I'm back!
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,925
Likes: 10
From: Phoenix, AZ
I'm back!
So it's been a while! A lot has happened for the better so that's pretty exciting. I may not be getting engineering pay unfortunately, but life is pretty dang good!
I got stationed in Wyoming so I'm living Cheyenne now. Before moving up, I got married to my (then) girlfriend of 6 1/2 years! She wont' be up here with me until the end of June though!
I ended up taking my Bronco and towing the Camaro up as well:
I also purchased my first house with my wife! (She hasn't physically been in it yet, but she likes what she's seen!) It's on .44 acres close to the center of Cheyenne so the location is nice and the lot is pretty big which is awesome! It's a really old house, and the interior could use a TON of remodeling, but it has tons of potential! It has a 2 car garage with an attached "shed" that looks like it used to be a garage bay. The shed portion unfortunately doesn't have a concrete foundation and the walls don't appear to be on a concrete foundation either, but I'll fix that soon enough. I plan on doing a lot of work myself on this house. Also, the previous owner left me a perfectly good riding lawnmower, miter saw, radial saw, drill press, nail gun, packages of nails and tons of other misc tools. He also left a tremendous amount of miscellaneous fasteners and other stuff that is pretty much useless/garbage, but I'm perfectly fine with it because all the other good stuff he left!
Nice little bomb shelter that I'll turn into a movie/bar room probably!
On top of all of that good stuff, I managed to pick up a 1994 F-150 for 200 dollars! It is pretty rusty, and needs a timing chain (has almost no power and misfires), but the interior is in super good shape and the 4x4 works well and the 5.8 motor starts right up!
I ended up flat towing it 95 miles with my Bronco which was a little... interesting. The F-150 wanted to pull my Bronco back and forth, it was like a ferry ride. Needless to say I probably won't want to flat tow that far again! My Bronco has enough power to get me in trouble!
The first performance mod I did to my house was disassemble the wall/counter-top the previous owner put in from of the "shed" bay door and unscrew the door (it was screwed into the framing) from the wall. I then got some large hinges and a deadbolt latch and fastened those to the door so it can swing open and secure! Due to the ground being plywood over 2x6's it doesn't make for the BEST garage, but it will have to do.
Oops
I already drew up plan to re-do the interior and to *** stone facade and stuff so I'm pretty excited for the house. I want to make the "shed garage" a real garage bay with a proper foundation (and supporting foundation walls etc.) and tie it into the existing garage better. It would be kinda nice to add a drain there as well so I can wash my vehicles in there and keep it as my vehicle shop! This will cost a bit of money, but it I do it all myself, I think it's feasible!
Anyways, since I now have a little more time and am settling up here, I'll probably be on these forums more again! I need to get working on that F-150 so I can drive it normally!
I got stationed in Wyoming so I'm living Cheyenne now. Before moving up, I got married to my (then) girlfriend of 6 1/2 years! She wont' be up here with me until the end of June though!
I ended up taking my Bronco and towing the Camaro up as well:
I also purchased my first house with my wife! (She hasn't physically been in it yet, but she likes what she's seen!) It's on .44 acres close to the center of Cheyenne so the location is nice and the lot is pretty big which is awesome! It's a really old house, and the interior could use a TON of remodeling, but it has tons of potential! It has a 2 car garage with an attached "shed" that looks like it used to be a garage bay. The shed portion unfortunately doesn't have a concrete foundation and the walls don't appear to be on a concrete foundation either, but I'll fix that soon enough. I plan on doing a lot of work myself on this house. Also, the previous owner left me a perfectly good riding lawnmower, miter saw, radial saw, drill press, nail gun, packages of nails and tons of other misc tools. He also left a tremendous amount of miscellaneous fasteners and other stuff that is pretty much useless/garbage, but I'm perfectly fine with it because all the other good stuff he left!
Nice little bomb shelter that I'll turn into a movie/bar room probably!
On top of all of that good stuff, I managed to pick up a 1994 F-150 for 200 dollars! It is pretty rusty, and needs a timing chain (has almost no power and misfires), but the interior is in super good shape and the 4x4 works well and the 5.8 motor starts right up!
I ended up flat towing it 95 miles with my Bronco which was a little... interesting. The F-150 wanted to pull my Bronco back and forth, it was like a ferry ride. Needless to say I probably won't want to flat tow that far again! My Bronco has enough power to get me in trouble!
The first performance mod I did to my house was disassemble the wall/counter-top the previous owner put in from of the "shed" bay door and unscrew the door (it was screwed into the framing) from the wall. I then got some large hinges and a deadbolt latch and fastened those to the door so it can swing open and secure! Due to the ground being plywood over 2x6's it doesn't make for the BEST garage, but it will have to do.
Oops
I already drew up plan to re-do the interior and to *** stone facade and stuff so I'm pretty excited for the house. I want to make the "shed garage" a real garage bay with a proper foundation (and supporting foundation walls etc.) and tie it into the existing garage better. It would be kinda nice to add a drain there as well so I can wash my vehicles in there and keep it as my vehicle shop! This will cost a bit of money, but it I do it all myself, I think it's feasible!
Anyways, since I now have a little more time and am settling up here, I'll probably be on these forums more again! I need to get working on that F-150 so I can drive it normally!
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,925
Likes: 10
From: Phoenix, AZ
Thanks for the welcome back!
I just got done replacing the timing chain on the F-150 today.... it wasn't the problem unfortunately, but the chain did seem a little stretched so it's not a bad thing it was replaced. I'll have to figure out what's giving it it's rough idle and extreme lack of power. It's probably something simple like a fuel pump or distributor or something. Worse case scenario, I'll just take the spare 7.3 I took out of the Bronco and throw it in this! (just kidding, I still need to rebuild that. I do have all the wiring and IDM for it though!)
I just got done replacing the timing chain on the F-150 today.... it wasn't the problem unfortunately, but the chain did seem a little stretched so it's not a bad thing it was replaced. I'll have to figure out what's giving it it's rough idle and extreme lack of power. It's probably something simple like a fuel pump or distributor or something. Worse case scenario, I'll just take the spare 7.3 I took out of the Bronco and throw it in this! (just kidding, I still need to rebuild that. I do have all the wiring and IDM for it though!)
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,558
Likes: 19
The latest part truck has a 351W in it. Currently it' a dog but I have done a bit of poking around and it seems for a reasonable amount of money, (When compared to a 7.3) some big power can be pulled out of this engine. Maybe I should keep it around for some good ol gasoline supercharger fun.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,558
Likes: 19
Thanks for the welcome back!
I just got done replacing the timing chain on the F-150 today.... it wasn't the problem unfortunately, but the chain did seem a little stretched so it's not a bad thing it was replaced. I'll have to figure out what's giving it it's rough idle and extreme lack of power. It's probably something simple like a fuel pump or distributor or something. Worse case scenario, I'll just take the spare 7.3 I took out of the Bronco and throw it in this! (just kidding, I still need to rebuild that. I do have all the wiring and IDM for it though!)
I just got done replacing the timing chain on the F-150 today.... it wasn't the problem unfortunately, but the chain did seem a little stretched so it's not a bad thing it was replaced. I'll have to figure out what's giving it it's rough idle and extreme lack of power. It's probably something simple like a fuel pump or distributor or something. Worse case scenario, I'll just take the spare 7.3 I took out of the Bronco and throw it in this! (just kidding, I still need to rebuild that. I do have all the wiring and IDM for it though!)
Did you ever get axles sorted for your Bronco?
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,132
Likes: 45
From: Columbus, Oh
Ahhhh I remember when we bought our house how ambitious I was. Lol.
Couple of of things I’ve learned going through a complete rehab.
Plan. Plan. Plan. Then plan some more and do the exact same thing with your cash. Projects are routinely 20% more than you think they will be. This is for various reasons. The biggest being that you just don’t know what’s behind your walls until you open them up.
Go room by room. I gutted my entire first floor, but only because we wanted an open floor plan and had to upgrade all the wiring, framing and HVAC while it was open. However, I’m now on to a room by room basis and this makes it easier to start and FINISH a project.
Plan on on saving for fixtures/flooring/finishes and do it the way you want the FIRST time. I’ve never been a believer in, well I’ll come back later and do it another way. I just don’t have that kind of time.
Feel free to reach out anytime. I do these things for a living and it’s a daunting task to say the least. Especially if you don’t have help.
Couple of of things I’ve learned going through a complete rehab.
Plan. Plan. Plan. Then plan some more and do the exact same thing with your cash. Projects are routinely 20% more than you think they will be. This is for various reasons. The biggest being that you just don’t know what’s behind your walls until you open them up.
Go room by room. I gutted my entire first floor, but only because we wanted an open floor plan and had to upgrade all the wiring, framing and HVAC while it was open. However, I’m now on to a room by room basis and this makes it easier to start and FINISH a project.
Plan on on saving for fixtures/flooring/finishes and do it the way you want the FIRST time. I’ve never been a believer in, well I’ll come back later and do it another way. I just don’t have that kind of time.
Feel free to reach out anytime. I do these things for a living and it’s a daunting task to say the least. Especially if you don’t have help.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,925
Likes: 10
From: Phoenix, AZ
Yeah I just got done taking the exhaust down last night. The first cat is definitely plugged up. The passenger side exhaust manifold was cracked in half, so I assume that played a role in ruining the CAT.
Haha, yeah I think for now that's what's going to happen. I just purchased some cheap shorty headers to replace the stock manifolds, but I have to rig a temporary exhaust up with what I have since I can't go spending too much right now.
Yeah, I really do want to supercharge this engine.. before I was serious about pulling the 302 from my Bronco, I wanted to supercharge it. I then got a better, more realistic and cost effective idea, to throw the power-stroke in. I think I'll keep this F-150 a gas with the 5.8, but I'll want to upgrade it once I get around to fixing the cosmetics!
No.. not yet. It's still something on my list to do. It managed to tow the Camaro in a U-Haul car haler from Arizona to Wyoming perfectly fine, and also tow the F-150 from Colorado to Wyoming. However, it's probably a good idea to start saving up to get some proper axles under there, at least for the rear end!
I have a lot of planning to do for sure! My plans are quite ambitious however, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to do room by room with the idea I have. Currently, the ceiling is about 6'11", so it's pretty short. However, its on a rafter/joist roof, so vaulting the ceilings is a feasible option. I want to either 1) build up a wall to split the house in 1/2, so I can have a vaulted ceiling with no joists across most of the house, then put up a ridge beam across the section where the wall won't be. OR 2) raise the ceiling joists about 1/3 the way up the ceiling and span them across the whole width (this will be about an 18' span) so I can vault the whole ceiling relatively "easily". Currently the ceiling joists don't span the whole width of the house and are tied into a hallway wall that splits the living room unnecessarily. I really want to get rid of that wall. I'd want to raise all the interior walls up to the new ceiling as well. Also, I want to increase the size of the master bedroom (since it's only 9.5x10 feet), which means I'll have to move the adjacent room down. Basically, I will be needing to move a bunch of walls and make them higher.I also have plans for the third garage bay and actually pouring concrete and building walls on a concrete foundation in there... it's going to be a lot for myself!
I downloaded a program called sketchup and modeled the current house, then my new idea. My trial version is about to expire though and its 695 to buy it... I may consider buying it though if I can use those drawings to get permits.
All of this I'll pretty much be trying to do by myself as well.... but I have a few friends out here that can help me with some heavy lifting.
Haha, yeah I think for now that's what's going to happen. I just purchased some cheap shorty headers to replace the stock manifolds, but I have to rig a temporary exhaust up with what I have since I can't go spending too much right now.
The latest part truck has a 351W in it. Currently it' a dog but I have done a bit of poking around and it seems for a reasonable amount of money, (When compared to a 7.3) some big power can be pulled out of this engine. Maybe I should keep it around for some good ol gasoline supercharger fun.
No.. not yet. It's still something on my list to do. It managed to tow the Camaro in a U-Haul car haler from Arizona to Wyoming perfectly fine, and also tow the F-150 from Colorado to Wyoming. However, it's probably a good idea to start saving up to get some proper axles under there, at least for the rear end!
Ahhhh I remember when we bought our house how ambitious I was. Lol.
Couple of of things I’ve learned going through a complete rehab.
Plan. Plan. Plan. Then plan some more and do the exact same thing with your cash. Projects are routinely 20% more than you think they will be. This is for various reasons. The biggest being that you just don’t know what’s behind your walls until you open them up.
Go room by room. I gutted my entire first floor, but only because we wanted an open floor plan and had to upgrade all the wiring, framing and HVAC while it was open. However, I’m now on to a room by room basis and this makes it easier to start and FINISH a project.
Plan on on saving for fixtures/flooring/finishes and do it the way you want the FIRST time. I’ve never been a believer in, well I’ll come back later and do it another way. I just don’t have that kind of time.
Feel free to reach out anytime. I do these things for a living and it’s a daunting task to say the least. Especially if you don’t have help.
Couple of of things I’ve learned going through a complete rehab.
Plan. Plan. Plan. Then plan some more and do the exact same thing with your cash. Projects are routinely 20% more than you think they will be. This is for various reasons. The biggest being that you just don’t know what’s behind your walls until you open them up.
Go room by room. I gutted my entire first floor, but only because we wanted an open floor plan and had to upgrade all the wiring, framing and HVAC while it was open. However, I’m now on to a room by room basis and this makes it easier to start and FINISH a project.
Plan on on saving for fixtures/flooring/finishes and do it the way you want the FIRST time. I’ve never been a believer in, well I’ll come back later and do it another way. I just don’t have that kind of time.
Feel free to reach out anytime. I do these things for a living and it’s a daunting task to say the least. Especially if you don’t have help.
I downloaded a program called sketchup and modeled the current house, then my new idea. My trial version is about to expire though and its 695 to buy it... I may consider buying it though if I can use those drawings to get permits.
All of this I'll pretty much be trying to do by myself as well.... but I have a few friends out here that can help me with some heavy lifting.
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