66gtk Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 People usually come to forums looking for help with their questions. This one is a great place to find helpful answers. Today I simply want to share some good news about my Bull that makes me smile. I last drove it in early October. Like every fall with my cars for winter prep I simply try and run out the last of the season's gas, fill up with fresh non-oxy and pour in a can of Seafoam. I overinflate the tires by about 5 psi, hook up a battery tender, and then I simply park the clean vehicle in the garage. I've done this and nothing more for decades and I've been lucky with the result. This year, I also pulled the radiator after parking it, and sent it to the shop to get redone as it had a small leak last season. I had it recored, and ordered new lower rubbers for it since I saw they were available from Dennis Carpenter. The radiator shop did a nice job, and put a larger than stock core in my original radiator. It would have been cheaper to get a fancy new 3 core aluminum radiator, but I figured - if this one came out easily, it will go back in easily (: Well, it installed easily and I filled it with coolant. Removed the battery tender, popped the key into the ignition. Put the accelerator to the floor 1x to set the choke, turned the key for only 3-5 seconds and she fired right up with perfect idle. Stepped down the idle a few moments later with the throttle and she idled down smoothly without a hitch. I topped off the coolant while it was warming up, then put on the radiator cap and went for a ride after adding a little air in the tires. Everything worked perfectly, and when I got back I checked for leaks and there were none. After it cooled down, I removed the cap and topped off the radiator, closed it up and called it a good day. I like it when things go well. I think the next thing to do with this truck is to upgrade the factory original steering with a redhead or equivalent steering box and replacement lower steering shaft to tighten up the slop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 Excellent! Thanks for sharing such a fun experience. On the steering box, from my understanding there are only two companies that not only rebuild the box but upgrade it at the same time - Red Head and Blue-Top. Rumor has it that Red Head's quality control and customer service has slipped. But John/Machspeed recently posted about his experience with Blue-Top in his thread on Blue Top Steering Gears. I don't think he has installed it yet, so don't believe there's a post on how he likes the box itself, but he sure liked the service. As for the steering shaft, I think John is also doing some work on one of those. Perhaps we can get an update on that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzFace2 Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 Good to hear after the winter nap it woke up ready to play again. It's been 7 years since I had to put my play toys to nap for the winter. We get maybe 3 months that it's cold but vary little snow or ice and if we do its here for maybe 24 to 48 hours and gone. I also use my truck for the weekly trash runs if no ice / snow so I dont need to nap it. To rub it in more we have cars & coffee shows all year long here. Thing is when its cold out (winter) my work hours get crazy and its hard to get to any C&C and shows Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 People usually come to forums looking for help with their questions. This one is a great place to find helpful answers. Today I simply want to share some good news about my Bull that makes me smile. What, and no pics!!...lol. What gives??? lol. I enjoy the good news stories. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBrother-84 Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Wow! I am jalous! I look forward for spring time, for a good ride with BigBro. But here, it's still winter. Maybe because the restoration is now ended, I don't know, but this year I find the winter VERY long! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
66gtk Posted March 23, 2022 Author Share Posted March 23, 2022 People usually come to forums looking for help with their questions. This one is a great place to find helpful answers. Today I simply want to share some good news about my Bull that makes me smile. What, and no pics!!...lol. What gives??? lol. I enjoy the good news stories. Thanks for sharing. pic request? Here you go..LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratdude747 Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 AFAIK nobody makes 1980-1984 radiators any more... at all (at least for the 300, the V8 ones have the inlet/outlet swapped). When I rebuilt my 84 after nailing a deer, I ended up having to get a 1985-1996 radiator and modify the replacement core support (a very special 1980 one) using parts off an equally special 1985 core support to accept such. Recoring is the way to go if you want to stay 100% stock... thankfully you had the option! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARIAT 85 Posted March 25, 2022 Share Posted March 25, 2022 Well, it installed easily and I filled it with coolant. Removed the battery tender, popped the key into the ignition. Put the accelerator to the floor 1x to set the choke, turned the key for only 3-5 seconds and she fired right up with perfect idle. Stepped down the idle a few moments later with the throttle and she idled down smoothly without a hitch. So your truck hasn't been started since October and it fired up with only one single pump of the accelerator 3 - 5 seconds later? That is incredible. Lucille will fire up with one pump and within a second or two or two if driven every day or every other day. But if she sits for a couple of weeks, my starting procedure is quite different than 66gtk's. Why is that? Is that because of the EEC-III computer controls on his truck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzFace2 Posted March 25, 2022 Share Posted March 25, 2022 Well, it installed easily and I filled it with coolant. Removed the battery tender, popped the key into the ignition. Put the accelerator to the floor 1x to set the choke, turned the key for only 3-5 seconds and she fired right up with perfect idle. Stepped down the idle a few moments later with the throttle and she idled down smoothly without a hitch. So your truck hasn't been started since October and it fired up with only one single pump of the accelerator 3 - 5 seconds later? That is incredible. Lucille will fire up with one pump and within a second or two or two if driven every day or every other day. But if she sits for a couple of weeks, my starting procedure is quite different than 66gtk's. Why is that? Is that because of the EEC-III computer controls on his truck? My 81 F100 with a 300 is the same, run everyday or other day and half a pump to set choke and tap the key and it is running but let it sit a week or 2 like today for the trash run and you have to pump the pedal like a crazy man while cranking the motor for it to start. The gas in the carb evaporates and why all the pumping till gas fills the bowl. Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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