F-Superduty IDI water hauler build

[ArdWrknTrk]

I think I already pointed this out.

Yes, all C&C trucks had straight rails at (33"???) wide.

You could purchase an F-350 as an incomplete vehicle, and still have pickup truck frame.

But a 450 is not a pickup, and it does have beefy rails.

I must have missed it

Dave ----

We don't have numbered posts to refer to, but 6:21 on 3/3/20 in response to the weathered bed that looks like your paintjob, but with a Smurf blue cab and wheels.

I'd just go to Vulcan and scrap together a flatbed, but I can see the appeal of having it look factory, and being able to get parts off the shelf.

 

[FuzzFace2]

We don't have numbered posts to refer to, but 6:21 on 3/3/20 in response to the weathered bed that looks like your paintjob, but with a Smurf blue cab and wheels.

I'd just go to Vulcan and scrap together a flatbed, but I can see the appeal of having it look factory, and being able to get parts off the shelf.

I saw it but did not "see" it as I went back to read it.

I do miss Vulcan Scrap Metal as I have not found anything like it down here

Dave ----

[ArdWrknTrk]

We don't have numbered posts to refer to, but 6:21 on 3/3/20 in response to the weathered bed that looks like your paintjob, but with a Smurf blue cab and wheels.

I'd just go to Vulcan and scrap together a flatbed, but I can see the appeal of having it look factory, and being able to get parts off the shelf.

I saw it but did not "see" it as I went back to read it.

I do miss Vulcan Scrap Metal as I have not found anything like it down here

Dave ----

Well, all the industry is gone, thanks to 'Dan, the man' and the deal with the devil (BLT).

Pickings are slim over on Sunnyside, and the brothers are making strategic moves towards an exit.

I miss the days of the buildings on the south side of the street packed full of early computers and electronics.

I can usually find what I need, as far as scrap steel or stainless, but it's not like it was.

[FuzzFace2]

Well, all the industry is gone, thanks to 'Dan, the man' and the deal with the devil (BLT).

Pickings are slim over on Sunnyside, and the brothers are making strategic moves towards an exit.

I miss the days of the buildings on the south side of the street packed full of early computers and electronics.

I can usually find what I need, as far as scrap steel or stainless, but it's not like it was.

I went to school with brothers & cousins that lived in waterside just around the corner and 2 of them worked there. Vulcan even sponsored 1 if our 4x4 race team Jeeps, Beer Nuts of Nuts Off Road Racing.

Kelsey Paving who I worked for back in 83, shared the lot with Vulcan.

Before I moved down here to NC I heard times were changing there.

Sign of the times they say?

Dave ----

[Ford F834]

Jonathan,

Just to switch gears that truck looks to be a CC truck yes?

You are looking at pick up truck beds and you did say that the bed would be shorter but I thought the frame widths were different between the 2 frames?

I guess if the CC truck was skinnier you could just drill new holes in the bed but you would need to add a spacer (pipe?) between the bed and the bed cross member so you would not crush the bed floor when the bolts were tightened.

Good luck on the project

Dave ----

Gary, the junkyards here will charge me $36-$48 per harness, and would consider the Aeronose to be two separate ones. An electronic speedometer cluster would be another $50-ish. There is no way I am going to pay ~$900 for wiring and a cluster. Especially when the seller has wrong pictures for one ad, and a general engine bay picture for the other. For that price I would just live with a hot-wired engine and a couple aftermarket gauges.

That being said, I don’t think that a dash swap is an unreasonable amount of effort to make everything work correctly. Even a harness swap is going to require the dash to come out. I’m not trying to minimize the work involved in a dash swap, but ultimately it’s just a big plastic facia that holds stuff... and needs some mounting points made. Since this is a Bullnose forum, I’m sure everyone would like to see a Bullnose dash and clip swap. I would like that also, but I can’t ignore that going Bricknose (dash and front clip) would definitely be easier and require the fewest additional parts to complete.

The clip swap would solve the core support issue. I looked at Bricknose vs Aeronose to see if the fender brackets could be swapped and the holes re-shaped for the lights, but there is a lot more to it than that with the hood latch and grille mounting. I would be time and money ahead just to buy the pair of Bricknose fenders and run with the front end off the ‘89 donor.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Gary, the junkyards here will charge me $36-$48 per harness, and would consider the Aeronose to be two separate ones. An electronic speedometer cluster would be another $50-ish. There is no way I am going to pay ~$900 for wiring and a cluster. Especially when the seller has wrong pictures for one ad, and a general engine bay picture for the other. For that price I would just live with a hot-wired engine and a couple aftermarket gauges.

That being said, I don’t think that a dash swap is an unreasonable amount of effort to make everything work correctly. Even a harness swap is going to require the dash to come out. I’m not trying to minimize the work involved in a dash swap, but ultimately it’s just a big plastic facia that holds stuff... and needs some mounting points made. Since this is a Bullnose forum, I’m sure everyone would like to see a Bullnose dash and clip swap. I would like that also, but I can’t ignore that going Bricknose (dash and front clip) would definitely be easier and require the fewest additional parts to complete.

The clip swap would solve the core support issue. I looked at Bricknose vs Aeronose to see if the fender brackets could be swapped and the holes re-shaped for the lights, but there is a lot more to it than that with the hood latch and grille mounting. I would be time and money ahead just to buy the pair of Bricknose fenders and run with the front end off the ‘89 donor.

This was my thoughts, way upthread.

Fenders are cheap and they have the much better battery tray(s).

Heck, in the desert SW, I don't imagine there's much rot like here in New England.

Path of least resistance, and all....

Having a (nearly) complete donor on-site is a huge plus!

I think of my brick as the homely woman who makes a great wife.

Always on your side and ready to pull her weight no matter what we face- together-

 

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, the junkyards here will charge me $36-$48 per harness, and would consider the Aeronose to be two separate ones. An electronic speedometer cluster would be another $50-ish. There is no way I am going to pay ~$900 for wiring and a cluster. Especially when the seller has wrong pictures for one ad, and a general engine bay picture for the other. For that price I would just live with a hot-wired engine and a couple aftermarket gauges.

That being said, I don’t think that a dash swap is an unreasonable amount of effort to make everything work correctly. Even a harness swap is going to require the dash to come out. I’m not trying to minimize the work involved in a dash swap, but ultimately it’s just a big plastic facia that holds stuff... and needs some mounting points made. Since this is a Bullnose forum, I’m sure everyone would like to see a Bullnose dash and clip swap. I would like that also, but I can’t ignore that going Bricknose (dash and front clip) would definitely be easier and require the fewest additional parts to complete.

The clip swap would solve the core support issue. I looked at Bricknose vs Aeronose to see if the fender brackets could be swapped and the holes re-shaped for the lights, but there is a lot more to it than that with the hood latch and grille mounting. I would be time and money ahead just to buy the pair of Bricknose fenders and run with the front end off the ‘89 donor.

So going Bricknose just requires two fenders, and you have everything else? That doesn't sound too bad.

But going Bullnose? The whole front clip and wiring harness plus dash and gauges?

Even if you have some of the stuff for the Bullnose swap it sure sounds easier to do the Bricknose swap. Kind of like your buy of the other truck was meant to be.

[Gary Lewis]

So going Bricknose just requires two fenders, and you have everything else? That doesn't sound too bad.

But going Bullnose? The whole front clip and wiring harness plus dash and gauges?

Even if you have some of the stuff for the Bullnose swap it sure sounds easier to do the Bricknose swap. Kind of like your buy of the other truck was meant to be.

On the other hand, if a Brick-to-Bull swap is that easy, then maybe go with Bullnose fenders, grille, and headlights but keep the Brick wiring and dash. Does that require a different radiator support? If so, forget it.

But most people wouldn't notice that different dash since externally it looks like a Bull save for the wheel well openings.

[Ford F834]

So going Bricknose just requires two fenders, and you have everything else? That doesn't sound too bad.

But going Bullnose? The whole front clip and wiring harness plus dash and gauges?

Even if you have some of the stuff for the Bullnose swap it sure sounds easier to do the Bricknose swap. Kind of like your buy of the other truck was meant to be.

So the Bricknose donor must have come spent some time in rust country. It is pretty crusty underneath and the fenders are rotten. Junkyard replacements are $55 each at the Kingman pick-a-part. The core support looks solid. To make the interior congruent, I would want Bricknose crank window door panels but that is a minor detail.

For a Bullnose swap, I have an extra hood at my dad’s place in Camp Verde. I just bought the diesel core support and cab/engine wire harness. I would need fenders, inner plastic fender aprons, cowl piece, inside and outside HVAC box, air ducts, HVAC controller, cable, vacuum harness, vacuum motors, pedal box, and the metal firewall brace pieces above the pedal box, duct support and the speaker/dash support. I would also have the reversed resistance on the fuel sender(s) to contend with if I wanted the Bullnose fuel gauge to work.

Both Bricknose and Bullnose will have the snag of the frame horns being wrong for the front bumper. But the horns can be cut and a Z bracket made to mount the stock bumper. Alternatively I may fabricate something heavier.

I will have to think about the Bullnose front clip with Bricknose interior. The mis-match might bug me, and I might rather save the core support for a some-day diesel Bronco. It’s hard, but I’m trying not to let the water hauler turn into a “restoration” project.

[ArdWrknTrk]

So the Bricknose donor must have come spent some time in rust country. It is pretty crusty underneath and the fenders are rotten. Junkyard replacements are $55 each at the Kingman pick-a-part. The core support looks solid. To make the interior congruent, I would want Bricknose crank window door panels but that is a minor detail.

For a Bullnose swap, I have an extra hood at my dad’s place in Camp Verde. I just bought the diesel core support and cab/engine wire harness. I would need fenders, inner plastic fender aprons, cowl piece, inside and outside HVAC box, air ducts, HVAC controller, cable, vacuum harness, vacuum motors, pedal box, and the metal firewall brace pieces above the pedal box, duct support and the speaker/dash support. I would also have the reversed resistance on the fuel sender(s) to contend with if I wanted the Bullnose fuel gauge to work.

Both Bricknose and Bullnose will have the snag of the frame horns being wrong for the front bumper. But the horns can be cut and a Z bracket made to mount the stock bumper. Alternatively I may fabricate something heavier.

I will have to think about the Bullnose front clip with Bricknose interior. The mis-match might bug me, and I might rather save the core support for a some-day diesel Bronco. It’s hard, but I’m trying not to let the water hauler turn into a “restoration” project.

Fenders are cheap.

How much are crank doors, without totally chalky window sills?

It's a farm truck (no, not that farm truck!)

You have the IDI Brick.

Just cut the horns off it and transplant the bumper.

Or, like I said when you creamed that burro, find a wrecker push bumper.

I really think that's what this truck wants, but it's up to you.