Second Chance 85 Flareside

[kristopherdb]

My project is a 1985 F150 4x4 4 Speed Manual Flareside truck. This truck will be staying with me for the long haul as it was the first rig I ever drove and got my learning permit in. She ran a lot better as I remember and sure looked a lot better back then. Her name is Second Chance because she has been sitting for 14 years, no love, no TLC, no maintenance or care. Not because a new truck had came in and this one just sat just another victim of alcohol abuse and its aftermath. I grew up in this home to and turned out fine, so now "Second Chance" (now that she is mine and 300 miles away from the neglect) will also have a chance to be her best.

Turning this old abandoned farm truck into a nice cruising the car shows is my goal. I have support from my wife to do what I can to make it a cruiser, my dream is to pull up to our local drive in on a Friday night and take my wife for an ice cream cone in her. She has a long way to go!!

[Gary Lewis]

Cool project!  Glad you are saving part of your heritage.  

[kristopherdb]

How I found her, Hasnt moved an inch in 14 years


Loaded up on the trailer


This will be fun


And I had the trailer pop off as I unloaded

[kristopherdb]

The inside is rough too, cats allowed to use the passenger window to hide from the weather for 10 years

[Gary Lewis]

Has gauges and factory A/C.  Apparently a Custom as it has the black weave instrument and radio bezels.  Good bones!

Don't know if you've found it, but you can decode the certification label on the driver's door post by going to Specification/Certification Label in the navigation menu.  That's interactive and will let you determine the transmission, springs, axle ratio, paint color, etc.

[kristopherdb]

[Gary Lewis]

Fyi, I moved the conversation about the navigation menu to the Observed Problems thread.

[kristopherdb]

Engine bay had no battery or solenoid and all of the emissions removed, well since I have to pass emissions for another 10 years that's not good!

[Gary Lewis]

That's going to take some work to get in shape. But, we will be with you. 👍

[FuzzFace2]

Welcome to the forum.
The truck looks solid, only surface rust, it's when you got to start replacing floors, rockers, door posts and cab corners and that is just the cab the bed is a whole different story!
From 2 years ago body work is done on the cab and the inside painted now.


Dave ----

[kristopherdb]

Getting there


Slowly

[Gary Lewis]

Looking good!  As for slowly, it isn't a race. Do it at your own speed and ENJOY!

[1986F150Six]

Thanks for sharing your Flareside!

[Ford F834]

Very nice! I like the interior changes, did you add the woodgrain to your existing door panels or did you switch the whole door card? And like Gary said, it is not a race, enjoy the journey... thanks for sharing!

[kristopherdb]

I always do, I have this thing where it will keep me awake if I don't finish a project. In this case each little thing is a project so I keep motivated but not discouraged. I am trying to locate an 8 ball turn signal and a couple mirrors that would be plug and play, I want like a galaxy mirror not the big swing out.  

[kristopherdb]

i bought the panels off ebay and threw them on my donor door skins that were originally red. My doors were wrecked top to bottom so they had to go. THe donor doors had the chrome trim and then I like the rosewood look.

[Ford F834]

kristopherdb wrote

i bought the panels off ebay and threw them on my donor door skins that were originally red. My doors were wrecked top to bottom so they had to go. THe donor doors had the chrome trim and then I like the rosewood look.

Thanks. I was wondering if you cut out a square around the window crank like they had from the factory, or did you just leave the area alone? Seems like they usually bow inward where Ford cut out the door panel, but yours are fairly flat. When I go to do mine I was wondering if I had to cut the hole or if I could get away with leaving it for extra support...

[kristopherdb]

I left it. No problem

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From: Ford F834 [via Bullnose Enthusiasts] <ml+[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2017 9:16:33 PM
To: kristopherdb
Subject: Re: Second Chance 85 Flareside

 

kristopherdb wrote

i bought the panels off ebay and threw them on my donor door skins that were originally red. My doors were wrecked top to bottom so they had to go. THe donor doors had the chrome trim and then I like the rosewood look.

Thanks. I was wondering if you cut out a square around the window crank like they had from the factory, or did you just leave the area alone? Seems like they usually bow inward where Ford cut out the door panel, but yours are fairly flat. When I go to do mine I was wondering if I had to cut the hole or if I could get away with leaving it for extra support...

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[Ford F834]

Thanks! Hopefully it will help keep it a little flatter. Both the early 80/81 aluminum ones and the 82-84 plastic ones liked to warp. The only really flat ones I've seen are the power window type.

[Rembrant]

That truck looks great! I like how it sits, with the rims and tires as well.

Did you paint the gauge needles and other spots blue? That's kinda cool...