Hi, I'm excited to make my first post. I'm in search of officially joining the club by purchasing one of these beasts. I'm seriously considering the purchase of a '78 F-250, Ranger trim Camper Edition. It has low original miles (so they're telling me...I think he's being honest with me). I have a few concerns:

My first concern is that the heater controls aren't working. Supposedly the previous owner disconnected some cables (so the present owner thinks because he's seen a couple hanging there). Is this a serious problem I should be concerned with? The blower works, but they had to manually adjust something from the engine compartment to defrost the windshield.

My second concern is that the tailgate won't unlatch. Easy fix?

Third concern is that the dash lights aren't working. He isn't sure if it's just a fuse. He's selling it for his son and hasn't really looked closely at anything. He's just looking to sell it for the money so he can fix his Cheroke. He does sound like he's being honest with me...for what it's worth.

Finally, some panels in the cab are disconnected (again, from the previous owner). Sounds like they still have them, they just haven't taken the time to put them back on. I don't know if the previous owner was doing some stereo/speaker work that lead to this situation.

By the way, it's a 400M w/automatic tranny. Anything of note by that alone? Besides the above mentioned concerns, are there other things I should be looking out for? Any typical red flags, or even very positive signs to look for. This will be my first truck!

Thanks, everyone!!!

 

Hey there WPlayer, my '77 is in the same boat, can't help you with a lot of your questions, as I'm something of a noob myself.

With the dashlights, do the parking lights outside come on? If they do then I'd bet you either have bad bulbs, or more likely the plastic membrane behind the gauge cluster is bad/dirty. Another could be that the plastic that holds the bulbs in has rotted away and nothing is "holding" them against the conductor on the membrane (this happened to my '78 I used to have).
That might not make any sense if you've never seen the setup behind the cluster, but it's just a plastic film with conductors running accross it (like a flexible circuit board) and the bulbs (dash lights and warning lights) screw into the back of the cluster and make contact with the little conductors on the film). Pretty flakey setup IMO. You can get new replacements though from LMC.

As for the engine/tranny, they should both be fairly bullet proof. I've had 2 351m engines and they've been great (same as a 400m just destroked), no major issues yet. I assume the tranny would be a C6? Most people would say it's bullet proof, and I agree that most are, but I have to say that since I've only owned one of them, it wasn't the best tranny to me, tranny's oil pump was going bad and sounded like a screaming chimp was under my truck. Although it still drove/shifted fine the whole time I had it.

 

That should be an easy fix, if you look up under where the tailgate handle is, there should be two rods; one above the handle and one below it, each coming from both ends of the tailgate. If neither are connected to the handle itself, the tailgate won't open because pulling on both rods unlatches the tailgate. If the rods don't have the clips on them, you need them so they will stay connected to the latch itself so the tailgate can be opened.

When I first got my truck, my tailgate didn't open either, and we found out that we needed the clips and neither one of the rods were connected to the latch. So we got some clips and now it opens just fine! Welcome to FTE BTW!

 

Don't hear anything that sounds major. Electrical problems on these old trucks are pretty common. A lot of them can be traced to poor grounds, but probably not your problem. First check the fuses, then check the bulbs and go from there.
These old tanks are pretty much dirt simple to work on. Common sense diagnosis works a whole lot better than $100K in test equipment.
The bane of our existence is RUST. To us rust is deffinitely a four letter word. First pull the floor mat/carpet up and look at the floor pan from inside, not underneath, see what kind of shape it's in. Replacement pans are available. Front cab mounts, rear cab corners also are rust prone areas.
Heater cables easier to work on with just heat and not factory a/c but either way not a big deal.
Again, doesn't sound bad.
Welcome to FTE by the way, lots of good, knowledgeable people here.

 

Thanks guys, those are some good pointers!

Do I need to get these clips for the tailgate (if I'm missing them) from a dealership?

When you say to "check the bulbs," are you referring to bulbs behind the dash? If so, how difficult is this? And is it common that they would all go out at once (don't know how many there are).

Are the front cab mounts and rear cab corners places that are visible from the outside of the truck (I'm obviously exhibiting my noviceness (is that a word?) to trucks, lol)?

 

No you can buy them from LMC, NPD, Mac's, or other various part suppliers. I bought mine at a local place that sells parts just for old Fords. They were very cheap and very easy to install. Look at #12 at the very bottom of the page: http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fc/full.aspx?Page=19

 

Good to know, Caleb. Thanks!

MadFrank81, I somehow missed your post. Interesting info on the dash lights. If I have to replace that film, is it pricey? Is it difficult to get to (don't have to pull the dash, do you?)?

I'll ask about the parking lights.

I don't know if it has a C6. What automatic tranny options did they have in '78? C4 or C6? I really don't know.

 

You will have to get the clips from the dealership, or even a place like LMC, NPD or Dennis Carpenter if they even sell them. They might be a junkyard find though, not bad.

The bulbs are the ones that go into the gauge cluster. This is simple to check. Just screw off the gauge bezel, then unscrew the gauge cluster, unplug the cluster gauge from wire connecter (squeeze on two tabs on sides and pull), After this there are little black things just turn these and the bulbs will come right out.

The rear cab corners are visible from outside the truck and the front should be too (Just look where the front of cab bolts to frame).

Good luck and Welcome to FTE

 

The clips are available from LMC, Dennis Carpenter, NPD, They may still be available in the "Help" section in your local parts store.
As for the printed circuit, again hey are available from the above suppliers. If the instrument cluster is already out they are easy to replace.
To remove the instrument cluster may sound complicated but it's not.
First remove the ***** from the radio, these just pull off. Then unscrew the shaft nuts on the radio and remove the radio trim plate. Now the two tricky *****. The headlights and wipers. If you have a seal pic with a 90 deg bend you can use that or take a paperclip, straighten it out and bend a small hook on the end. At the base of the wiper **** is a small notch. Insert the hook in this notch and pull back towards you, at the same time pull the **** off the shaft.
Using the same tool, remove the ***** from the heater control.
For the headlight switch you have to reach up behind the dash. On the top of the headlight switch is a small spring loaded button. You have to push this button down while pulling the **** and shaft out. When you do this you'll turn the headlights on. Once the shaft is out and free, gently push it back in to turn the headlight out but be carefull, if you push too hard or fast, you'll reinstall the **** and have to do it all over again.
Once the ***** are off unscrew the screws that hold the inst. bezel to the dash, there are four screws along the top, one screw between the lights and wiper switch, and two screws below the radio.
Now you're looking at the cluster, remove the four screws around the perimeter that hold it in place. Now gently pull the cluster towards you far enough to get your hand behind it. The speedometer cable has two plastic tabs on it where it hooks the the speedometer. Squeeze these two tabs while pulling back on the cable and disconect the cable.
Last item is the wiring harness plug. Unplug it and remove the cluster.

 

Mikeo0o0o0o0, that is a fantastic write-up. Thank you! That doesn't sound too bad. Is the "printed circuit" the piece behind the cluster that the lights plug into?

If anyone has an equally detailed and simple description for getting the air control cables hooked back up I welcome it.

I saw some pictures of it today (it's a bit of a drive away) and it has definitely been a work/farm truck. But if it's solid and running well, I think I'm still interested...for the right price. *I'd post pics if the forum would let me*

There is an indentation on the top of the tailgate from what looks like a pole landing on it. Could this affect the tailgate not opening? Or are those parts further down in the tailgate?

Please excuse my ignorance, but are the front cab mounts in front of or behind the front wheels? The rear corners I imagine are simply...well...the rear corners before the bed begins. lol

 

Here's a link to learn how to post pics...https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/789572-how-to-post-pictures.html<O</O
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When looking for parts online, don't forget to check out Jeff's Bronco Graveyard Full Size Bronco Truck Parts Engine Parts Chassis Parts Brake Parts Truck Body Parts Exterior Parts For Sale. I've found a bunch of parts fpr considerably less than LMC, DC or Obsolete.
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It's going to be hard to tell you what's wrong with your tailgate without a pic, mine was as simple as putting in the latch clip ($1.00 at JBG). It was frustrating, my big hands don't like tight spaces, but after 3 or 4 tries I got it to clip in.<O</O
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Your front cab mounts are going to be in the wheel well, at the bottom of the firewall. They will have an oval access plate on the side you'll see, a single screw in the top(I think its the top). Very common ruster, open it up and make sur there's no crap building up that could cause the cancer. <O

When you have the dash apart for your lights, you'll need to pull the heater control/radio housing out - four screws. The cables connect on a little plastic post and are secured by one screw to a little plate that lines up on the back side of the slider. You'll be able to see where the cable goes to on your heater box, just under the dash. It's not too bad to work on that stuff.<O</O

 

One more thing, start with the obvious on your dash lights. If the cluster back plate is crumbling, cracked or brittle, replace it first. That solved all of my dash light problems. The bulbs have to twist and lock down to sandwich the flexible circuit board between bulb contact and housing. Use emory cloth or a scotch brite pad and gently clean contacts on the board and the bulbs. Here's a link to a post on dash stuff...https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...ml#post9009090

If you do need to change the board, be sure you find the right one, there are a bunch of different boards for different options, guages and warning lights. LMC had the best selection, but a better price at JBG, only two to choose from though.

 

Now on the one I have a 74 F250 the dash lights would not come on an we did away with the ignition disable wire under the hood near the voltage regulator an it worked fine after that. Don't know what that had to do with it but it worked. Also check with the thread that says ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS a guy on here lives near a wrecking yard in Tacoma WA that is going out an they might have some parts you need check with him an see.

 

Thanks, Shooter00, and Kalve! What about the cable that runs into the engine compartment that is apparently disconnected? At least the owner told me there is a cable that goes there and isn't connected.

I'm going to try and post some pics (per the article provided...thanks!). Maybe that will help some of what I've been trying to describe, such as the tailgate. And maybe I can get some more informed thoughts from you guys. It's a lot more of a "farm truck" than I had realized.

 

I have a few wires/harnesses that aren't plugged in or hooked to anything. Best I can tell, they are for options I don't have, like a light under the hood, and A/C. Replacing my ignition added another one, so there's really no telling unless you look at a wiring diagram and can understand the darn thing.

Good looking blue, welcome to the forum.