O.K. I thought I'd start a thread devoted to junkyard upgrades. What kind of stuff is out there for our trucks? Rear disc brakes? Suspension upgrades? Spring swaps? Radiator swaps? Any stuff that makes our trucks look or perform better. What kind of mods have you made or think can be made to any part of our trucks.

 

Anything you want, what are you looking for? How are you using your truck?
What is your current set up: year, model, 2wd or 4wd, what engine/trans combo do you have. The sky is the limit if you have deep pockets!

 

It's not really about me. I want this to be a brain trust of as many different mods as possible. I have an 1980 F150 with a 302 that I plan on making a street terror out of with a 399 stroker. I have to check to make sure , but I believe it has a C4 and a 9" rear end. I have a set of Camaro bucket seats but everything else is stock or original. I plan on either some larger springs from an F250 or make a set of sleepers with another set of F150's. Personally, I would like to find some rear discs and some bigger better front rotors and calipers. My pockets are deep all right , they go all the way to the ground. As soon as I put any money in them and take 2 steps.....it's gone! The whole idea of a junkyard mod thread is to make mods without a lot of money- deep pockets can buy new off the shelf crap. And responses should be for 80-86 trucks.

 

I got a new rear view mirror.

 

It should be junkyard/eBay mods.

I wouldn't even know where to start. Nearly my entire truck was built using junkyard parts.

 

Yeah, I spend more time on ebay than you do at the junkyards and what I'm really looking for is upgraded interchangeable parts from other year trucks or cars. I know the Mustang guys are robbing heads and intakes off Explorers, aluminumn driveshafts out of Aerostars, and axles out of a couple of different cars, (I forget which ones, but you take the drivers side out of one and the passenger out of the other.), and radiators out of some big Fords. I know you have an eclectic mix of body parts on your truck to suit your eye. The farthest I'm looking at going with that is the later headlight bezels and turn signals, because I prefer the black/amber over the argent/clear look. I keep kicking around the idea of putting a couple of round headlights in my grill, like the Mustangs, but that wouldn't really match the sleeper look I'm going for. Anyway- Fall is coming and if it doesn't rain too much, I'll probably start cruising the junkyards more often. It's just not much fun in the summer around here when anything metal feels like an exhaust manifold! Try to take something out of a cab and you get about as wet as jumping into a pool in 10 minutes.

 

The GT40 heads (off of an Exploder) are about the only thing that I can think of that would be a good upgrade at the moment.

That and a set of Mustang shorty headers if you don't already have long tubes.

 

I'd about give my left arm for a used set of GT40 heads uncle stosh.
Would they fit a 351W ??

 

Yeah they fit on the 351 however you have to bore the holes out that the bolts go through to hold the heads on. Also you need to get new exhaust manifolds.

 

Yes, you just have to open up the head bolt holes to 1/2" instead of 7/16".

They can be found on 92+ Explorers. Look for the ones with ||| lines on the front not ||||. Those are GT40 P heads and require expensive Ford Motorsport headers due to the angle of the plugs.

For a cheap cast iron set of heads, you can get about 30-40 rwhp out of your motor.

I'm looking for set for my 5.0 as we speak.

 

Dang, I knew you spent a lot of time at the junkyards, but I didn't know you posted from them!

 

Don't even get me started with the heat..When i was grabbing an oil pan for my truck back in june,I was fighting 96 degree temps with the index being over 106.Then when I went in july to get a cowl panel,I had to deal with 98 degree temps.When I jumped inside the truck I was getting it off of to feed the radio antenna wire through,it was like an oven.Both times I was at the j yards I got sick from not drinkin enough...so now I ain't goin out to the yards unless it's winter or raining.

 

[quote=fordtruckman80;6506857] I got sick from not drinkin enough...quote]
Usually the other way round for me.......

 

[quote=doug1222556;6506868]I was drinkin,went through 2 bottles of water both days,and I still got heat exhaustion...I'm just glad I don't live out west.They were hittin 108 and i was complainin bout high 90's.

 

Oh yeah.

I can take pics and send them to you too!

This iPhone rocks!