I like your truck! Looks likes its gonna be a fun project. I was thinking myself about doing a lighting upgrade. I was thinking about just getting new housings and then running some plug and play led headlight bulbs I found on Amazon. They are about $80 but seem like they're worth it to me. I'll let you know if I end up getting them and how they work.

 

Thanks Drew,

I always wondered how the LED lights are, I read some place that the housing doesn't reflect the light correctly to maximize it's effectiveness. I will let you be the judge of that but do some research and maybe someone else will chime in so if that is the case you don't waste your money. I'm considering ditching the original system and upgrading to all new housings that replace markers, headlights, turn signals all in one combo. I like the original look as well so I'm stuck in a debate.

 

the crown vic guys have the same headlight issue you have, as do many other people. what they do is sand the headlights with finer and finer grit paper, until all the yellowing and frosting is gone, and then they use a high grade clear automotive paint to help prevent it from happening again. they usually get 3-4 years out of the clear before they have to redo it.

 

I like that idea will save some money for other items....what do you say is fine sand paper? Like 1000, 1500, 2000? Etc.... Or do you have a website video to share that will explain?

 

i would have to dig up the thread, but as i recall they would start with 1000 grit and work their way to something like 3000 grit paper, and then they would use rubbing compound, then polishing compound, then clear the lenses. rather like doing a custom paint job.

found the article here;

UBB Message | | Crownvic.net

 

So I went to autozone today and picked up a oil plug due to the fact that mine is leaking slightly. I will get that changed out tomorrow but a very easy fix except that I just did the oil change So now I may have to drain oil back out unless I'm quick enough to swap plugs and just top off what I loose. I have side mirrors due to arrive Friday so I will post photos of old and new once I get those on. I also manged to clean up the back window and remove the stupid black spray paint wanabee tint job. I'm also going to remove the old tint all around and eventually get the truck re-tinted. The old is bubbling up and looks like ****!

 

In addition, I got curious today and put my VIN in the FTE VIN decoder to see what surprises it would bring me. Well how accurate is this tool? Knowing the box on my truck is got more black than white and doesn't match the front paint scheme all that well might explain why FTE decoder said my truck is a 1994 F350 7.5L DRW??? Dually??? Okay well it is no longer a Dually but kind of cool that it used to be. Maybe I should convert? No I don't think so at this point I'm liking the idea that I only buy 4 tires on this instead of 6 on my 2005!! Maybe one day I will decided to put it original.

My question though is this decoder accurate and where does it pull information from? I tried FORD ETIS but I think it won't go back to our years trucks it's for the newer ones?

 

Subscribed. Looks like a good truck to start as a project

 

Thanks Chris, it's a project and well two things good for this is it runs great and body in immaculate shape as far as no rust! Will keep this thread updated as much as I can at least for to next few months.

When I'm deployed which is coming up I won't have much to contribute but at least when I get downtime I'll still be surfing this site for new ideas!

 

I wish either of my trucks were rust free,In Indiana it's hard to find anything thats not rusty.People here selling something will say hardly any rust and the cab corners,fenders and bed sides will be rusted out.

 

Alright the past two days off work were a success! I got my side mirrors one day early. I will post some photos of the quality in the product. I was impressed on how they shipped them and kept the chrome plating from getting damaged. Both arrived with zero issues!

Removing the door panels was a little strategy but once i got those off installing the mirrors was a cinch,. my passenger side I had one of the screws get stuck and it snapped inside the screw hole that holds mirror on to the door. I ended up drilling out the hole and putting in a new screw in. As my brother would like to say it sure looked like someone's back woods make shift job.

Old:

 

New:





How they were packaged:



By the way the photo showing me with blue latex gloves, well yes I didn't want to finger print the shiny side but I was in the middle of changing my oil and installing my new oil drain plug and UPS showed up with my mirrors. That glove was clean by the way

 

Truck came with no rear view mirror, well they had a camper shell on it before I got it so I think that is why. Another reason why they blacked out the back window with spray paint. Just a cheaper way of not having to put tint on I suppose. Silly photo no one really cares I'm sure about a rear view mirror but again its a build and I'm trying to capture everything.

 

Some photos of back window during paint removal. Then a couple showing it clear but I still need to clean window.


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New:

 

I have one question, if you notice on my cab where the bed light should be installed there isn't one. Now since the truck did have a camper on it perhaps it was ordered that way because of the camper do you think under that black spot is a spot to install one or this truck may not be equipped for one? I didn't want to go pulling up that black area revealing a area that could cause any leaks. Is it even possible for any truck to come without the light in rear?