As you may know, I've been setting up a web site that, among other things, will provide a place to document these trucks. To this point it has been in "test" mode, but it has now been moved to its final resting place: Garysgaragemahal.

So, it is now safe to bookmark it. Meanwhile, I'm going back through my posts trying to fix links that are now bad. But, if you find one please let me know and I'll fix it if I can.

Now, what's been documented about these trucks? Well, I started listing the things here and decided that's silly. Go see for yourself. However, I do want to highlight a couple of the more significant pieces:

• EVTM: If you've never used the Electrical and Vacuum Troubleshooting Manual you are really missing a valuable tool. Anyway, this is finally DONE!!
• Fasteners: This one isn't done, but the front clip fastener section is done, and should prove helpful.

Beyond that, there's info on air cleaners, ammeters/voltmeters, an ICVR how-to, engine perches/supports, Dad's truck, Rusty, and that '83 Bronco survivor that shows us how the various aspects of these trucks actually looked when new. So, go check it out. And, please give me suggestions on what else should be documented. My intent is to make my web site the go-to place for our documentation.

 

I never saw that 83 survivor before. That thing is immaculate! Any idea of where it is now?

 

No. It sold off ebay a couple of years ago. But, I'm glad the owner at the time let me keep the pics as they document exactly what a new one looked like. I'm blown away with the orange gauge needles - I thought they were almost red.

 

Great site Gary!! nice to have all that info in one place, I just bookmarked it for future reference.

 

Thanks, Gabe! Unfortunately FTE doesn't provide a way to do that, so it has to be done elsewhere. And, since I'm currently tired of answering the same questions over and over, I thought maybe I could document some things to all people to answer their own questions.

So, I'd like input from y'all about what else is needed. And, about errors you find. Further, if you have suggestions to improve the site I'm all eyes. This is for all of us, not just me, so tell me what the needs are.

 

Awesome resource! Thank you for all the effort you have put into this for the sake of helping others. This contribution is greatly appreciated.

 

You are welcome. There is more to come, but it will probably be a while as my grand twins are in town for Christmas.

However, don't be shy about suggesting other things to document. One advantage to a web site over a thread-type environment is that I can treat one subject without interruption. And, I can come back and add content, rearrange things, etc as more information comes in. Some of the stickies on FTE go for many pages, partly due to the back-and-forth between contributors. And, some of the documentation is spread across multiple threads.

So, if you know of some documentation that is fragmented, just let me know and I'll see about pulling it together. Or, if there is something that hasn't been documented, I'll see what I can do.

 

Thank you for doing the website! Very well done and easy to navigate.

 

Thank you very much for providing all of this information.

 

Thank you Gary, this is a great resource.

 

Welcome, guys. Again, I appreciate the thank-you's, but would enjoy constructive criticism.

For instance, it irks me that I can't easily go to the next page within the EVTM, but have to resort to the navigation menu. And, while on that subject, it seems overly complex - even though I've taken several pages out to clean it up. Further, the pop-out menu's background and text colors are the same so sometimes you see the previous menu's text looking like it is part of this menu.

So, I know there are improvements to be made - and those are just the ones I see and I built it. Surely y'all see many more. Please don't be shy about telling me.

 

I know You're back is raw from all of the "atta boys" pats on the back (hence My earlier comment about Your website being bigger than You know). But in all honesty, the documentation you have chosen to provide will in fact bridge generations. We as Baby Boomers look back to the days of Our Fathers and can only wonder. The '27 T's, the '41 Coupes and the '58 Retractable's.
This is serious documentation to the core. Can you say "**** re-tentative"?
Gary Can !! And be thankful for it.

 

Thanks! Yes, that might describe me.

 

Here's input from Brandon on this thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post15866799
Brandon - Your post on the other thread is a good example of why we need an organized place to document things. I've been taking input on this thread, but have also gotten some on the thread where you posted as well as WHYDTYTT. My fault for having posted in several places. And, I understand being busy and missing things. My grand twins are here and I'm having fun with them, so am not keeping up myself.

Anyway, to your suggestion. My plan is to do each engine series separately, and will have a page for each. And, since I already have a start on the Wheezer, and since you hope to be building one soon, I'll do it next. But, it may not be done, at least initially, to the level of detail as the front clip. We shall see.

 

I snuck some web editing time in while the grandtwins were resting today. Added the 1981 Explorer brochure, as well as a what-goes-where under the hood drawing in case there are any out there wondering. (It was requested via the Contact form.)

Also, looked through my other documentation and decided that I need to add the other brochures I have (1981 pickups and 1981 Bronco as well as 1982 Explorer), and a bunch of info from the Dealer Truck Facts binder I have. These kinds of things I can do with an hour here and an hour there, but the heavy-duty stuff of fasteners and such will have to wait until I have several hours I can dedicate to it.