Looking good. The uprights for your bed rails are 2x2s?

 

You've got yourself a sweet old truck! I'm waiting to get ahold of my late father's old '85 F-250 and I'm planning on doing the same thing with it! What are your plans for the interior? Just one of those thick wool blankets over the bench?

 

Subscribed lol!

 

As always thanks for the kind words

The uprights for the bed rails are actually 2x3's that I had to sand some width off of. I then secured them to the bed with lag bolts through the holes on the inside of the pockets.

I couldn't find a decent tailgate anywhere around here! All of the 80-86 ones were thrashed, and bent up. I was lucky to find the later style one in such good shape, even if the handle is busted. I was looking into the Taiwanese repro gates...and even with my discount as a dealer parts guy they didn't seem worth it I ended up picking one up for $35 at the yard.

Seat cover? I gotta stick with the tried and true saddle blanket type!

I have to get at least one side of the truck completely painted soon. I have a friend that's studying photography at a university that wants to take some shots of it for a vintage project. We'll see how that goes...

 

Taiwan repops are like tinfoil.

If you find a decent 80-86 gate consider welding a piece of 1 1/2" angle across the bottom pivots.
Preemptively.

The truck looks really good!
So glad you don't have to deal with the rust we do.

 

If you're still looking for a tailgate, LMC Truck has one for $100. That's without the embossed Ford. If you want FORD on it that'll be an extra $400. Who knew a word cost $100 a letter?

LMC Truck Parts - Page 27

 

If you read through this forum enough, you'll find the difference is lots more than just FORD on the back; apparently, the OEM tailgates are made of heavier-gauge steel and are much more substantially built, people say the Chinese-made replacements tend to be of inferior quality.

 

I was TRYING to be funny, but you had to go and ruin it with actual facts. LOL. Good to know about the cheaper tailgate. Still, $500 seems a bit steep for a tailgate. Then again, you get what you pay for.

 

Saddle blanket was what I was looking to say with "a thick wool blanket" haha. Those are always a nice touch in an old truck.

Have you decided on what you're doing to the front bumper yet? Chrome or paint?

 

I think it looks GREAT.....Just one lil quirk....The bed rails...They look fantastic....But me, being me....lol

Some odd reason, I think it'd look even neater, if ya did the ends (Towards the cab) to go along with the pitch of the cab...Forward....Just a thought...

 

Ford is a four letter word...

 

We did that on my buddy's '84...helped alot!

The jury is still out on that...I'm still kicking it around. I want to say I saw an 80-86 ex-Uhauler that had a white bumper a while back....hmmmmm


Ha! I noticed that when I finished them...I agree, it's kind of nagging at me every time I walk passed the truck...lol.

 

I think a flat desert beige over everything would be pretty sweet. Make her look like a military truck. Just don't put any black star on it (that's Army and I'm a Marine so I'm completely biased). Plus, an all flat/primer paint job keeps with your work truck theme.

Or, just throwing out ideas here, flat grey everywhere with egg white bumpers (semi-gloss). What exactly is your plan? You going with that beige you have on certain parts? Haha

 

I need to replace my tailgate due to a dent and the drivers side is coming apart at the spot welds. The guy at the body shop said it would be cheaper to replace it with a new Ford one than to repair it. I thought about replacing it with a newer one. Or even an aftermarket one in my year. But, my WIFE said NO, she likes my year tailgate with the FORD letters on it (and she does know the price difference). So, I guess I will be getting a new, good one when the time comes due.

 

She's a keeper!