Hey everyone,

Got my license the other week and can finally drive my baby. It's a 92 F150 Custom 2wd. Only has 125k miles on her and she runs real good. I've replaced all the hoses, belts, and all fluids. I'm just looking for some input from expericened guys that can make my truck better. I have put a summit turbo muffler on it, and replaced the exhaust all the way back. It has a new stereo system, CB, and 2 LED strips inside the cab. I'm 16 and looking to have some fun with my new ride and YES i did pay for all this myself, i'm not a spoild brat haha. It has a 300 inline 6 engine. I'm also getting 20% tint all around this saturday.

Some things I would like to do in the future:
- New tires
- 4x4 Conversion
- Black rims
- Cold Air Intake
- Diamonplated toolbox

I want to add more horsepower and torque. As well as looks.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated, thanks!

- Buck.



All Cleaned Up.



The LED of the CD, CB, and Strips.



The Old Interior.



New Interior. Seat, Carpet, CD, CB, Headliner.

 

Looks really good; good job. I like your ideas except for the black rims. I think it'd look great with some aluminum rims, not shiny, just aluminum. I think your truck looks nice and bright, and it'd be a shame to dull it down with black rims. Good looking truck!

 

Gratz on buying your own truck! I myself bought my F250 when I was 16 as well, saved up forever for that damn thing too! Just treat her well and she'll go as far as you do, trust me.

 

Thanks man, i've always been a fan of the black rims. If I got a lift for it, I'd go with them, but if not, I was thinking aluminum like you said. I'd also like to get a black grill and black head/tail lights. Yeah I sure take care of it more than my friends that go theres handed to them haha

 

Welcome!

Thats a fantastic first vehicle.

Nice truck. I like the color combination.

Good choice on the muffler. Thats a good setup for the 300.

If you want a nice low profile Diamond Plate tool box, Autozone has one that doesn't stick up very high. You could do that or get a chest box that mounts to the bed floor insead of the rails.

I don't think black rims will look very good. I vote for factory aluminum ones.

I guess I just don't get the new trend of black lights and everything. I think that all that stuff looks cheap, but thats my 2 cents.

Todays trends generally don't look right on old body style trucks. I don't care for them even on the new trucks.

Here is an idea for making it look better, what about the chrome grille and headlight bezels? Maybe clear parking lights that match the OEM headlights.

The mods that I think are really cool are to upgrade to factory options your truck did not have or to do things that look like they could have been factory. Basically clean subtle mods.

I will advise against any so called cold air intake. They are all hot air intakes. I have had them on more than one vehicle and I'll never do it again on anything I own. Your stock air box is more than adequate for your 300, and it already draws in cold air. Ford used the same one on the 460 trucks. You will just be wasting your money and not gain anything from it.

 

welcome great looking truck , i did the cold air intake pick up 2 mile to the gal.

 

I had the hot air intake on more than one vehicle and all got worse fuel economy. My truck definitely runs better with the stock air box and filter and the I6/460 tube. I know a few other people with trucks like ours that either saw no difference either way or lost fuel economy with the aftermarket intakes.

 

Which one specifically?

 

i got mine from k&n, power is up and so is mpg .

 

Did you do anything else like a tune up at the same time? What year is your truck and what motor?

I just don't see how it is giving you better fuel economy. The stock air box was used on 1st gen Lightnings and on the 460 powered trucks. If it moves enough air for those, then I think it moves enough air for the 4.9, 5.0, 5.8.

I had the KN FIPK junk on mine and it runs better with stock. I was also not impressed with the quality of KNs intake. For the mass air trucks it uses a complete tube from the throttle body. It doesn't seal up at the throttle body at all. My friend had the same issue.

 

just 5.8 did nothing else. the next thing is new duels with hi-flow cats

 

Oh man does this take me back... My first ford was a 92 f150 2wd m50d I6... Of course mine was truely a custom. No headliner, no AC, all white body, rusty as all get-out! LOL...

Anyhow, if you want the best bang for your buck on a tool box... Where are you located? There is a DeeZee outlet north of Des Moines where you can get a GOLD series box like these Dee Zee - Catalog Images for about $75-$100... The only reason they are that cheap is becasue ther is some minor flaw like a small scratch that nobody will ever see on the backside of the box... Just thought I would throw it out there.

I do like the chrome bezels for the headlights but I remember they were hard to find when I was looking for cheap... So I took my grill, headlights, and rear bumper off and painted them satin black with Rustoleum rattle cans... I also had the factory steels that where grey like this: http://images.gtcarlot.com/pictures/11374152.jpg

So I sand blasted them and painted them satin black too. Although I like the chrome better... The all black look was better than the nasty factory painted grey.

Also... that plastic bed liner has to go! LOL... I hate those things! I think one of the best things to hit the market in the last 20ish years is the spray-on or roll-on bed liner. They protect your bed so much better and they allow you to weld in a couple anchor loops in the bed that will be usable... Also if you run it over the edge of the bed you can put a tool box right on top and not worry about paint being hurt... Anyway, Herculiner and Bed Armor by Duplicolor are a couple that I have seen good results from in home kits. If you do get someone to spray it on professionally you can do all the prep for them (a PITA) and it will be much cheaper...

As for more power... You might want to check your axle ratio... Ford Axle Code Chart .: Articles

If you have something really low like 2.73's or 3.08's... Well your getting a little better mpgs but killing yourself on power to the pavement. My old 92 had 3.08's and it ran like a wonded sloth!!! The 3.55's I have in Thumper (my current I6 seen below) seem to be about the sweet spot for the I6. If I had something lower than 3.55's I would probably change them for 3.73's... You'll notice a big change if you do have low gearing and do a swap for something a littler higher...

Power options themselfs are kinda short in the 300 I6 market. But the basics for more power stay the same... More air, gas, compression will make a bigger BOOM that makes more HP... You need a head, intake and exhaust that can support the bigger BOOM... That being said, a cold air intake won't get you much unless your running a bigger v8 so don't waste your $$$$... The guys on the older 80-86 forum like getting their head Ported and polished for better flow before they put a 4bbl carb and offy intake on... A better flowing head would help any motor breathe in and out better, but P&P work is expensive and somthing that is very involved for a 16 yo that is just learning... No offense... The exhaust you have is almost as good a header so no worries there... This leaves us with possibly swaping in a new Camshaft... hmm... another big job in and of itself when the factory cam is already pretty damn good... So are the few extra pony's worth the time???

my 2cents is to re-gear the truck if it's to low, and go from there... Keep in mind that changing the gearing and tire size will mess with your speedometer and you'll need to fix that... Oh and if you do want to do a 4x4 conversion you better find a parts truck... I'd look for a F250 if I was you... better axles, bigger leafs, and lower gears...

 

If you're on a budget bud, www.partsgeek.com will become your best friend....You can buy the complete chrome assembly for like $30....grille, both headlight bezels....

I bought my turn signals and taillights from www.truckviva.com .....Would'nt really recommend them, but I at least got my chiz.....It was like $99 for both sets...S+H is free....

Do you really NEED 4x4? If not, then you're gonna bust your *** for nothing....Although 4x4's are handy, how many times per year are you actually gonna use it, compared to lower MPG's, and a bigger repair bill if something fuggs up?

Nice truck and welcome to FTE man....

-Wes

 

do you have 16" rims?Just asking because the hubcaps are the seven lug type.I,ve got some just like those and they are 16s

 

weird now that you mention it... those caps are from a f250-f350... Also the interior dash says XLT and the F150 badge on the fender looks like a "Custom"... LMC and/or the JY could help you get new XLT badges for the truck... XLT mostly meant nicer interior, AC, and cruise control...

^^^x2^^^ on the 4x4 comment sidewinder made... You'll kill yourself another 2mpgs a least with 4x4 and the truck doesn't look rusted up so I have to guess you live somewhere without a ton of snow. Not to mention if you are 16y/o your insurance will go through the roof if you drive a 4x4... At least that is what i remember being the reason for not getting 4x4 on my first truck... I do use my 4x4 a ton for wood hauling, snow and ice, and level B roads where we hunt so I can justify the gas...