Hi everyone, it's been a while since posting something on the forum. I am an avid bronco enthusiast I own a 82 and an 84 bullnose era both manual 300 straight 6. The wife and I own a 13' crv but I like to drive the 82 daily. Back to the story in October of 2013 I found a 1979 f250 sitting on the side of the road in northern Alberta parked outside the gate of the scrap yard I was on a drive to find that night after work. I pulled up to it in disbelief everything was original, what seemed to me like a factory lift, mismatched rims and tires, rustic brown paint, but a look of anger and life left in it's eyes. It was around 1 am, just the wolves and a dirt road I thought I'd have a look inside. To my surprise it was manual and 4x4... Bench seat, no carpet, single cab with 8 foot box. I was looking in disbelief, always wanting one but never having the chance to grab one cheap, I thought well hell... Someone dropped this off it will probably sit around for a while in the yard, no one would crush this thing... Keys still in the ignition I had a strange feeling about it,I needed to mark my territory. Like a tiger in the jungle I put my hand through the window (rolled down) and placed a note with my name and number on the dash... It read something like ... Not sure what your going to do with the old girl but call me "do not crush".

The next morning I woke up with a missed call on my cell phone and a voicemail, said it was the wreckers not sure what to do with my truck, I guess they misread the message telling them to crush it. I guess real hillbillies can't read So I returned the call and told them I was on my way and to stop whatever they were doing with the truck. Quickly I sped through the northern Alberta roads to the scrap yard probably 16 km from my house in my freshly painted 82 bronco, to show seriousness of coarse. Panicking arriving at the front desk I asked the lady what was the situation, low and behold I didn't need to ask cause I could see the truck 10 feet in the air above all the other cars on the loader traveling uncomfortably close to the crusher. I ran out and confronted about 4 burley long haired ford haters and told them not to crush it. They asked if it was my truck and I said it will be shortly please put it down it's a collectors item ! Haha... With a sweat drop of anxiety.

Putting the truck firmly on the ground now with no wheels, two puncture fuel tanks and a massive dent in the drivers door, I looked under the hood expecting a 360 or 400 big block engine and somehow it was a 300 straight 6. A match made in heaven too good to be true! I scrounged the truck and took the keys, ownership and original ford pamphlet with the metal vin number on it and told them I would pay whatever they wanted and to save it for me in the classic section of the yard. I had a lot of comments thrown at me about collecting garbage and that the truck was Unfixable but I went ahead and had it saved anyways.

I left the province for a year to finish university and recently returned in sep of 14, having sat for a year the truck had a few things taken like ignition module distributor, front and rear signal light and interior pieces snagged but sat relatively unharmed. Two weeks after moving back I headed on over to the yard and convinced the owner to sell me ugly Betty for $600. Hesitant at first a 12 second staring contest got it Towed to my house for an extra $100 and I got to pick all the missing parts off other trucks in the yard, which surprisingly I found a distributor and two signal lights. No electronics obviously, we can't be too frugal.

So guys this is the story of the 1979 ford f250 6 cylinder 300 ci manual 4x4 single cab 8 foot box rescue. I hope you's enjoyed the story. Last weekend I purchased excellent quality oem doors and fenders for the truck and a box. The cab is in excellent shape, behind the seat still has original paint on the floor not a single hole or even questionable metal. Cab corners need replacing but very small area. However the box is nearly gone and the doors have 2-3 inch rust holes and need replacing fenders are just cosmetic will probably keep them for someone, very little surface rust.


The fellow I purchased these parts from has a mint condition 1979 single cab sitting on blocks in his garage and a 1979 ford f250 frame for sale. If anyone wants either one the frame is getting thrown in the scrap but he's waiting for a buyer for the cab. Also the wreckers up here still have a few of older trucks 73-79 style if you guys have any questions or comments I'll be doing a full restoration on the truck... Also looking for a new name !


Best of luck guys and thanks for reading !

 

Subscribing to Ugly Betty's build thread. I for one would love to see lots of before pic's
now that you have it home.

 

Excellent story! Id love to see pics too. Those broncos sound pretty great as well, post some pics of them over in the bronco forum!

 

Subscribing. And x3 on the pics. Before, during, and after. Then comes the tire roasting after restoration test drive video.

 

Pics man give us our fix!!



Great story on the save as well

 

Duh uh whut dud u mean alboyrtens cant wread got my kindergarden dahgree 2 timez. Sorry, I'm a farm boy not a cowboy so I need to be outstanding in my field. What part of the prov are you in, I'm in cow town but I know of a few people up north Edmonton way and one that's half way from there to Peace River. Saw said truck in your album, not bad but that door is kind of toast. Good luck with the rebuild. If your in Calgary, I've got some parts and I'm usually looking and buying.