Looking for help.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Dallas
Looking for help.
Well here's the scoop: About 3 years ago, my grandfather gave me his origional owner sky blue 1982 F-150 Explorer 4x4. He lives in Rhode Island, so you can imagine the body work that needed to be done. Well, after about 6 months of driving it (and completely falling in love with it), it was running a little rough to be my 100+ mile per day daily driver. So I decided to rebuild this truck from the ground up with a little help from LMC. So I got the truck down to the rolling chassis, and then moved away to finish school. Unfortunately, I couldn't take the truck with me, so it sits at my moms waiting to be fixed. My main question is this; is there a book out there that show's you how to rebuild a ford from the ground up, because my memory is good, but not good enough to remember how to assemble every little piece of that truck after 2 years. Anybody know of anything that could help me out? I'd like to do this myself, but it would be hard as it sits right now. Thanks alot!
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From: Virginia
You are in the same situation a lot of people find themselves in when restoring old cars. I know of no book, but you might search www.helminc.com or somewhere for an assembly manual. I know some of the old cars had them, but I am not sure about the newer trucks. I still consider the 80's trucks "new", though they are over 20 years old.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Dallas
Wish I could. However, this was the first truck I ever rode in when I was a baby, and absolutely loved it growing up. This truck will be in the family for years to come, even if it takes me a few years and $20,000 to restore it. Plus I've already got like $4,000 in new parts for it. No turning back now!
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: shawnee KS
That's awesome, I like hearing about people completely redoing one of this body style. I have 3 broncs and an F250, it's getting hard to keep up. I'm not going for full resto, just slowly improving them all as I can. please post pics
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Dallas
haha, you don't want to see pictures right now ( I don't have any at my apt. anyways) I can keep the site updated with my progress once I start getting a real paycheck. School's killing me right now though.
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2007
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It's like building a model car without the instructions. Just takes time, pick somewhere to start and get on with it, you'll figure it out eventually. If you can't figure something out, go to a j-yard or find a buddy with a similar truck and look at it. I've done 2 cars that way, one that I took apart myself and put back together (still haven't found the ebrake return springs and they're impossible to find) and another car I bought in boxes.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2007
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Keep posting and asking questions you will get it done there may also be someone in your area to help if you really get stuck
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Posting Guru
Joined: May 2004
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From: Billings Montana
I know exactly how you feel about your truck xjpilot. My grandpa passed away in 2002 and left me his 1972 Pontiac Ventura II. For those who don't know what this car might look like, think of a 72 Nova and there you go. I can't get rid of this car no matter what offer might be on the table even though it needs a lot of work.
Anywhoo, like what was said before, just pick an area and go from there. These old trucks are pretty easy to work on and the folks here at FTE are a great bunch. Fit the body together and the rest will follow easily.
Anywhoo, like what was said before, just pick an area and go from there. These old trucks are pretty easy to work on and the folks here at FTE are a great bunch. Fit the body together and the rest will follow easily.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Dallas
Glad someone understands where I'm comming from. I suppose the hardest part is all the plugs and wires around the motor. Aside from that, getting the frame fixed is the only problem I really see. ( the a**hole I had move it bent he front frame rails w/ his backhoe) I've noticed that if I use a LMC magazine, just looking at the diagrams I'll be able to get alot of the info that I need.
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Billings Montana
Well since the frame rails are bent, that's a great place to start. If you don't have a good foundation to build on, everything else will look like poo or be dangerous when your'e going down the road.
Talk to some body shops and see if you can get the frame on a frame rack and have it checked and straightened if need be. It might not be cheap, but at least you'll know that you have a good frame to hang all that pretty sheet metal off of. And as far as the wiring goes, there's all kinds of diagrams and resources out there to help you along, so don't be afraid.
Talk to some body shops and see if you can get the frame on a frame rack and have it checked and straightened if need be. It might not be cheap, but at least you'll know that you have a good frame to hang all that pretty sheet metal off of. And as far as the wiring goes, there's all kinds of diagrams and resources out there to help you along, so don't be afraid.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Dallas
Yeah, the rails are bent for sure. maybe about a foot between the front two. I was planning on having it straightened, sandblasted, boxed, and then powdercoated. Just for parts alone from LMC, I've already got a $10,000+ list, and thats not including having the motor stroked, so I know this is going to be one expensive ride. At least I'm going into it knowing how expensive its going to be, much better than getting half way through and already being double what I origionally thought.