Bullnose Garage Monthly: Jan 2026

Shop talk and grease-smudged updates from the garage.

January was one of those months where progress doesn’t look flashy, but it matters. I officially hit pause on engine work and shifted gears hard toward getting the Bronco ready for Poverty Tour in June. That sounds far away until you realize how fast four months disappear when a 40-year-old truck is involved. This was about planting the flag and saying “okay, it’s go time,” even if that meant stepping away from the Windsor for a bit.  No worries, we’ll get the heads off soon (hopefully next couple of weeks) but having it sitting there doesn’t hurt anything.

At the same time, something new fired up in the shop. I finally got my 3D printer dialed in and forced myself to stop “thinking about learning Fusion 360” and actually learn it. Turns out, once you get over that first hump, it’s dangerously empowering. I’m now at the point where I can design and make my own parts instead of hunting forums or hoping the aftermarket hasn’t abandoned me yet. That’s a big shift for this channel, and honestly, I’m pretty fired up about where it leads.

Content-wise, January was… painful. Literally. I dropped a video on stuck bolts that is basically a highlight reel of frustration, a few wins, one big loss, and lots of mechanical stubbornness. If you enjoy watching someone suffer so you don’t have to, that one’s for you. And then there was the wildcard: my deep dive on the 7.3 IDI. That video took off in a way I did not expect and somehow became the biggest release I’ve ever put on the channel. Apparently, a lot of people still care about loud, slow, indestructible diesel engines. Who knew?

A lot of the January momentum has come out of the 3D printer. Bronco badges are coming off the bed like a factory run, and right alongside them is a growing pile of 3D-printed wrenches. And when I say a pile, I mean a whole lot of them. They’re part of a special project I’ve been quietly chipping away at, and at this point the printer is basically earning its keep around the clock.

At the same time, I’ve been deep into designing a new radio bezel for the Bronco. This isn’t just a cosmetic cover, either. It’s being built specifically to cleanly integrate a modern head unit and a CB radio into the dash without it looking like a stack of aftermarket compromises screwed together in the 1990s. This is easily the most complex thing I’ve designed so far, and it’s forced me to really learn Fusion 360 instead of just poking at it until something works. Painful at times, but incredibly satisfying when the parts finally fit the way they should.

All of that work finally justified something I’ve wanted to do for a while: I launched a dedicated 3D Print Space on the Bullnose Garage website. You can find it here:
https://bullnosegarage.com/3dprints

This is going to be the home for all the prints I come up with specifically for Bullnose trucks, from badges and trim pieces to functional parts that just don’t exist anymore. I also want this space to grow beyond just my stuff. If the community is designing smart, useful parts for these trucks, I want a place to showcase and share those too. Think of it as a growing digital parts bin for Bullnose owners.

Beyond plastic and pixels, there’s also been real-world progress on the Bronco itself. I’ve started knocking out paint work and touch-ups as part of the larger Poverty Tour prep, cleaning things up piece by piece so the truck looks as good as it runs. I’ll get more detailed on that in the Bronco-specific update section, but just know that January wasn’t all computer screens and printer noises. There’s been plenty of hands-on work happening too.

If you’ve ever gone digging for 302 hardware and come up with nothing but a handful of mystery bolts and your own rising blood pressure, you’ll feel right at home with this guide. We skim the big stuff… intake bolts, motor‑mount nuts, torque‑converter hardware, the smog pump circus, transmission bolts, and that A/C bracket that loves to vanish the moment you need it. Bullnose Bill tackles the real question here: where to find all the missing hardware on an ’86 F-150 302 and how to make sure you’re buying the right stuff instead of whatever the parts-counter kid shrugs at. If you want the full walkthrough, Bill’s answer is worth the read… he lays out exactly what to check, measure, and buy before you turn one more bolt.

The Windsor build is officially in a holding pattern right now while I focus on getting the Bronco ready for Poverty Tour. That said, it’s not completely frozen in time. I did manage to get all the bolts out, which honestly feels like a small victory in itself. Only one of the two heads was destroyed in the process, which is what it is.

The next step is pulling the heads. That’s queued up for the next stretch of real shop time I can carve out, hopefully within the next couple of weeks. Once the heads are off, things start getting a lot more interesting again, and I’ll be back into proper teardown and inspection mode instead of wrestling fasteners.

For now, the Windsor is patiently waiting its turn while the Bronco gets the attention it needs. It’s not abandoned, just temporarily sidelined.

The good news is the ’85 still runs, which automatically puts it ahead of a lot of old trucks on the internet. The less good news is that it’s developed a couple of electrical gremlins. The gas gauge and the blinkers both decided to stop working correctly at about the same time, which usually isn’t a coincidence. My current theory is a bad ground somewhere, so that’s officially on the diagnostic list.

I’ve also got the driver’s door panel off so I can finally deal with the locking mechanism. That’s been on the “I’ll get to it later” list for way too long, mostly because it involves tight spaces, sharp edges, and my very un-dainty hands. At some point you just have to stop avoiding it and accept that you’re going in knuckles first.

Nothing catastrophic, nothing glamorous, just the normal slow march of keeping a 40-year-old truck functioning the way it should.

Most of the real work this month went straight into the Bronco, and a lot of it was the kind of unglamorous-but-important stuff that actually moves the project forward. I started by cleaning up the exterior, which included peeling off every last old political sticker the previous owner had applied over the years. That alone made the truck feel about ten years newer.

Both bumpers came off next. The rear bumper is officially done for, thanks to a poorly designed hitch setup that the previous owner tried to tow something far too large with. It’s not salvageable, so it’s headed for retirement. I’ve already got a universal replacement bumper sitting in the garage and I’m just waiting on the mounting hardware to finish that part up. The front bumper, on the other hand, is in good shape. It just needs a fresh coat of paint, which puts it firmly in the “easy win” category.

Paint has been a recurring theme lately. I pulled the grille and headlight bezels and gave them a full refresh, and this is where the Bronco really started to take on its new personality. The grille is getting painted to match the copper accents I’m using for the new badges, which also went on this month. That same copper theme carries over to the wheels, which were painted, cleared with 2K, and finally wrapped in brand-new tires. That part felt huge. They’re not going on the truck just yet, though. I’m holding off until the brake overhaul is done.

Speaking of brakes, every part for a full front-and-rear brake refresh is either ordered or already on the way. I’m redoing everything. No shortcuts. This truck needs to be safe and predictable on the road, especially with the family riding in it. Once the brakes are done, the new wheels and tires can finally go on and the Bronco can start to feel like a real, usable vehicle again.

Inside the truck, I managed to score a really nice set of captain’s chairs to replace the completely worn-out bench seat. Comfort is about to improve dramatically. As soon as the new radio bezel design is finished, I’ll be able to start installing the interior pieces and tying everything together.

I’ve also been chasing down the gas gauge issue and I’m pretty confident I’ve got that one figured out. Turns out painting the fuel tank without accounting for grounding is a great way to make a gauge stop working. That one’s on me. The diagnosis is done, and I’ll be adding a proper ground strap to fix it and officially cross that off the list.

There’s still a lot to do, but the Bronco finally feels like it’s moving forward in a big way. My hope is to get a dedicated video out soon that covers the work so far and talks more about Poverty Tour itself, because this thing is quickly becoming the centerpiece of the start of this year.

From a channel perspective, January had two genuinely big milestones. The first is the 3D printer. That thing isn’t just a new tool, it’s already changing what this channel can do. Being able to design and make parts in-house opens up a whole new lane for content, especially for trucks where the aftermarket has quietly given up. You’re going to see a lot more problem-solving, custom parts, and “why doesn’t this exist already?” projects coming out of the shop this year.

The second big moment was the 7.3 IDI deep dive. That video took off way beyond anything I expected and somehow became the most popular video I’ve ever published. Clearly, there’s still a strong appetite for old-school diesel content, and that tells me I’m on the right track leaning into deeper, more technical engine history and teardown-style videos.

Behind the scenes, I’ve also been doing some less exciting but very necessary work on my editing and processing workflow. None of it is particularly interesting unless you’re also a YouTuber, but it should help me turn videos around faster and spend less time staring at progress bars. That means more time in the garage and more content actually making it onto the channel, which is a win for everyone.

If you’re reading this thinking, “Wait… isn’t it February already?” yes. Yes it is. Turns out January ended while I was still in the garage, covered in dust, paint, and excitement for the future. That one’s on me.

That said, a lot of real progress happened this month, and I wanted to get it all down in one place instead of rushing something out just to hit a calendar date. Thanks, as always, for sticking around, following along, and supporting what I’m building here. There’s a lot more coming as Poverty Tour gets closer, and things are about to get very real, very fast.

See you in the garage.

— Ed

© 2025 Bullnose Garage and Duskrider Design LLC

If you’re done with the garage chaos, no hard feelings: unsubscribe here.

Bullnose Garage Monthly: Dec 2025

Shop talk and grease-smudged updates from the garage.

December turned into one of those months in the garage… the kind where a simple teardown turns into a full-blown saga. The 351 top end finally came apart, but not before six broken bolts dug in and made me earn every inch of progress. As of today, they’re all out… though not without a casualty along the way. I’ll let the bolt extraction video tell that story, because it deserves its own spotlight. And just when I thought the month was all engine grease and stubborn fasteners, the Bronco decided to remind me it has plans of its own thanks to a fellow YouTuber.  More on that soon too.

This blast from the past has me remembering that yanking a crusty old 351 Windsor gets a lot more interesting when your “crew” is two 4‑year‑olds who think a donor chassis is playground equipment. I finally dragged that four‑year lawn ornament into the garage and pulled the engine, with only minor chaos and one toddler trying to out‑muscle a frame rail. If you want to see how the transmission tried to redecorate the floor and where the 351 garage story began, check out this old video!

While the bolt extraction video is getting wrapped up, I’ve been quietly chipping away at the next big deep dive: the 7.3 IDI. Most of the footage is already in the can, and it’s shaping up to be a solid technical overview rather than just a surface-level history lesson. I still need to knock out some whiteboard segments to tie the concepts together, but once that’s done, it should land not long after the extraction video drops. This one’s been on my list for a while, and I’m excited to finally give it the attention it deserves.

If you’ve ever lumped all the “351” engines into one big happy family, surprise! Ford mixed three different soups and slapped the same label on the can. This month we untangle the Windsor, M, and Cleveland mess so you know what’s actually lurking under that air cleaner. Bullnose Bill’s featured answer tackles the classic “How do I tell which 351 I’ve got?” and walks you through the dead‑giveaway clues without making you crawl through every casting number. If you want the quick, greasy, real‑world way to ID your engine, go read the full breakdown.

The top end teardown is officially complete, and after wrestling with six broken bolts, the block is finally free and clear. With that chapter closed, I’m honestly looking forward to getting into the bottom end… that’s where things start getting really interesting. While the engine’s fully apart, I’m also planning a few focused system deep dives, especially around oiling and cooling, to take advantage of having everything exposed. This phase is less about wrenching fast and more about understanding the engine inside and out.

The ’85 is still alive and doing truck things. It fired up, hauled a load to the dump, and came back without complaint… which honestly counts as a win. Beyond that, it’s been in a holding pattern while all the attention stays locked on the engine work. Sometimes progress just means not breaking anything.

I haven’t turned a wrench on the Bronco lately, but progress is still happening… just mostly in my head (and on notepads). I’m putting together parts lists for a full brake system overhaul, a wheel and tire swap, and a CB setup in preparation for an upcoming road trip I’ll talk more about later. The focus here isn’t speed or power, it’s safety and roadworthiness. Especially since there’s a decent chance the kids might come along for the ride.

As the year winds down, I just want to say thank you for sticking around… for the comments, the suggestions, the shared stories, and the patience when projects take the long way around. This year had more learning curves than clean victories, but that’s kind of the point around here. There’s a lot more coming in the new year, and I’m excited to keep digging into it, one stubborn bolt and bad idea at a time. Until then, I hope you and yours have a safe, quiet end to the year… and I’ll see you back in the garage soon.

© 2025 Bullnose Garage and Duskrider Design LLC

If you’re done with the garage chaos, no hard feelings: unsubscribe here.

Bullnose Garage Monthly: Nov 2025

Shop talk and grease-smudged updates from the garage.

Welcome to the first Bullnose Garage newsletter! I figured if I’m going to spend half my life buried in engines, editing timelines, and making questionable garage projects come to life, I might as well keep you all in the loop. November was one of those months where everything seemed to happen at once: wrapping up the Cleveland video, prepping the garage for the Windsor teardown, finishing up my welding table, packing in (and out) a huge garage sale, trying not to break YouTube’s social tab, and realizing I juggle more projects than a guy with two hands and zero coordination has any right to. I bounced between script writing, scene planning, channel tweaks, and software tutorials like a man trying to catch up on stuff he ignored all summer.  Because I did. But hey, if nothing else, this newsletter gives me a chance to put all the moving parts in one place and gives you a front-row seat to the madness I keep calling a hobby.

So I went looking for a simple Bullnose project, and naturally it turned into a months‑long scavenger hunt capped off by me buying a stick‑shift truck I couldn’t even drive yet. What followed was a roller‑coaster mix of repairs, upgrades, surprises, and one forklift-induced therapy session. If you want the whole saga of how a “quick project” became Bullnose Garage, buckle up. Click in and see where the trouble actually started.

This month’s been a busy one. While finishing the 351 Cleveland video, I learned I apparently have the power to resurrect long-dead factories with AI because the Cleveland plant footage I cooked up looks so real it ought to come with a union rep. On the real-world side of the camera, most of my time has been spent getting the garage and the 351 Windsor area ready for the teardown series. I’ve been rehearsing my intro, blocking out scenes, figuring out where the camera needs to live, and generally making sure this whole thing feels intentional. It’s not just “guy with a camera in a garage” anymore, I’m trying to build a proper flow so the teardown plays like a real show instead of a security cam from Harbor Freight. I’ve also been working my way through YouTube’s social tab, trying to use it more without accidentally blasting everyone with random thoughts at 2 AM. Between that, the long-form videos, the voiceovers, and the editing experiments, I’ve kept myself pretty busy. This is the first Bullnose Garage newsletter, and we’ll see if this thing grows wings over time. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while… give everyone a clear monthly snapshot of what’s happening, what’s coming up, and what chaos I’ve created in the garage. Oh, and I may or may not have spent several late nights learning way too much about fiber lasers. Apparently the only thing that burns faster than a brass challenge coin is money.

The poor ’86 F‑250 starts, pops a fuse, and clocks out like it’s unionized, which usually means there’s a juicy short hiding in the solenoid/ignition wiring or a ground that’s gotten lazy. Bill walks through the whole hunt—chafed wires, crusty grounds, fuse box gremlins, and the usual “did a hot wire melt itself on the manifold again?” routine. Bullnose Bill’s featured answer zeroes in on the real culprit: a short in the solenoid or ignition circuit that kills the truck and nukes the fuse. If you want the full wire‑by‑wire roadmap, go read Bill’s breakdown before your truck files for workers’ comp. 

Here’s the highlight: Turns out that “dent” in my Bassett rim wasn’t me being a klutz—it was the factory leaving me a little love note in the form of a heat‑shrink valley. I walk through the whole detective job and how I’m cleaning it up without firing up the welder, and yes, the dramatic size difference between “what I remembered” and “reality” gets exposed too. All the behind-the-scenes details are tucked behind the Patreon gate if you want the full tour.

If you want to see more and get the full versions of these posts, check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/c/bullnosegarage.

The Windsor videos are slowly climbing back into the spotlight thanks to the channel’s recent momentum. I’ve been planning out the next steps… getting the engine on the stand, prepping it for the machine shop, and mapping out the full series from teardown to quarter-mile run. I’m also still juggling which shop is going to do the machining, what I’m filming there, and how far I can push this build before my wallet taps out and begs for mercy.

Not much hands-on wrenching this month, but the truck is still front-and-center as the “main character” in the upcoming engine swap storyline. Most of the work has been behind the scenes: writing, planning, organizing, and making sure the entire series from teardown to road test actually makes sense on camera. The NP435 swap decision is still floating somewhere between “rational” and “maybe I just like making my life complicated.”

The Bronco hasn’t gotten much love this month, mostly because the 351 (both Windsor and Cleveland) stuff has been eating my life. The tires are just old enough that I don’t trust them for anything serious but I’ve moved it around a bit and at least put the air cleaner back on so it’s not sitting in the garage looking like a parts bin exploded all over my floor. The real progress is in the planning phase. I’m still locked in on the desert crawler direction: TTB stays, 35s down the road, probably a 4-inch lift with a 1-inch body lift so it sits right without going full monster truck. I drilled and tapped the Basset wheels to accept the old Ford center caps (See the video!) and yes… I’ll be running non DOT wheels on it. Sue me. (Please don’t.) And the boosted inline-six dream is still alive and kicking in my notebook.

Thanks for hanging out with me in the garage today. I appreciate you more than you know. Every view, every comment, every shared story about your own truck keeps this whole thing fun. See you next time!

If you want to dig deeper into the builds, check out the latest videos, or support the channel, here are a few places to find me:

🔧 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bullnosegarage
🔥 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bullnosegarage
🛠️ Website: https://bullnosegarage.com

Thanks again for being part of the Bullnose crew.

© 2025 Bullnose Garage and Duskrider Design LLC

If you’re done with the garage chaos, no hard feelings: unsubscribe here.