Yes, I am confedent of my mechanical ability and current technology so easy to share and recieve information. I will be doing the work myself. Matter of fact it is a main factor in buying such an old truck.

I seen the rotor on the drivers side looked rough. When I drove it the passenger side grinded, like I was running out of pad. Not severe. I looked and could see some rust still on the surface of the passenger rotor. Maybe a stuck caliper. But the drivers side rotor looks like fecal matter (doo doo). I seen a stress crack, and surface looked like, well ... a steemy one.
So, in my experiance I can do a front brake overhaul for less than a garage will do my rotors and pads alone. Napa works for me. Didn't know if I was going to walk in there and get laughed at.

Was going to ask another question.... ahhh...
What kind of axles should I have? I went to take a picture... but in ohio it's dark at like 5pm... So can't see much of the truck.

So now the question is: Do I have D44's?

 

You should have a hp 44 front and a 9 inch rear. If you go to napa get the most expensive. They have a lifetime warranty and when they wear out you get new ones for free!!!!

 

I was told by an old timer about the old dentsides. He told me if I wanted to buy a truck that was a real truck to buy a 78 or 79 F150 for the motor was solid, the tranny was reliable, and the axles like a half ton. I always had that in my mind growing up. And now I got my 78. I can't wait to share the pics. It's a bad truck! There may be both great things in this truck, as well as the typical rusty treasures unknown by anyone.

 

Doing a test post for the picture... here is my 1978 F150 front end.

<a href="http://s49.photobucket.com/albums/f283/laylow6988/?action=view&amp;current=truck2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f283/laylow6988/truck2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Ok so it works... thank you all for making this an easy learning experience. I hope I can maybe add a helpful threads... I notice that most of the owners can be... stereotyped, and don't post many pictures haha... but some do. I live way out in BFE... so taking this truck out of the city is like taking that dog that is too big for a small city apartment and sending it to a country home. This truck will haul and get used. I grew out of my lead foot... and now is a lead alloy called "whenessisarium". It really prolongs the life of the vehicle.

 

<a href="http://s49.photobucket.com/albums/f283/laylow6988/?action=view&amp;current=Truck.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f283/laylow6988/Truck.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Things wrong so far:
Needs front brake overhaul.
Tranny lines leak really bad.
Cab at mounts rusted, kinda worried.
Electrical system I laugh at with a straight face... rigged.


So... Regular ATF for the transmission?
Any input on any of the goodies I found?

 

Depends on what you mean by "regular" ATF.

XT 1-BF .. Automatic Trans. Fluid "Type F"

Applications: Ford-O-Matic / 1958/67 FX - 1969/89 FMX - 1958/72 MX Cruise-O-Matic's / 1964/76 C4 / 1966/76 C6.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
XT 2-QDX .. Automatic Trans. Fluid "MERCON"

1977/79 (and later) C4 & C6.

 

Ok so Mercon it is. That's a huge help. I was going to go with type F from looking up C6 online. So, this old beast don't like using the left turn signal in the mornings... why the left? I have no clue.

 

More noob questions... is my transmission a 3 or 4 speed? I have seen a few C6's listed as a 4 speed and I am only getting to 3rd gear. I am wondering if I am overworking my engine. I have not had a big block so maybe I am gettin the RPMs too high. I might grab a tach and temp gauge tomorrow while I am out. What should the red-line be on my 351M?

 

C6's are three speed with third being direct 1:1 ratio, no overdrive on any C6

 

Dunno if you got your front brakes done, but I redid ALL of my brake system and it cost about $150/axle doing it myself (rotors, pads, calipers, lines). I couldn't even consider NOT making it as stoppable as possible.

 

just like said above, 3 spd. 1 2 D(Drive)


351m and 400 are good engines, but they aren't made for high revs, they are more of a torquey engine for pulling things IMO. I have my tach's red line set @4500 rpm, this is where i feel safe..again this is my opinion.

 

Ok thank you for the clearifacation. I seen a few people say 4 speed. Ok, so at least I know what I have and that is super important. Right now I just finished making an auxillary heater core box for my Durango. I'll swap out the heater core in the spring when I have more time to pay attention to detail and remove the rodent nests from it sitting around at a PO's house rotting away. I need to get my garage ready for the F150. Going to rig up a pully system so I can remove the hood, intake manifold, and heads by myself.

You guys rock, thank you so much!

 

Wow that thing looks pretty solid!
I love this bodystyle but here in central illinois none of the 70's fords have that much sheet metal left

 

I live in and the truck is from Northern Ohio, where the goal is to lay down as much of the chemicals as it takes to make my truck disappear one rust hole at a time.
I seriously just wrote the Governor and told him to stop laying down all the pricey dump truck loads of chemicals and distribute the savings to provide programs for assistance to those who cant afford snow tires. Lake effect snow does not go anywhere no matter how much of that crap you dump. It just snows too hard here for too long. And now every time I go out in freezing weather I have to try and wash my truck as it freezes then park it in the garage to thaw.
The truck only looks solid. That is a good view of the truck for one. And the other is what happened to the truck to get it in my hands. It was owned by a man who started restoration and I see his work and I like it. Budget, but not that bad. Unfortunately for the truck he died and after years of the truck sitting parked on grass and weeds the truck started the rotting process. Until the P.O. walked over and offered a grand to the widow, she said yes and then the fun starts. He rigged the thing to go. He didn't have $ so I understand he was just being cheap but man did he start to mess up this truck. The frame rails are OK but everything bolted to it or welded to it is just about gone. So much rust. I don't know if I can save it all. The bottom of the cab is shot. I can only hope there is enough metal for me to weld in some new sheet metal to it. I'm going to need a lot more help from this forum. I have only a basic knowledge of cars and trucks. There are still things I am unclear of. Some of it even embarrasses me. But, one thing that I learned a long time ago is never pretend you know how to do something when you don't. Man up, and learn. Unless of course you are applying for a job, in which case... do what you gotta do!
Some of the things that worry me are the things that make the truck junk... like the rust. What should I do? Maybe I should take some pics and start a thread so you guys can give opinions of what you think I should do. I may have to get another truck. The bed is in fine shape, restorable for sure. Tailgate is iffy... holes starting in bottom, but after a good dose of grease it works nice. Yeah, I'm gonna grab a beer and take some pics to see what I got myself into. I think I can save the frame, it's why I bought it. I just hope my idea of welding in new crossmembers and such will be within good $reason$. I don't want to put $10,000 into this truck to make it worth $8000. I'd like to put $5,000 and have a $5000 truck. I know the 4x4 and super cab really make it rare and set it apart. At least if the frame is good but the cab is bad I'll slap in a standard cab and put a 12 foot flatbed on it. Really make it my workhorse. Ok, gotta buzz and starting to ramble... if I keep going nobody is going to read any of my posts.

Disclamer... I worked 3rd shift, so this is not morning to me, I am not driving(off my property). Just wanted to be sure you guys don't think you are putting a drunk driver on the road by helping me work on my truck.

 

Here is another question...

I am looking to get a new set of lock-outs on the front. I think I want to go with warn. Anybody have a link or can tell me which one to go after? I was looking in summit and only found it for the rear 9inch not for my front.