I just purchased a 1989 F150 from a neighbor to use as a daily driver and a beat around truck. The truck has about 40k on a rebuilt 302 and trans. I work in an industrial setting and I don't want a really nice vehicle to drive out there and get tons of fallout and over spray on. The truck has some bid dents in the passenger door and passenger side bed, which I would like to improve. I'm not necessarily looking to have them back to perfect as there are other minor imperfections in the paint and body elsewhere. Is there an relatively easier or recommended way to pull these dents myself? The paint is oxidized but I buffed out a spot and it looks like it can be improved as well. I'm thinking that if I can pull these dents, I can buff out the paint and improve the overall look of the truck.

Second, the driver side door lock is not functioning. Where can I find a replacement lock set for relatively cheap? I bought a Haynes manual, hopefully that will give me everything I need for the install.

Third, the A/C does not work. The blower apparently does because air is pushed through the vents. I think that the compressor needs to be replaced. Has anyone gone through this? I noticed that a new one can be picked up for around $200 new, is this a difficult install.

Thanks for any help. I had a 2005 SCrew and traded it in for the wifes car. I am now driving this truck and a 2001 Bullitt.

 

Welcome to the basement!

Don't forget it's purdy easy and not too expensive to pull '87-'91 panels from a junkyard to make a quick fix on the body if ya don't have a stun welder and slide hammer to pull the dents and repaint.

Manual or electric locks? How is it not functioning?

AC work is the one thing I don't have equipment to work on so have had shops take care of that for me in conversions from the old R12.

Adrianspeeder

 

Yeah, I could pull panels, but right now the body matches no matter how ugly it may be. I'm not real into the multicolor body panels. Leave that for the hot rod civic crowd.

Manual locks, I think that the lock is stripped out or disconnected from something. I bought a new set from AutoZone to install Friday.

I'll probably have the A/C professionaly serviced depending on price.

Thanks for the warm reception!

 

Youll love it as a DD , these trucks refuse to die. Mines given me some problems, like the starter going last night at work and melting the solinoid . But parts are cheap and plentiful

 

If you hear a click when the A/C is turned on, the clutch is fine but likely the compressor is bad or the system is dry. If you don't hear anything, then the clutch is shot. Sometimes the click is too quiet, so just watch the pulley and have someone turn the ****.

 

Pretty sure it's the clutch, because there is no click. We checked it out last night with my dad under the hood and me flipping switches. Is there a way to check and see if only the clutch is bad and check if the compressor is good? Is the clutch on these compressors repairable or replacable?

 

Yup, pull the connector to the clutch. Hook 12v from a wire straight from the battery on one terminal of the clutch and a ground to the other.

Adrianspeeder

 

What will this do if the compressor is still good? Blow cold air?

 

Putting 12 volts to the clutch will lock it with a *click*. Then you can repeat with the motor running to spin the compressor to check for cold AC.

Adrianspeeder

 

Is the clutch replaceable?

 

If only the compressor was bad would the clutch still try to engage when the A/C was turned on? I probably wont have time to get into this until next weekend.

 

Mine did. When my compressor went the clutch would engage, and fry the belt over the compressor pulley.