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Decided to make a thread on my 1978 F250 Ranger Lariat with a 400m, Green Interior, 8FT bed, 4wd, the works... So heres some back story to this truck (LONG POST AHEAD):
My dad bought this truck in 1982 from a construction company that used it as a plow truck. Despite being abused it was actually in decent shape, no rust but the frame was slightly twisted, not worth fixing. He kept the truck in good shape, repainted it 2-3 times, and did some minor upgrading to it.
Back in the 80's my father liked to have a good time, so this truck does have some ailments. So far that I know of: He blew out the rear posi doing burnouts and replaced it with who knows what. He ran into a telephone pole going fast, and bent up the whole front end. Luckily he had a push bar on it, so it didn't do too much damage. It got a new bumper, grill shell, and 1/4'' of mud on the hood.
That darkness on the hood is from dirt getting caught up in the cracks of the bondo. I have a new hood lined up for it though.
He kept the truck indoors, except he backed it over the pit in his garage. The moisture from that pit did not do good things to that rear end. Around 2002 he decided to get a used bed that was in better condition, and do another clean up on the truck. Some unforeseen financial troubles came up, and he had to move. He parked it for the next 8 years in the back yard of his new house. The moisture from the ground didn't help either..
So it's 2012 and I asked to take his truck off of his hands in return that he can borrow it when he needs to haul something. It drove right up out of the yard running on probably 3 cylinders, sounded like a JD model D. After inspection the truck isn't too bad except for some minor rust, and a ruined "new" bed.
I dont have too much money right now to do a proper off frame restoration, but I'm trying my hardest to do it right with the least amount of money possible. The engine was in bad shape.
Had to to rebuild the whole bottom end of the engine, new alternator, regulator, Carburator, Flushed the rad, Timing stuff, Oil pump, all new gaskets, and some of the other usual stuff. I did all this while it was in the engine bay.
Got the disintegrated exhaust off, broke all the studs off of the flanges, spent a while messing with all that crap.
I cleaned up the engine compartment a little bit, the worst part was getting pain to stick to the undercoated and galvanized metal.
Took the bed off and bought a new bedside and some floor for it. Frame needed a little clean up, and all new brake lines.
Cleaning up the frame:
Took the rear brakes apart and found them to be in pretty bad shape. New wheel cylinders, Drums, pads, and hardware.
Got the frame all hot rodded up.. not like anyone's gonna see it.
On rainy days I spent my time polishing stuff. Takes forever.
Right Now I'm working on putting the rear brakes back together, brake lines and hoses, then on to the front brakes. I've been caught up in other projects lately. Everything you see in here is broken in some shape or form. Not including another car.
Sorry for the life story, I just had an hour to kill. Thanks for reading.
I really really like that push bar and those fender flares. Completes the trucks "look" In my opinion. Notice how the hood has the two tone stripe on it, I dont know which I like better.
Does anyone know where to find a chrome pushbar like that and paintable fender flares like those?
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