The F150 I have owned now for 11 years, the engine after suffering from the VCT phaser issue more or less locked up from lack of use... So it's time to kick it in gear and get this thing done and back on the road...

Next steps.

#1. Source up a good, no best possible reman engine. Working on determining that now.
#2. Powertrain swap.
#3. Diagnose and repair front end clunk noise. Strongly suspect it is IWEs.
#4. Swap out front coils for Payload package springs to bring nose back up after winch pulled it down.
#5. Swap all belts, flush all fluids, and generally get the maintenance back up to 100% par...
#6. Swap on a new to me high top fiberglass truck topper.
#7. Insulate bed and topper, build out bed platform, and divider / ply tailgate to house A/C unit for sleeper.
#8. Organize sleeper cap storage for my gear. Load up.
#9. Head on out and pile the miles back on her...

 

Welcome back home

 

Well, the good thing about running with an older vehicle like that is that you can use it for its intended purpose without worrying about every little scratch and door ding you pick up along the way!

I remember a few years back I was down at my local Ford dealer and this guy was picking up his brand new Super Duty -- it was a high trim level vehicle that I think went for upwards of $60k at the time. He had a compressor or sprayer mounted in the back of his trade-in vehicle and he was transferring it to his new rig there at the dealership. I remember him and one of his helpers sliding that thing into the back of his new truck and sliding it up towards the cab area and the metal feet of the stand making these huge scratches across the bed of the brand new vehicle -- I thought I was going to pass out right there just thinking about how sick I would be if that were my new truck......

 

I know I am an odd duck, and I admit, I am no huge fan of the 5.4L 3V engine, but even were I to win a huge Powerball or something like that, I would still restore / fix up my old pickup for the reasons mentioned above. I would HATE to put tons of miles or scratches on a new $50K pickup truck, where an almost 14 year old truck, I can make my mods, and beat on with impunity....

I should mention prior to discovering how severe the current engine issues I swapped out OEM leaking headlights for some OE style blacked out lights, installed Silverstars, and LED turn and side marker bulbs. Swapped in a flasher that won't hyperflash, and swapped in an AGM battery.

I should mention, my drivers seat has that, butt sliding across the bolster wear that many of these trucks have. I have a friend that is making custom slip covers for me out of Mexican Blankets that we bought on our last road trip to Mexico.

While the truck sits waiting for funds to get the new engine, I am working on the items I have materials for. The Payload Package front springs, Prep, and PTM the High Top cap (Leer High Top).

I have plenty of woodworking / fiberglassing skills, I am going to make an "extender" for the cap, that will bring the back of the bed more or less to the end of the tailgate. The design is done, I just need to get to building... The idea is to allow me to have enough room to put a full queen mattress under the cap, and still have room to have a small window AC unit in there, as well as a simple door instead of crawling over the tailgate... This will be removable and like the camper shell itself, simply clamps down to the truck bed....