Pulling Truck
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From: IOWA
Pulling Truck
I posted a question about a 76 Highboy F250 a few weeks back. Now I have found a guy with a 77 1 ton 4X4 that I can get cheap. The only thing wrong is it has a bad axel and no bed. Can any of you guys tell me what I can expect to pay to get this fixed and to find a decent bed?? I think I would need to put some lockers in so how do I find out what differentials are in the truck (is there a standard for this year)? Any other tips for a guy that wants to build a pulling truck???
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Pulling Truck
If it is a 1 ton go for it. What axle is bad front or rear? If it is the rear it is an easy fix. You would probably want to replace it with a 14 bolt corporate anyway. If it is the front axle they are a little more expensive to repair, but not that bad. As far as the bed goes find a whole truck. Two wheel drives go pretty cheap around my area. I just picked one up with a good bady for $500 and the guy threw i na highboy with it.
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From: IOWA
Pulling Truck
79 Pulling Ford... I would presume that you are a truck puller by your name. Could you / would you drop me an email with some tips on things to get a truck setup right for pulling? chris.vanatta@telmarnt.com
I think that it is the rear but I am not for sure. My Brother-in-law (Chebby Boy) always gets these good deals. His old neighbor has the truck currently. He is going to supposidly buy it for cheep and then turn around and sell it to me for the same price. All he wants are the wheels off of it (he has some other rims to swap with). It has 38's and some sort of a lift under it currently. I would probably take that off. The seller is keeping the bed as it has some kind of hydrollic dump on it. I hope that this actually happens so I can start building a pulling truck. I think that it has a 390 engine. Does that sound correct? How are they for making pulling power. All of this new stuff
I think that it is the rear but I am not for sure. My Brother-in-law (Chebby Boy) always gets these good deals. His old neighbor has the truck currently. He is going to supposidly buy it for cheep and then turn around and sell it to me for the same price. All he wants are the wheels off of it (he has some other rims to swap with). It has 38's and some sort of a lift under it currently. I would probably take that off. The seller is keeping the bed as it has some kind of hydrollic dump on it. I hope that this actually happens so I can start building a pulling truck. I think that it has a 390 engine. Does that sound correct? How are they for making pulling power. All of this new stuff
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From: IOWA
Pulling Truck
Mil1ion....You are probably correct, but I know that most pullers do not like to share there "secrets" about how they setup their pull rig. That is why I suggested that he could email me. I would not think that it would be such a big deal but I have asked a few local pullers and when it comes to setting up a truck, they shut up. I didn't mean to with hold any info from people and if 79 Pulling Ford does not care then I will gladly post what he emailed me. Is there very much interest for truck pulling info?? I know that I have not seen much about truck pulling on this site. Any way I did not mean to cut anyone out of the info.
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Pulling Truck
Hey CB you need anymore info let me know. Most pullers around here are very open about how they set there trucks up suspension wise. The only thing that we like to keep people guessing about is our motors. I believe in sharing information due to the fact that it can save people money. Any more questions drop me a line.
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From: Oak Harbor WA
Pulling Truck
1-ton is a very good pulling truck. I just bought one and I think the world of it. You said that was a 4 wheel drive model? Too bad, the 1-ton is best matched with the 460ci, and that didn't go on the 4 by 4's...anyway, I would check a junkyard for the axle and there are plenty of places online to find a flatbed or utility box.
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Pulling Truck
I don't think it would matter if you have a 460 or not. a 390 is a higher rev big block anyways. you don't need even a big block...you'll learn it's all in the gearing and most of these trucks have 4:10s and no trouble getting the tires to turn
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Pulling Truck
Very so about the 460. You can turn more RPMs with a 460 and stock they make as much power as a warmed up 390. It is true that tires and gears are essential, but you also need horsepower and torque. Around here unless you are running a stick you better throw away the 4.10's and upgrade. Power tracks take a lot of hosepower and a lot of torque.
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Pulling Truck
Thanks for all of the info guys... I went to check the truck out this weekend and it was gone. My brother in law is supposed to get ahold of the guy to see if he just moved it or if he got rid of it. After talking with my brother in law (I think he is a little confused about fords) how can I tell if this is a ford 1 ton??? Is there any simple ways to tell?? If it did get sold I will be back to square one 
and have to find something else. I am supposed to be picking up a frame from an old 76 highboy. Do you know if I could take the suspension out and put it in an old half ton for pulling?? Better yet anybody got an old 4X4 Ford truck they want to get rid of for cheep (or better yet donate) to the pulling truck project??
and have to find something else. I am supposed to be picking up a frame from an old 76 highboy. Do you know if I could take the suspension out and put it in an old half ton for pulling?? Better yet anybody got an old 4X4 Ford truck they want to get rid of for cheep (or better yet donate) to the pulling truck project??
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From: Oak Harbor WA
Pulling Truck
It does matter if you get a 390 or a 460. My dad went through the same dilemma in the 70's. He bought a 76 F250 with a 360, 4-speed, and a 4:10 rear end. Taking the camp trailer through the pass, it would top out at 38mph, not to mentoin that truck could do no more than 78mph at best because of that rear end. He sold that truck and got a 78 F250 Supercab with a 460 and an automatic. Hauling the same trailer, he could do 70+ through that pass. I also have a friend with a 72 F250 with a 390 and an automatic. The kid's dad is the previous owner, and he said that truck would also top out at about 38mph going through the same pass with a similar size trailer. The 390 and the 460 get the job done. However, the 460 will get you there a little faster, and it doesn't have to work near as hard. Also, the 460 can give you more emergency power than a small block. Now I do have a question, why were guys calling the 390 a big block? I thought it had to be at least a 7L or 427 to be a big block.
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From: West central Indiana
Pulling Truck
i believe that big block or small block refers to actual block size not the cubic inch displacement. but most thin wall lighter weight blocks are lower cubic inch blocks. for instance chevy made a 400 small block,chrysler made a 400 big block, they are both 400 cubic inches one used a bigger heavier chunk of iron to bore cylinders into..........jim
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Pulling Truck
O.k. here we go I had some work done to my 360 fe motor and turned it into a 390 and had it bored out .80 over put in a cobra cam and of course beefed up the rods and thethe rockers, I also put in a edelbrock performer intake with a road demon carb 625 cfm the racing shop told me with combination the same exact setup that they have built many times it will put out about 420 horse and 450 ft pounds so I figure its putting out atleast 400 ft lbs also you can do alot to these motors to get the power out. the 390 is a great pulling motor. My dad had one on his old truck with a camper and a boat going up the pass or what we call vantage hill in washington the biggest test for a vehicle he do 50 mph with a stock wornout 390. My motor puts out plenty and I do tow with it and I can't even tell my 20 ft bayliner is back there. I also had it balanced and blue printed.