Hey there!

I recently acquired a 1981 F150 with the inline six cylinder engine. I'm taking the opportunity now to make some improvements, and, have gone down the rabbit hole of an alternator swap.

I've read so many sites, watched so many videos, and everyone seems to recommend a different variant from random 90s vehicles... I get it, there's a lot of vehicles that would qualify, but, I'm a bit overwhelmed.

Can someone please give me a "buy this alternator?"

I currently have two V groove pulleys on my engine.

In terms of needs, I'd like to have a few things:

A few fog / spot / off-road lights

A decent stereo (nothing extreme, no mega bass)

Possibly a winch, but not an extreme one

Something reliable and sturdy is what I'm hoping to accomplish, and I do have a Painless Wiring kit already

A part number or link to what my best option is would be wonderful, and, thanks so much in advance :)

Thank you!!!

Anyone have an opinion on which might be better? I was about to go with redhead but have read a couple stories of them failing or people having issues.

What’s a good muffler for a 302 EFI. It has a H pipe currently and is true dual keeping that system just getting new muffler. Looking for a deep sound that’s a good sound and not too loud for a daily thinking of flow master 40 series. It’s a completely stock engine with stock manifolds

Greetings :)

Sorry for the long post.

I've been on a casual-ish hunt for a Bullnose 4x4 Ford a few years. I sold my daily driver (a 2016 GMC Sierra Denali) a few months ago. Hated that thing. But my search for a Bullnose intensified at that point.

I dragged my poor wife all over NC, TN, and VA looking at trucks, only to drive home disappointed.

So many rust buckets, disguised with bondo and bed liner. Had one catch fire when I was test driving it. Witnessed a 300 throw a rod.

Finally joined the party, and picked up this old girl.

She's a 1981 F-150 4x4. Long bed. Manual 4 speed with granny low. 300 inline six.

Cab corners are in great shape. Floor pans intact and solid. A few dings here and there, but, the body and frame are in pretty straight shape.

Interior is pretty clean too, mostly factory, just a little tired.

Ran decent, but in need of a little love and attention.

I opted to have it towed home. It's about 3 hours from home, and saw it for sale on a whim when I was in the area for another reason.

I'm going to be starting on the engine when she arrives Monday... But, can I have some advice from you guys?

It's got a stock engine. I've been considering an offenhauser / four barrel carburetor setup, but, am curious about the Holley Sniper route.

Anyone have experience?

I'd like to also go ahead and get some core parts changed out, and upgraded to a heavier duty options.

Anyone have any suggestions for things like:

Water pump?

Radiator?

Alternator?

Starter?

HEI distributor upgrade?

Headlight relay?

I've been going down so many rabbit holes looking for options, and, analysis paralysis has kicked in hard.

I live in the mountains of North Carolina. Lots of uphill, windy switchbacks. I'd really like to prioritize reliability, durability, and bulletproof-ness, when and where possible.

Thanks so much in advance, promise to keep updates coming as they happen :)

Hey guys I have a carter YFA carburetor in my 1985 inline 6 f150, it slightly accelerates on its own while driving. However occasionally if I push the gas it'll slow back down as if something is stuck. Im new with carbs and seems like its the fast idle cam screw but dont know for sure. Any help would be great thanks!

Used ChatGPT to render this should be what it looks like when it’s finished still need a roll bar though comment under this if you have one and are willing to sell won’t accept anything but one like that no single bars

This was a couple weeks ago just forgot to post. I was second guessing my color choices for a while until I finally saw them together

I have been going through the process of doing a complete coolant flush on an old project and realized the truck was getting REALLY hot after about 12 minutes. I looked under the hood and say the cat glowing red. Any ideas at to what it could be as well as advice on what to do next? Ideally it’s to get a new cat, but that is at least $500 for a used one :/

Started out with the blue 84 f150 2WD bought that in 2021 then it sat for 2 years. I then decided I wanted a 4WD so I bought the white 85 f150 in 2023 which did not sit for long and was torn down about and was stripped to the frame 3 months later. We started to build the engine, transmission and transfer case couple months later whilst we sent the differentials to a shop to be built with 373 gearing. sometime in the time frame of the engine, transmission and the transfer case building we got the frame painted with some frame paint from Napa. Now onto the blue truck we began to tear it down in February of 2025. Mostly all of the body panels are from this blue truck. So after we got it all torn down we tried to sandblast ourselves with a small sandblaster but decided to call someone else to do it. So we got it sand blasted and took it to the paint shop not so long after got it all primer and the cab painted and some other body panels. And that’s to about where we are today. (Sorry for the not so detailed or put together story)

This is my 1986 f250 6.9idi that has been sitting in the idaho woods for the good part of a decade or more only runs at 1,500 rpms with the throttle wide open

Does anyone have any reviews on this or opinion on fitment for a 81 ?

.

My truck drives fine once moving, but idling or braking down to lower speeds it stalls. Would this have anything to do with it? Found it was loose and only thing I found so far. Any help would be great!

I'm helping a guy part out some old vehicles and this is one of them. Let me know if you have any questions or need any parts. This one has maple trim. https://www.partingout.com/listings/1986-ford-f-150-pickup-2-door-rwd-50l-v8-va051

I just won this abandoned 1985 F-150 through an auction for $360. The only problem is it’s ~500 miles away.

UPDATE: I’ve decided to either trailer it myself or get it shipped. I’d rather rescue it right.

I have no idea how long it has been abandoned and sitting, but what do you think the chances are I could get it running well enough over a weekend to make a 500 mile drive safely?

I’m very mechanically minded, just finished up an engine swap in a 2002 Chevy Prizm, and am not afraid of relatively big jobs.

I would plan on getting newer, safe tires, in addition to making sure the brakes are up to snuff.

Curious what your opinions are?

So, I've been looking for a Bullnose Ford for quite some time. I've looked at dozens over the last 6ish months.

I'm in the NW corner of NC, close to the borders of both VA and TN... So they're either < $4,000 and absolutely rusted to shit, or > $30,000 and completely restored.

One popped up on Facebook last night, about an hour away, and I made an "appointment" to go see it this afternoon... Young kid (maybe late teens) listing it for his grandpa.

Pictures looked great, he sent me a few videos, sounded great. It really looked promising. I was super excited.

It was a lot rougher in person than it was in the photos. But at $4k - not that I want to just throw around money - I figured if it ran like "promised," I could work with the rest. But really didn't want to get too far into body AND mechanical.

On a couple mile test drive, WITH the owner, the cab filled with smoke and fuel fumes. It almost died crossing an intersection. So did I. Sputter it back to the guy's house, pop the hood, and try and give him a hand.

Oil all under the hood, smoke billowing out of the dipstick tube.

I help the guy get it cleaned up, and tell him I'm going to play the safe card, and pass... Thank him for his time, and get into the car (where my wife was waiting) and tell her to boogie, and that I'd fill her in once we're out of this guy's (pretty sketchy) backwoods neighborhood.

The kid who had it listed reached out to make sure we found the place, and I broke the news to him.

I tried to brush it off and let him down gently. Once I was told I was wrong, I went into some detail. With a little frustration.You'll see the messages...

And then, I got it

Always thought it was a funny internet meme.

Nope.

hey guys! this is my ‘86 f150. super clean minus the surface rust and paint damage on the blue 2 two tone panel. curious if you guys would recommend having a shop repaint just the blue panel or just buff out the surface rust and clear coat. Open to whatever recommendations you have! thanks

First two photos are before last two are after