hey y'all I've been a part of this forum for a while now and now that I've finally gotten committed (i mean really committed) to this truck i figure its time to start a progress thread.

i bought the truck in early summer of 2010 after my old explorer died on me, i actually got the truck from my aunts chiropractor, it was his fathers farm truck up until he died.

The truck has a 4.9L 300cid engine, and a 4spd borg warner t18 transmission and four wheel drive with 3.55 gears in the rear

heres how she looked when i bought her










as you may or may not be able to see from the pics the truck is very very beat up, and had been rolled onto the right side at one point of time

now after learning to drive manual (thanks to my dad) and a tune up, i drove the truck for about two weeks and absolutely fell in love!!!!!!!!!!

now bringing us up to today, ive done some minor modifications mostly upkeep and general repair, ive also added some cab marker lights as well as side and rear marker lights, not too big of a deal, and i took out the dirty as hell floor and headliner, as well as painting the wood trim flat black. but recently i discovered that i burnt an intake valve, now i am currently building a new 300 and am going to do a carb swap, with the offenhauser dp intake.

more updates and pics to come!!!

 

sounds like you have a good bit of plas for it man...with some love you could have a really great looking truck on your hands!! its good to know there are still people out there who are willing to take an old truck and put some attention into it to bring it back to life!!! haha

 

Yep im also planning on building a custom bumper and freshening up the rear end and rear suspension after the motor swap

 

well i figure since im bored at work right now ill go ahead and post my to-do list for the truck
Motor Items

• cover fuel pump port
• distributor
• chevy rockers
• fuel press. rgulator
• intake manifold
• valve cover pcv breather
• lifter cover
• pushrods
• flywheel
• accesory drive
• exhaust manifold

(note: everything below lifter cover are things i have to take off of my current truck and put on this motor, everything above still needs to be bought)



general stuff to do (after motor is installed)

• rear end overhaul (including new diff cover, brake work, new shocks, and swaybar bushings)
• new u-joints
• new lower ball joints
• grind down rust on carpetless floor
• cover floor in truck bed liner
• new seat
• build bumper
• build headache rack

it seems like im so close to having this truck as i want it.. then i look at this list

 

Patman, if you're already gonna have the upper balljoints out to replace the lower ones, just go ahead and replace the uppers...It'll save you MANY headaches....

 

grr i suppose wes..... you talked me into it you sly peer-pressuring ******* lol

 

LOL.....Wow....$35 extra....

And don't forget to GREASE them....That's what makes'em a PITA to get out....

And you're welcome...

 

ik i need to grease them lol, trust me ive grown up around guys who are greasing ****'s

 

Please don't forget the lowly U-Joints...lol

Seems people can grease EVERY damned fitting on a vehicle...Save for the u-joints....

 

lol well i have been keeping the ones in here greased and once i replace them after the motor swap and rear-end overhaul i will be sure to keep them greased, seems you are a grease gun **** as well wes

 

that list ain't nothing! you should see mine!

lol, the rough ones are always the best runners, my 73 and 88 were under 500 bucks and were are the best two trucks i have ever known. both were farm trucks as well. my bronco was 75 bucks, but thats another story...

the chevy rockers won't fit the newer head without converting them over to studs (they are rail style rockers) they will work on the older head, but not really worth it. I have a set sitting on a shelf at home cause i didn't know it at the time...

And I tell everybody this, but I recommend keeping the fuel injection. I converted my capri from CFI, and even that was a pain. alot of guys don't like fuel injection cause they don't understand the black box, but its really no different than learning anything else.

on another note, I pass through lincoln on a monthly basis to go to drill in omaha (or did, and will again around december) but i'd love to go wheeling some someday, hope to have my bronco on the road around the end of this year... not to sure what all is out there though, usually don't have much of a reason to stick around.

 

Haha there ain't much just a few mud trails to tear up behind walmart and farmland if u know the farmer and he let's u

 

Alright guys quick question... will my stock coil (made to run with a computer) and pigtail work with the new carbed motor and no computer? Im fine with replacing it just don't know if its necessary its only about a month old anyway so its still pretty good

 

I would sit down and think long and hard before I spent the time and money to convert an EFI motor to carb.

In the end, it's never worth it.

 

I second the notion 100%

Converted an 89 f150 302 to carbed and ended up making it a mud toy because its DD capabilities went down the drain.

Just a helpful insight, in the end its your truck and you know us a fte will support anything you decide to do!