This post will be about my first truck and it's story.
Here is the back story to the truck. Back in 2012 I had been working at a local pizzeria for a little while and saved up some money. I was looking for a truck that I could drive but work on and learn about vehicles on. So I got on Craigslist for a few weeks and found this truck. It is a 1979 Ford f150, 2x4, regular cab, long bed, 351M and a 3 speed automatic. There wasn't anything special about the truck and it was kind of a heap. But I fell in love with it. My dad and I ended up having to trailer it home due to a bad tire. Once we got it home and changed the tire i drove it everywhere. To school, work, friends houses, even out to the lake. Being from Ohio the thing got pretty rusty. At one point one of the exhaust pipes had fallen off. Me being 17, I thought it sounded cool and took the other one off. So now I was running open manifolds. In the winter. Yeah. That was dumb. Needless to say it started bending push rods. Now the summer of 2013 I graduated high school, and left in that truck, and I was kind of getting frustrated with the truck because of the pushrods. In July I shipped off to basic training. While in basic I figured I could just drive my 01 f150 and get rid of the 79. So I sent a letter to dad and told him to sell it since it was in his name. He sent me a letter asking if I was serious and I replied "yes". So he did just that and sold it. He even sent me pictures of it leaving the driveway. It was sad but I moved on. Well, in 2014 I got stationed in Alaska. I've owned 9 different vehicles and none of them seem to really feel like the experience I got from that old truck. I started to really miss that old truck.
The hunt was on. Now keep in mind this is a year after I got rid of the truck. I asked dad if there was anyway he could find that guys information that he sold it to. He proceeded to hunt for the next week trying to find anything on the guy. I was starting to loose hope when all of a sudden he found his email address way back in his deleted folder. He sent him an email asking about the truck. And the guy ended up replying and said that he had sold it to a friend. I was crushed. But we later found out that the friend was going to sell it back after he got a working vehicle.
Now it's mid-January of 2015 and we haven't heard anything from him. I was starting to get impatient, and he hadn't texted my father at all, so I decided to call him. Turns out the guys is going to sell it back after the winter is over and the guy who originally bought it from me said I can buy it back guaranteed when he gets it back.
So this is the beginning of the story. Not sure exactly what I'm going to turn the truck into or if I'm going to restore it. But I'm for sure going to make it something great that I'll never get rid of again. Not much of a story, but it's mine.
Let the planning begin!

 

That's pretty cool finding your old truck. I know the feeling though! I sold my 98 f150 to get the 76 f250 that I got now. I don't regret getting the truck but I wish I find my 98 again And keep both. ive also had about 5 other cars. There's something about the first one that gets Ya! Good luck man!

 

Welcome to FTE, nice story and history with the truck, hope you get it and it all works out.

Maybe sure and stop by here. VetNet - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

Also make sure to joint the FTE chapter where ever you are stationed.

Alaska Chapter - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

 

Great story and congratulations on finding it again, you two were meant to be! You will find more valuable information than in any chilton manual from the die hard guys here on the board. You've gotta post up some pictures asap, we do thrive on this stuff ya know

I can bet the cause of you're problem derived from listeninging to that wonderful 351m's (a die hard motor) tone and its notorious low oil pressure..

 

Here are the pictures that I've got left of the old girl

 

That's awesome! My dad had instructions not to get rid of my first 2 vehicles a matching pair of 1970 f100s with the last number in the serial number only 4 off from being consecutive. He had them crushed.

 

Who's done engine and tranny swaps into these trucks and what about 2x4 to 4x4? I have been kicking around the idea of doing an engine swap and I for sure want to swap it to a man trans and 4x4. I've got a few ideas that I need some opinions on.
96-01 explorer 5.0 and a 92-96 m5od and transfercase
92-97 f350 7.5 zf5 and transfer case
73-79 351w np435 and np205
Or a 7.5 from the 70s for simplicity.
I would kind of like to keep the carb for simplicity and tradition but I'm not against EFI. I'm for sure not putting a diesel in it or a junk 350. Any thoughts?

 

There is nothing nuts and bolts about a 4wd conversion, there is not a thing that is bolt on or swappable. The engine cross members are entirely different, and this means that if an un molested truck is what you are after, it will be impossible to create one with a 2wd platform. The 2wd will have to be lifted quite a way to clear the front diff. 2wd trucks are coil sprung and most F250 4wd's are leaf sprung.

None of the suspension items are even close to the same, so you will be fabricating or modifying some original 4wd stuff to work.
Steering systems are entirely different as well, so you will be upgrading that too. My last conversion with leafs ran me several thousand dollars, and that was with the work that I performed for free. The difference in sale values between a 4wd and 2wd are minimal, and the 4wd conversion is hardly justifiable.

Well the frames are similar, with a few exceptions. The frame horns are slightly different, and the frame widths aft of the cab are different from 73 to 77 trucks. The frame rise is also slightly different, but this is not a show stopper and does not make much difference one the fabrication begins.

Now the important question is whether or not you will be using a coils springs or a leaf spring. It is possible to install a 78/9 radius arm and suspension. Not a big deal really, and with a standard cab this is reasonable. Not quite as easy with a super cab and or crew cab. The 2wd frames are not cut for the shackle pivot, and they do not have the provisions for a spring hanger, but again, this is not a deal breaker. Installing a pivot is just a tedious process, accuracy is key.

Ok, so next is the transfer case. You have two choices, install a married case, and this requires the proper transmission. Might find some difficulty making or modifying an output shaft to accommodate the early C6 and a married transfer case. So then the next option is to find a divorced transfer case, and install this. You will have to make up a cross member, but then you will have to get creative with the shifter linkage. See the 4wd trans will have an adapter or tailshaft with a pivot for a typical 205 shifter. Fabrication is the only limiting factor here.

Next and final factor will be the speedo. See your speedo works from the trans, so that being the case, you will have to get a speed reference from the t-case. If you do not, the speedo will read twice as fast when you put the case in low range. But you will be in 4 low so who cares how fast you are going.

As mentioned the steering box will have to be relocated, and the truck will require some lift. That engine crossmember has limited clearance so you will be looking at some lift to even clear it. The other option would be to remove it and replace it with a tubular unit.

Easier and quicker to buy a 4x4 running gear, or complete truck with a rusty body, blown motor and do a body swap.

 

Thanks for the Input guys. I think what I'll try to do is find a donor 4x4. It won't be hard to find a cheap one with a rusty body in OH. Now if I do grab a donor truck, am I limited to the. 78-79 models or am I good all the way back to 73?

 

I would stay with 78/79 that way you get front disk brakes, and the newer p/s system. And all the elec will be pretty much plug and play.

Even a 78/79 F250 would work, from what I understand.

 

Sweet. It sounds like what I should probably do is just find truck with a good driveline and frame and toss my trucks body on it. Sounds simple enough. Now, will a 1/2 ton body fit on a 3/4 or 1 ton frame? From what I've read it should but I just want to get into something and be completely wrong. Nothing has to be orogional and I'm ok with doing custom or redneck work. What are your thoughts?

 

As long as your truck body is a 78/79 and the frame is a 78/79 it is easy, F150 or F250 no matter.

But if you get a 73-77 High Boy frame, now you will have new bed holes to drill cause the HB 's rear frame rail are narrower. And the HB does not have a rear gas tank.

Stick with a newer 78/79 running gear and frame. Remember you need to get a title cause the paper title really goes with the frame.....

 

Thanks 77&79F250. All the info really helps out. Now what if I was to build a flat bed? Would the cab for exactly the same on a highboy frame?

 

HB running gear axles ect...you can get drum brakes, closed front axle, low pinion front axle, old style ram assist p/s (prone to leak), NP 203 chain drive xfer case....

Difference in wiring, will not a quick swap job. IMO a 78/79 running gear would be the best deal. Flat beds rock!

 

What part of Ohio are you in?! I'm over in C****** Ohio and also have a 2wd Dark Jade Metallic dent side, mines a 78 f150 custom long bed with a 302. That's a great story though, I have thought multiple times about selling my baby but everytime it comes down to it I could never get rid of it. I would stay with the 2wd drive and don't get a flat bed either! Keep that rusted out bed and save up some money for a southern donor truck!! Good luck though!