Sidebar: I have a comical story next door with some idiot trying to get a rusty jellybean F150 through MD inspection. It's a complete Charlie Foxtrot.
My Ford Truck Project (And Other Projects)
- Thread starter joesregalproject
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We don't have rust or inspections over here.
I always thought the first gen super duties were good looking trucks. The 10th gen F-150s were very polarizing. I didn't like them at first but they've grown on me. Anymore when I see a clean one it stands out. I'd rock one.
Fukkin way it's supposed to be.
FWIW having lived in full on inspection states, brake tag, emission only, and anything goes states over the years here's my take away:
Full on inspection states stopped being strictly safety and switched to politically motivated agenda tools around the late 80s early 90s. It USED to be people legitimately didn't know about frame rot about to break, or, Floors hidden rot letting in CO and making kids sick that owners didn't know about. Then it was learned they could add conditions and new standards to force cars off the roads that were still servicable and filled a socioeconomic niche (and hobbies as well.)
Brake tag/emissions kind of the same as above. Emissions really only make sense for 15-20 most recent MY or so, anything older the number of road miles of use doesn't impact much, and, the emissions cost of producing a replacement car vastly outstrip the difference in saved emissions generated.
In the anything goes states the only issue I really see is a number of broken ball joints with those leaning tires on the side of the road, and/or blown out tires because the average person neither monitors their tires for age since manufacture nor for drying/cracking/tread depth like they should. Teach people to do rotations, watch their tires, and give a tug to check ball joints/monitor inflation pressures when doing said rotations and you can eliminate most of the benefits from inspections these days, saving plenty of money all around.
Olds even used the 3 sod as its heavy duty option in the late 60's. The Mazda trans is fine, as long as you don't abuse it. My Daughter's boyfriend is a big Ford Truck guy. He has a 93, basically the same truck with a 351 auto, a 01 5.4 auto with a ton of miles, he just replaced the trans himself and a 13 EcoBoost. He was saying how much crappier the 3V 5.4 were vs the 2V in his 01. He plans on doing his 93 like yours. We aren't as bad for salt as the Northeast but 6 months of Winter is still hard on everything.
The fall leaves and tree debris are brutal on this thing. Every morning it's covered in leaves and twigs and crap. Washing it is a vain effort.
I got underneath today and greased the zerks on the front suspension and the u joints. Transmission still seems dry but the rear main leak is getting worse. Not sure how much I care about fixing it. I smell oil burning every once in a while but it's not leaving a huge puddle. The crack on that radius arm appear to have gotten about 1/2" bigger, so it really needs addressed. Guess I should buy new bushings and all that fun happy sh*t.
There is some spots underneath where the SEM Rust Trap is bubbling and peeling off. No rust holes behind, but there is surface rust and its bubbling up over it. Really pisses me off. 0/5 stars on that product, would not recommend. I think I'm gonna Fluid Film the balls out of it and hope for the best and see where things are come March or April.
It's overdue for an oil change and I'm usually pretty OCD about getting those done but work has me running ragged these past couple months. I'll get it done my next day off. Its getting cold, probably should swap the 15w40 for 10w30.
Also I meant to replace the drivers side door pins back in like April and just never did it. The door shuts fine, but it clunks anytime the body articulates. Its getting annoying and door pins are cheap.
So when I have a few days off I've got a laundry list of sh*t to do with this thing.
I got underneath today and greased the zerks on the front suspension and the u joints. Transmission still seems dry but the rear main leak is getting worse. Not sure how much I care about fixing it. I smell oil burning every once in a while but it's not leaving a huge puddle. The crack on that radius arm appear to have gotten about 1/2" bigger, so it really needs addressed. Guess I should buy new bushings and all that fun happy sh*t.
There is some spots underneath where the SEM Rust Trap is bubbling and peeling off. No rust holes behind, but there is surface rust and its bubbling up over it. Really pisses me off. 0/5 stars on that product, would not recommend. I think I'm gonna Fluid Film the balls out of it and hope for the best and see where things are come March or April.
It's overdue for an oil change and I'm usually pretty OCD about getting those done but work has me running ragged these past couple months. I'll get it done my next day off. Its getting cold, probably should swap the 15w40 for 10w30.
Also I meant to replace the drivers side door pins back in like April and just never did it. The door shuts fine, but it clunks anytime the body articulates. Its getting annoying and door pins are cheap.
So when I have a few days off I've got a laundry list of sh*t to do with this thing.
Had a day off today so I addressed as much as I could with the truck. My cell phone finally sh*t the bed after a year with a broken screen and verizon is being a bunch of dicks about it so unfortunately I don't have any photos of what got done today. First order of business was washing it and I've said it before, I despise washing cars but it really needed a good cleaning. I pressure washed it, hit it with the foam cannon, wiped it down with a wash mitt and rinsed it off. I pulled it in the garage, gave it a quick claybar and wiped everything down with detailer then waxed the majority of it with liquid wax and went back over the whole thing with a spray wax. I also polished the wheels and vacuumed out the inside.
From there I did an oil change, went with Valvoline Maxlife 10w30 and a Motorcraft filter. Maxlife used to be pretty good at stopping leaks so maybe it'll help with that leaky rear main seal.
At some point in the past month or so something must've bumped into my driver's side mirror and broke the internal brace that connects it to the inner door. It's thin and only made of pot metal or maybe it's cheap aluminum, but without it the mirror bounces and wobbles like crazy. So I replaced it with a new Dorman one, they run under $30 so no big deal.
And my driver's door switch panel has been broken away from the door panel itself for a pretty long time, and it is starting to bug me. The problem is that the tabs on the door panel side break away. A company called CPAddict makes a repair bracket so the switch panel isn't flopping around. So I've got one ordered, hopefully I'll have it soon.
cpaddict.com
Lastly, as I was washing the truck I did notice some spots where rust is pushing through. All the spots are still small, you probably wouldn't even see them if they weren't pointed out. I know I keep this truck stored outside but even still I have to wonder how the rust can start to creep back so easily. I have this thing Fluid Filmed, I keep it clean, and it has yet to see salt since I've redone it. It is going to be driven this winter and I'm praying that doesn't cause it come apart at the seams. As much as I love this truck, I don't think I want to have to go through fixing rust on it again. I would probably replace it before I subjected myself to that again. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but I don't want to pretend that the rust is never going to return. I've kinda already accomplished my goal with this truck which was to a.) save it from going to scrap, and b.) make it a reliable, running, driving truck that could pass an actual inspection. Everything after has just been icing on the cake. Honestly when I first got it I never thought it would have turned out as well as it did. For now the plan is to drive it, keep an eye on the rust and just see what happens.
From there I did an oil change, went with Valvoline Maxlife 10w30 and a Motorcraft filter. Maxlife used to be pretty good at stopping leaks so maybe it'll help with that leaky rear main seal.
At some point in the past month or so something must've bumped into my driver's side mirror and broke the internal brace that connects it to the inner door. It's thin and only made of pot metal or maybe it's cheap aluminum, but without it the mirror bounces and wobbles like crazy. So I replaced it with a new Dorman one, they run under $30 so no big deal.
And my driver's door switch panel has been broken away from the door panel itself for a pretty long time, and it is starting to bug me. The problem is that the tabs on the door panel side break away. A company called CPAddict makes a repair bracket so the switch panel isn't flopping around. So I've got one ordered, hopefully I'll have it soon.
Drivers Door Panel Repair Bracket
Drivers Door Panel Repair Bracket (Regular and Super Cab) ( OS-DPFIX-DR)
cpaddict.com
Lastly, as I was washing the truck I did notice some spots where rust is pushing through. All the spots are still small, you probably wouldn't even see them if they weren't pointed out. I know I keep this truck stored outside but even still I have to wonder how the rust can start to creep back so easily. I have this thing Fluid Filmed, I keep it clean, and it has yet to see salt since I've redone it. It is going to be driven this winter and I'm praying that doesn't cause it come apart at the seams. As much as I love this truck, I don't think I want to have to go through fixing rust on it again. I would probably replace it before I subjected myself to that again. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but I don't want to pretend that the rust is never going to return. I've kinda already accomplished my goal with this truck which was to a.) save it from going to scrap, and b.) make it a reliable, running, driving truck that could pass an actual inspection. Everything after has just been icing on the cake. Honestly when I first got it I never thought it would have turned out as well as it did. For now the plan is to drive it, keep an eye on the rust and just see what happens.
I got a loaner phone, I'm due for some pictures. I'll get some more tomorrow. It's still relatively clean from its bath a few days ago.
I got that bracket from CPAddict. It took some massaging to make it work but it's in. Its not a perfect fit but certainly better than it was. I have to get a new switch plate, I drilled holes drilled in this one and tried to screw it down before. It didn't work. Anyways it doesn't flop around anymore.
And here's my Dad's blast from the past life hack for whistling vent windows. Way to go Dad, the 70s live on...
I got that bracket from CPAddict. It took some massaging to make it work but it's in. Its not a perfect fit but certainly better than it was. I have to get a new switch plate, I drilled holes drilled in this one and tried to screw it down before. It didn't work. Anyways it doesn't flop around anymore.
And here's my Dad's blast from the past life hack for whistling vent windows. Way to go Dad, the 70s live on...
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