Backyard Bullnose finds, good and bad

[ScubaSteve]

I'm still hunting for backyard Bullnoses, but haven't been finding much lately. I did come across a 1980 Flareside that popped up for sale not terribly far away, but definitely out of my usual traveled routes.

It has a non running 460/auto in it currently, but it was obviously a manual trans truck (mechanical linkage through cab), and according to the data tag, it was originally a 300/6 with 4spd OD, and 2.75 rear diff.

Unfortunately it is too far gone to be of any use to me.

However, I did come across a 1981 Bullnose that is supposed to be somewhat of a barn find (Hasn't been on the road since 1995 apparently). Going to check it out this week if all goes well.

How do you find so many flaresides? I was looking for a flareside bed for my truck before I painted it but never found a single one not even a rusted out bed.

[Rembrant]

How do you find so many flaresides? I was looking for a flareside bed for my truck before I painted it but never found a single one not even a rusted out bed.

I think there were a lot of them sold around here in the 80's, and that was probably because they were cheap? Or cheaper than a LWB Styleside truck? I dunno. Its actually kind of interesting how the markets vary regionally. I was discussing this with another guy on FTE a while back, but out west where he lives in Oil & Gas country, the trucks were all XLT's and Lariats, etc. Out here on the east coast...everything was bare bones with no options, like my own F150.

Still, of all the backyard Flaresides I have found, they're rarely ever usable. Most are rusted into oblivion. The fiberglass fenders are always in great condition, and sometimes the Flareside rear bumpers, etc but otherwise there are no usable parts.

There is another Bullnose (non Flareside) for sale semi-locally (couple hours away) that I want to go see this week. Problem is that it is on an island, and the ferry schedule is really inconvenient for me to get over there to look at it. It is an '81 F150 Custom, which looks to be in surprisingly rust free condition (except for the bed sides).

Another ad popped up online on Friday, and that seller has 4 Bullnose trucks for parts. He hasn't replied to me, but I'll be going to see them if I get a chance. I betcha they'll all be plane Janes with no AC, no tach, etc...lol.

 

[Gary Lewis]

How do you find so many flaresides? I was looking for a flareside bed for my truck before I painted it but never found a single one not even a rusted out bed.

I think there were a lot of them sold around here in the 80's, and that was probably because they were cheap? Or cheaper than a LWB Styleside truck? I dunno. Its actually kind of interesting how the markets vary regionally. I was discussing this with another guy on FTE a while back, but out west where he lives in Oil & Gas country, the trucks were all XLT's and Lariats, etc. Out here on the east coast...everything was bare bones with no options, like my own F150.

Still, of all the backyard Flaresides I have found, they're rarely ever usable. Most are rusted into oblivion. The fiberglass fenders are always in great condition, and sometimes the Flareside rear bumpers, etc but otherwise there are no usable parts.

There is another Bullnose (non Flareside) for sale semi-locally (couple hours away) that I want to go see this week. Problem is that it is on an island, and the ferry schedule is really inconvenient for me to get over there to look at it. It is an '81 F150 Custom, which looks to be in surprisingly rust free condition (except for the bed sides).

Another ad popped up online on Friday, and that seller has 4 Bullnose trucks for parts. He hasn't replied to me, but I'll be going to see them if I get a chance. I betcha they'll all be plane Janes with no AC, no tach, etc...lol.

We have a new member, Michelle, who is shopping for a truck. So, keep those postings coming!

And, good luck getting to see the "new" Bullnose.

[Rembrant]

I was on the road for a work trip today, and not really in any kind of a rush to get back home, I took one of the scenic routes that I haven't taken in several years. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot this heap of a Bullnose with some other wrecks sitting around outside of an old garage (that looked abandoned, but wasn't...lol.) It wasn't all that visible from the road, but I could see enough of it to know it was a Bull.

I ask the guy if I can have a look for any parts, and he says "sure, go ahead, but there's nothing there that's any good".

The interior was filthy and absolutely disgusting, but I did spot an intact shifter boot on the NP435 stick, and a radio bezel caked in dirt and piled with everything else on the seat.

I ask the guy how much he wants for the shifter boot, and the radio bezel, and he says "Coffee money, and did I need any tools?"...lol. Gave me some sockets and a knife, etc and off I go. 10 minutes later I'm back with my dirty parts, and he was happy to take $5 each for the boot and the radio bezel.

You would never think from looking at the truck, but the two items actually cleaned up quite nicely:

The truck was an '85, and the bezel appears to have the same weave/color pattern as my '84 radio delete bezel, but mine has silver trim. See below:

Did I read somewhere that somebody used a silver colored Sharpie pen to re-do the silver bezel trim? If so, I may just try that with this one and see how well it matches up. I've been a bit hesitant to cut a hole in my original delete bezel...not that it matters much really, but I've been struggling with cutting it...lol.

 

[1986F150Six]

I was on the road for a work trip today, and not really in any kind of a rush to get back home, I took one of the scenic routes that I haven't taken in several years. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot this heap of a Bullnose with some other wrecks sitting around outside of an old garage (that looked abandoned, but wasn't...lol.) It wasn't all that visible from the road, but I could see enough of it to know it was a Bull.

I ask the guy if I can have a look for any parts, and he says "sure, go ahead, but there's nothing there that's any good".

The interior was filthy and absolutely disgusting, but I did spot an intact shifter boot on the NP435 stick, and a radio bezel caked in dirt and piled with everything else on the seat.

I ask the guy how much he wants for the shifter boot, and the radio bezel, and he says "Coffee money, and did I need any tools?"...lol. Gave me some sockets and a knife, etc and off I go. 10 minutes later I'm back with my dirty parts, and he was happy to take $5 each for the boot and the radio bezel.

You would never think from looking at the truck, but the two items actually cleaned up quite nicely:

The truck was an '85, and the bezel appears to have the same weave/color pattern as my '84 radio delete bezel, but mine has silver trim. See below:

Did I read somewhere that somebody used a silver colored Sharpie pen to re-do the silver bezel trim? If so, I may just try that with this one and see how well it matches up. I've been a bit hesitant to cut a hole in my original delete bezel...not that it matters much really, but I've been struggling with cutting it...lol.

Jonathan [Ford F834] can assist you with what works best for resurrecting the old dash pieces.

[grumpin]

Jonathan [Ford F834] can assist you with what works best for resurrecting the old dash pieces.

That's great!

I have bought spare parts for that reason. Then I stuff the original away, for what I am not sure.

When I sell the vehicle I proudly tell them here are the original parts that I did not want to alter, and they're like, yeah, OK, whatever.

[Gary Lewis]

That's great!

I have bought spare parts for that reason. Then I stuff the original away, for what I am not sure.

When I sell the vehicle I proudly tell them here are the original parts that I did not want to alter, and they're like, yeah, OK, whatever.

While waiting for Jonathan to reply you might read his writeup in Interior/Salvaging Rosewood. (Yeah, with that title you might not expect it to include a long discussion about the silver trim, but it does. )

I think that'll do what you want, but you may have questions for Jonathan.

Anyway, well spotted!

[Rembrant]

Anyway, well spotted!

Funny thing is, and this is a case of hindsight being 20/20, but there was an 86 F150 at the junkyard that was missing the radio bezel, but did have a nice dash/cluster bezel. I didn't take it, because I had no use for it without the matching radio bezel. Now, I come across this 85, and it has the radio bezel, and no dash/cluster bezel. So, between the two trucks, I could have had a matched set for about $10 total, but now the 86 that was at the junkyard is now gone. No dice.

Anyway, no big deal. I think this 85 bezel will do the trick nicely if I can get the trim to match my dash.

I've wanted one of these bezels for a year now, but just could not pay the Ebay prices for them. $5 is much more my speed for a piece like this...lol.

 

[Ford F834]

I was on the road for a work trip today, and not really in any kind of a rush to get back home, I took one of the scenic routes that I haven't taken in several years. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot this heap of a Bullnose with some other wrecks sitting around outside of an old garage (that looked abandoned, but wasn't...lol.) It wasn't all that visible from the road, but I could see enough of it to know it was a Bull.

I ask the guy if I can have a look for any parts, and he says "sure, go ahead, but there's nothing there that's any good".

The interior was filthy and absolutely disgusting, but I did spot an intact shifter boot on the NP435 stick, and a radio bezel caked in dirt and piled with everything else on the seat.

I ask the guy how much he wants for the shifter boot, and the radio bezel, and he says "Coffee money, and did I need any tools?"...lol. Gave me some sockets and a knife, etc and off I go. 10 minutes later I'm back with my dirty parts, and he was happy to take $5 each for the boot and the radio bezel.

You would never think from looking at the truck, but the two items actually cleaned up quite nicely:

The truck was an '85, and the bezel appears to have the same weave/color pattern as my '84 radio delete bezel, but mine has silver trim. See below:

Did I read somewhere that somebody used a silver colored Sharpie pen to re-do the silver bezel trim? If so, I may just try that with this one and see how well it matches up. I've been a bit hesitant to cut a hole in my original delete bezel...not that it matters much really, but I've been struggling with cutting it...lol.

Good find and quite a bargain! As you are finding out, the grey weave with the silver edging was a one-year deal in 1984. The 85/86 grey weave without the silver edging can be painted, but the beads are not quite as wide. It will still match better than leaving them black though.

A silver paint pen might be the best match for your 35 year old bezel trim which weathers and becomes dull with age. The mirror chrome technique that I wrote about with the rosewood bezel web page will look more like NOS. You could always paint both with the chrome 🙂

[Rembrant]

Good find and quite a bargain! As you are finding out, the grey weave with the silver edging was a one-year deal in 1984. The 85/86 grey weave without the silver edging can be painted, but the beads are not quite as wide. It will still match better than leaving them black though.

I was not aware of that 84 dash being a one-year only deal, but I am now.

And yes sir, you are right the beads are different. The 85 readio bezel looks like it will be harder to paint/color, but I'll give it a try. Otherwise I'll have to wait until I find a matching dash bezel. (Sure wish I grabbed the one out of that 86 at the pick and pull before they crushed it...lol).

Thanks for the help!