Hi all,

just joined up here in F truck land, usually I'm found in Australia4WD as i've been a long time Isuzu man (Holden Jackaroo).
Why the F truck? - well this particular ute i've known for over 30 years, it was my grandfathers and I have just inherited her, she has lived a good life housed in a shed under a cover, towed a horse float once a week, went to the shops and down to the pier a few times a week and not much more. Pa purchased her brand new in 1981 with a matching F350, the 350 was sold about 10 years back, also looking like new (bummer as I might have got it as well!).
What I know about it - F100 Ranger XLT with factory canopy, v8, 4 speed manual, LPG dual fuel with huge (200+ litre I think) tank.

I'd love it if the gurus could help ID the exact specs for me as I'm confused by talk of 351M engines and various gearboxes and diffs, I'll pop the pictures of the id plates in if I can.

Once I know what the component specs are I will clean it up a bit and possibly carry out a few mods, straight LPG with a gas research system possibly force fed by a Rotrex, exhaust headers, auto conversion and maybe a custom steel tray with different LPG tanks.

Cheers Brad.

 

Hmm, cant post pictures, I did upload a few shots to my gallery of the outside.

Under the bonnet I have a tag that shows "243204" "Y W ROOF" "XLT" "185A"

The build plate shows -prefix body "AL1JYB" -ser no "80653 K" - sido no "243204" - model "62121" - engine "C" - trans "L" - trl "C" - paint "Y" - gvm "2725"

compliance plate shows May 1981 build date.

Any info would be great, particularly engine, gearbox and diff id. I hope the engine is the 351 Clevo and the diff the 9 inch (I do know its a limited slip by the sticker in the drivers door jamb).

cheers Brad.

 

I would say yours would be a 351 Cleveland. The 351 m are an American engine basically the same as Cleveland but a few differences from what I've read. So being an 81, is it the the early shape or our bronco shape? I'd love to see some pictures!!!!

 

I've linked your pics for you.

Nice looking truck!

 

Thanks Adrian, yeah she's very clean in most areas, it was treated with some sort of rust proofing when new and there's just some cancer in the front areas around the lower radiator support panels, from salt spray sucked in I assume. One reason I want to change to a steel flat tray is that the tub is virtually unmarked and I would like to use it to cart gravel etc without wrecking the original tub.

Hi Andy, yeah I hoped it had parts commonality with the other local fords of the era, but I have no idea if they were fully imported and just complied here, fully built here, or "final local assembly" to satisfy government local content requirements.

 

F100's and F350's were built in Australia (Broadmeadows, Vic) from 67 up to 1985 or so.
They used a combination of US parts, and Aus Falcon parts.

The engine in your truck will almost certainly be a 351 Cleveland.

 

From the Vehicle Identification, Data & Dimensions in my workshop manual.

model "62121" =
62 = Product Line
1 = build year = 1981
2 = body style
1 = series

engine "C" = 5.8 Litre (this will be a cleveland as the windsor 5.8 was not available then.

To confirm it the thermostat housing (where the top radiator hose joins the engine) is in the block for a cleveland. The windsor is part of the intake manifold.

trans "L" = 4 speed manual - floor shift

trl "C" = Light/Medium Fawn trim

paint "Y" = Lightening Yellow

As to the diff if the bolts holding the diff centre in place are on the front of the housing then it's a nine inch.

If the bolts are on the back and hold a cover in place only then it's an 8.8

Given the year it's more than likely a nine inch.

Have a look at the rear diff photo in my build thread it's a nine inch.


And a request for you, where's your fuse box located, a picture would be great if you can.

Mine was not in the correct place and I'm trying to find out where it should be.

 

Sweet,

She's a Cleveland, and 9 inch.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=139301

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=139302

the fuse box is clipped to a black plastic bracket, as you can see in the pics it hangs down on an angle into the wheel well. Looks like it is on the **** but that is how the bracket sits.

That workshop manual you have, is it the genuine ford item? and can you recommend a good source to get one. I have the genuine manuals for my jackaroo and would love the genuine ford one.

If you need any other original pics just let me know, apart from the LPG system I'm fairly certain its all as per the day it was made.

 

Thanks for the photos. Mine was near there but not at the same angle and always got in the way of size 12 boots.

Genuine Ford. The manual number is WM307 like here:

WM307

That's a normal price for one in a folder but they do come up on ebay for less not in a folder.

I also have a Haynes manual which is useful but not as complete as the factory.

Thanks. Mine was too but I was sure that the fuse box was in the wrong place and those pictures confirmed it.

Interesting that the hood release is on the right hand side though as mine is near the left door. Other side of the dash from where your's is.

 

Thanks for the manual link, looks good.

The hood release has probably been relocated due to excessive friction in the cable, where it is means it has the most ridiculous cable run and it couldn't get any longer if you tried. I'm tempted to shift it, I could then halve the length of the cable as mine is a bit tight.

Have to save some pennies for a good read

 

Good to see another '81 SWB on here, she's quite a bit tidier than mine though.

Mine came with a column change C6... And a heap of rust...

 

Yeah I see a C6 with floor shift in this utes future, especially as I have a "3" speed manual with the worlds longest gearshift. Makes it hard to drive cleanly.