Lookin good Matt, good work your gonna have that thing restored to new before long.
Between here and there
Between here and there
Betsy the Farm Truck
- Thread starter jynx
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- Thread starter
- #42
Thanks bud. Trying to just do what it needs for now, but on a poorly maintained 30 year old truck, "need" is relative to what your minimum standard is.
I found the axle end of the front driveshaft had one strap that is not even tight, can see daylight between the yoke and joint cap so that means new u-joints on that shaft, may just do the rear too while I'm at it.
After the lift I am sure alignment will be tough so new TRE's will probably be next, and on and on.....
High priority is new soft brake lines, both fronts are very degraded and the rubber jacket is damaged and missing in places.
Also, check out this bushing
Pretty narly! That is the PS beam pivot. I got it replaced with the new poly unit yesterday. DS beam still needs replacing but I figured it was a little easier to get to and looked to be in much better shape.
Got some bolts to tighten up and a couple holes to drill but overall it is almost ready to go to the alignment shop.
I also still have a set of WARN premium hubs to slap in the axles. Weather permitting gonna try to knock out the DS radius arm drop bracket tonight.
I found the axle end of the front driveshaft had one strap that is not even tight, can see daylight between the yoke and joint cap so that means new u-joints on that shaft, may just do the rear too while I'm at it.
After the lift I am sure alignment will be tough so new TRE's will probably be next, and on and on.....
High priority is new soft brake lines, both fronts are very degraded and the rubber jacket is damaged and missing in places.
Also, check out this bushing
Pretty narly! That is the PS beam pivot. I got it replaced with the new poly unit yesterday. DS beam still needs replacing but I figured it was a little easier to get to and looked to be in much better shape.
Got some bolts to tighten up and a couple holes to drill but overall it is almost ready to go to the alignment shop.
I also still have a set of WARN premium hubs to slap in the axles. Weather permitting gonna try to knock out the DS radius arm drop bracket tonight.
- Thread starter
- #43
Just for fun I snapped this this afternoon.
Yes, she is standing flat-footed with her arm propped on the tire
love my girls. 
Yes, she is standing flat-footed with her arm propped on the tire
love my girls.
Just for fun I snapped this this afternoon.
View attachment 942908
Yes, she is standing flat-footed with her arm propped on the tire
Looks good bud, makes me miss the 80 model I had, and maybe the 83, and the 86 well you get the point lol.
You still going to do the red/black two tone?
Between here and there
- Thread starter
- #45
thanks bud. Nah, I have decided that I am just going to leave it flat green and cut in the black around the bottom. I am going to hit the whole truck with one color green since it currently has about 3 different colors of flat and semi-gloss green.
- Thread starter
- #46
3 hours closer to being done with the front. Got the drivers side radius arm drop bracket all bolted on tonight. The d@mn bolts are in the absolute worst place and getting a wrench and/or ratchet in the frame to tighten them is nearly impossible. The passenger side is going to be worse due to the exhaust routing....
I have one hole to drill and 3 bolts to tighten up, figure that will take a couple hours tomorrow. I also have to go back over all the bolts and check the torque on everything. Alignment on Saturday, trailer wiring this weekend and then tags next week. "Fingers crossed"
I have one hole to drill and 3 bolts to tighten up, figure that will take a couple hours tomorrow. I also have to go back over all the bolts and check the torque on everything. Alignment on Saturday, trailer wiring this weekend and then tags next week. "Fingers crossed"
- Thread starter
- #47
I got the front end finished up tonight and took her for a spin around the hood. So far I am pleased. Steering feels more responsive and lighter. Plan is to take it around the hood a little more and then run down the road to get it tagged and titled Tuesday and see how it settles and then get the alignment done.
Tomorrow depending on how much time we spend at the farm I'm going to work on trailer wiring, hubs, u-joints and brake lines.
Tomorrow depending on how much time we spend at the farm I'm going to work on trailer wiring, hubs, u-joints and brake lines.
- Thread starter
- #48
Grabbed a few pics of everything all buttoned up.
That last one is the PS drop bracket. That and the DS one were the biggest PITA's of the whole front.
The DS door lock wasn't working right. It wouldn't unlock with the key, so I took the door panel off and something on the latch mechanism wasn't resetting correctly so I sprayed everything down with WD40 and some graphite spray and cycled everything until it all worked. The window is finicky and needs new runs on both sides, but for now works pretty well. Then I moved onto the trailer wiring.
I bought a plug and play 4pin harness and needed to get some of the old electrical tape off the old connection... this is where it went south for me... I only sort of tried to cut my thumb off which kinda put an end to my day. Left thumb took a wicked hit from a nice sharp blade. Do you guys know how hard it is to do most anything when you can't bend your thumb on your off hand. Sucks, but on a side note every first aid kit needs a bottle of superglue in it
Anyway I can sand and paint with one hand so I hit the rest of the passenger side with some flat green and then covered up the last of my first attempt at a new paint scheme with some flat black.
Need to remove the mirror and tape up the glass to get the rest. Think I'm gonna like it.
That last one is the PS drop bracket. That and the DS one were the biggest PITA's of the whole front.
The DS door lock wasn't working right. It wouldn't unlock with the key, so I took the door panel off and something on the latch mechanism wasn't resetting correctly so I sprayed everything down with WD40 and some graphite spray and cycled everything until it all worked. The window is finicky and needs new runs on both sides, but for now works pretty well. Then I moved onto the trailer wiring.
I bought a plug and play 4pin harness and needed to get some of the old electrical tape off the old connection... this is where it went south for me... I only sort of tried to cut my thumb off which kinda put an end to my day. Left thumb took a wicked hit from a nice sharp blade. Do you guys know how hard it is to do most anything when you can't bend your thumb on your off hand. Sucks, but on a side note every first aid kit needs a bottle of superglue in it
Anyway I can sand and paint with one hand so I hit the rest of the passenger side with some flat green and then covered up the last of my first attempt at a new paint scheme with some flat black.
Need to remove the mirror and tape up the glass to get the rest. Think I'm gonna like it.
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Looks good. I like the green/black combo. Fits with the wheels.
- Thread starter
- #50
Passed Emissions with flying colors:
HC: 84 out of 400
CO: 0.19 out of 4
Pretty happy with those numbers from a nearly 30 year old engine.
HC: 84 out of 400
CO: 0.19 out of 4
Pretty happy with those numbers from a nearly 30 year old engine.
Nice truck Matt, makes me miss my old bronco! 302?
Edit, nevermind...i6
Edit, nevermind...i6
- Thread starter
- #52
Thanks man. The ride to get it tested highlighted the need for some frontend work. I also discovered the dash needs some screws in it, like alot of them.
At the inspection station they always verify the dash VIN and while I was feeling around to see if the awesome crushed velvet overlay was covering it I actually popped the WHOLE dash pad off. Finding that the fancy velvet cover was actually friction fit into place. Also revealing that 90% of the trim and accessories were just wedged in as well.... So I guess that will go on the list as well.
At the inspection station they always verify the dash VIN and while I was feeling around to see if the awesome crushed velvet overlay was covering it I actually popped the WHOLE dash pad off. Finding that the fancy velvet cover was actually friction fit into place. Also revealing that 90% of the trim and accessories were just wedged in as well.... So I guess that will go on the list as well.
Dashes are overrated.
- Thread starter
- #54
Metro Davidson County says I can now legally drive her.
T85 was pure luck.
T85 was pure luck.
- Thread starter
- #55
Well Betsy has been doing just what she was bought for the last few weeks.
Picked up a 20' piece of drainage pipe yesterday, had to cut it in half so it would fit, but I only needed 10' so it worked out good.
Hauled it down to the farm today to extend the drive culvert to 30' to make it easier to get trucks in and out for deliveries.
Tomorrow she will be on brush detail to clear out all the stuff I cut down today.
Still plenty of things to fix, but overall I am pleased.
Next project, aside from the dash and interior, is to get some angle and reinfoece the bed caps and install some tie-down points.
Picked up a 20' piece of drainage pipe yesterday, had to cut it in half so it would fit, but I only needed 10' so it worked out good.
Hauled it down to the farm today to extend the drive culvert to 30' to make it easier to get trucks in and out for deliveries.
Tomorrow she will be on brush detail to clear out all the stuff I cut down today.
Still plenty of things to fix, but overall I am pleased.
Next project, aside from the dash and interior, is to get some angle and reinfoece the bed caps and install some tie-down points.
- Thread starter
- #56
She makes a good vantage point for picture taking too.
- Thread starter
- #57
Chassis Unlimited is running a sale right now so I'm thinking about picking up one of their beefy diff covers for Betsy. Also got me to thinking about traction adders and got to looking And I can pick up a Spartan for the 8.8 for pretty cheap, so now I'm thinking that Betsy may get a little something extra in her stocking this year. 
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diggin' the farm truck lots, reminds me of a long ago buddy who had a similar one but keep it a pavement pounder. Put the locker(s) in the sammy and thrash it, that is what you bought it for right?
- Thread starter
- #59
Thanks Ted. Yeah the Sammy is for thrashin', but with the Barn and all the work on the Farm lately, and the fact that in the winter the farm gets pretty wet and muddy, getting around out there easily is slightly higher on the priority list. I mean it isn't so bad I can't ease around but I am thinking of a locker and possibly a winch just to make sure I don't end up stuck out there with no way to get home. 
Hoping to get the slab scheduled before the end of the year and then rim boards, trusses and then start skinning it with metal.
Hoping to get the slab scheduled before the end of the year and then rim boards, trusses and then start skinning it with metal.
- Thread starter
- #60
Chassis Unlimited and USPS both suck today.... I got a shipping notification on Tuesday that my diff cover was shipping, but according the the USPS tracking information it hasn't moved.... I fully expect it to randomly show up on my porch before it ever moves on the tracking page.
CU gets a dirty look because I paid for UPS shipping and they dropped it in a USPS flat rate box. Not that I mind them using USPS, just aggravating when they sell one and use the other.
CU gets a dirty look because I paid for UPS shipping and they dropped it in a USPS flat rate box. Not that I mind them using USPS, just aggravating when they sell one and use the other.