This thread is going to walk you through the trials and tribulations of a full-up/frame-off restoration of my 78 F100 Custom Stepside project. This will be the first truck I have ever restored and 3rd frame-off restoration. How different can this be from a 68' Camaro, 71' Olds Cutlass, 79' Berlinetta, or a 86' Z28. Sit back and enjoy (This may take a while) Pictures to follow

 

Cool!! I look forward to any tips and tricks as I am planning on doing the same to my 75.. havent a clue as to where to start, so any tips would be welcome....

 

Well I am about to put the first pics of the truck, right before I bought it for a cold $175. I feel like I uncovered a vette in a barn this thing was so clean for its age.

That all depends on the state of the vehicle. Mine forinstance does not currently run, I was told it did back in 2002 when it was last run before being parked in a carport at a marina for the next 6 years.

In this case I would start at the getting it running so this way you know what all you have to do as far as any engine work, trany, leaks, lines, etc.

My plan it to do a complete restore, but since money is an issue in todays market, I will have to go slowly a methodically. I want to hear this baby pur, or in this case even cough would be good.

 

Here are those first pics of my latest restoration project:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=72353

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=72354

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=72355

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=72356

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=72357

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=72358

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=72359

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=72360

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=72361

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=72362

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=72363

 

I added this just to make viewing easier, if anyone knows a better way to place the photos on a thread, please let me know.

Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - Burburan's Album: Burburan's 78' F100 Custom Stepside Resoration Project

 

Wow. That thing looks like it just needs a good waxing. I wish I could find a deal like that for my wife to have.

Good luck with the build.

 

Wow, nice find.

 

That's a beautiful truck, and what a steal for $175. I myself would be tempted just to get it running again and drive it as is, since it's so cherry. Looks like a great project though; looking forward to pictures.

 

Okay, so here is where I am today, I first checked all the fluids and added fuel to the new looking 19 gal tank, not good. The gas tank leaked on my garage floor. Next after letting a few drops of miracle oil sit in the cylinders for a few days I dry cranked the engine from Harmonic Balancer pulley. Good news is the engine pistons move and don't bind, but the bad news is that the pressure from the dry crank pushed the coolant around enough to cause the radiator to spring leaks everywhere it was corroded enough to break. Clean up in Garage 1 again! At this point I have two of the main fluids out and figured, why not change the oil. Well that was semi easy. The oil filter was locked on so I had to stab it with a large screw driver to break it free. Then I went under to unscrew the drain plug and after just putting the wrench on the plug it fell off, stripped by someone past the point of no return.

So in a nut shell I need to get a radiator, fuel tank and a new oil pan for the thing and I still have not heard her yet.

 

I forgot to mention I had planned on changing the oil and had a pan under the truck when the radiator gave way, not to bad of a cleanup, but still messy. As for the oil that too made it on the floor a bit since the pan was not exactly in the right spot. Boy this floor has just begun to see the torture of fluids and grit. Did I mention I am doing this in the garage of my new home after painting the garage floor. I am a motor head so of course I painted the floor, I knew what I was going to do here, but my wife didn't.

 

So here is my little crew chief. What you don't here in this picture is the sound of an impatient little girl that wants her dad to get this truck running.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...08048179&thumb

 

Great find and great post. I thought I got a steal for $350. For $175 you kicked a-- and took names.

I printed out about 5 photos of the engine so that I could see what the stock vacuum hose routings looked like. Yours has the same whacky looking air cleaner housing that mine has. Since mine was sitting in the bed, I didn't know how it was supposed to set.

Great thread, great find. Post lots of pics.

 

Nice truck, but having said that, I know what your going through. Mine set in a barn in Curtis Ohio, for 20 to 22 years, so when I got it, if it was bolted on the truck it was bad. I got it to run, but the more it ran, the more things went bad, and started to leak from everywhere.

I went through everything, from top to bottom, and back to the top again, and front to back, rebuilted the 300 I6, and it runs pretty decent now with EVERYTHING new on it. I didn't have the cash to buy everything at once, but as the cash came in I went on to the next step untill it was completed. I got lots of help form the fine folks on this forum, which helped make the project run smooth, and that much more enjoyable.

I am still tweeking it, and hanging more trim on it as I go, so enjoy the journey, and keep the pictures flowing, we love it around here!

PS: are your plans to keep it stock, or are you going to do mods as you go?

PSII: It took lots of hand rubbing to get the 10 lbs of pigeon crap off of the original paint.

 

Thanks for the comments, I actually washed the truck really good when I got home and man couldn't believe it that a little wax brought the shine back on the panels. The truck was repainted once back in 79 because the owner didn't like the original Red color, but never had any body work done to it or any damage other than one of his employees taging the back bumper. I am planning to keep it stok, there are a lot of mods out there, so I think it would be nice to have a stock truck tooling around. About the only thing I will do if paint it candy apple read and then I have a trailer for it that I will paint to match it. The original bed is rooted out but the metal support rails underneath along with the original wood blocks are all in like new shape. I almost can'y believe this truck is as old as it is and this original. If there is a fountain of your for trucks this one found it. Wait til you see what I found when I pulled out the old carpeting in the interior!

 

Does anyone have a factory Air canister. I was looking at mine and the metal tube that comes out from the PCV to the vaulve cover it rotted out about half way around. I could patch it, but would rather have a canister that didn't need the repair. the current hole is pretty much covered but the hose, but I think once running I would get residual oil on the engine and I don't want that. Also the patch might not take since the metal on this tube is really thin.