Entrant #51: Ken & Kathy's 1985 Flareside

• Owners: Ken (SCFlareside) and Kathy Cole
• Location: Clover SC
• Model: 1985 F150 XL Flareside
• Engine: 302
• Driveline: 4x4
• Upgrades: Completely Stock, 33x12.50 BFG Mud Terrains
• Story: This truck spent the first thirty years of it’s life in California, and was driven only a few thousand miles per year.  It then moved to NC, where a farmer used it; it was purchased from the farmer and sat for a few years.  We are the fourth owners.
  • The truck has 141,434 documented original miles and it shows.  Everything on the truck works, save the air conditioning which has a slow leak… even the cruise control
  • At first glance, the truck looks rough because of the paint condition.  All rust is on the top surfaces though, and it is quite clean underneath.  A test drive told the story.  Climbing around it, it’s amazing to find every factory nut and bolt, every cover, every rubber piece… intact.  Even the tailgate rubber stops are in the channels, and the mystery bracket under the bed.  The original spare, rough as it is… is in place.
  • We’ve changed all fluids, done a tune up, new brakes and of course tires.  It now runs great and is fun to cruise to Lowes or around town with. 
  • It’s a fairly highly optioned XL Flareside, with nearly everything that would make it an XLT (unavailable in the Flaresides).  The truck is an interesting color combo: Silver and blue stripes.  We already have the factory stripes replicated and are going to keep the truck as completely original as possible once it makes its way to the paint shop.  We’ve even kept all factory smog systems intact J.   The body shop owner was amazed at how straight it is…
  • Our plan is to replace the wood bed which does have some rot, but to leave the otherwise great patina inside the bed to tell the truck’s history.   The outside will be done in the original silver with two stage paint, and a bed cover put on to protect the patina.  You’ll only see that patina when you look under the cover.