Gary Lewis Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 I usually post all three images in a single post. When I post, I only see one of them. Are you seeing them all in one post? If so, I will delete. Thanks Gary for the feedback. I see Pic 2 in a separate post and then Pic 3 in another post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanSavage Posted July 16, 2022 Author Share Posted July 16, 2022 I see the images just fine. But what do you think isn't working? Anyway, you seem to have gotten to the bottom, literally, of the paint question. But you seem to be questioning what to do inside the cab. Why not use the same paint? And when you are on FTE tell Franklin2 hello for me. Hey Gary, Just want to make sure I know what you are saying—by same paint, you mean 6D? IF so, I am considering it. That would take a complete stripping of the cab, which I may do, but not immediately. There’s all sorts of other considerations including the interior molding, which, would also need repainted. I suppose, I could add the headliner, and paint just the molding in Saddle, then replace the carpet and seat upholstery and leave the rest underneath as original? Incidentally, I hear there is an after market bracket FORD made for the firewall reinforcement of the clutch area, as it cracked on these 1980 Fords. Mine has not that I can tell, but something to think about for the future. If I strip the cab, that needs go on as a preventative. Anyone know of this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 Hey Gary, Just want to make sure I know what you are saying—by same paint, you mean 6D? IF so, I am considering it. That would take a complete stripping of the cab, which I may do, but not immediately. There’s all sorts of other considerations including the interior molding, which, would also need repainted. I suppose, I could add the headliner, and paint just the molding in Saddle, then replace the carpet and seat upholstery and leave the rest underneath as original? Incidentally, I hear there is an after market bracket FORD made for the firewall reinforcement of the clutch area, as it cracked on these 1980 Fords. Mine has not that I can tell, but something to think about for the future. If I strip the cab, that needs go on as a preventative. Anyone know of this? Firewall cracking only came with the hydraulic clutch master cylinder. That happened in '83 for the 460 & IDI, and 1984 for the 302/351/4.9. Your 400 has a mechanical clutch and no firewall cracking issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 Hey Gary, Just want to make sure I know what you are saying—by same paint, you mean 6D? IF so, I am considering it. That would take a complete stripping of the cab, which I may do, but not immediately. There’s all sorts of other considerations including the interior molding, which, would also need repainted. I suppose, I could add the headliner, and paint just the molding in Saddle, then replace the carpet and seat upholstery and leave the rest underneath as original? Incidentally, I hear there is an after market bracket FORD made for the firewall reinforcement of the clutch area, as it cracked on these 1980 Fords. Mine has not that I can tell, but something to think about for the future. If I strip the cab, that needs go on as a preventative. Anyone know of this? Jim is right - as always. The firewall wasn't designed for the pressures the hydraulic clutches put on it and many of them cracked. So Ford came out with a TSB and two different braces - one for firewalls that were flexing and one for firewalls that were badly cracked. But the mechanical linkage doesn't cause a problem so you are good with the firewall. On the paint, I'd shoot the inside and outside with the same color and then paint the interior trim with SEM to match. That's what my paint/body man did on Dad's truck since we had to change cabs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlas75 Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 Jim is right - as always. The firewall wasn't designed for the pressures the hydraulic clutches put on it and many of them cracked. So Ford came out with a TSB and two different braces - one for firewalls that were flexing and one for firewalls that were badly cracked. But the mechanical linkage doesn't cause a problem so you are good with the firewall. On the paint, I'd shoot the inside and outside with the same color and then paint the interior trim with SEM to match. That's what my paint/body man did on Dad's truck since we had to change cabs. I see your truck was built about a month before mine. And I see yours is also the 9100 GVWR. Would you be willing to share a photo of your rear spring pack with the aux spring or springs? I have not been able to identify what I have in the Ford master parts catalog and my suspicion is that mine is not factory and leafs have been added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanSavage Posted July 19, 2022 Author Share Posted July 19, 2022 I see your truck was built about a month before mine. And I see yours is also the 9100 GVWR. Would you be willing to share a photo of your rear spring pack with the aux spring or springs? I have not been able to identify what I have in the Ford master parts catalog and my suspicion is that mine is not factory and leafs have been added. Jim and Gary, Thank you for ALL the info and assistance. I did not think about the hydraulic v. my mechanical. Carl: You want me to shoot some pice of the rear end? Yes? If so, will get to it tomorrow, and upload for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanSavage Posted July 19, 2022 Author Share Posted July 19, 2022 Jim and Gary, Thank you for ALL the info and assistance. I did not think about the hydraulic v. my mechanical. Carl: You want me to shoot some pice of the rear end? Yes? If so, will get to it tomorrow, and upload for you. Thought I would update. The last couple days have been in prep, and that means mostly sanding, applying a thin layer of bondo, sand, thin lay….you get the idea. I hate sanding. It is tedious to match up all the lines. I start off with grits in this order: 60>100/120>150>220 to smooth out the lines and feather in the bondo to the rest of the good metal. Everything is smooth. I should have very little to do to these places now. So, the scuffing up the outside and minor bondo on some of it to repair the previous work is all that’s left. At any rate, my sheet metal work is DONE! I say for now because, the bed I now realize is only a temporary fix. At some point, I will have to replace the entire floor of the bed by buying that lengthy center piece, and using what I have left over for the rest. The reason? My welds to my new metal took quite well. But when I tried to weld the new pieces to the original bed floor, they would NOT take. The metal was as clean as I could get it, but years of rust have made this an impossible task. Thing is, even though rust has taken a lot out of the bed floor, the stuff I did not cut out remains structurally solid. The Ospho will give me more life in the existing floor. So what did I do? Self-taping screws. I know, I hate it. Looks Bush League to me, but, until I replace it, it will have to do for now. With the screws, everything is solid. I know this will be revisited though. Pics of my outside body work, and light bondo follow. Oh, I also had a sticky choke. I thought for a while it was my Holley carb…silly me. It was the manual choke cable the previous owners put in…a Dorman I think. It was sticking. Now everything is butter. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 Thought I would update. The last couple days have been in prep, and that means mostly sanding, applying a thin layer of bondo, sand, thin lay….you get the idea. I hate sanding. It is tedious to match up all the lines. I start off with grits in this order: 60>100/120>150>220 to smooth out the lines and feather in the bondo to the rest of the good metal. Everything is smooth. I should have very little to do to these places now. So, the scuffing up the outside and minor bondo on some of it to repair the previous work is all that’s left. At any rate, my sheet metal work is DONE! I say for now because, the bed I now realize is only a temporary fix. At some point, I will have to replace the entire floor of the bed by buying that lengthy center piece, and using what I have left over for the rest. The reason? My welds to my new metal took quite well. But when I tried to weld the new pieces to the original bed floor, they would NOT take. The metal was as clean as I could get it, but years of rust have made this an impossible task. Thing is, even though rust has taken a lot out of the bed floor, the stuff I did not cut out remains structurally solid. The Ospho will give me more life in the existing floor. So what did I do? Self-taping screws. I know, I hate it. Looks Bush League to me, but, until I replace it, it will have to do for now. With the screws, everything is solid. I know this will be revisited though. Pics of my outside body work, and light bondo follow. Oh, I also had a sticky choke. I thought for a while it was my Holley carb…silly me. It was the manual choke cable the previous owners put in…a Dorman I think. It was sticking. Now everything is butter. Enjoy! Excellent! The body work looks really good. My only thought on the bed is to use pop rivets instead of screws as it might look better. Or maybe less bad? But if you are going to redo it some time anyway maybe it doesn't matter. As for the choke cable, what do you expect - it says Holley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 Excellent! The body work looks really good. My only thought on the bed is to use pop rivets instead of screws as it might look better. Or maybe less bad? But if you are going to redo it some time anyway maybe it doesn't matter. As for the choke cable, what do you expect - it says Holley. Be nice! Of course, I don’t have my Holley’s anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 Excellent! The body work looks really good. My only thought on the bed is to use pop rivets instead of screws as it might look better. Or maybe less bad? But if you are going to redo it some time anyway maybe it doesn't matter. As for the choke cable, what do you expect - it says Holley. Be nice! Of course, I don’t have my Holley’s anymore. I was nice. I could have shown the picture of the toilet in my shop that has a Holley sticker on it, but I won't even mention it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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