Hello from 1984!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: GNV, FL
Hello from 1984!
Greetings from GNV, FL.
My favorite vehicle was my 1997 F150. 6 ft bed, cab, cap. Her name was ***** Trucka. Was my Turtle Shell. (Am a musician, and kept me and my stuff clean and dry at festivals), Stick, manual doors and windows, vinyl bench seats, vinyl floors. Never left me stranded once, even when the battery was down to 17%. My Shepherd and Pittie (85 lbs each) LOVED that truck! Found a baby crib mattress that fit perfectly with the back seat folded down, and they went cross country with me and my camper trailer twice. Then in ‘09 someone doing 45 in a Hyundai hit me when I was stopped. Totaled her (my truck) and myself. I cried when they towed her away.
Cut to now. My hubby’s grandpa gave me his old 1984. Is scuffed up and basic, stinky and shakey, needs a bunch of work… and I grinned ear-to-ear the entire hour-long drive home. What are your best resources for an oldster? Always wanted to mechanic, but when I graduated it was all becoming computers. Have done oil changes and tuneups and brakes. Looking forward to projects with my honey (we work well together). Gonna learn all I can from youtube. Have a Ford mechanic friend who will let me help and “tutor” me. Will be my “around town” vehicle. (We have a 2012 Edge for long-distance). Should I get a Chilton manual? Or is that for pros? Is a Haynes better for amateurs? Anyone have a mexican blanket seat-cover hookup? Suggestions for insulation? ((Heat, cold, sound. Gets over a hundred here, but also 20’s-40’s in the winter).
Sorry to ramble, but am excited. Love Fords, love to have a truck again, love that I will get to work on something of my own… just generally psyched!
My favorite vehicle was my 1997 F150. 6 ft bed, cab, cap. Her name was ***** Trucka. Was my Turtle Shell. (Am a musician, and kept me and my stuff clean and dry at festivals), Stick, manual doors and windows, vinyl bench seats, vinyl floors. Never left me stranded once, even when the battery was down to 17%. My Shepherd and Pittie (85 lbs each) LOVED that truck! Found a baby crib mattress that fit perfectly with the back seat folded down, and they went cross country with me and my camper trailer twice. Then in ‘09 someone doing 45 in a Hyundai hit me when I was stopped. Totaled her (my truck) and myself. I cried when they towed her away.
Cut to now. My hubby’s grandpa gave me his old 1984. Is scuffed up and basic, stinky and shakey, needs a bunch of work… and I grinned ear-to-ear the entire hour-long drive home. What are your best resources for an oldster? Always wanted to mechanic, but when I graduated it was all becoming computers. Have done oil changes and tuneups and brakes. Looking forward to projects with my honey (we work well together). Gonna learn all I can from youtube. Have a Ford mechanic friend who will let me help and “tutor” me. Will be my “around town” vehicle. (We have a 2012 Edge for long-distance). Should I get a Chilton manual? Or is that for pros? Is a Haynes better for amateurs? Anyone have a mexican blanket seat-cover hookup? Suggestions for insulation? ((Heat, cold, sound. Gets over a hundred here, but also 20’s-40’s in the winter).
Sorry to ramble, but am excited. Love Fords, love to have a truck again, love that I will get to work on something of my own… just generally psyched!
5 Year Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 208
From: NJ
Congrats on the truck and welcome to the forum! There are tons of resources out there for restoration/ replacement parts (LMC truck is a big one). Haynes or Chilton are both fine and easy to follow for basic maintenance. Everything on that truck will be very straightforward and a perfect learning platform. Good luck with her!
