Where did you live most of your life before you moved to Cactusville?

The road cone capital of the US, salt-on-the-roads Pennsylvania.

You didn't see any cuz you're a young 'un compared to some of us posting in this thread, so...

You didn't see any because rust had taken its toll before you were old enough to appreciate same, and...

You never worked one second at any Ford Dealership when these trucks were new, or not, and...

These trucks were scarce to begin with.

I cannot see Ma Bell and etc spending the extra buckaroos for the 4WD Cab 'n Chassis when the 2WD would suffice.

 

Cactusville, Now there a new one. Trust me there are way more four wheel drives in PA than the state of mexifornia. Four wheel drive is a religion there.

Why would Ma Bell buy four wheel drives? Because in the north east there is the phenomenon called solid water that coats the roads and falls from the sky. It has bad habits of coating trees and phone wires and pulling them down and off houses and poles. It takes four wheel drive to service during these most often events from November through April.

Garbz

Most of Pennsylvania Power and Light trucks are four wheel drive for this reason.

 

There are definately tons of four wheel drive trucks in the North East in general. Here in the Land of Taxes, almost everybody thinks they need four wheel drive of some sort to get along in the winter. However, the phone company is running around primarily in vans that are terrible in snow and two wheel drive to boot! Yes, the electric company uses four wheel but the little 'ol phone companies have for the most part always gone with two wheel drives be it van or pickup truck bodies before the van got popular.
Hope I am not jumping into a private discussion!

 

Gawd, you dont know what winter is down there. I live in central alberta Canada, and have never owned a 4 x4. We up here have learned how to drive, drive with respect of the winter conditions. I drove my 2001 ford 2 wd from edmonton to churchill last feb and never had an issue! As a matter of fact, most vehicles in the ditch are 4x4s. They have some false sense of invincibility. Kinda like the guy that always yaps about his great endowment, and turns out bein the little guy! pops always said" a 4x4 will just get you in deeper". The simple fact of learning to drive is first and foremost!

 

It's like the old and young bull concept. The young one say's " lets run on down and do one", the old one say's " nah, lets walk and do em all" ! Sorry Garbz! just sayin!

 

You are correct, all the beds are a challenge to find. I have time, several other items to work on. As always, thanks for the info. More questions will follow.

 

I spent 44 years in the north east. I rarely used the four wheel drive in my 86 F150 or in the 93 explorer. But the phone line came off the house in almost every ice storm as it was a ways to the pole, facilitating a service call from Ma Bell. They always showed up in short bed four wheel drives in winter weather as the township road crews sucked.

The Key to driving is knowing the limitations of four wheel drive. I stopped and pulled many a 4x4 out of the ditches after i was passed by them. Most just hop in and think it is a 4x4 and i am gin. It is really fun to watch a jacked up dodge do a few 360s on a interstate bridge as they thought their four wheel drive would work on ice........

My dad taught me to drive on snow with just the use of the transmission and very judicious use of the brakes. And how to read the road and where to drive to gain traction. On ice his advice was to stay home.

Now has is that for way off track.....

Short beds are hard to find, however depending on where you are we can find them here in the south west or Cali.

Garbz

 

+1 & dittos on how to drive. Never owned a 4wd, never went out and not come back.

Because of the 4 wheelers & others I stay off the roads when it's snowing. Way to damn many yankees down here that know how to do it. It can take 3-5 hours to make a 30 minute run. I will wait & go later.




John

 

Looks like this thread went sideways in one big hurry. Well up here in the Pacific Northwest where we do get a fair amount of the four letter word. I drive mainlly 4wd and do not like to drive 2wd in the winter. Without proper training and understanding that 4wd is just a tool that your truck or car or SUV has onboard yes you will get into trouble fast on may different surface and type of roads. Also alot of different weather conditions can affect how 4wd performs. Long story short I think 4wd will do better than 2wd in many adverse conditions but it is a tool and you must know how to use it. Just like any other tool if you abuse it it will hurt you or leave you stranded.

 

man i got a problem after reading most of this i'm lost
i've got a 64' f250 4x4 built for cal trans, w/b 120.5"
reg cab, measures 48.5" from back of cab to center of rear axle. stock(style) 8' bed won't fit(i'v got one). it had a 60' 8' bed on it when i bought, but want correct bed for truck
?is their two types of 8' styleside beds in 64'?
? is their a code for bed type?
? did cal trans request stepside bed?/on 4x4's
? is stepside the easiest way to go?

 

I have listed a SWB in the classified

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-and-trim.html

 

Your truck was delivered with the 57 to 60 styleside bed. It is 100% correct. The 61 to 66 F250 four wheel drive used the 57 to 60 bed. The wheel base is 120" where as the 2 wheel drives are 129"

Garbz

 

thanks guy's for the help and info well look to ads on beds
i guess i have a 64 8' bed for sale

 

found one.

 

Hey stroked F100, This is a five and a half year old thread. But glad to know where one is located.