I've missed my 1st gen quite a lot over this past year...

so......i got a little project...

i wanted something reliable, but rough around the edges and that had character.
and turn it into something that would make Mad Max and the Duke boys proud.

so about 2 months ago i started searching and about mid-september i found a winner.
a 1985 XLT 4x4 long bed....in black

a true barn find
An old farmer bought it to restore it but health issues put him back and he decided to sell....i made a few phone calls, and a few days later i was there with a trailer....







got her home and went to work...











As you can see....she sat for quite a few years
so the interior has to go
i can't fit in a 1st gen reg cab with the factory bench anyways...lol

OUT WITH IT!
and the vinyl floors









Sitting for long periods of time also does other nasty things....
so instead of draining the tank and rebuilding the carb....i kinda cheated
i decided to go old school and Duraspark the beast while i had it apart.
along with replacing the gas tank...
a Duraspark conversion also consists of ripping out ALL of the computer sensors and EGR system.....suck it hippies
most of the parts were readily available (i work for O'reillys)
and my Grandad came through with a motorcraft 2150 carb FRESHLY rebuilt
he just had it "laying around"












Heres the whole computer harness...



gas tank removal








The Duraspark conversion was not very hard at all
especially if you've worked with the components before
i had her gutted and back to running condition within a few days
the timing was the hardest part....especially if you don't have a timing gun









EGR blocking plate...guaranteed to never leak...lol


and since i had the valve covers off.....i thought i'd brighten them up....a lot




With the motor finished and running like a champ...
i moved to the driveline...replacing u-joints is a lot easier with the bed off


next up was a good power washing of the frame....
it looks a lot better than it did....and now it has a nice rubberized undercoating from the front to the rear







the next step was....hard
i had to rob Stig 1.0 of its trademark roll bars....the problem was that i put them in to STAY....so the powertools had to come out











and this is pretty much how she sits now....



to give you a perspective on how hard i've worked and how fast....
i brought her home on Sept. 18th
since then i've:
gutted the interior
swapped fuel tanks
did a full duraspark conversion
ripped out all unnecessary wiring
cleaned here and there
front and rear drive shaft u-joints (haven't done the axle yet)
undercoated the frame
cut out and custom re-installed roll bars

there's a lot left to do and i want to have it done by the end of the month.
i will update as i go from here....

 

Looks sweet. I can't wait to see this thing done.

Still gonna get that badge that says IDGAF?

 

ROFL!
i doubt the DMV would go for a custom plate like that

it was just an idea

 

Wow! That looks awesome man!! great job! cant wait to see it when it is finished!

 

todays update:

got the bars welded in place and cleaned out the hubs
the old grease was not letting them engage into 4x4
got them all clean and everything seems to work.....
i still need the front axle u-joints so i didnt engage it just yet cuz i don't want them to grenade on me

 

wow nice work, thats going to be a sweet truck for sure

 

You should do a 5.0 swap. and a sas. That thing would look sick. but so far it looks really good man... Keep up the good work.

 

I dont get why i can never see your pictures!

 

nice man!!!

 

you just suck...lol

check FB....i've got more on there

 

i have thought about a SAS with a dana 30....quick and simple with a little more strength....but it may be a few years...the Fiancee wants to get married yesterday

this is just a rough, tough winter DD that i'll take on backroads every now and then to play....so i don't really need anything hardcore

there are probably guys on here that wheel their 2wds harder than this thing will ever be driven by me.

 

diggin it man keep up the good work .... love that you had the old bed to stig 1.0 sitting around

 

i've got EVERYTHING off of her now....

lights, mirrors, trim, bumpers, bed, hood......

the bed and Roll bars got a coating of Duplicolor spray in bedliner this morning
along with the bumpers

i've been taking a wire wheel to most of the surface rust spots...
and the whole truck has been sanded

she will be flat black by the end of this weekend

 

wow great progress. wish i could get that much done to my 84...

 

Nice progress.

Gonna lift it?

 

I have thought about lifting it and I've found some really cheap lifts locally but...
Like I said, the fiancee wants to get married ASAP and ill be moving again next spring
So most of my fun money is in hold for another year or so...

 

UPDATE:

minor setback today...

got it up on ramps to check out the oil leak issue and noticed all 3 of the front axle u-joints are shot
and i've heard that replacing them is a real PITA!

so the painting got put on hold for now.....since i bought the truck for the 4x4 i kinda need it to work more than to look pretty.
i got the u-joints from work today but i won't have time to dive into it until saturday afternoon


i was a little peeved after i found out so i did a huge burnout in front of my house to calm down.....
the old girl runs like a CHAMP!!! hahahaha

recent pic of the finished motor...

 

not really an update but....

got the front end put back together...its been on jackstands since last week with no wheels or front driveshaft
Finished ALL the u-joints...the front axle joints weren't as hard as i thought
decided to do the C-clip eliminator mod while i had the axle apart

i also did my 1st gen LED gauge cluster mod.....i used red LEDs to match the interior
i have pics but theyre kinda crappy so you guys will have to wait

my work schedule took an odd turn so i work days now which means no time to work on the truck.

and since the cold weather is finally here, that means i may not get a chance to paint her anytime soon

i have this weekend off and i plan to get all the electrical wiring done (lights, stereo and other oddities)

i may even tackle the exhaust....i still have none....lol

i have all the supplies just sitting in boxes waiting....now i just need the time to hook it all up

the suspense is killing me....i want to cruise around in this beast like a fat kid wants a cupcake

 

Do work

 

Update time

FINISHED PAINT!!

sort of.....didn't get to the Hood or tailgate but the majority is finished

started on the electrical stuff....got most of the wires run, power block mounted and some got relays mounted up...still working on fabbing up a switch board for inside the cab and the interior is still a wreck

Paint was my weekend priority since it was in the 70's probably for the last time this year...

onto the pics since i know thats what you all want....

 

Looks awesome man!! Show the Stig proud!!

Screw them hippies!!

 

not much of an update....

exterior trim is all back on except the mirrors
hood still needs to be painted
and i'm still fabbing up seat brackets

still needs exhaust.....and a working fuel gauge (sending unit)
but here is how she sits

 

Makes me miss my 86.

 

thats why i got this one....

i missed my 87 horribly...and it seemed i'd see them everywhere
so finally after almost 2 years i said "F*** it...i'm getting another 1st gen"

and here we are....shes not perfect but i didn't want perfect
i wanted something i could play with and enjoy and i couldn't be happier

 

Nice work man its coming along great