I finally got my "new" truck home so I guess I really own it. This will be a stretch for me as I've done some mechanical work before, but never body or interior. The goal is to have a good looking run around town truck (RATT). We'll start there and see where it goes.

The truck is a 1990 F150 XLT Lariat. It has a 351W with a E4OD transmission and 3.55 gears with no limited slip. I am told that it is a factory high boy. I thought that Ford only did the High Boys in the 70's. Perhaps somebody with more knowledge about such things can tell me if this is true or not. It currently has 33's on it with plenty of room to spare.

About 5 years ago the owner did a slow slide head on into a telephone pole. It was then purchased by a buddy of mine to fix up for his kid. A third party was towing it up here for my buddy and succeeded in jackknifing the tow rig. This took put the bed of my buddy's truck and messed up the passenger door of the F150. My buddy got fed up with the whole experience so the truck sat for 5 years. It was driven around the lot periodically until somebody (a 4th party - man we've got quite a party here) decided to borrow the battery and dropped it and busted it. Since then the truck hasn't moved. I needed a dump/haul around/errands truck so I decided to take on this project.

Today the stars finally aligned and my buddy, his BIL, and I towed it over to my place for the first stage of work.

Here is were I begin:








The truck has unknown miles on it. The odometer reads 54k and change, but may not be the original odometer. The PO put a custom instrument face in it. So who knows if he changed the odometer or not. I really like to look of the instrument cluster:



There don't appear to be any rust issues with the body or the frame. In fact, the only thing that appears to be rusted is the exhaust system, which is shot.

Included with the truck is the entire front clip and both doors from a same period F250 Diesel. The doors are electric so they should swap right in. Also included is a new front bumper, various bits and bobs, and a promise of help from my buddy to get things put together. It also had a new windshield put in after the jackknifed trailer incident.

The plan is:
1) Rip out all the aftermarket wiring for stereo amps, alarm systems, trailer controllers, etc., so I know that the wires that are left are what is supposed to be there. (Actually got that done today after pressure washing off the main layer of crud that had accumulated on the truck.
2) Get it running so we know where we stand and can easily move it.
3) Strip off the old front clip and do whatever maintenance is needed while things are readily accessible.
4) Bring it over to another buddy's house where we'll do a nice, but not overly fancy paint job so the truck will be all one color.
5) ? I don't know. I'll figure it out when I get there.

So far the known issues, other than the body are:
1) Replace the ignition tumbler as the guy storing it (person #4 who smashed the battery) lost the key to it.
2) Get it running.
3) Find out what's up with the front left brake. There are two sets of vise grips pinching off the brake hose to the front left caliper. If I'm lucky the vice grips are still in good enough condition to add them to my tools.
4) Replace the exhaust system.
5) Put electronics in; reasonable stereo, ham mobile rig, fire mobile rig.

Stay tuned and see if I keep my sanity through this whole process. But I've got good incentive. The POS Dodge minivan that is presently serving as the dump run vehicle has a driver's side door that is trying to fall off its hinges. This truck has to be done before the Dodge dies.

 

Good looking little project

 

Brave soul

 

No such thing as a factory "high boy" F150. However, that does look like a Bigfoot truck. Originally came from the factory with a lift and larger tires. I forget the entire story, but I know that Ford issued a recall (or TSB) for the Bigfoot trucks, and removed the lift and big tires.

 

Good lookin truck, whats wrong with the fenders that are on it? i see no damage...?
and as far as the front left brake, it was probably sticking or slow. Id plan on replacing that hose first, then possibly the caliper

 

Thanks Bob. I didn't think there was a "High Boy" in the F150 series, that was just the term used generically to describe it to me. I Googled around and did some searching on this site and it seems that the Bigfoot option was only in 1987 and it included a different paint package. My F150 has the standard XLT lariat paint package. I'll keep digging.

 

The impact caused the front fenders to be tweeted in a bit. They certainly could be repaired and reused, but since I have a full front clip with no damage, I figured swapping it out will be easier then repairing it. In any case I'll most likely be repainting the front clip pieces separate from the body so they'll have to com off any way.

Thanks for the suggestion on the brake.

 

Looks like a fun project. Good luck with it like that look that it has the lift is nice.

 

oh yeah, and no, thats how they sat stock in this era. Heres my old 90 F150, no lift, 33" tires

 

I need to find one for my next project. That's a nice one blue.

 

Looks like a good start for a project.

 

lol thanks, ya it was. then it was owned by a 16yo kid for a while who didnt know the meaning of lightly. ended up looking like this



I beat the snot outta that truck, put her through way more than any truck deserved to be

 

Interesting. That looks about right so maybe it's just stock height and was told wrong. Doesn't matter anyway as I'd already bought the truck before that statement was ever made. I like the stance of the truck.

Do you remember what the stock rim size was on it? The after market rims I have seem wide for the fender openings, but again, maybe that's stock.

 

Stock rims should be something like a 15x8 or 15x9

 

Thanks Texas. I'll add that to my list of "Let's make sure this is right."