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.

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