80s accessories that are still cool

[Jacob84]

I never had a CB myself, but I loved some of those whip antennas installed on the old pickups.

I've actually got one of those whip antennas from my parts truck, it might find its way on mine.

Around here there's not a lot of CB action but I've thought about getting a HAM radio. I like to go places without cell service and if I were to get very stuck or hurt it would be nice to call for help and you can communicate all over the globe too.

Basic CBs are cheap and useful with the NOAA functions which would be nice because we see a lot of severe weather here in Arkansas.

So for my 80s accessories I'm thinking about.....I've got some Pacer Turbines I'm gonna clean up and put back on (really excited about that), gotta have a couple KCs on the bumper, bug shield, probably get a CB with weather functions and put that extra antenna I've got on there.

[Rusty_S85]

I've actually got one of those whip antennas from my parts truck, it might find its way on mine.

Around here there's not a lot of CB action but I've thought about getting a HAM radio. I like to go places without cell service and if I were to get very stuck or hurt it would be nice to call for help and you can communicate all over the globe too.

Basic CBs are cheap and useful with the NOAA functions which would be nice because we see a lot of severe weather here in Arkansas.

So for my 80s accessories I'm thinking about.....I've got some Pacer Turbines I'm gonna clean up and put back on (really excited about that), gotta have a couple KCs on the bumper, bug shield, probably get a CB with weather functions and put that extra antenna I've got on there.

This is a old photo from 2016, truck looks worse now though. more rust from sitting for 2 years awaiting my engine swap.

Pushbar took me about 6 years of searching online till I found a NOS unit on ebay, its a Rally brand and picked it up the moment it went on ebay for $220. I started off with small round LED lights as I wanted brightness but they were cheapies and weren't too bright so I upgraded to 6" KC Apollo driving lights.

I also have my Wilson 2000 antenna and at this time I still had my Cobra CB with Weather as it didn't die on me till 2017.

And a photo of my cobra setup in 2016.

I not only paid to have the radio tuned by the CB shop in Flordia, I also paid for an Echo mod as well as converting the CB to Blue LED illumination to match the blue interior illumination. Only thing I didn't like was the greenish back lit text was only illuminated partly as the right half was dead.

And a photo of my Galaxy I installed inplace of the old refurbished Cobra that failed on me twice in 2 years.

[grumpin]

This is a old photo from 2016, truck looks worse now though. more rust from sitting for 2 years awaiting my engine swap.

Pushbar took me about 6 years of searching online till I found a NOS unit on ebay, its a Rally brand and picked it up the moment it went on ebay for $220. I started off with small round LED lights as I wanted brightness but they were cheapies and weren't too bright so I upgraded to 6" KC Apollo driving lights.

I also have my Wilson 2000 antenna and at this time I still had my Cobra CB with Weather as it didn't die on me till 2017.

And a photo of my cobra setup in 2016.

I not only paid to have the radio tuned by the CB shop in Flordia, I also paid for an Echo mod as well as converting the CB to Blue LED illumination to match the blue interior illumination. Only thing I didn't like was the greenish back lit text was only illuminated partly as the right half was dead.

And a photo of my Galaxy I installed inplace of the old refurbished Cobra that failed on me twice in 2 years.

Nice! I’ve got a Cobra CB in my Bronco that looks like yours. 29 NW ST WX. I've got a Cobra 148 GTL in my truck.

I bought a little Uniden to put in my Xterra, sent it back, it was not a good radio IMHO. Bought a littler President Bill radio. Got it in, checked SWR and got an answer right away from right at 5 miles away from me. I’m using a Firestik Firefly 3 foot antenna mounted in the back hatch channel. Also a Firestik FireRing coax. Impressive.

I had my Cobra 29 repaired for sentimental reasons and wish I hadn’t and used the money toward a President radio in the Bronco.

If you don’t have much room and you’re not a “ratchet jaw”, it’s a great little CB. Also has weather.

[Ray Cecil]

I never had a CB myself, but I loved some of those whip antennas installed on the old pickups.

Cory, i suspect my flareside had the chrome roll bars at some time. Not sure how they install, but I have 4 stainless clamps bolted to my bed that once held something. I though maybe a toolbox, but the clamps are in such an odd location for a toolbox.

Anyway, maybe I can find me some chrome roll bars.

 

[Rusty_S85]

Nice! I’ve got a Cobra CB in my Bronco that looks like yours. 29 NW ST WX. I've got a Cobra 148 GTL in my truck.

I bought a little Uniden to put in my Xterra, sent it back, it was not a good radio IMHO. Bought a littler President Bill radio. Got it in, checked SWR and got an answer right away from right at 5 miles away from me. I’m using a Firestik Firefly 3 foot antenna mounted in the back hatch channel. Also a Firestik FireRing coax. Impressive.

I had my Cobra 29 repaired for sentimental reasons and wish I hadn’t and used the money toward a President radio in the Bronco.

If you don’t have much room and you’re not a “ratchet jaw”, it’s a great little CB. Also has weather.

Yep that's why I got the Cobra cause I figured for weather it would be great. But the radio broke down on me once 6 months after I got it, it wouldn't transmit any more but would receive and I barely even talked on it. Then around another 7 months or so later the power switch went out wouldn't turn on after that.

I wished I didn't spend the money on it cause many people told me the echo made it hard for me to be heard so I could have saved money and just got a stock out of the box Galaxy radio. Only reason I went with Cobra is cause it was of the period in the 80`s. I don't know when Galaxy came out but I don't think it was around in the 80`s.

I do think I will be replacing it with a new unit when the time comes as the red on my gauge is all bleached out from the sun and once I do my interior and restore it I don't think I will like having a faded out gauge on the CB.

[Rusty_S85]

Cory, i suspect my flareside had the chrome roll bars at some time. Not sure how they install, but I have 4 stainless clamps bolted to my bed that once held something. I though maybe a toolbox, but the clamps are in such an odd location for a toolbox.

Anyway, maybe I can find me some chrome roll bars.

OE roller bars based off the diagram I seen in the parts and illustration guide shows it bolting with two bolts on each side to the front of the bed box and then bolts into the floor of the bed.

Aftermarket wise the only ones I saw bolts to the floor of the bed only and only way I would ever get them is if I could get confirmation that they will bolt through the wood of my bed itself. I wouldn't want to have to drill the bed strips to mount a bolt through the rail. It makes it way too hard if I decide to not run it any more I would have to not only replace the wood planks but I would also have to replace the bed strips as well.

As far as the roll bar goes, I am looking at going with Go Rhino if I use it they are the only one that offers black or chrome roll bars for flareside trucks.

https://www.jegs.com/i/Go-Rhino/239/9209560SSC/10002/-1

Have to be careful though the photo shows the light bar but the light bar mount is typically not included in the price that's a $150 - $200 upgrade.

[Nothing Special]

Wagon wheels are another big favorite....

As an aside, when did "white spoke wheels" and "chrome spoke wheels" start getting called "wagon wheels"? Or is that sort of a regional thing? I never heard the term "wagon wheels" until maybe 5 or 10 years ago on internet forums.

As for my accessories, I got an '85 F-250 new in fall of '84. All I added was BFG Mud-Terrain tires (original size on the factory steel wheels, complete with hub caps until the hubcaps started getting loose), and a pair of fog lights mounted on the bumper.

[Angelo Voltura]

OE roller bars based off the diagram I seen in the parts and illustration guide shows it bolting with two bolts on each side to the front of the bed box and then bolts into the floor of the bed.

Aftermarket wise the only ones I saw bolts to the floor of the bed only and only way I would ever get them is if I could get confirmation that they will bolt through the wood of my bed itself. I wouldn't want to have to drill the bed strips to mount a bolt through the rail. It makes it way too hard if I decide to not run it any more I would have to not only replace the wood planks but I would also have to replace the bed strips as well.

As far as the roll bar goes, I am looking at going with Go Rhino if I use it they are the only one that offers black or chrome roll bars for flareside trucks.

https://www.jegs.com/i/Go-Rhino/239/9209560SSC/10002/-1

Have to be careful though the photo shows the light bar but the light bar mount is typically not included in the price that's a $150 - $200 upgrade.

You can usually find used roll bars for super cheap on FB marketplace and Criaglist. I paid like $150 for mine.

As far as the wagon wheels thing goes, my father said they've called them wagon wheels since the 80s, since they started out as trailer or "wagon" wheels and suddenly the progressed into full size deep wheels for different things. I've never known them by anything different personally.

[Nothing Special]

OE roller bars based off the diagram I seen in the parts and illustration guide shows it bolting with two bolts on each side to the front of the bed box and then bolts into the floor of the bed.

Aftermarket wise the only ones I saw bolts to the floor of the bed only and only way I would ever get them is if I could get confirmation that they will bolt through the wood of my bed itself. I wouldn't want to have to drill the bed strips to mount a bolt through the rail. It makes it way too hard if I decide to not run it any more I would have to not only replace the wood planks but I would also have to replace the bed strips as well.

As far as the roll bar goes, I am looking at going with Go Rhino if I use it they are the only one that offers black or chrome roll bars for flareside trucks.

https://www.jegs.com/i/Go-Rhino/239/9209560SSC/10002/-1

Have to be careful though the photo shows the light bar but the light bar mount is typically not included in the price that's a $150 - $200 upgrade.

You can usually find used roll bars for super cheap on FB marketplace and Criaglist. I paid like $150 for mine.

As far as the wagon wheels thing goes, my father said they've called them wagon wheels since the 80s, since they started out as trailer or "wagon" wheels and suddenly the progressed into full size deep wheels for different things. I've never known them by anything different personally.

Your dad's explanation of the origin doesn't really work for me since I've never hear of trailers being called wagons.

But if he was hearing "wagon wheels" in the '80s then it must be a regional thing, kinda like "topper," "cap", "shell", "canopy"... for that thing that goes on the bed to give a pickup an enclosed cargo area.

[Angelo Voltura]

Your dad's explanation of the origin doesn't really work for me since I've never hear of trailers being called wagons.

But if he was hearing "wagon wheels" in the '80s then it must be a regional thing, kinda like "topper," "cap", "shell", "canopy"... for that thing that goes on the bed to give a pickup an enclosed cargo area.

No one really calls trailers a wagon here, but it's an agreed on alternative name, it just never gets used. A wagon was always something for a kid to be pulled around in, but it was the same principal for a trailer, I guess that's where it came from.

I guess it kinda works like pop and soda. Everyone says pop here but if you hear soda no one blinks an eye. Trailer wheels were commonly white spoke so I can see the name stemming from that, wagon wheels kind of rolls of the tongue easier.

I almost wonder if it goes even deeper than that, with a horse and wagon/buggy. Kind of the same concept.