'93 F-150 build

[Eckert]

best bet is buy a parts truck with a blown motor or something if your that serious

you dont say!

seems like a good deal if your still interested. take what you need and you could still get a few hundred back on scrap. i get the seats and console for a finders fee

http://houston.craigslist.org/pts/1715241408.html

[colman]

or get it and swap ur motor in

[Sparling]

I'm just going to stay automatic for now mainly because of the low down time. I'm just waiting on a new torque converter and when I get home I'm installing it all so I can start driving it again, and start bleeding blue again instead of driving my dad's suburban around.

The only issue I have is that the transmission in my truck is cable shifted ans the one I got from Clarke is linkage shifted so I have to figure something out for that. Anybody have any ideas?

[Sparling]

Got the transmission in yesterday and got it running this morning. Drives pretty well, I just have to add another quart or two of fluid later today. Too answer my own question in my last post, you can change out the shaft that the shifts the transmission between different year E4OD's so the shifter matches the truck, you just need needle nose pliers to take out the little pin that retains the shaft inside the housing.

The next step is to paint the truck, which I am also doing.When I prime the truck would it be good to sand it down to bare metal or can I just scuff up and clean the old paint really well before I lay down the new paint? There isn't any rust it's just old faded and slightly oxidized paint. I'm going to prime it and then spray on the Paint Shop lacquer paint that they sell at the various car parts stores, anybody used this stuff before?

[Eckert]

there is no reason to take it down to bare metal.

[KrazyKarl02]

It is always best to sand it down to bare metal. But for a sub $2000 truck you can just sand/scuff the paint and the stuff will hold.

In my opinion, what makes a good paint job is not when you are painting, but all the prep work of sanding, priming, etc... There are lots of people on here that know way more about it than me. Remember if you see something in the primer/sanding stages, fix it. Putting a glossy paint on it will only highlight it.

I am assuming you have a decent paint gun?

[RCcola55]

take it to bare metal if you want it to come out decent, otherwise sand it to 600 then spray ur primer sand again to 600 then base, also spend the money on a good single stage paint not the parts store ****, or man up do the whole thing right and spray a good base/clear. Like karl said prep is the key! DA, block, and then clean with a GOOD wax and grease remover then go over with a tack cloth, take you time in the taping department as well. Hopefully fred will chime in on this

[Sparling]

I am assuming you have a decent paint gun?

My grandpa has a spray gun, I don't know it's origin or quality and he's never used it.

...spend the money on a good single stage paint not the parts store ****...

What would be a good single stage paint to use and where can I get it. I know automotive paint can get expensive quick and I don't want to spend a ton of money on paint. My expectations are maybe factory quality or slightly better.

[RCcola55]

if your expections are for a better then factory spray job it is going to take a lot of work IMO. You will need to atleast remove the bed and strip everything down to bare metal, take the time to block the whole truck out, and if you hvae never done it before it can get tricky quick. Then you will need to spray a primer/sealer and repeat blocking, then prime again sanding to atleast 600 each stage. I would recommend shooting a base clear, but if money is tight then go with the single stage. Like i said fred would know better then me on what to use. Either way you will be able to get a good finish with the right amount of prep work and buffing after the fact. I would say dont expect to pay less the $500 for materials. Also found out what gun your grandpa has, the right gun makes a difference.

All that being said, if you were to lower your expections then you could get by with less work and slightly less money, but IMO dont waste your time, there is nothing worse then a ****ty paint job

[Sparling]

I have a problem with the transmission. I took it on the highway for the first time and it won't go into overdrive and the overdrive button has no effect on it. I'm thinking it's the MLPS (Manual Lever Position Sensor) and it thinks it's in second instead of drive. It won't start in park but it will start in neutral so I know I need to adjust it but I'm not sure if the MLPS is affecting that too or not. It has the right amount of fluid and it shifts smoothly when it does shift. Any transmission experts here or should I venture over to FSB or FTW?

[RCcola55]

sounds like you need to adjust it

[Sparling]

I tried adjusting it and even got a new MLPS and it still doesn't shift past 2nd. What else could cause this? It starts in park and neutral now.

[colman]

automatics should start in park and neutral

[Sparling]

I know. It didn't before I got the new MLPS. Just saying that because I think whatever causing in not to upshift isn't the MLPS since that problem is no longer a problem.

[Seth]

this is a stretch on an electronically controlled trans, but try putting it in 1 and then manually shifting up as youu accelerate.