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I saw this article and thought of y'all. I think I've been there, done that on every one of the 11. Let me enumerate:
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Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile
Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
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Administrator
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Many of the same, but I will add one:
Finding extra parts after the job is finished Helped the neighbors in Norfolk do an in frame rebuild on their 1954 Chevy 235 engine after we were done with the rod bearings and rings we had a couple of extra jam nuts left over. Getting a series of pieces installed and find the one item that should have been first I'm sure we've all done this, like forgetting to put the fuel pump eccentric on the cam and realizing it's sitting there as you are tightening the last bolt on the front dress.
Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile
"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413 |
Administrator
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Yikes! Extra jam nuts!
And on the order of assembly, how 'bout getting the tranny & t-case on and finding the spacer plate? ![]()
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile
Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
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In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
Nice article! Thanks for sharing. Love Hagerty insurance. Been with them for a while.
Vivek
- BB 2WD - 1984 F350 RWD 460/C6 - 1978 Bronco with a 460 from an 86 Bullnose/C6 |
In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
Roadside repair with makeshift parts:
Not exactly makeshift part, but similar. Maybe more Fixing what is not broken, or a mix of the two? Before going to a 8500 miles road trip, asked my garage to replace the +\- 15 years old (but still working) mechanical fuel pump with a new unit. I kept the old one as an emergency part, who knows. The new pump died in the middle of the trip (road side repair in Yellowstone Ntl Park). I reinstalled the ol’ one, and bought a new unit at Salt Lake City. Nearly 6 months later, this new pump is still in its box, the ol’ one is still running very well. ![]()
Jeff / 1984 F350 Crew Cab 4x4/5.8L w351 4V/ T18/ D50 4.10 front/ 8' bed.
Restored 2019-2022. Nicknamed «Big Brother 1984», due to its soooo-looong shape & nod to George Orwell's 1984 famous novel. |
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In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
Yes to nearly all of them:
1. Shoestring holding a washer jig (1987 Chevy C10). Transformer (magnet wire) on a heat shield (1997 Nissan Quest). Bobby pin on wheel bearing castle nut (My bullnose, while 900 miles from home no less!) 2. Yes, but no good stories. But I did set my hair on fire with a filler rod while Oxy-acetylene welding in HS shop class... 3. Found a lost spark plug and a lost wrench when I removed the A/C brackets from my 300 when I pulled it for a rebuild! 4. Too many to list 5. Nope (OEM at least), but I was reading Haynes manuals when most kiddos my age were on Sesame Street. 6. Yes, but I can't remember what the parts were. 7. 1995 Ranger Radio Bezels that aren't busted up. Doesn't exist! 8. Was successful, but if we're only counting things with 4 wheels (no mopeds), I had a misfire because I didn't have one of the plug wires on all the way. Idiot! 9. Most of my casual clothes have grease/oil stains 10. Working in the cold/snow is awful. Have had to work in 30 minute stints to avoid frostbite... 10A (Edit). Forgot about the time I had to change the starter in my first 1995 Ranger while getting soaked with rain... and my wife totaled the truck the very next day. ![]() ![]() 11. Do I need to elaborate??? That's my entire existance!
1984 F150: 300 L6, AOD, RWD. EEC IV / TFI, Feedback Carter YFA Carb. Stock everything but radio (for now).
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In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
Roadside repair with makeshift parts: Surprisingly few. Most memorable is on a hot, humid day driving home from my folk's cabin. One of the power windows suddenly went down and wouldn't come back up. Rather than lose all of our AC for the next hour and a half I dug out my laptop where I have the wiring diagram for my truck, pulled the switch assembly out of the driver's door, used jumper wires I had in my tool box and ran the window up (after disconnecting the switch which was stuck in the "down" position)
Busted knuckles: None that ever REQUIRED stitches (there were a few where I'd probably been given stitches had I sought medical attention) Trapped tools: Most memorable was I had lost a screwdriver a long time before, and found it down in the front fender during another project. Broken hardware: Pretty much every project. Buying the shop manual: I used to do that all the time. Now I count on Google more. Disappearing parts: Why would anyone put this on a list? It just goes without saying! Endless parts search: I can't say "endless." I eventually either find it or give up. Either way there's an end! First rebuilt engine start-up: That happened while I was still in Junior High, A Briggs and Stratton 2.5 horse off my go-kart. Ruined clothes: I prefer to describe them as "repurposed"! Inclement weather moving in: This is why my "winter projects" never get any traction until about April! Fixing what is not broken: I don't do this quite as much as I used to. I'm getting more fond of the KISS principal. But then again I did put a high-pinion Dana 44 in Pluto a couple years ago...
Bob
Sorry, no '80 - '86 Ford trucks "Oswald": 1997 F-250HD crew cab short box, 460, E4OD, 4.10 gears "Pluto": 1971 Bronco, 302, NV3550 5 speed, Atlas 4.3:1 transfer case, 33" tires "the motorhome": 2015 E-450-based 28' class C motorhome, 6.8L V-10 "the Dodge": 2007 Dodge 2500, 6.7L Cummins |
In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
#11 is my namesake! People think my handle means "don't fix it" but it actually means "fix it till it is".
Bradley
86 f250 supercab longbed, 4x4, 460 bored to 472 cubes, ported heads, ARP rod bolts, EFI pistons, 5.08/5.41 lift 114° lobe separation flat tappet cam, notched lifters, Smith Brothers pushrods, stock rockers, Eddy Performer intake, Holley 1850 or 3310 depending on mood, custom curved points dizzy, MSD analog 6al triggered by Pertronix module, zf5 swap, 3g alternator, custom instrument cluster, dual tanks with 38 Gal rear for 57 Gal of fuel capacity, far too much more to mention. 98 Ranger standard cab, rwd, 5-speed, 2.5L, glass pack muffler, dual plugs wired to fire at the same time, coming up on 300,000 miles before too long. Averaging 26-27 mpg. South Georgia. |
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