I have a few ideas to fix it. We'll see how bad it is first I guess. What do you need done to your steering box? Are you going with a PS setup or just manual? I haven't been following your thread real close because you're always working on your's when I can't be working on mine and I get jealous......

-Jake

 

I've got a PS box out of a 79. It's pitman arm works from the front of the box, need to have the box modified so the arm will work off of the back. I guess it's your turn to make me jealous, since I don't work when it's cold, and I don't have heat!

 

Fixed my boo boo on the drag link. Got the hitch built too. Forgot to take pictures along the way but I will get some of the finished products tomorrow. Power steering is nice! It's a little stiff. I couldn't quite find the right belt. I took the one off the '75 thinking that it would HAVE to work but it was too long. So I dug through dad's pile of v-belts from the last 35 years and found one that's close. I'm at the end of the adjustment and it's just a hair too loose. At least now I have a part number to go off of! Oh well, should get it all finished up tomorrow (might have to wait on the right belt though).

-Jake

 

Got my hitch painted and installed. Looks like it should work. Surprisingly enough I don't know that I'll need anything more than the standard 2 inch drop hitch! we'll find out the first time I hook up to something I guess. Got the right belt and put it on. I test drove it and found that it seems to have a slight bind in the u-joint on the steering shaft when going straight. I'll have to re-align the u-joint and possibly raise my steering column a little bit.

I'll get all the bugs out sooner or later!!!

-Jake

 

Not much Ford progress lately. Enjoying that power steering though!!! I shoulda done it a year ago!

Lots of John Deere progress though. Probably about half way done painting and took the engine to my machinist tonight and he's going to get going on it tomorrow. I'm getting pretty excited because of how things are looking. I'm gonna have one sweet 300 garden tractor when I'm done! I'll post some pictures when I'm all done. I've been taking a few here and there along the way. That's something I'm not really the best at doing. Oh well.

-Jake

 

Not my project truck per-se, but replaced the pita ignition actuator on the '88 in the 11 degree weather yesterday morning.

Just throwin this out there for ya. My 69 is long gone and I sold the 360 a couple days ago, but I still have a couple odd parts that need homes.

Have a 4 bolt PS box, 4v FE intake, and a set of FE heads.

 

What is the casting on the heads?

I keep finding more John Deere projects. The 300 is almost done. Then I'm on the a 6x4 Gator for my uncle, then a 120 garden tractor for my cousin. And hopefully I buy a 400 garden tractor tomorrow. This should keep my busy til about April-ish? Then I guess it's time to farm. I should really be working on a pickup, but this is cheaper and takes up less space when it's all tore down. And I'm getting paid for some of it....so.....

-Jake

 

Wow! Let's blow the dust off this old thread!!! I went through two pages and couldn't find it so I searched for it. I was almost in a panic!!!!

Anyway, the idle qualities of the 74 "RedRocket" had been on the decline. Got a carb kit and overhauled that Holley (side note - I find it odd that I called 2 Napa's and none of them could get me the Holley kit. One could get an aftermarket kit but it was $40. Called Advance Auto and it was in stock $20). Put it back on Saturday morning and couldn't get it to run.

So my wife dropped me off at the farm (Ol blue was out there for me to drive) and she went into town with the 09 GMC. Got a call from her that she got a flat tire so I go into town with Blue. While on the way it does this funny thing when it shifts gears. I get to town and find out I only have 3rd gear. Fluid looks good, so hopefully it's just in the valve body. At least that's what my transmission buddies say. So I try to change the tire for her and can't get the spare down. Finally say screw it and take that home - she rode home with my mom. Get the spare down and put it on, hook the truck on the lowboy to go retrieve Blue. Got there and was able to make it on the trailer in 3rd gear - but we had the winch ready and I also told my brother after I got off the ground to start lifting the hydraulic beaver tail.

So today I got my tire fixed. Had a cotter key in it that was probably about 1/4 x 3 1/2.

Started messing with the RedRocket, got it running like a top now. Except for the electric choke.....I might just get a manual kit or deal with it for the summer.

Blue is still sitting on the trailer out at the farm. That one might have to wait for awhile. Right now we're trying to decide what to do with our vehicle situation. It all would've been avoided if her darn Saturn would stay reliable enough that she doesn't call me to tell me it died every day when she drives it.

Long winded.

Anyone wanna buy a Saturn?

It gets 35+ mpg.......

-Jake

 

I have a thread on my project here if anyone in interested

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...0-project.html

 

So once again, it's been awhile since I posted. I'll start with Ol Blue:

Got it home to my place and dropped the pan. Fluid looks good and not alot of metal shavings - just expected wear. So I pull the valve body down and here's a piece of a thrust washer jammed in the top side of it. Pull the valve body apart and don't find anything else. It sat tore apart for a month or two. I then decided to pull the valve body out of my parts rig - '77 F250 with a 460. Put this valve body in Ol Blue and off I go. Still have the original laying on the bench. I should get a different shift kit and put it back in. All in due time I guess.

On to the Red Rocket:

Replaced exhaust donuts in an attempt to fix leaks. No luck. My brother helped me and we got the automatic choke set up and working. Finished dialing the carb in. It runs good! Stomp it at idle and take off with no hesitation (I didn't know this could be done with a Holley carb!!!) Gonna play with the timing a little bit. I need to finish my extra box and fender and paint them, then paint the pickup. But first I need to install my $50 headers I picked up today!

What's new with you guys?

-Jake

 

Its been a few years since i have been active with college then full time job away from the farm the projects hit the back burner untill recently.
my 86 i finished my motor swap from a 300 i6 to a 390 i have a thread started here please give it a look.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...and-video.html

unfortunately on christmas day 2009 during the blizard i was pulling out a family member that got stuck on the way to my house, and on the back to the house a vehicle was stuck diagnal in both lanes on a bridge in the white out blizzard conditions i didnt see it in time (they didnt have lights on) and slid into the side of the suv. fortunately no one got hurt but it did damage the bronco. i started the process of fixing the damage but lost interest in favor of the 86.
here is a pic of the damage. i hope to get this project started back up this fall/winter.



i will try and be a little more active in logging in and giving my 2 cents and sharing projects. if theirs interest i will post up pics of the non-ford projects also.

 

Well,
It's been over a year and I haven't gotten much done. Seems once life takes off you really have no time for anything else anymore. Being the proud poppa of a 6 month old daughter and working to support the family leaves little time and money for the projects. We're also in the middle of moving from our house in Central City to an old farmstead by St. Libory.

Leads me to my next project. Thinking of buying some cows now. Going to need something to haul them with. Thought about trading the GMC. Found a few nice V10's but they have 170,000ish miles on them. Not sure I want to do that. Not really thinking that brand new is an option. Then it's maybe I should get a 15 or 20 year old diesel or at least a big block. Then I look at my two never ending "project" Fords. Maybe I should just take the hot 390 out of Blue and put it in the Red Rocket? That's my latest dilemma. Maybe the 400 hp 450 tq 390 would haul cows around just fine in the gooseneck. Then I have to fix the brakes, etc. Just seems like I could spend money on buying a used old POS, or spend it on my old POS which I already own.

Thoughts?

 

Is that........No, can't be......Jake? Sheesh, about time you climbed out of your hole!! I'd look at something in a diesel, stick with the 7.3. Maintenance costs are higher, and diesel fuel also, but you can't be a diesel for pulling power.

Want to see what a naked 68 cab looks like? Check out the 67's build thread!

 

Yeah I'm still alive man! I've seen some 7.3's out there and some are in good shape and overpriced. The others are beat to crap. Found a few Cummins too, but they're the same way. GM doesn't have a diesel worth mentioning in my mind besides maybe the 6.2L.....but I think my 390 would out pull one of those.....

Maybe I could find a 6.9 or 7.3 IDI and put it in the '74......

-Jake

 

I just know what kills me now is watching the fuel gauge go from full to empty with the '74 when pulling. Maybe the HIPO 390 would be better on gas when pulling. It seems to be anyway.