Hey guys I am a noob here.. My first vehicle was a 79 f150. I sold it to by a Nissan! So dumb! Anyway ever since then I have missed it. I am 38 now and have the funds to finally get one. I found this one today. 78 Ford F100 drive anywhere
I talked to the guy today and I am going to look at it tomorrow with cash in hand.So pumped! Anyway is there anything to worry about on this model? Any questions I should ask? Price sound fair? Thanks!

 

Well it looks pretty good to me. It does need some work though. Nothing major. I would say jump on it. However the 3speed man. transmissions which this truck has are prone to require more maintenance than any other trans. these trucks came with. Keep in mind that the 3 on the tree as they are commonly referred to were NOT meant to be driven hard. You can and will blow the transmission up very easily. Also just to clarify the square headlights did start on the 78 model trucks. The base and custom package trucks came with the round headlights in 78 and the rangers, ranger xlt, and lariat trucks came with the square headlights. I noticed in the you tube video that the truck appears to not have a catalytic converter on it. Being that it is an F100 it should have this. Over all I'd say the price is right. And if I weren't out of a job right now I'd be interested in the truck myself. It reminds me of my dads truck. I did however find it to be a little odd that the trucks has a/c and at the same time had manual brakes as well. Usually trucks by that time that was that well equipped had power bakes. Also just be sure to look at areas like around the steering box and spring perches for any signs of stress cracks. Usually a good indicator that a truck was at one time abused or wrecked pretty hard. But like I said from watching the video the truck seems to be well worth the asking price. At least by my standards. Oh yeah be sure to check the floors and cab mounts for rust holes. Sorry for the long winded post. Hope this helps.

 

Looks like a nice unmolested truck with a little wear . Hop full under the hood is the same way .

 

Oh by the way I forgot to mention. Welcome to the forums. If you do purchase this truck or any other dentsides for that matter and have any other questions just ask. We have a lot of knowledgeable people here. We all help each other out.

 

Looks like a good truck .I'd check engine oil and brake fluid do a overall inspection of the truck then take it for a test drive 2 or 3 miles see how oil pressure is when engine is hot and while test driving it listen for any clunks rattles or engine noises. If all is good go for it

 

Welcome to FTE.

First.. chill! I know you're excited but really, do not show your enthusiasm to the seller! Act as if it is easy come, easy go. Except for the hood, time appears to have been very kind to that rig...

Here are some basics for checking out one of these rigs. Lots of mental notes to take! A written checklist is also OK to bring with you if needed.

Basic Visual Inspection
Do a bumper to bumper visual inspection.. this is also time to go on “Visual Hack Patrol” – All those so-called “repairs” made by previous owners. Look for duct tape, household wire nuts, electrical tape, wood screws, wires that go to nowhere. Be wary!

Any leaks on the ground? What about the drum backing plates or the pinion seal(s).

Look for loose, missing, or broken hardware like lugs, lug nuts, fender and bumper bolts, and bellhousing to engine bolts. Feel around for soft or cracked hoses – radiator hoses degrade from the inside. Crimp it with your hand and it should have the same firmness all the way around.

How do the bushings look? Rock the truck back and forth.. any squeaks???

Are the tires evenly worn?

Fluid Check.

Engine oil check.. Is it full and relatively clean. Or does it smell musty and old?
Coolant.. is there an oily sheen? Does it look like milkshake?
Check level of auto trans, power steering, and brake fluid.
Ask if there is anything on the engine that has been heli-coiled.
Note any newish parts.

Pre-Operation
Check for brake pressure. Pedal low? Pedal sinks to floor?
Turn on the ignition system (no engine start). Turn on everything - blower motor, exterior, instrument, and interior lights, turn signals, hazards, heater controls, blower fan, wipers, etc. Does everything work? What about the gas gauge?

Engine Start.
Fire it up and let’er cook (idle). Any leaks? Ticking sounds? Exhaust leaks?
Squeeze the radiator hoses... they should not be pressurized. Hard hoses may mean a blown head gasket.
Take it for a test drive and note how it tracks, turns, accelerates, and stops. Note the temp gauge reading....
Do a panic stop with your hands off the wheel... does it track straight without assistance?
Park it and let it idle for about five minutes to check if it overheats. What does the temp gauge read?
Shut it off for 10 minutes and then restart it. Hopefully it starts right up. If not, then it can be a vapor lock, a carb that needs to be rebuilt, or defective ignition components like an ICU or coil.

Also take note how clean or unkept the sellers property is or even their own vehicles. That's a sign on how detail-oriented they are. I recently helped a friend find a '71 MGB... I found one on CL for $8K. The seller's garage was IMMACULATE and the MGB was the same. He got it for $7K because the seller had too many cars, not enough time, and likely too much money. My pal can probably flip it for $12K but he's keeping it for sure.

Good luck to ya....

 

Here's something I found odd in the video of the truck. Along with the rear leaf springs there are coil springs that were added to the inside of the frame rails. I wonder why? Keep in mind though this is a $500 truck. Not a $5000 dollar truck.

 

My bad just re read the ad it's listed at $1900 not $500. It's been a long day. Still worth the 1900 in my opinion. But I'd definitely try to get him to come down a bit. Start about 1000 and try to end up at about 1500.

 

Welcome to FTE, that looks like a good deal, the coils on the rear are after market over loads, no big deal. The u tube vid made me want to go buy it. lol. Aftermarket oil pressure gauge...no biggie.

I like a truck to be cold and not been started or have been driven when I go to look at one, but that's me. Follow HIO advice and I'll add only add this, let the owner drive it with you as a passenger on the 1st part of the test drive, that way you can concentrate on watching and listening to the truck.

Get a feel for it so to speak, watch and see how much the steering wheel has to be chased (if any) for keeping it on the road. Clutch let out, pulling either direction on breaking. Squeaks, knocks, rattles. Then swap out and you drive it back...I would want it driven or idled long enough to ck the thermostat to open.

Ck the title against the "door warranty tag" its not the vin plate BTW and ck the the dvrs side door striker sticker. Vin plate is NOT up on the dash on these older vehicles. Looks like a nice truck and at fair price, bet it can be bought for 1500. Don't just say here is 1900, ask his bottom dollar. And have your money separated 1000, 500, 400, the sight of cash makes folks want to deal easier.

Pull out a 1000 at first and start talking, have the 500 at the ready, maybe peel off 1 or 2 hundred more and add to it at first. If the guy says 1900 no lower, right up front, test drive it and talk about every item you see wrong, include possible repair costs. Mechanical reliability is the biggest issue.

 

Wow guys!!! Thanks for the help! Very impressed. I will let everyone know if I purchase it. Any issues with the 302? I know they are weaker than newer 302s. He told me tonight that he does have another f100 that I might want to check out.. It's an automatic but has no AC.

 

Yea the 302 is small block, but you should be fine in a 2wd DD with the 3 spd. Maybe a little small to get great MPG since it has to work a little harder than a 351.

But 302 aftermarket part are common, headers, intake, carb ect...

As far a another truck for sale, well 2 Ford trucks is always better than 1, good luck.

 

My dad had a 77 f150 set up almost identical. 2wd 302 3 on the tree longbed. However he beat the ever loving crap out of it up until about Y2k. Then he passed it to my brother. It's been left neglected ever since.

However with that said given the right gears and not using the a/c (which robs power) the truck will have plenty of power. And you should get about 15-17 mpg city. No speed demon, but I never felt like it was lacking either.

As I mentioned earlier my dad truck was heavily beat on for years. So his truck often times showed its week links so to speak. Back in about 86-87 he swapped out the 3 speed for a np 435 4 speed. Then the truck really came alive.

 

So Paredneck33 mentions that the 3 spd will require more maintenance...Meaning you will have to put a clutch in it over time... or that they break alot? Also they arent meant to be driven hard... I dont plan on ******* it (it will never be a hot rod). The hardest I would use the truck is to pull a trailer with trash on it, or a 4 wheeler. Under those conditions I should be good, correct?

 

The column 3 spd is famous for having parts (plastic bushings ect...) that wear out way early and then it gets hard to shift and folks shift on it harder and that can break things.

But it is something that can be repaired, so don't let that statement scare you away from 3 spds. My first 73 dent was a 6 cly 3 on the tree, I drove the hell out of it.

 

Here's the faults atleast with my experience. The shift linkages tend to wear and bind up, if you power shift between gears you can and will break them. The uses a 3 finger designed pressure plate so yeah they can wear faster and are a little more prone to clutch chatter. Driven right though they're not that bad. Just require a little more maintenance. Especially with the linkages. Oh and the shift collars on the column tend to wear and break quite a bit. All in all though I'd love to have on like this truck.