I looked through six pages of posts on camper specials BUT I have yet to see a description of what you got when you ordered a camper special back in '65 and '66. I understand from posts you could get the same outfit, minus a tail light wire pig tail, and it not be a camper special. And I have seen posts suggesting a Camper Special came with certain gauges, heavier leaf springs and perhaps different wheels/tires. Also seems they all had an auto trans and the 352.
But, this may not be correct or exhaustive and hence the question as to what is the authoritative and complete description of the features that one would have, as a minimum, on their truck if it was a true Camper Special?

 

Here's what I was able to find. This was from a site that didn't want to let me download their stuff, but I was able to make a jpeg of what they had. As far as I know the "353" motor part is a mis-print. I highlighted some of the major stuff. I know that later model ones, particularly the 73-79's had longer wheelbases (I personally think the 73-79 camper specials look silly without a camper insert bc the axle is sooooo far back).
But as far as I know, the wheelbases on these trucks were 129" unless they were F350s, which were a little longer.

 

I found an actual 1965 Ford sales brochure too. It only mentioned the camper specials, calling them "ideal recreational vehicles." Nevertheless, it's kind of neat, and it was hard to find, so here it is as well:

 

Camper Special (C/S) package also included a pigtailed wiring harness/plug used with camper clearance lights.

It was placed inside the glovebox at final assembly. The taillamp wiring harness used on C/S's had an extra feed wire for this pigtailed wiring harness/plug to plug into.

Everything that was part of the C/S package could be ordered on all 1965/66 F100/250's...except the pigtailed wiring harness/plug.

This C/S package info can also be found in the following book, along with myriad other info. I've listed the 1965/66 C/S package many times here on FTE.

The Standard Catalog of Light Duty Ford Trucks 1905-2002 / by John Gunnell / krause.com / ISBN: 0-87349-411-3.

 

Dugan and Numberdummy, thanks for the info. Number dummy, I have seen many of your posts and appreciate your (and everyone's) insights.

 

There were actually 4 different Camper Option Packages avail.

F-100 Camper Special

F-250 Camper Special

F-250 Custom Camper Special

F-250 Deluxe Camper Special

The Custom Camper special included the camper special package and the deluxe camper special package included both the std camper and custom camper special packages.

F-250 Camper special inc

70 Amp hr battery

Extra Cooling Radiator

4:10 Rear axle

Western Mirrors 6x10 both sides

Extended tail pipe

Hd front springs

Hd Rear springs (2400lb)

16" tires and 2 piece rims

Camper Special Insert

F-250 Custom Camper incl above plus

Custom Cab

LH door storage compt

Deluxe Fresh Air Heater

2 spd wipers

Windshield Washers

Warning flasher

Dual Horns

Deluxe camper special includes above packages plus

Padded Dash and visors

Tool stowage compartment in right bedside

Seat Belts

Chrome Front Bumper

Deluxe Two Tone Paint

Body Side Mouldings

The 300 6cyl or 352 were mandatory. The 3spd column shift was not avail on the camper specials. It could be more in depth what came with each package like the Heavy Duty Clutch etc.

Then on top of the Deluxe Camper Special if you wanted top of the line would be to add the Ranger Package which included full carpet and bucket seats, a console was a additional option with the Ranger package.

If it came with the Ranger package it bore the Camper Special Badging.

I currently have 2 Deluxe Camper Specials a 65' and a 66' That happens to have the Ranger Package a very expensive truck back in the day.

 

It was mentioned that the tail light wiring harness has an extra feed that supplies the wiring harness for the camper special. My tail light wiring harness has a (2) 3-way splices that lead to a 4 pin plug in trailor light connector. This plug is mounted next to the liscence plate in the back bumper. There is also a female bullet connector that was empty when I pulled he harness off. My thoughts were that the bullet connector had originally gone to a liscence plate light that was replaced with a trailer plug receptacle...and that the three way splices and the 4 prong trailer connector was an aftermarker add on. There is also an open female bullet connector on the feed wire that goes from the cowl to the back tail light harness. Would this be for the fuel tanks guage? Roger

 

FoMoCo did not offer any sort of tow package for these trucks, so everything was added by a previous owner.

U-Haul, RV dealers were the usual sources for these parts.

The extra feed wire of Camper Special tail lamp harnesses was used for the Camper's Clearance lights.

 

NumberDummy, Thanks for the info!! One last thing..There is a harness that runs from the cowl to the back tail lght crossover harness. Midway on my harness is a female bullet connector sticking out.Do you have any idea what would plug into this?..Would it possibly be the sending uint? It lands under the cab when the harness is held in place..I do not see anything on the wiring diagrams. Thanks Roger

 

Could very well be for the in-cab sending unit...it's been awhile since I owned one a these trucks, and the wiring diagram in the parts catalog is worthless as teats on a mule for ID'ing which wire goes where.

Others will know for sure, like Bill W, garbz2, "Squire" Don (camperspecial65)...all own and take these trucks apart on a regular basis.

 

All of the in cab connectors wiring wise went through the firewall originally without exception.
mine also has a little nub of where the plug in once was on my CS...its in the area where the bed/cab gap is.


- cs65

 

Thanks so much for info... Not sure if I had a camper package or not... outside of this extra lead, the 352 engine... and the western mirrors... I do not have much more evidence. I will try and see the ratings on the alternator. Roger

 

The only evidence required is the extra feed wire on the taillamp harness. If it has it: Camper Special. If it doesn't: It's not a Camper Special.

352, western mirrors, 55 amp alternator were available as an option on all 1965/66 F100/350's.

 

Would the double groove pulleys be an indicator of the "Extra Cooling Radiator" ??? Ive seen those on the trucks only on the few CS I have parted over the years...even though the radiator is the same used on any CS truck in 65 or 66.
On a different note, I did learn one oddity which makes mine all the more rare or an oddity...at the bottom on the rear cover of the 65 F100-250 Trucks brochure with the blue truck on the front...TuTone was available in every color except chrome Yellow(G) and Special White(C)...Gotta love the oddities one discovers when really looking deep into what was offered and so on when cars and trucks were new back in the day...


- cs65

 

1965/67 F100/350 352 harmonic balancer (C3AZ-6312-E) includes a single sheave pulley. Three different outer "accessory" pulleys were available.

Two single sheave outer pulleys were available: C1AZ-6A312-D 6 19/32" O/A diameter or C5TZ-6A312-A 6 5/8" O/A diameter were used with dual belt alternator.

A double sheave outer pulley was available: C1AZ-6A312-C 5 61/64" O/A diameter could be used for dual belt alternator and either P/S. Xtra cooling or T/E.

One of the single sheave pulleys and/or the dual sheave outer pulley could be bolted to the harmonic balancer.

With this arrangement (sorta common on Passenger Cars), there could be 4 possible fan belts instead of the single belt used just on the harmonic balanacer.