Wonder if a 1978 F250 is a good daily driver or not, just drive 15 mile/day. Do you diver your old truck everyday, if so any issues?

 

I literally drive my truck 12 miles, 6 to and 6 from work, every day. I got a 351m, C6, 4" lift, and 33" tires with no problems at all. Getting between 11-12mpg. I guess the only real issue I have is the 37 year old window seals hissing at me above 20mph, but that will be fixed after the paint job. I would say that it depends on the health of the engine and drive train and your pucker factor with driving old iron at highway speeds.

 

I have a 66 (78 frame) and would not think twice to taking it a few hours one way at any given time.. these pickups are as reliable as a new truck with the right upgrades and maintenance

 

I drive my 1979 f150 every day. I drive around 35 miles round trip every day and I love very bit of it. Its a pain in the *** to keep up with the repairs of a 79, but worth it if you enjoy the truck and enjoy working on it.


10-12 mpg in town is not bad for a carb sitting on top of a 400 and 35" tires. Especially when I only got 14 with my 1998 f150 2wd.


Issues come down to an angry girlfriend from spending more time with the truck than her. And the vent window whistles at speed from a bad seal. And you have to raise your voice to talk to anyone in the truck. Oh and splitting jeans when jumping in the truck. But the truck gets more smiles per mile than anything else I have driven!

 

I drive my 77 F250 4X4 400 about 60 miles round trip at least 3 days a week. After going through everything and proper tune, this truck is very reliable, and defiantly way more smiles per mile than any of my last 3 ford trucks. Enjoy it we all do.

Jeff

 

My 79 crew is my dd, about 20 miles one way. It's also my only vehicle

 

No reason a '78 in good shape can't be a DD. I feel safe in mine on any journey and cruising up to 70 or so MPH.

I cold run mine that way... but don't. I don't want it to eat more salt than necessary in the winter and as mentioned keeping up with repairs takes time. Mine gets used as a truck when needed, quite intensely sometimes and as a backup DD. Between uses it gets maintenance/upgrade to keep it in good shape and I run a DD which gets better mileage on my long commute.

 

Fold up a business card and wedge it between the latch

Anyways fordy, I say these are the basics to getting her ready

*New gas tank
*New gas lines
*Good carburetor rebuild
*Brake overhaul(new pads and cylinders)
*Good overlook of electrical
*Check axle fluid
*Transmission fluid
*Oil change
*New tires
*Drive it!!

That's may seem like alot but it will get you a dead reliable truck and it really isn't too far out of the maintenance of a modern vehicle

 

I DD'd my f100 (390/c6/sterling 10.25) every day for a year and a half. The killer for me was fuel cost, so I bought a bike and now take it to work 75% of the time, when I'm too tired or feel like I might get run over on two wheels I take the truck and have a blast!

I too don't hesitate to take my dent on hour long (or longer) trips. The only problem I've ever had away from home was the float in the carb got stuck open and drowned the engine with fuel, but I had that remedied in less then 20 minutes with one of those 6 in 1 folding multi tools.

 

with the right maintenance and some upgrades they can sure as hell be a good daily driver. When I first bought the 79 I drove it every single day about 20 miles to/from work with just a tuneup and some brake work, and new shocks. Also went on a little 200+ mile road trip to Pittsburgh to pick up a couple quads (to the tune of about 8-9 mpg) but enjoyed every minute of it. If she wasn't torn apart right now I'd be driving it to work every so often. Hell, If I came up with the time for another road trip I'd do it all again. They sure can be daily drivers, reliable and love to work on them

 

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Match books were pretty common when i was kid and the trucks were even new, i use a nickel now. My 77 f250 HB is my only truck again but health keeps me from driving very far,i trust it no matter what im doing.

 

Hell yeah! I use my '78 f-250 as a DD, somedays my wife uses it. Ditto to Jdeshler above, these trucks are just as reliable than newer ones. I really enjoyed it this winter when I was pulling all the commuters with newer SUV's and crossovers out of the snowbanks. Just goes to show you traction control is for the unskilled and is not fool-proof!


In fact, the best trip I ever had the opportunity to make in my old Ford was thanks to the incompetence of the local rental car agency losing our reservations. So I said the hell with them, me and my 6 y/o son loaded up for a 1000 mile round trip to help my brother-in-law finish his house. The old blue rocket never skipped a beat! Passed a lot of cars and not many gas stations, but my son asks me regularly when we are going to do it again!

 

I sold my very reliable new beetle.
the 79 straight 6 is now my daily driver. about 18-20mpg.
I just really need a 5th gear for freeway... hm...

she sold her newer SUV. and she bought a 73 bug and me an 80 cafe bike.

we don't like new shiz.

 

My '78 has the same matchbook in it as when I bought it in '86.

If the noise bother you, just wait a few years. With my advancing age and decreasing hearing the truck is quieter now than ever.

 

It's kind of a loaded question. If it's been properly maintained and serviced, why not? If not, not. Even a model T would get you there no problem. Lots of people use old iron as DD, but not before a lot of repairs and maintenance particularly critical safety items in the brakes and steering linkage. As a general rule though, trucks do not benefit from long periods just sitting. Brakes and various rubber seals and tires degrade and corrosion forms, gasoline sours and turns to varnish, batteries sulfate, etc.

Some of us here (you know who you are) exhibit definite signs of OCD, but it's not too often they are seen broke down by the side of the road. Pickups especially are working vehicles and were expected to perform. They are usually just plain worn out. Pick any system at random on these old trucks - brakes or suspension or cooling, and it will likely need virtually everything replaced or cleaned, serviced, adjusted, calibrated. That is if you don't want some new flavor of drama everyday. I like to do what's known as preventive maintenance in my garage, versus crisis management by the side of the road.