nlongo33 Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 Hey guys, figured i would share a build thread. This is my son's first truck and first project...it all started with a free 1980 F-150 4x4...It was a bit rusty to say the least, but drive train was stout and interior was good: that led to the quest to find another truck we could perhaps swap drivetrain and teach the boy some skills along the way: Truck we found was a 1981 F-100 2x4, that supposedly did not run with a Y-Block and a 4 speed..... Needless to say it had neither of those. The seller really did not know what he had. It is a 255 with a 3 speed that has been converted to a floor shifter. Did not matter because original plan was to swap everything any way........ BUT plans change! Truck runs, shifts and stops well.... New plan: chip away at what needs to be addressed, safety first and then cosmetics. As we do that we are tearing into parts truck and using and selling what we can. Drive train will be pulled gone through and cleaned up for an eventual swap.....But right now run truck as is sort of..lol More pictures and progress to follow.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nlongo33 Posted December 2, 2020 Author Share Posted December 2, 2020 More Pictures and progress: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 More Pictures and progress: Neat way to teach your son! I love it! So, the '80 is the parts truck and it is the '81 that is running and being brought up to snuff? Quite a change of plans. So, are you staying with the 255 or changing to the 300? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nlongo33 Posted December 2, 2020 Author Share Posted December 2, 2020 Neat way to teach your son! I love it! So, the '80 is the parts truck and it is the '81 that is running and being brought up to snuff? Quite a change of plans. So, are you staying with the 255 or changing to the 300? for time being truck will stay with 255...rear shackles are thin and one hanger is thin so to be safe we are replacing them...What a better time to lift it! and truck will get a 4" inch lift all springs, and 35s in the late spring early summer, the plan is to have all of the 4x4 stuff ready to get get swapped into the 81' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nlongo33 Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 for time being truck will stay with 255...rear shackles are thin and one hanger is thin so to be safe we are replacing them...What a better time to lift it! and truck will get a 4" inch lift all springs, and 35s in the late spring early summer, the plan is to have all of the 4x4 stuff ready to get get swapped into the 81' This weekends progress: New body bushings, fix mounts/core support, patch floor pan with new floor pan, install flowmaster exhaust, clean up some wiring, new gas tank sending unit and mount done....no more roadkill gas can set up........... onto the pictures: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nlongo33 Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 This weekends progress: New body bushings, fix mounts/core support, patch floor pan with new floor pan, install flowmaster exhaust, clean up some wiring, new gas tank sending unit and mount done....no more roadkill gas can set up........... onto the pictures: If you are going to replace body bushings check out this video, fast forward to about 2:35 mark guy makes a clever tool for separating the mounts. Thank god i saw that or saws all would have gotten a work out. Chevy bushings are different and that's what i was expecting not the pressed sleeve design Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 If you are going to replace body bushings check out this video, fast forward to about 2:35 mark guy makes a clever tool for separating the mounts. Thank god i saw that or saws all would have gotten a work out. Chevy bushings are different and that's what i was expecting not the pressed sleeve design Oh, I've had that view and pile of trash too many times. I wish ANY of my bushings had come apart like that! you've now got a good foundation for your project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nlongo33 Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 Oh, I've had that view and pile of trash too many times. I wish ANY of my bushings had come apart like that! you've now got a good foundation for your project. we had one bushing fight us bad, broke all thread twice and stripped the thread another time but we always win....lol milling wood this week, and making some metal parts to rebuild the bed hopefully that will be this weekends project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 we had one bushing fight us bad, broke all thread twice and stripped the thread another time but we always win....lol milling wood this week, and making some metal parts to rebuild the bed hopefully that will be this weekends project What kind of wood do you have? Of all the domestics I can't think of anything I like better than Black Locust. Cut from the tree it's low moisture (like a heavier Ash) Trunks are often gnarly, but the sawn wood stays pretty flat, it takes fasteners great and doesn't rot. As a firewood it's second only to hickory for btu's. And if you're not prudent it'll melt a hole right through your stove. Looking forward to see how it turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob84 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 More Pictures and progress: This project reminds me of when I got my truck. Spent a lot of quality time with dad and learning a ton. Your son won’t forget it and he’ll learn a lot. I don’t think my dad realized how much of a gearhead I was going to become when he took me to see a neglected, grimy, old Ford after church that day. Have fun with it, I’ll be keeping up with it:nabble_smiley_good: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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