Well, been lurking for a bit and bought a 1973 F350 Ranger XLT Super Camper Special so I thought I would throw my hat in the ring and say Hi.

Here is the new beast:
Something wants me to call her Yeller so I think that will be the name.

It would appear she is one of the "trucks that shouldn't be". Many of the parts books and lookup web sites I've been to say that '73 F350 doesn't have a 460 but she does. She has a 08/73 build date so perhaps she was supposed to be a 74 but came off the line too early? The warranty tag and vin decode like this:

F35: '73-'79 2 wheel drive Pickup (F350)
J: '73-'79 8 460 4-bbl. 7.5 Litre
R: San Jose
Q00,001 S60,000: 1973

140 wheelbase
R: '73-'76 Medium Ginger Metallic
8: '73 Yellow
F354: '73 F350 Pickup 10,000 gvw
L34: Ranger XLT cab w/ styleside pickup box
G: '73-'79 3 Automatic Ford
36: '73-'75 3.73 7.4M Dana (Spicer) 70
J: '73-'79 Ford w/power strg
74: Seattle

I have found nothing major mechanically wrong and I think it will be a very good truck with minimal work.

For those that like to read here is a bit of a run down on what I know so far:

She is running rough, a compression check showed within 5 or so on all 8 so the aftermarket holly carb is suspect one. It looses prime and accel pump seems like garbage, never cared for them anyway so to the scrap pile and an edelbrock I have on the shelf replace it.

Suspect some of the vacuum lines so replacement of those when I can find a diagram.

The PO converted it from point to EI which I know nothing about so have to read up on those.

Someone installed a starter with attached solenoid and did some low grade re-wiring to make it work. There are other places that the wiring needs fixed as well.

The fan control in the dash or the heater motor needs work..

The back gas tank appears to be toast and the front one needs the vent cleaned out or hoses replaced as it barely takes gas.

The front end could use some bushings eventually.

Worst part of the paint is under the two gas tank fillers and I'm seriously considering converting it to doors so that would get fixed at the same time.

The only significant rust I can find is where the floor and the kick panel by the e-brake meet and it looks like only heavy surface.

The brake light stays on all the time but the brakes are nice and firm and stop well so I suspect wiring/sensor.

No horn button.

Surface rust in bed.

Tailgate latch mechanism was removed because "it got stuck" so I have to figure out how to put that back together.

 

welcome!!that looks like a great find!! I just love these trucks just because
they are so rare I have a 79 loaded lariat 460/c6/dana 70 3.54 the thing about these trucks is ford never put the inner wheel house inside the rear fender where mud and moisture collects causing the box to rust out now I just need to stop taking on "other projects"79 Granada/79 bronco/79 supercab in the last 5 years and I may finaly start on it!! going to be red/white with a mint red stock interior

 

Welcome! I love these trucks and I love my 74 F350. Here is a thread that you might enjoy:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-specials.html