I've created a new section on my web site for Technical Service Bulletins for these trucks. Here's the main page: TSB's - ???Gary's Garagemahal. And here's the only TSB I currently have on there: Frame Cracking/Popping - ???Gary's Garagemahal. (Thanks, Dave!)

So, if you know of other TSB's for these trucks please let me know and I'll collect them and add pages for them.

 

That's a great idea. I'll search my old files and send you any I find.

 

If you want all the TSB's, you're going to need 3 things:

(1) 1980/89 Ford Light Truck Parts Catalog on microfiche. (2) ultra VII (or similar) microfiche viewer. (3) A scanner.

Don't bother to look in your C/D catalog, because there's no TSB's in it.

 

How many are there, Bill? I was hoping to find them in PDF format, like Dave did on the frame and crossmember rivet one. Are they not available that way? (I've looked but haven't found them.)

But, if the only way is via microfiche, do you know anyone who has the fiche and a viewer? I have a scanner.

 

I have all 3, but I'm not shipping the viewer to Oklahoma, but I'll loan you the fiche.

Most dealers aren't using the viewer, so there may be some at local dealers. I got 3 from Pasadena Ford, 2 from Ed Butts Ford in La Puente.

Can you imagine a dealer named Butts?

At one time, there was a Butts Buick in Santa Barbara, they had a wonderful neon sign with 2 goats running and then head butting each other.

 

Hmmm, I'll check to see if I can find a viewer. Thanks for the offer.

 

Does this photo look familiar to you, Mr. NumberDummy?

 

As an update on this, I can't find a used microfiche viewer/printer/scanner for sale in this area. In fact, the cheapest viewer is $60. But, I've found a service to convert microfiche to PDF, and they have a $75 minimum or a $.05/page fee if you are doing thousands of pages, which converts to 1,700 pages for $75.

So Bill is checking the microfiche to see how many pages the TSB's are. And, since there's a minimum, I've asked him to see if there are other things on there that aren't on my scanned copy of the catalog. Hopefully whatever it is can be done for the $75 minimum, and I'll be happy to pay that so I don't have to buy another device and spend time converting.

 

Gary,
Do to the AllDataDIY site. The TSBs are available for a fee/subscription. I took a quick look and there are a lot (many are probably just for "service procedures").
I use this service for "one car" and it is pretty good - but I don't have a subscription for my truck since I have the manual.


http://www.alldatadiy.com/TSB/8620_mo.html

 

Mike - I hadn't looked at AllDataDIY, but followed the link and found bunches of TSB's. Wow!

But, I have two concerns with using them. First is with being able to put their info on my web site. I had looked at another service, Mitchell's, and they require you to agree to conditions that prevent you from sharing the information. So I'm guessing that AllDataDIY would either require that or be really upset if I were to give their information to potential customers for free.

And even if that weren't a problem it looks like the cost would be. It would cost $50 for the first vehicle and $20 for each subsequent vehicle, and they break vehicles down by year, 2wd vs 4wd, and engine. Granted, many of the TSB's cover all years of the Bullnose era, but some are probably specific to a year/drive/engine combo, so the bill would quickly go through the roof.

But, if the TSB's on Bill's old microfiche version of the catalog can be converted to PDF for $75 then I'm thinking no one will cry "foul" if just the F-Series info for just the Bullnose trucks is put on the web. However, I now realize after looking at AllDataDIY that I'll have some work to do weed out the TSB's that don't apply to our trucks. But, I think it'll be worth it.

 

Maybe you could copy the names/numbers of the TSBs and just list those - at least it would help someone find a specific TSB by title (even if they have to go elsewhere (or pay) to read it. I doubt AllData or Ford would be upset if you just listed the TSBs (actually AllData would probably like it if you were to provide list and a link back to them).

I don't like the way AllData lists them by year, model, and engine (been better if they were listed by year and model), but like you said, many of them are going to be the same.

If someone has the time and energy, one could copy all of the TSBs (titles/numbers) into an Excel sheet then delete the duplicates. That would probably reduce the list to 50.

 

Yes, I could copy the names and give a link to AllData. But, if I can get the actual TSB's scanned that would be a LOT better.

And, I may put them in a spreadsheet as that is one of my preferred methods of organizing things. But I need to see what Bill comes up with in the number of them and how they are organized before starting down that path.

 

Sorry that I "hijacked" this thread. According to "Google", this old photo is looking down the street to where Butts Buick in Santa Barbara was located. I just thought NumberDummy might enjoy a trip down memory lane.

 

No problem - not a hijack. That's cool, and I'm anxious to see what Bill says.

 

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