us on here that have 5spd swaps...in my case a manual to manual swap, but either way the process is mostly all the same. Welcome, Patrick! I really like that color combo. Cory, i think the challenge may be finding a manual pedal assembly and the pivots/Z bar to fit a pre '84 (or '83 for 460 pattern bellhousing) Gary knows quite a bit about trying to fit the Zf-5 S42 behind a 335 series engine. I don't think the hydraulic clutch pedals will just bolt in to a 1980 truck, but I'm not too knowledgeable about the details of the raw cab of these very early ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Cory, i think the challenge may be finding a manual pedal assembly and the pivots/Z bar to fit a pre '84 (or '83 for 460 pattern bellhousing) Oh...that never even occurred me. If I was doing a manual trans swap, I would go hydraulic, and I also recommend a 5spd (which can only be hydraulic anyway). If you already had a donor truck sitting there with all of the 4spd manual trans parts you needed, and it was a mechanical clutched truck, then sure, by all means use it. You can modify or fabricate a shifter for a 5spd so that it looks like a factory 4spd...that's been done before. However, the hydraulic clutch master cylinder might stick out like a sore thumb in the engine bay if one was trying to keep a truck 1980 original. So, I guess there are three options: 1. 4spd manual trans with mechanical clutch (Would be original to 1980-1983) 2. 4spd manual trans with hydraulic clutch (Would be original to 1983/1984-up) 3. 5spd manual trans (ZF5) with hydraulic clutch (original to 1988-1997) The 1980 cab should have a hole in the floor already for the mechanical clutch (With a rubber plug in it). Hydraulic clutch would require drilling holes in the firewall (maybe not preferred). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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