Gifted a project vehicle in OK condition by a buddy, after someone tried to STEAL her.

[Fred1090]

Hello all, I am the happy new owner of an 81 F100 manual with some big issues....

The PO has left her parked on the street for 2-3 years. she was broken into, the hazard switch arm and casing were broken during them trying to hotwire it I guess.

I swapped the battery, put some cleaner in the carb then fuel with octane booster and fuel system cleaner additive. cranking the shit out of the ignition (no key) will now let the truck start. first and reverse are spongy and slightly difficult to shift into while 2 and 3 are audible with the truck off you can hear the linkages solidly lock it into position for the two higher gears.

Problems I know of, steering column shroud/cover damage along with the casting inside. don't even have the hazard switch arm in the vehicle that I can find, pretty sure I need a clutch and master/slave cylinder, the radiator leaks wen hot, there's a ton of junk on the driver's side of the block from an oil leak, the bed is rusted out near the cab from being outside uncovered for years downhill and I should definitely change the all the fluids.


Here hoping to get help sourcing all the parts for the hazards and column as well as advice in general during the repairs.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Welcome to the forum Fred.

Too bad these monkeys didn't know how to hotwire the truck, they could have caused a lot less damage.

First, I'd suggest against using any kind of stop-leak to seal up the radiator.
These are temporary -emergency- measures and usually just clog up numerous passages (like the heater core) or cause the thermostat to fail.

Down in the main forum we have a WTB as well as 'Free to a Good Home' threads.
Given what you say about the column it might be best to find the whole thing "with keys" and swap it in.
Cut your losses trying to replace all the broken bits unless you're an able mechanic.
These things are far trickier than a piece of Ikea furniture inside.

The drivers side of the block has a pushrod cover plate.
Get some engine cleaner and a power washer (if you can) and clean it all off so you can see everything.
**Be careful about spraying the distributor. Tape a bag over it, or something**
The cover probably needs to be removed and resealed.

You don't have a hydraulic clutch.
These didn't exist until 1984 in the 300 trucks (and the concentric throw out slave was sometimes a nightmare)
There is a Z-bar linkage that pivots in plastic bushings.
So check the plastic, replace the bushings.
It's hard to find parts if the actual metal has been grinding for years.
Some of us weld them up so they are serviceable, and there has been discussion of creating an STL file so the NLA bellhousing side can be 3D printed in metal.

HTH, and once again, welcome to the Garage.  

[Rembrant]

Greetings Fred,

Good advice above. At this point in their lives, most Bullnose trucks are perpetual projects. They're always going to need something. Get the absolute basics first so that you can prove that the rest of it is worth the trouble. If you have rust issues, look over the frame closely especially under the bed and around the rear shock mounts. Check the cab floor, also around the mounts.

So what is the transmission exactly? a 3spd with a low, or a 3spd with an OD, or an actual 3spd that was converted to floor shift?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Rembrant wrote

 If you have rust issues, look over the frame closely especially under the bed and around the rear shock mounts. Check the cab floor, also around the mounts.

... and especially the tops of the rear spring mounts!

Mud and salt get thrown up there and Ford never provided a drain hole.
I say this because I have one sitting in a box, waiting to be done.

[Gary Lewis]

Welcome!    Glad you found us.

Where's home?  We have a member's map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) and I'd love to add you.  Who knows, you may be close to one of us and we can help.

Jim and Cory have already given good suggestions, as they always do, but I'll add that the steering column is a pain to work on.  And, there were several different columns as there was a fixed and tilt column as well as a floor shift and column shift.  So the first thing to determine which column you have.  Is the slot in the column where the turn signal goes in rectangular or a tee?  That corresponds to fixed or tilt.

Then, I assume you have a floor shift.  Right?  That, coupled with the answer to Cory's question of which transmission, will help as well.

And, what parts are broken?  Go here to the illustrations to figure that out: Interior/Steering Columns.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Sig says floor shift.

If you go back with tilt you might want prophylacticly replace the troublesome pot metal actuator rack.
These things snap off over time with tilting the wheel up and down.
Then sometimes you can't get the truck to start, or turn off.

[Gary Lewis]

  Thanks, Jim.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Hey, I'm not picking, I'm just being observant!

Remember, autism is not a bug, it's a feature!  

[Gary Lewis]

I actually thought "I read what kind of shift linkage he has somewhere" and went back and re-read the post several times.  But didn't look at the sig.  

As for autism, you certainly seem to be able to remember things and see the details.   

[ArdWrknTrk]

Can you elaborate on why Fred's shifter is soft going into first and reverse?

I've never had a SROD or RUG.

Do you have anything to add about mechanical clutches?
I never had a truck with one of those either.

[Gary Lewis]

I've never had one of those trannies either.  But perhaps his clutch isn't fully releasing.  Does first have synchros?  Reverse doesn't, but second and third do.

A worn out manual linkage, or one that hasn't been properly adjusted, can easily drag even when the pedal is on the floor.  That would cause shifting difficulties, and a gear with synchros would feel/shift differently than one w/o.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Well, he said he 'needed a clutch or master/slave cylinder'

Do you have ideas or an instruction page on bringing the linkage up to snuff?

[Fred1090]

Ard,
already got the right radiator picked out, that thing has at least 4 pinholes I can see from sitting on the street so out it comes. a new one is only $180 at summit anyway.


I like your suggestion on the column. If I can find someone here with decent pricing that would be great, at $400 on ebay though a new column seemed pretty pricey when just the switches are $40 or so, for the vehicles I can find them on. a lock and cylinder/key set is only $60 or so. As far as changing the parts, If I can find new parts, 100% confident I can get the old one working again.


I'll clean up the block today and figure out if the leak is coming from that plate or not.

I wasn't aware these were still manual clutches, the only one I have worked on before was an 88 f150 which did have hydraulics there. I'll take a look at the plastic parts, but the pedal feels fine inside the truck I am thinking the issue is the clutch. My buddy who gave me this said he was having clutch issues when he parked it.

thanks so much for all the information and the warm welcome!

Rembrandt,

A rust check is on the list she is in good shape mostly with just a few rest spots on the body and it's bad in the bed. she was parked outside and downhill. but I am in Atlanta GA so the humidity is never not high.

As far as the exact transmission, not sure. is there a way I can find that by VIN or do I need to go look under the truck for a plate with info?

Gary,

Atlanta, GA. and GLad to be here! I think the hole was a rectangle. they physically broke out a piece of the casting an now it's impossible to tell what shape the hole was originally. looks like a keystone at this point.

If I'm reading the diagram right 7228 is broken, 7210 is missing (presumed dead lol), as well as the pin to connect them 390022-s2, and the lock cylinder of course. Everything else seems to work.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Fred, we have a few members in Atlanta.
Maybe they can help you out?

That's outrageous for a lock cylinder!
I replaced my set of three for $11.
(Wanted door and ign. the same)
You can get either -'80's or '90's- for that price.

****80's have a oval door key with the opposite cut as ignition.
90's have all one square key.

[Gary Lewis]

My work to revive the linkage on Dad's truck is chronicled in the ZF5 Swap thread starting about with this post.

As for the map, you are now officially on it.  

And, on the parts, I've just realized that the web page linked to above did not have the illustration for a fixed wheel column with floor shift.  It does now and I've included it below.  But, that changes the numbers of the parts you are missing.  So, please try again from this drawing:

[grumpin]

Welcome!

[Fred1090]

Grumpin, thanks!

Gary, I was way off I guess 3790 and a piece of casting below is what's broken.

Oil leak is coming from the oil pan it seems. So I guess that's good only a $20 gasket.

I took a bunch of pictures to upload but there seems to be a five mb size limit?

[ArdWrknTrk]

When you go to upload a photo, choose the 'large' option.
It will automatically resize.

Do you mean 3511, and 3790?
Because 3511 is where the lock cylinder and turn signal stalk are. (Were! )

[Gary Lewis]

Jim is right.  But there are instructions on loading pics on the Bullnose Forum/Bullnose FAQ's page in the menu.  And the limit is 1Mb not 5Mb.

[Fred1090]

Thanks Gary was using the file attachment button not image attachment.



Broken part on column. I assumed there was supposed to be a lever here from the diagrams I saw, apparently not according to the newest diagram Gary shared. Guess this is just a cover missing? I found the emergency switch taking the pictures. Feeling pretty dumb on that one lol.


Condition  under the truck.


Rusted out bed