F150 Greenhorn from Germany

[Howling.Wolf]

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,
my name is Heinz and I am actually about to by a 1986 F-150 5.8L 4WD short bed.
Means I am a greenhorn in the Ford scene but already am enjoying.
Please excuse my writing as well as my english grammar it is far awy from beeing perfect but be ensured, i'll try my best.
Hopefully we will not have any misunderstandings because of that, epecially as the english technical fold expressions are quite difficult for an alien like me.
I recon, we will manage and I am looking forward to this new experiece.
In case someone is keen of meeting and shareing a beer, I will be in FL (Anna Maria Island) from Oct06-oct20th.
Best regards
Heinz

[Gary Lewis]

Heinz - Welcome!  I just asked you to do this via email and you beat me to it. Where are you in Germany?  I ask for two reasons. First, because we have another member, Hardy, that is from there. Second, because I’ve spent a lot of time there and am curious.

As for Anna Maria Island, we were there 2 years ago and loved it!  Hopefully there will have been minimal damage from the hurricane, but there will have been some.

And, speaking of being in the States, any chance you can come back next September?  I host a Ford truck show & swap meet, and next year’s show is going to have a number of folks from other countries  In fact, Hardy has said he’s coming.

Anyway, on your 1986 F150 4wd, does the 5.8L have a 2bbl or a 4bbl carb?  Assuming it is the original carb, that tells whether the engine was the base 351W or the 351HO. The latter had a 4bbl carb and no computer, where the base 351W had a 2bbl and a computer running the ignition and probably the carb.

Last, you know far more English than I know German, so I’m in awe of your language skills. We can work through any difficulties.

[Howling.Wolf]

Hallo Gary,
thanx for such a warm welcome.
I'll try to get thru your questions, hopefully don't forget anything.
I like it when people are cuious and are interested in others. So please ask as much as you want, I will not mind that at all.
* We are living about 10mls northwest of Frankfurt/Main, the city is Oberursel.
* Anna Maria wasn hit too much by Irma, the are quite lucky. it is just the Anna Maria Pier Restaurant that was hit quite a bit. They are speaking of a 1 year closure. But teh Rod&Reel and others are still ok. We go there since 13 Years and always in october.
* Fortunately I work for Lufthansa so if you tell me where the show is and it is not too far from a LH destination, well I might be able to make it in sep. But cannot promise now.
* My new toy will be (I am getting it after the holiday about oct22nd or 28th. is very original 4BBL HO
 here is the FIN: 1FTEF14H6GNA01161.
* Where is Hardy lokated ?
Haveniceday
Heinz

[Gary Lewis]

Oberursel!  I had an American friend that lived there while working for DuPont in Bad Homburg. And I’ve been to Bad Homburg and Wiesbaden many times on business. Used to know Bad Homburg quite well, and Frankfurt fairly well.

I’m glad Anna Maria wasn’t hit too hard. It is a very fun place.

As for the show & swap meet, it will be on 15th September in Skiatook, OK. That’s a suburb of Tulsa, and as you know Lufthansa codeshares with United, which does fly here. So please plan on it. 👍

Hardy says he’s in “the far west of germany, near the dutch border. the city is Hattingen and sits right in the middle of the RUHR aerea, near Dortmund”.  Quite a ways from you. But he says he will be here next year, so you could meet him here. 😉

A “very original” truck with the 5.8L HO is good since you appear to have to pass rigorous inspections from what Hardy has said.  As said, the HO doesn’t have a computer, which means it is easier to maintain - especially in a country where parts aren’t readily accessible. With a computer everything has to be perfect or it gets its knickers in a twist.

So, since you’ll sure have questions, why not start a thread/topic about your truck?  It would be in the main part of the forum, and this one can be just an introduction of yourself?  And, you can decode the VIN here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/vin-decoding.html. That will take you to other pages on this site where you can learn about the axles, transmission, exterior paint, etc.

[ctubutis]

I have flown Lufthansa Denver <-> Frankfurt/Main a couple of times, even spent a week in Germany traveling the Romantic Road and that kind of stuff.

Frankfurt/Main
Bacharach!!!!
Koln
Castles on the Rhine River, stayed at one that's been converted to a hostel (Burg Stahleck, had to look it up)
Dinkelsbuhl (drove through it is all, didn't stay there)
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Fuessen
Berlin
Hamburg

And any of a number of places in between, spent 7 days there in a rented Volvo station wagon (yes, I drove the Autobahn ;) ) that list of cities is willy-nilly, I don't remember the exact route we took.

Anyway, it was fun. :)

[Gary Lewis]

We did much the same trip 4 years ago.  After spending 3 weeks in Italy we drove across Austria and then into Germany.  Picked up the so-called Romantic Road in Füssen and headed north.  Rothenburg and the town watchman was a favorite and we stayed right in the town two nights.  And we stayed in Bacharach several nights as well.  And, we flew out of Frankfurt.  Small world.

Then, 2 years ago we went down the Danube on a Viking tour, leaving out of Nuremberg - which is a great place to visit.  Had another couple with us on their first European trip, and apparently we were considered "seasoned travelers" as they asked us to also take them to Salzburg, Neuschwanstein, Füssen, and Munich - for Oktoberfest.  

[Howling.Wolf]

Thats good,
I am happy to hear when travellers have spent a good time in Germany.
Been in Denver in Jul and did a 2 weeks motorbike trip with my friends in Colorado and went down towards NM and then up to Wyoming on a west route.
I found out that cowboys/cowgirls are the coolest people.
Now my firnds and me we are thinking of going onto a working ranch in about 5 years time.
And yes the world a small.
It is worth saving it.

[Jochen1964]

Heinz, if you need a recommendation for a working ranch I am happy to assist. Try the Dryhead Ranch in Lovell, Wyoming. Have been there in 2003 and it was kind of the real thing.
And if you want to talk trucks and cowboys come over for a beer  to the Mönchengladbach area where I live.

[Howling.Wolf]

Hi Jochen,
greeeeaat, thanks l'll check their homepage.
Send an eMAil of your Adress to "[e-mail]" and I pop in one day, with my rNine T.
isn't tha a great Bike ?

Haveaniceday

Heinz