Oh my gosh, it's Luke76! Haven't seen anything on your project lately. How's it going?

 

It cost me $125 for a new windshield, but that one was the one for a later model that obscured the VIN. Dunno what the correct one will cost, but will when I do Dad's Tk.

 

3rd time is the charm! Oil pan sealed up good this time, that one piece seal (and some added patience on our part) did the trick! New exhaust is yet to be welded on and thats the only item left. Have a nice glasspack cherry bomb for it

I should be able to pick it up on Saturday if everything goes according to plan. If that happens I'll probably blow a whole tank of gas just driving it around before Monday lol

I couldnt have done this without my buddy Seth's help (and engine, coincidentally). I've been trying to get him to join, if only to see if anybody is interested in his engineless 85 F150 Explorer before he scraps it.. I'd feel bad for not giving him a shout out, he gets most all of the credit for this one.

 

Congrat's! It is such a good feeling when it finally works.

Get Seth to join. Sounds like he's one of us. And maybe we can talk him into installing an engine in the Explorer and keeping it.

 

I'll work on him next time im out there and take some pics. He's trying to sell the brand new NP435 and x-fer case out of it right now. It's a nice little heavy half in baby blue. Dash isnt in great shape and it's bent up a bit but it ran good and would go anywhere when I yanked it's motor for my F250. I think he's already sold the rear end.

 

I'm curious what he gets for the NP435 and for the t-case, assuming it is either an NP208 or BW1356. I have all three and plan to peddle them.

 

Hmmm. Wonder if I could put that front axle under mine....

 

Im pretty sure its an NP208 that was originally for a Chevy, its been professionally converted.

 

If the truck was a 4x4 from the factory with a New Process 435 with the A-shaped flange on the back, unless the transfer-case went bad or was swapped, it's originally supposed to have a New Process 208F to go behind it, as the NP208F is a married transfer-case. On the Ford model trucks with driver's side pumpkin, the asymmetrical A-shaped flange that the transfer case bolts to doesn't allow for the transfer case to be clocked. So to have a different transfer case you would have to have a 2wd NP435 with a divorced transfer case, of which you don't see many of them in 80 to 86.

Actually, I don't think you could get a NP435 that had the 2WD tailhousing in a 4x4 with a divorced transfer case from the factory during this year range. Other year ranges, sure. Of course, someone who knows better will correct me if I'm wrong.

The Borg-Warner transfer-cases were mainly behind the Borg-Warner transmissions, that I've seen/read.

 

Sorry I haven't been around for a while. I started a new job and this is my second week into it.

Anyway, I put a FPR on the truck yesterday. I set it to just over 5psi. I'll let you know how she performs.

 

Its also entirely possible Im speaking out my a$$ too, so thanks for the correction! All I really know about it is both are freshly rebuilt, the x-fer case was from a chevy and had a conversion done to it. He said he couldnt get the original t-case for it anymore so that was really his only route. I'm just not 100% sure on the exact model.

 

Been missing you. Hope the new job is good for you. And, I'm really curious what the FPR does for you.

 

I'm towing the race car to rock rapids tonight. It's about a 30 mile trip so we'll see how it goes.

 

The conversation has moved beyond windshields now, but thanks Chris for that photo, now I know what to look forward to when I replace mine.

Ron, thanks for the shout-out... there's not much to report since my truck is still trapped at the painter's. It's not that the paint job itself is taking so long, it's more that the painter doesn't seem to spend a lot of time on it. Either he's tired of the job or gotten too busy with other things or I don't know what. Every time I call he says "it will be done at the end of the week!" but then two weeks roll by and nothing.

However I knew I'd have to be patient so I don't mind, and I'm not in a particular hurry. It's not that it's taking so long that bothers me, it's his unrealistic promises that get old. But I have been in to see it and it does look spectacular, the parts what are done.


Luke

 

Filled up again today. My first few tanks I ran 13.3-13.5mpg. Latest two I've have 14.8 and 15.1. Now that I'm what could charitably called "proficient" at getting in and out of gear I'm making a point to improve mileage. Shifting into neutral around corners and when coasting, rather than braking. Also getting familiar with the clutch, and figuring out how to momentarily ride it to get moving on hills. No more revving the engine above 2k for fear of a roll back.

Any more tips from y'all pros?

And Gary- you'd been asking about the grille. Something else I've noticed- the logo doesn't "pop" as well as it did against the gray. Seems like it'd be the opposite to me, but the black and blue don't contrast as much. At the JY today I found a new emblem in a box in a junked truck. Here's what it looks like on mine