Posted in F150, passion project

New tires or Naw?

Posted on by @SyeWorks

Soooooo I’ve been deliberating on whether I should get new tires for the truck. It really is a want, and I think it would be a waste of money since the tires I have on are pretty solid. *update*

I definitely am glad that I went with the new tires. I ended up getting Maxtrek Ditto RT 31×10.5×15 tires. I purchased them from a local shop, UTire, in Tucson, and I’m pretty happy with the price and look. I had wanted to get a lift or a level, which would have been more money. That said, the tires ended up lifting it ever so slightly to where I like the profile of the truck.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the other tires. Well, it did kinda give off Grandpa vibes, but other than that, nothing. To me, this gives it more of a modern look without having to do too much. Honestly, after this, I have no clue what else I want to do with this. Hmmm, maybe just enjoy the truck 😉

I think my next task with the truck is to get the windows re-tinted; however, I’m a little apprehensive. My interior is in pristine condition. Okay, that was a little extra but yea. Seriously, my interior is in good shape, and I’m nervous about letting other people take any panels off the doors to tint. Sometimes people aren’t as cautious as they should be with old trucks because they don’t know how brittle 30-year-old plastic material can be even if it looks good. We shall see what the next upgrade will be, but until then, I’m pretty happy with my new set of tires…

Advertisement
Posted in F150, passion project

Unprofessional Paint Correction 😬 ðŸŽ¨

Posted on by @SyeWorks

So I decided to correct a paint issue on my truck; however, it was not an actual paint issue. It was a clear coat issue. I found this out while doing the wet sand process of the “paint” correction. That said, my impatience played a part in the final result, which was good, but it could have been easier… As you can see in the image, below, there was an issue with the right rear passenger fender. Honestly, I could have let it go, but being me, I wanted to try and fix it. I wanted to learn the skill to see how it turned out if I had to apply it to my newer vehicles.

If you’re wondering about the process, here it is:

  1. Prep the area by using a painter’s plastic drop cloth,
  2. taping the cloth to protect the rest of your vehicle
  3. Clean the area with prep wipes, use 1000+ wet/dry sandpaper,
  4. Use a spray bottle with distilled water (distilled water is optional) while wet sanding the area
  5. Clean off the area with prep wipes and let dry for 10min+
  6. Use Duplicolor Sandable Primer (my preference) + follow the instructions
  7. Wait about 30 minutes or more
  8. Spray the Perfect Match Paint (my brand preference) + follow instructions to a T
  9. Spray clear coat on + follow instructions to a T
  10. Let it sit for a few hours
  11. Use Meguirs Ultra Cut Compound to make the paint lines blend
  12. You typically want to wait 24+ hours to buff/compound; however, I wasn’t patient…lol

I still have some more compound buffing but to me, it looks great. As I said, it turned out to be a clear coat issue. I did get nervous before I buffed out the clear coat/new paint lines because it looked terrible. That said, for under $100 dollars and a few hours of work, I’m very satisfied with the finished product. In the future, I think I will only work on small sections. This time, I started with a large area when I should have just done the small section that had clear coat damage. It was kind of one of those things where I’m glad it worked out, but it could have gone the other way… Also, I redid the rear lower tailgate. We’ll see how well it holds…

Posted in F150, passion project

LED Headlights + Interior Install

Posted on by @SyeWorks

So I was bored, and I decided to add some LED headlights. I also wanted to see a little better at night as my eyes are getting worse the older I get… I purchased some headlights for relatively cheap on Amazon, and I was really surprised at how easy they were to install. I was also pleasantly surprised at how much of a difference they made at night. Me being me, I went ahead and installed the LED lights on the interior door panels and overhead lamp. Overall, I would consider it a relatively simple process.

However, me being me, I took it a step further and tried to install some LED lights on the cluster gauge. I was only able to get one in though, which made a huge difference. I’m still kind of frustrated with that part of the installation. It was challenging to get behind the cluster gauge. On the other hand, it was pretty easy to crack open the dashboard. It’s just a couple of screws; maybe about 8. I had to be gentle, so maybe cracking open is a poor choice of words. The dash is about 31 years old, but it’s in good shape; however, it’s still fairly old and brittle in some places. I digress. I was only able to get one lightbulb in because the shift linkage cord was in the way, and I didn’t want to mess that up because I have no clue how to fix that. Even with all of that said, that 1 lightbulb really helped brighten things up. I was also able to get behind the a/c climate control dash to brighten those lights up, too (see pic #1).

In general, I think I’m running out of things to do with the truck, so maybe I just need to enjoy it, ha! That’s not me though… I think the Power Steering Fluid needs to be changed in the near future. I’m going to check it today, and see what my next project will be 😉

Posted in F150, passion project

Thinking about trading in the OBS…

Posted on by @SyeWorks

So I’m thinking about trading my truck in for this old beast; emphasis on thinking. I think I’m kinda bored with my 92 F-150. However, I get like this from time to time when there isn’t any work to be done on a truck. This, pictured to the left, 1974 Ford 100 V8, which has 117k miles. It came up on my timeline, and I was interested. It’s an older truck and honestly, it’s a little overpriced for a 2WD. That said, I can’t help but wonder if I’ll sell mine and pick something up like this or similar to it. Also, the color for the 2Tone isn’t it; however, that can be changed.

I’d say there’s about a 90% chance that I won’t get this, but it’s fun to look at. Maybe I’ll go test drive it for fun…

Posted in F150, passion project

A/c Heater Climate Control (Blend Door)

Posted on by @SyeWorks

So I felt like it was time to cut the heat on in the old truck. I immediately regretted it because I turned the knob too hard, and it busted. It just kept spinning without doing anything in terms of heat/cold adjustment. I did it while I was at work, so I had to wait to open it up and take a look at it. Long story short, my blend door wasn’t working correctly; it still isn’t. For those that don’t know what a blend door is. Don’t quote me on this, but it basically acts as a blocker to the outside air that blows into your vehicle when you activate certain settings on the climate control. For example, when you want the heat on, you turn the knob to warm, you can’t have all this cold air coming in from the outside blowing in the cabin. I feel that explanation was terrible. Here’s a clue as to how to know if you have an issue. The a/c or heat is off and you have a strong breeze still blowing through the cabin via the vents.

That explanation wasn’t very good, but I hope you get the gist of what I had to fix. I had to fix the knob that prevents or at least cuts down on that. My thing was, I don’t really care if I have heat, but I want the a/c to work at all costs. This isn’t my daily truck, and it lives in a garage. The pulley was stuck to the heat/warm position, and it wouldn’t stay in the cold position.

The fix: there isn’t a fix that I know how to do, so I had to seal it back up. Not before I broke the pulley system that controls the heat/cold temperature, which isn’t ideal. I was able to put some JbWeld, so it still gave me a way to control the temp. I also realized that I don’t even think I have heat…lol Seriously, as long as the a/c works, I’m not complaining. I don’t drive old blue that much, and I’m for sure not driving in cold weather out here in Arizona… I feel like I didn’t accomplish much; however, I was able to put in LED lights, which brightened things up a bit. Taking the a/c climate unit off was easy, and that led me to take off the dash bezel, which was a little more difficult. I couldn’t get it all the way off, but it’s another project for another day…

Posted in F150, passion project

Suspension or Tires??

Posted on by @SyeWorks

I would like to get some 31×10.5×15, but I don’t really need them. That said, who needs a 2nd truck in the first place, This guy!!! The more I think about it, I think I may just keep the tires I have and just focus on the suspension parts that I have already purchased. At this point, I like the smooth ride; however, I’m torn because I like the profile that the 31s would give the truck. I know that is such a first-world problem. That said, it is what it is.

The picture below and to the left is my current wheel situation. They’re pretty solid. They also give a smoother ride; however, they’re from 2016, which is a really old tire. If I do end up purchasing tires, I think I will be selling my old ones. However, they’re old as in about 7 years old, which is pretty old for a tire even if they do look new. I don’t think I’d be able to charge more than $50 a tire, which would come to about $200+/- profit for me. I think the new tires will cost about $1000, so the selling of the old tires will lighten that dent in my wallet. All in all, I don’t think it’s a bad problem to have because it’s not really a problem. This is a hobby truck, so nothing is too serious when deciding what to do…

Tire selection choices: BF Goodrich, Mickey Thompson Baja Legend, Mickey Thompson Deegan38

Posted in F150, passion project

Front End Suspension Fixes!

Posted on by @SyeWorks

I’ve finally decided to take care of some things that aren’t cosmetic… It began with some creaking when I was turning. I went down the rabbit hole and began to research my front diff, which is a 44 Dana axle. I think it’s the ring and pinion in the front differential axle; however, I might as well take care of a few things while I’m fixing up that area.

Lately, I haven’t wanted to drive the truck too much because I don’t want to damage anything. I’m probably being too cautious, but I just don’t want to pay more than I’m already paying to fix the front suspension. As of right now, I’ll be taking care of the front differential ring and pinion, front/rear shocks, the axle pivot bushing, and arm radius bushings. Eventually, I want to level the front end; however, I’m not sure if I will do that. I will be getting 31×10.5x15r tires, which will make the truck sit up a little higher giving it the profile I like on trucks. I feel like I want to get A/T tires but don’t want to lose the comfort when I’m driving. I think that upgrade will come in May or over the summer.

  • Front Differential Ring & Pinion
  • Front/Rear Shocks
  • Arm Radius Bushings
  • Axle Pivot Bushing
Posted in F150, passion project

F-150 1992 XLT 4×4 V8 5.0L

Posted on by @SyeWorks

screen-shot-2022-09-13-at-12.42.51-pmSo I decided to purchase another vehicle. I had sold my other truck, a 1982 F-150. I thought I would regret it, and I was right. That said, I decided to do a little upgrading this time. It was between this and a 1972 Dodge 200. I was all set to go up to Phoenix and make the purchase; however, my wife told me to call before we went up there. It was a good thing she did because they said it was sold. I was disappointed, but this was in town; it was also newer (1992). Also, F-150s have more parts around town than late-model Dodge trucks. I mean, the truck looked great, but it would have been hard to find parts, and they would have been really expensive as opposed to just finding things at a junkyard around town for this F-150.

When I bought the truck, it was in excellent condition. There weren’t too many things that needed to be done; however, me being me, I definitely saw some things that needed to be taken care of. They had the truck sitting on the lot getting beat by the Arizona sun for a few weeks. That said, the interior was immaculate! The truck had one previous owner, and it was an older gentleman from Colorado. He kept it very clean and even had all the original paperwork. There are still a few things I want to do to it. Below is a list of things. Like I said, mostly just cosmetic stuff.

Things that I’ve done:

  • Deep cleaned
  • Compound wax; it came out absolutely great (see pic below)
  • New radiator
  • New water pump
  • redid side molding
  • Ceramic coated the tires with DuraDressing
  • Cleaned the interior
  • Cleaned the engine bay
  • Deep cleaned the radiator overflow tank
  • Sealed the bed of the truck with Truck Bed Coating – Rust-o-leum
  • Tightened the interior panels to quiet the road noise
  • Fixed/welded the passenger seat slider for stability

Things I want to do:

  • Front level
  • 31in or 33in tires/BF Goodrich
  • Finish the bottom side panel paint job to make it a better looking 2Tone
  • Fix the back tailgate; it closes, but it’s difficult to open. The latch busted.
  • I feel like I want paint it all black, but I think that would be a waste of money 😉

screen-shot-2022-09-13-at-12.43.08-pm

Posted in F150, passion project

For Sale – it’s official

Posted on by @SyeWorks

For sale via Facebook Market

Well, I’ve officially decided to sell the old F-150. I kinda feel like I’m going to regret it, but I don’t have a need for two trucks. I just purchased a new Silverado. I keep telling myself it’s for the best…lol Seriously though, I’ve put a lot of work into it, and I had plans to do more. I had plans to drop a crate/turnkey engine in the truck this summer; however, I would rather save the money and/or put the money into the new truck. I feel like I’ll buy another one down the road. I’ll probably either get a mid-90s F-150/250 or a mid-90s Bronco.

Posted in F150, passion project

Sold/Selling?

Posted on by @SyeWorks

Well, I sold the Beast, and I bought a pickup truck. You may be wondering, what does this have to do with a restoration project? I’m kidding, I don’t think anybody reads these posts… Seriously though, I decided to get rid of my Tahoe before the transmission, among other things, went south. The selling processes went pretty smoothly at CarMax; however, I felt I could have gotten a little more, but it wasn’t that big of a deal.

On to the next part of the process, I purchased a vehicle that ended up being a pickup truck, so needless to say I don’t need two pickup trucks. With that said, I feel like the F-150 restoration project has come to an end. I say that, but even as I say that I still don’t want to let it go; however, there are some modifications I want to make on the new pickup. Those modifications are going to be costly, and I’d rather use the profits of selling another vehicle as opposed to being somewhat wasteful on parts that I don’t really need 😉

We shall see where the next project takes me, or who knows, I may keep it. That said, there’s really nothing more I can do to this truck that won’t come with a hefty price tag, and I’d rather not. I’ve put a new c6 transmission, a new starter, a new fuel pump, new shocks, new pivot arm bushings, and a lot of cosmetic thigns. The only thing left is a new reman engine ($4300) and a paint job ($2000), and I can’t see myself really wanting to do all that.