4x4 project 84 F150

1. I ordered the headers and it's been 3 weeks since I ordered. I called them back to get an update and they hadn't started building them.
2. Engine build is under progress, I believe the heads are being ported right now.
3. Transmission, I'm having troubles. I haven't been able to get in touch with Broader to make my order and I keep forgetting to try calling everyday to get in touch with someone.
4. Body, talked with the body shop today as they was heading out to cruising the coast. I'll have to get in touch with them next week.

A lot of times I have to leave a message with Jay. He will get back to you!! Progress on the headers sounds like one of my builds... I have it mapped out to take a few months.... Then a year later it finally comes together

I hoped to have everything major purchased and delivered by the time I get the engine because I know there will be plenty of misc. stuff that will take time to get in.

I know I will probably need new driveshaft's, fuel tank, radiator, electric fan, shifter, torque converter, trans cooler, oil cooler and etc.

I am slowly getting the project together!! My fender exit Mad Dog headers came in. I just have to mock them up for clearance, weld some bungs and then I can have them coated.

The engine is moving along nicely, I just don't know how the transmission is moving along.

I'm still working on this project it's just a waiting game right now. If you want you can help me think of things I can gathering together for when the engine and transmission arrives.

Project goal: Take my 1984 F150 4x4 that's powered by a 300 inline 6 cylinder and NP435 manual transmission and swap it over to a 385 series engine and c6 automatic transmission. I would also like to repaint the truck and repair some rust damaged areas.

Here is a quick list of items I have or being built at this time.
1. Engine being built.
2. Transmission being built
3. I have a fuel pump, filters, regulator, and lines.
4. I have the transmission to NP208 transfer case adapter.
5. Headers.
6. The truck is still all together and running with the inline 6 and manual transmission.

Items I don't have.
1. Shifter.
2. Mufflers and exhaust pipe.
3. Large fuel tank.
4. Gauges.
5. Larger radiator.
6. Engine pulley's and brackets.
7. Ignition system.
8. Charging system.
9. Driveshafts.
10. Air filter system.
11. Torque converter.
12. Transmission cooler, lines & fittings.

What can you think of that I might would need?
What could I go ahead and start doing?

I can't decide if I should go with a aftermarket radiator and electric fans or piece something together from factory parts?

What are you going to do for Motor mounts?

HorsinAround wrote:What are you going to do for Motor mounts?

I have a set of engine mounts I used to install a 460 into a 93 F150, I'm not 100% sure if they will work. They are like a solid mount with a single stud. I might have to change the engine mount tower's from the picture I see on JBG.

I have the black mounts I used off another build but I don't have the gold perches shown in the picture. (I guess I will need the perches?)

I received a phone call this evening letting me know that my transmission will be shipped out right after the first of the year! Getting excited to see one of the large parts of the puzzle.

Another question for you to chew on: Would it be better to have the transmission cooler in the radiator or a separate unit with it's own cooling fan? (I'm thinking of a Bar & plate unit rather than the tube style)

Ok guys here is some pictures of the project truck.


Engine bay:


I have all ready restored some if the interior.
Before:


After:

Got another piece if the puzzle this week!

I've been driving the truck a couple of weeks and tinkering with the stock I6 300. Fuel mileage has been 8-9mpg but I have never been tempted to try to better the mileage. These past couple of weeks I've been bored so I started tuning on the engine. I drive 100 miles a day and love driving the truck! I have managed to get the mpg up to 13.7mpg and thats on par with a early 2000 model year truck! I just can't wait to get the engine and start this project!

New transfer case on the way! I decided to go with a Cyclone gear box. It is a 10" mated, straight thru with a 1:1 ratio. It mean's all time 4x4 but a lot stronger than any factory made transfer case. This isn't a daily driver so I can unlock the hubs for driving to the races and lock the hubs before a make any passes. I also found a 9" rear axle that will allow me to get rid of the c-clip axles and add disc brakes. I'm pretty excited that things are coming together.

Engine is complete here is a link to the engine build in the Proven Build's section.


Unfortunately, I have been bleeding funds while I have been waiting for the engine. So I won't be able to do body work, DashPak, Vintage air, nice serpentine belt system. It won't be a show truck like I originally wanted. All is not lost though, I won't feel bad about using the truck in the mud or off road.

I will be making a trip in the future to pick the engine up in Kentucky. Still waiting for the Cyclone gear box to come in, it was suppose to be here 2 weeks ago. I can afford a lower cost lift kit for larger tires, I just don't want to go higher than needed. I'm currently running 31" mud tires and plan to burn those down to the cords as soon as I get the truck running.

Looking real good bud. keep posting updates.

HorsinAround wrote:Looking real good bud. keep posting updates.

Thank's. I am bound and determined to complete this build. I have been struggling for the last couple of builds to complete the projects. I did have more than enough money to complete the project if I could have had all the parts when I first started. Since then there has been projects that have drained funds. It's been like I don't even have this project going on. As I have had nothing to show for the money spent for almost 6 months. If someone asked about disappointments of the project to date it would be that.

Keep the lift as minimal as possible. This truck is going to be scary fast on the street and you want it to be as stable as possible. Did you ever come up w/ the final tire package you are going to run?

460bronco wrote:Keep the lift as minimal as possible.  This truck is going to be scary fast on the street and you want it to be as stable as possible.  Did you ever come up w/ the final tire package you are going to run?

I really don't want to run a lift. I could run cut out fender flares. The tires on the truck in the pictures are 31x10.5/15. I wanted to run boggers but those are expensive to be running on the streets. Just imagine driving down to Stateline! So I have no clue what to run for tires, 35's would be nice but I doubt they clear.

I have been looking for the widest 33" tire and a larger wheel.

You are going to need 2 sets of tires. 1 for the street and 1 for offroad. If you want to mud race the truck, the tires need to be pristine! After some street time any mud tire is going to be hurting in its dirt hook-up capability. I have a set of 37" boggers and have got a ton of street time out of them. I have had my truck up well over 100mph w/ the boggers on, but don't feel good about it at all. At the last race, I ran a set of 35x10.5 boggers and the truck hooked unbelievably hard. Its not everyone's opinion, but I have found that narrow mud tires work extremely good. On my truck a 38.5x11 definitely out performs my 37x13. I haven't ran 38.5x15, but the narrow tire has been the way to go on my truck.

Do you see yourself street racing the truck or mud racing the truck more?

That's good info!

Narrow tires make since for mud racing. Especially if you know there is a hard bottom. I'm just so use to wide tires for high flotation for when I drive in my swamp. A narrow tire would help you cut through the mud if your not able to get on top of it. What would you suggest for tires? Don't they still have those classes that you can race what ever you drive in the gate? I know my truck would be placed in the modified class being I have a dominator and aluminum heads.

It is my hope to run the truck more at mud races than at the track. I have said I'd do some street racing but if I had enough mud races to get my fix I wouldn't race on the street. I haven't been to a mud races since my Polaris Ranger went down.  (Pulling the ranger is no longer needed. The ranger has grown and requires a much larger trailer and I'm not ready to buy a big trailer until I finish this project and buy a tow truck.)

Make sure you wash it real good before hitting the track..... Ain't noting pisses drag racers off more than waiting to have a track cleaned....

dfree383 wrote:Make sure you wash it real good before hitting the track..... Ain't noting pisses drag racers off more than waiting to have a track cleaned....

X2 after it makes a bounce or two mud pies fall out all the way down the track plus track personal don't like it

I know what you mean. I worked a starting line for 3 years.

I finally received the gear box. A picture of the gear box and mock-up. The transmission output shaft is .875 too long. (I could either cut the shaft down or machine a spacer ring.) I have started machining a spacer ring for stainless steel. I am going to make the spacer .900 thick just to keep the shaft from bottoming out.

Does the t-case bolt to a factory adapter?