'70 F100

[Maverick]

Probably would be more effective down lower but those are NEAT!!

The only Ford pickup tail lights I can find with backup lights included are the badge lights but they only appear to have two wires going to them. I don't want to mount a second light housing on each side. I should call a store and ask them if they really have brake, tail and backup lights.

Some of the new LED backup lights throw a lot of light and I think would be useable up high.

[Maverick]

Still pluggin' away at the wiring. Have the ignition sw, turn sig/flasher sw, light sw, wiper/washer sw, and gauge cluster connector pretty well figured out and mostly wired. Should be easier now.

Maverick payment is supposed to clear tomorrow and then I'll order the transmission controller and electric fan controller.

Mounted a TCI transmission cooler in front of the radiator support with 1"+ clearance to allow air to escape from behind it. Got two of the three cooler lines made from 3/8" steel line. The TCI cooler has built-in 3/8" barbed fittings so all-steel lines isn't a option. Since there will be short rubber hoses at the cooler I decided to terminate all the steel lines with short pieces of rubber rather than flares. I'm just not up on the different flares.

The TCI-supplied rubber hose looks really beefy. I assume they're good for a few years. If I ever have to change the ATF, I'll at least check all the rubber connecting pieces and maybe just replace them. The short rubber pieces will also take care of vibrations so no extra loops in the lines will be necessary.

Hit a small snag with cooler line sizes. The '00 F150 used 5/16" cooler lines on the 4R70W transmission. WXO and I went to a hydraulic lines shop to see what they could do to get 3/8" fittings on the transmission. Best they could come up with with a 3/8-to-5/16 flared adapters. Seemed hokey so the search was on for a better alternative. Short search on the internet uncovered the solution: Explorer fittings. '96-'01 Explorers with 4R70W transmissions use 3/8" cooling lines. So, up to Bullock's Salvage this morning and got a '96 explorer lifted up on the fork lift and I went under to get the required fittings.



It seems strange that '95 F150s would use 5/16" lines and Explorers would use 3/8". Had me wondering for a little while if the transmission I have is REALLY out of a '00 F150 or maybe something lighter. Checked a '96 F150 and, sure enough, it had 5/16" lines. Doesn't make a lot of sense.

While at Bullock's, I also pulled an electric radiator fan from a T-bird that I spotted on the last trip.



Cleaned it up and tested it. Hi speed works fine but low speed works only with a push to start. Think I'll keep it since the plan is for a variable speed controller using just the hi speed.

The fan shroud is 2-3" too narrow so I'll have to space the mounts out a little. LOTS of room between the radiator and water pump pulley.

[Maverick]

Thanks WXO, and whoever else might have been involved, for checking on seats at Carlisle. I called The Seat Guys.

THE SEAT GUYS
302 Grandvue Dr.
McMurray, PA 15317
412 298-0583

After talking with him I think I'll be using a floor shifter. First problem, he thinks Lariats only came in 4-door pUs. That means the front seat probably doesn't fold forward for access behind the seat. Second, when found the Lariat seats and console sell for MANY thousands. He's talking $5K-$9K. Didn't know you had to buy the whole truck to get the seats.

I told him what I have and want, assuming no Lariat, and he's going to see what he has and call back.

If no console shifter is to be had, the pressure is off and I'll probably put the original bench seat in for a while and buy a floor shifter. I didn't want to buy a floor shifter if it would be replaced with a console shifter.

I'm going to have to think about how to find some wide, full-sized Ford 2-door (front-folding seats) with console shifter for 4R70W. Maybe something like a Mark VIII would be wide enough.

Edit: Looks like there IS a 2-door Lariat. http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale ... 7506&Log=0

[Basement Paul]

The Mark VII and VIII will all be bucket seats. Same problem with the T-birds / Cougars. Maybe a Dakota or regular F-150 seat would work?

-BP

[Maverick]

The Mark VII and VIII will all be bucket seats. Same problem with the T-birds / Cougars. Maybe a Dakota or regular F-150 seat would work?

-BP

Buckets, center console, and console shifter are what I have in mind. Unfortunately, the Mark VIII has 9.5" less hip room than the '70 F100. Can't think of any wide 2-doors other than pickups.

[Basement Paul]

Mercury Marauder might do it?

-BP

[MostMint]

Didn't you put GM seats in the Maverick?

Early 70's Monte Carlo or Grand Prix were pretty big and had buckets seats - swivel buckets if I recall correctly.

There were other big stick shift cars in the late 60's no? Impalas for sure, maybe other big Fords (Galaxie, LTD?) and Chryslers too.

[Maverick]

Thanks for the ideas. Perfection would be a console shifter for an AODE or 4R70W transmission which would be '93 thru about '05. I'm not opposed to non-Ford seats but it would simplify things if the shifter matched the transmission.

The recent Marauders are 4-doors so the seats wouldn't tip forward to get at storage space behind the seats.

Maybe I need to look for a console with AODE/4R70W shifter and get buckets from whatever.

[Maverick]

The fan is installed and it fits great. NO trimming on the shroud. It JUST fits between the top and bottom tanks on the radiator. Its about 4" narrower than the extra-cooling, wider radiator. Has about an inch of clearance between the fan motor and the water pump pulley. Brackets were formed from 1/8"X3" steel flat stock. It looks right at home.

I'd like to post pictures but for some reason the upload browse function isn't displaying a bunch of file folders, incl my F100 folder. The folders are there -- I can display them and access the pictures inside but the browse function doesn't see them for some reason.

A variable speed control is ordered and is supposed to arrive on Saturday.

Transmission controller is here. WXO is coming over Saturday and we get started on the installation. A throttle position sensor has been added to the Holley carb. (I have pictures of all this -- wish I could post them. )

New tail lights/brake lights/license plate light with stainless brackets and flex tubing for the wires have replaced the trailer lights that were on there. So, the back of the truck can now be wired.

Fuel system is complete except for splicing in the new line from the tank to a short piece of old line (in good condition) to the engine compartment.

Not much of the lighting system has been wired yet.

[Maverick]

A friend came over and helped me get past the problem where the upload software couldn't see some folders. For some reason only that software treated some of the folders as hidden.

Anyway, all is well now so here are some pictures that could have been included in the previous post.

T-Bird Fan





There's about an inch of clearance between the fan motor and the water pump pulley.



The variable speed fan controller arrived today. It comes on at 60% when an adjustable preset temp is reached and ramps up to 100% at 10 degrees above the preset temp. Started wiring it up but still have some to do.

The throttle position sensor mounts to the electric choke on the Holley carb.



The picture doesn't show it but these tail lights have "Ford" script in chrome. Kinda fancy for the current state of the body and paint but I'm TRYING to avoid doing things twice. Didn't want to wire up the trailer lights and then have to take them off and put these on later.

[Maverick]

A possible problem turned out to be no problem. The transmission controller requires an electronic vehicle speed sensor (VSS). I know that some Fords have the VSS in the rear axle. Some also have a reluctor on the output shaft and a magnetic pickup that mounts in the (otherwise) speedometer cable hole in the tail housing. The '00 transmission has a plastic plug in that hole. If the output shaft had a reluctor built in, for $17 a pickup could be purchased to achieve the VSS. Pulled the plug and found no reluctor but there is a gear for a speedometer cable cut into the output shaft. That had me concerned because changing the output shaft required a complete disassembly of the transmission.

Time to call the fantastic tech support at Bauman Engineering and learn how to get a VSS. Turns out a VSS is already built into that transmission and the controller harness plugs right in. And, there's a gear in the output shaft for the '70 speedometer cable. Sometimes things work out right.

Got the fan controller installed and wired. Factory setting is for 60% on at 195 degrees. I'll try that. WXO arrived yesterday just in time to give the fan a test. The fan controller has an input to indicate when the AC compressor clutch is engaged and will then put the fan on regardless of engine temp. We put +12V on the AC clutch connection and the fan took off. Was pleased to see it do a slow start to what looked like the 60% speed. A 100% full start would have probably blown the 40A fuse.

The fan controller also has override connections which, when grounded, force the fan on or off. I think I'll use the "off" override to switch the fan off when cranking the starter. A relay switched by the starter solenoid can provide the ground.

We plugged the three controller harnesses into the transmission and wired up the throttle position sensor, neutral start switch, power in and ground. We then proceeded to "calibrate" the TPS voltage with the controller but we're not sure we understand all we know about that process. I need to get some well-formed questions and then call tech support again. Still need to connect the one wire from the controller to the steering wheel to get the paddle shift like function.

The fuel system is completed excect for a couple of tie-downs on the fuel line. Ignition is complete except for attaching the power lead to the MDS box. Left that off because the ignition switch will be on a lot to check out the new wiring. Its not good for the ignition box to be powered when the engine isn't running.

Still need to fiddle with the heater box some before it goes back under the dash. Then the heater hoses can be installed and the cooling system will be complete. Still need to do some wiring under the dash before the gauge cluster can be installed. Shouldn't be too long before a first start video can be posted.

[Maverick]

The biggest mistake, so far, on this project was the purchase of the E Z wiring harness. I understand now why their tech support doesn't respond and why, the one time I did reach someone, he was so uninterested in answering questions. The poor bas*****s that have that job must be yelled at any time they answer the phone. Gotta believe they know, by now, the defects in their harness but get really tired of admitting them.

To power the transmission controller, we tapped into the 12V feed to the electric choke. Turns out the electric choke and fuel pump wires are hot with the key is in both the RUN and ACC positions. The fuse for those two devices is powered by a jumper from a buss powered by the ACC wire from the ignition switch. That buss has to be ACC because of the other devices on it. When that jumper gets fixed I hope that's the end of the problems with that harness. A LOT of time has been wasted it.

[Maverick]

A couple of cuts and a splice on the EZ fuse block and the coil, choke, and transmission controller are all powered only with the key in run position. These defects aren't hard to fix its just agonizing to figure it out, then figure it out again and again before making any mods so it doesn't get screwed up further.

One thing I was really worried about was the "E Z" wiring for the integrated (in the fuse block) turn sig and hazard flasher and all the connections to the brake light, turn signal, and hazard switches. Can't say I understand all those connections. FORTUNATELY, it looks like that part is just fine. Well, the turn signals only work with the key in run position but I'm OK with that.

Couldn't find the original brake light switch so a new one from NAPA was installed, wired up and the brake lights work. Turn signals work and brake lights flash when TS is on. Flashers work but WAY too fast but only the rear lights are wired. I hoping the flashers will be acceptably slower when the front bulbs are hooked up. If not, I expect a different flasher will put them at the right speed.

Fuel system is complete, incl tying the lines down. Lines are all aluminum except a few feet of the original steel where it enters the engine compartment. Wanted steel for the rubber attachment to the engine. It will handle the vibration better than the aluminum lines. Aluminum lines are well secured to avoid any vibration.

Rear of the truck wiring is complete, incl looms and tie downs. Still need to test the fuel gauge and then the bed floor and tail gate can go back on.

Have a new heater fan resistor ordered. Expect it will arrive early next week. Once that's installed in the heater box, the box can go in under the dash, heater hoses connected, radiator filled, and the cooling system will be done.

Still need to connect the one wire from the trans controller to the cruise buttons. Also have some connections to make to the gauge cluster and all that stuff can be tested.

There's ATF on the transmission Think its from the filler tube. The tube was about 1/8" short of full insertion. The bracket that fastens the dip stick tube to the bell housing needs a little massaging and a new O-ring and re-torque of the pan bolts wouldn't hurt either.

Think I'm ready for a call to the trans controller tech support. As mentioned earlier, WXO and I don't understand the purpose of the "calibration" of the TPS voltage. You'd think that process would be to get the controller to see the same voltage and that read at the TPS. But, that's not what it does. Gotta have a conversation with Kevin, super tech support guy.

[wxo]

Looks like you have made major progress in the last few days. It won't be long before we get to hear that motor runnin'.

[Maverick]

WXO is coming over Wednesday. We'll make the call to BE tech support and do some more stuff. Should be able ready for first start on his next visit.

There were some NICE leather bucket seats and console from a 2004 F150 Lariat on ebay this week. They were in Roanoke, VA, a couple hours away. I bid on them but the bidding got too high for me. Nice seats go FAST on Craigslist. I'm checking CR every day now. ebay too. Thinking about Town Car and Mark VIII as well as Ford truck. 4-door seats might be OK if they'll go forward enough and tilt the seat back forward enough to get access behind the seats.