I spent the day Sunday removing the bed from my next project vehicle. Its the '78 F-250 XLT Ranger 4x4 that my grandad had bought fairly new. My Dad bought it from Grandad around 1990 and used it on our farm. It has been a farm truck since new and it shows. Decades of exposure to mud, salt, and cow manure have rusted the body panels and in places, the frame. The front fenders, doors, cab corners, and bed are all junk. When the truck finally laid down a few years ago my Dad got mad and slammed the door so hard that it shattered the glass.
I removed the bed in pieces on Sunday. Luckily the floorpans appear to be solid as well as the drip rail area. The frame from the cab forward is solid, but from the cab back is pretty crusty. The rear shock mounts rusted off a few years back. There is a crossmember in front of the rear axle that has holes rusted in it. The frame has about a 5'' long hole rusted in it due to the close proximity between it and the gas tank (mud was held there and eventually rotted her out). I plan to patch the frame on the rusty spot and acquire a new crossmember and shock mounts then coat it in some sort of rust stopper. The bed floor rusted out so bad that the front part of the bed settled into the back of the cab and caused all sorts of carnage. Dad would jack the bed up with a floor jack to put fuel into it! There will be a lot of body work to do on the back side of the cab but I think its salvagable.
I know it looks hopeless but this is the first vehicle I ever drove and was my grandad's, so lots of sentimental value here. He would turn me loose driving this thing across the pasture when I was a little guy to teach me how to drive. It has the 400M, C6, full time 4wd. Not sure what axles? I'm guessing Dana 60's but I'm not sure how to I.D. them.
The goal is to built it basically stock with a 4" lift and 35s. I want it to look vintage '70s with some period correct wheels. After I get a pole barn built it will be time to learn lots and lots of body work. I already have a line on a low mileage 400M to replace the worn out original one as well as some original body parts. Other than a new radiator, trans refresh, front end rebuild, and some odds and ends it really is mechanically pretty good (believe it or not). I may need some advice from Jerry (daminc) on this one. He may be the only one on here who has saved something this far gone.
(http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/50tbrd88/DSCF1850.jpg)
(http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/50tbrd88/DSCF1849.jpg)
(http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/50tbrd88/DSCF1851.jpg)
(http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/50tbrd88/DSCF1856.jpg)
The huge dent here on the pass side cab corner is from a mad bull charging the truck when it was fairly new!
(http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/50tbrd88/DSCF1854.jpg)
(http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr313/50tbrd88/DSCF1853.jpg)
This is the only actual rust-through on the frame. I should be able to patch it fairly easily.
Let me know what you guys think. Am I crazy or what?
Here is what she looked like once upon a time: http://www.rustfreeclassics.com/images/Ford/78F250Ranger_Orange_Tan/78F250Ranger_Orange_Tan%20002%20(Custom).jpg (http://"http://www.rustfreeclassics.com/images/Ford/78F250Ranger_Orange_Tan/78F250Ranger_Orange_Tan%20002%20(Custom).jpg")
THIS ISN'T AN ACTUAL PICTURE...JUST ONE SIMILAR.
Cool !!!
have a ball
That looks as rough as the trucks up here! At least they have aftermarket parts.
I picked up a 78 last fall, was sitting for 10-15 years, had to cut a half dozen trees down to Drive it out :D
Your rear axle should be a D60, front will be a D44 for sure.
Scott
Yeah these trucks are about like muscle cars, you can buy pretty much anything new for them.
Wasn't sure on the axles...do you have any idea what the different transfer cases were and which is most desirable?
Its very rough. I would be money and time ahead to junk it and buy a nicer one to start with...but what's the fun in that?
Take a picture of the front differential cover, it will be easy to identify it. With it being a factory f250 it should be a Dana60 in the rear and Dana44 in the front.
With the "full time" 4WD your transfer case should be a NP203 (New Process 203), which is an ok transfer case. The NP205 is the transfer case you want (many consider it one of the toughest transfer cases from factory) and you'll want to get some manual locking hubs.
I have used this place for many parts for my '79 F-250 Extended Cab. http://www.autokrafters.com/v4/go.gnf?session=d20d490f8ce8aaca29c9fd38d7b52f46&s=autokrafters&t=&d=products&keywords=&makeId=54&modelId=666&yearId=1979&&ACESSearch=1&product=27831 They have been helpful, that has been 2 years ago or so.
These are my favorite F-Series Ford, if you need any help\advice feel free to get my attention!
Thanks man. I've been searching around for a good forums or sites on these trucks! I agree these are my favorite body style Ford truck EVER.
Any pics of your '79?
you might be crazy to fix it, but who am I to judge. lol
Projects like this are fun. I've enjoyed mine since I started. I find it very relaxing to work on it.
I still have mine from 1978 as well (in the same color orange as yours). And some others along the way. Axles and T-case are as said. Personally, I would keep the NP203, and focus all attention to the bodywork and rust repair. Swapping Tcases afterward can be done at anytime, but finding an NP205 is getting harder to do (granted I have spares on the shelf). You'd be surprised how quickly these trucks are disappearing from the junkyards, and farms.
That looks like a good truck to be working with right there, I have seen some worse ones come back over on the truck forums I am on. Love that front bumper, sure would be handy for me. I have a '72 F250 and a '73 F100, I love the old trucks. Keith just started the '73-79 forum about a week or two ago, should be great once it gets rolling, lots of good knowledge over there on the trucks.
I don't know the rules for mentioning other places, so I will have to look into that. But if it is okay, I will post it up.
Pssst...a 460 will bolt in place of that 400, if you're looking for something a little more....torquey. ;)
Then again, sentimental value can mean a lot...
Looks like the ole truck has a good future...kudos for deciding to save it :bowdown::D
Thanks for all the positive comments guys. It will be a huge project to undertake, but I'm excited to finally start doing some things with it.
Don't tempt me Frodo...I will probably keep a gutless 400M in order to keep costs down. The stocker motivated old orange for 30+ years so they can't be all that bad. :D
http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22611&stc=1&d=1269463349
http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22612&stc=1&d=1269463349
http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22613&stc=1&d=1269463349
They are both works in progress and not the best pictures, but here they are.
Neat trucks man. Both look solid as hell. How many acres does it take to turn that big crew cab longbed around? lol. I had a buddy who was in the process of turning a 79 crew cab longbed 2wd into a 4wd, but I think he sold it before he finished.
Both of them started out as 2WD but were quickly converted to 4WD. You don't turn the crew cab around, you punch the throttle and spin it around. It is packing a built DOVE 460. :D The extended cab still has coil spring ride!!
Those are some good looking trucks you all have there, I had no idea there were other truck lovers on this site.
Okay, unless I missed it I can't find anywhere that says I can't mention another site. If I am wrong, please let me know. I would never send someone to a bad site, I am only on ones I would feel comfortable letting my daughter read.
So, for Keith's new site that will cover the '73-79 "Dent Sides"
http://www.fordification.net
Forum link is on the left of the page. It is a brand new site, but getting information quick. There is a lot of knowledge over there, and more to come as more people get there. It is a sister site to the '67-72 "Bump Side" site.
Go big or go home! that truck looks tough.
Here is where I found my 78, Most solid body I've seen around here in a long time, just has some bumps on the drivers side. 17" split rims and bias-ply's, still had air in them! Got it for $100 :flip:
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i11/turbosprunt/estate%20sale/DSCF0040.jpg)
I've been stockpiling the 80-86 models lately, always wanted a 4X4 in tu-tone brown with huge tires :mullet:
Scott
Trucks have always been my favorite! But when gashiznit $4.00 a gallon I started focusing a little more on something that gets better MPG's. Thats where the TC came into play. :D
Trust me, rust on these trucks is a never ending battle. If I built another one, I wouldn't waste my time on a rusted out truck. I'd get one from texas or something. Just when I built mine, I didnt have the money or a way to get one from somewhere else:(
The '78-'79 F-series are some of my favorite Ford pickups. My dad had a '79 F350 with a 460ci and C6 auto. It was still in use 20 years later, although it was on it's second engine and at least third trans. Surprisingly, those late 70s Fords didn't rust as quickly as the early 80's trucks.
I have noticed that the late 60's models don't seem to have rusted as bad as the 73-79 models. Mine has been trashed on since day 1 and up until 3 years ago was still in daily service on my Dad's farm. It still has the original 400, C6 (never been touched), and axles. The only major part that was ever replaced on the engine was one of the heads due to my grandma driving the truck without any coolant in it. :punchballs:
They don't make 'em like they used to. I guarantee if you took a new F-250 and put it through what that truck has went through, it would not survive nearly as long.