Hello everyone. My wife and I bought this 71 about month ago. She has been wanting an old truck and after searching CL every weekend I finally found the right deal. The girl I bought it from actually advertised it as a 74. She didn't know anything about the truck. She was just going to paint it and put her restaurant name and logo on the side. It has a straight body and no major rust. It has a 390 with auto trans. It runs great and had no problems getting me home 50 miles after picking it up. The first thing I need to do is rebuild the brakes, the front shoes are almost gone and it has a fluid leak somewhere. My first question, is there a way to raise the front end to level the truck. I can't seem to find one anywhere except for 4x4's.

 

Welcome to the forum. Cool new truck you got. Are you sure it's a real Ranger XLT? Doesn't look like it has any outside trim. How about a tailgate panel? What interior is in it wood grain anywhere? After this many years those old coils are probably worn out and allowing some sag on the front end. Replacement stock coils should get it back up to stock height.

 

I'm wondering why you want to lift the front end.. These trucks were built to work so the stink bug stance is to accommodate a load. Btw, "Leveling kits" are a relatively new marketing phenomenon and there are none offered under those terms for these trucks.

The easiest way to level it is to lower the rear. If you're intent on raising the front end, then slightly taller springs and a big rig shop with the proper tools that can bend the I-beams would compensate for the change in camber.

Wanna go "pre-runner"? Contact Autofab.com for their 3-inch "Econo-lift". But that would also require lifting the back end by one inch or so to get a leveled stance.

 

It does have the wood grain insert on the tailgate and wood trim all over the inside. I want to raise the front because I like the look of a level truck better than stink bug, but don't want to lower it. As for hauling I have a newer truck for that. I actually have most of the trim its just not installed.

 

Awesome that you have most of the trim thats a big relief not to have to find replacement.

 

I am missing the "O" from the ford letters on the hood but LMC truck has those. It is proving harder to find parts for these trucks than my 65 Mustang. Repo parts are everywhere for old Mustangs.

 

Before thinking that LMC is the "Be all, end all" for parts, they are not. In fact, LMC is typically the last resort for many of us due to their iffy quality and high prices. Based on the FTE collective, never buy rubber parts like weatherstripping and seals from LMC.. the fit is typically off and the rubber compounds they use don't hold up to UV and fall apart in short order.

Dennis Carpenter, National Parts Depot, and Mac's are typically the better options. Do your homework however as the others will usually have better prices but on the other hand, LMC does carry parts that the others do not. One example are clear turn signal lenses.

Here's a partial list of vendors from this thread (https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14351348)

Parts Vendors & Resources
Jeff's Bronco Graveyard
National Parts Depot:Ford Truck Parts & Accessories | 1948-1979
LMC Truck - Ford Truck Parts and Truck Accessories
MAC's Antique Auto Parts
Blue Oval Truck Parts
Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts
Speedway Motors, Street Rod & High Performance Parts
The Early Ford Store-San Dimas,CA
Truck & Car Shop (Orange, CA): 48-86 Ford Trucks, 66-86 Ford Bronco
C&G Early Ford Parts: 32-79 Ford Trucks (Escondido,CA)
John's F-Fun Hundreds: 48-79 Ford Truck Parts
Sacramento Vintage Ford
Flashback F-100s: 48-2008 Ford Truck Parts
Vintage Pickup Truck Parts & Restoration Resources Directory
Green Sales Company - Vintage NOS & OEM Parts

 

^ I agree 100% with HIO on go with any vendor before you go with LMC I learned my lesson cab mounts and rubber is complete junk.

 

Good to know thanks for the info. I've looked on NPD they did seem to have a lot of stuff and I've used them for mustang parts before. And they have a warehouse only 1 1/2 hrs away and a friend is there all the time and can probably pick stuff up for me so I can save on shipping.

 

Though NPD has a SoCal warehouse, most truck-related and non-crossover parts will come from the east coast... FL or NC if I recall correctly.

Your fellow FTE'ers have come up with this thread with tips, tricks, and a gazillion how-tos: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14213910

Btw, the best lo-buck mods include the 130-amp 3G alternator retrofit and the headlight relay harness upgrade.

These trucks are waaay easy to work on.. think of it as a BIG Mustang and all is good. I speak Mustang too... look below.

 

Just my luck that the truck parts aren't usually local for me. Oh well.

 

No worries... that what the big brown trucks are for! You'll get to know, as have I, your route drivers!

Seriously, the LA metro area has a plethora of choices! And head to Anaheim in June because that's where the F100 Western Nationals is held. You'll see some awesome rigs for sure.

https://f100westernnationals.wordpress.com/

 

NPD's warehouse is located in Ventura, Blue Oval Truck Parts located in Anaheim, Truck & Car Shop located in Orange, C&G Ford Parts located in Escondido, Sacramento Vintage Ford located in Rancho Cordova.

John's F Fun Hundreds is located in Pomona, but their reputation is iffy. Several FTE members have typed disgruntled posts, saying they've received no response inre to shipping after ordering parts.

Early Ford Store located in San Dimas, but do not have much in the way of parts for 1967 and later trucks.

It's worth a visit...however as it's also a museum for all things Ford, and is located in the original 1916 Ford dealership building.

1970/72 Ranger XLT's came with 3 3/8" wide upper side mouldings with walnut wood grain inserts, also came with lower ribbed side mouldings and wheel opening mouldings.

F100 Western Nationals Truck Show held the 3rd Saturday of June in Canyon RV Park (aka gopher holes acres), which is part of the Featherly Park complex, located north of the 91 freeway in northeast Anaheim.

 

As previously stated, NPD's truck parts warehouse is on the east coast. The Ventura warehouse might as well be next door to the OP but it still wouldn't do much good.