Old Blue, '88 R&R Project

[Optikalillushun]

NPD - National Parts Depot...just a middle man for parts like LMC truck.

 

[Old Blue]

More Progress

More disassembly of the truck has taken place in the past few weeks and a few more parts have arrived.

Here is the NAPA coolant SCA test kit, $25 at the local store, part number 4107. Wanted to see if the P.O. had SCA in it for the first 100k before I flush and fill it. Came up positive for SCA, color chart showed it needed topped up with DCA-IV at 2 pint/20 gallon if I wasn't going to flush. The kit also tests your freeze point (glycol/water mix %) and the pH of your coolant.

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Here is the new electric lift pump, courtesy of GenLightening:

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Tach sensor, that $$ Ford-only part:

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Fort Wayne clutch for the SMF conversion:

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And here's a pic of those SS brake lines mentioned earlier from Inline Tube, they are spec'd for a '87 F-350 but I hope they fit up on the 250 O.K., we'll see:

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I shot a short video on my phone of the truck, just as a test of sorts, to see how it turned out. It's just a walk around of the truck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLqhKru719M

 

[Keeway]

looks like a good project. hope it all works out for ya

 

[Old Blue]

looks like a good project. hope it all works out for ya

Hey, thanks for the support, I hope so too!

I've been hard at work on the truck for the last month and it seems like I've got NOTHING done! Mostly I've been disassembling, wire wheeling, sand blasting, acid etching, pressure washing, and otherwise cleaning and preparing hard parts for paint, I really HATE this part of working on old vehicles, but it needs done, especially in salt country. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of pictures for you of this monotonous labor, but I'll post what I have.

Here is a pic of me in the middle of sandblasting the rear frame rails on my back porch (last month). The wife was THRILLED with this whole process:

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You can see I had to cut off the rear spring hangars - no way to get the shackle bolts out of them without cutting stuff up, so off they came. I enclosed the porch on all four sides with plastic for this process, and it also doubled as my paint booth today.

Here's everything I painted today with the Rust Bullet:

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I am so glad to finally have paint on this stuff, I thought I'd never get here. Black top coat goes on tomorrow if all goes according to plan!

 

[CaptTom]

To say the least, I'm not jealous, I mean- I wouldn't wish I was doing what you are doing, however, very impressed with your efforts!!

Don't wear out!! We all wanna see your good stuff come together!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[ocnorb]

That is some major love you are putting into the old gal!!

Lookin' great!

 

[Old Blue]

Thanks guys! Work marches on - as the saying goes the beatings will continue until morale improves.

Black paint went on as scheduled. You can see I did not paint the top side of the rear tank stone guards, figured I'd save some black for some other bits and bobs later on.

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After the paint dried, I tore down my paint booth and started putting the rear end together, I got the axle under there at some point earlier in the week. Yesterday I put in my rear stainless brake lines and started on the SMF clutch/flywheel kit.

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Finished putting the transmission and rear driveshaft in today and went ahead and installed some new rear shock absorbers (Bilstein HD) to round out the day. Also clipped in the rear tank nylon lines in place.

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Lastly a pic of the "salt country frame wear items" - the rear hangar and a shackle. Put some Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings in while the springs were off the truck as well.

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I can't do the fuel tanks until my senders get here, I'm hoping to get them next week if I'm lucky. There is plenty of other work to keep me busy though!

 

[CaptTom]

You're an animal!!

Thanks for pics.

 

[89dieselbko]

That is all looking great!!!! Im trying to find an un-rotted frame for my bronco, to do just what your doing, until them.... its droppin ~3grand into a full rebuild! Really interested in the turbo install, take lots of pics! Im still working on the wife to raise my budget, again, so i can get a turbo kit too lol. Keep up the good work and the pics!

 

[subway]

Nice progress, love to see new life in an old truck.

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

Old blue, one question to you!

And i'm on my knees beggin here!


I want all 4 of your hubcaps!....if you don't want them anyways. No one seems to keep their hubcaps on these rigs anymore.


I need them for my 90 4x4 F250 i'm restoring all to factory original specs.