Fix it a resell it. It would be a shame to scrap it.

 

Check out Co-part. Might be one in your area. Can pick up wrecked dents for 200 bucks.

 

I agree ... fix it and sell it to find another donor. There aren't a ton of 140" WB truck left ... and you wont find them that clean anywhere except a few parts of the country.

that truck is spooky to me .... with just a few minor differences .. that's my truck!

also ... i'm not sure why people are so sure that it is a camper special and not a trailer special.

a camper special would have CS badges on the front under the marker lights. Your Trailer Special badge appears to be in the correct location.

someone would have had to removed the CS emblems, and added the TS emblem to make this true. My opinion, i think you have a TS.

Which, like i said, yours is spooky close to mine. Mine doesn't have a tailgate, but doesn't have the CS emblems either, which makes me think that mine might be a TS and not a CS as i was told by the PO.

either way, SUPER nice find.

I bet with the elite marti report, some spit and shine, and a proper appraisal ... i don't think that 5k is that far out of reach..... At the very least, take it to an appriser before you scrap it out.

if you do scrap it out, i'll call DIBS on the wheels and the tail gate! (and maybe a few other things is you'll let me)

 

I won't scrap it. It's too nice to consider doing that. I'll see if I can get her started and go from there. I'll let the guy know that if I sell it he'll get some more money. Not sure how to handle that part but I told him I would.

 

Ok, I will buy it from you for $301.00-

 

Dude I could really use those clearance lights!!!!!

 

The ones on the shell?

 

It's because of the huge removable door on the side of the bed.

A rather rare option which usually denotes a Super Camper Special...but as others have mentioned they dropped that designation badging wise in later years.

 

I'm far from being an expert on the Special's packages, but here's what i've been able to find in my musings online:

they did drop the "super" after 76, IIRC.

as to the spare tire, it is specific to the 140" Wheel Base. As i understand it, the 140" WB could be had in any trim package and with or without Camper or Trailer special packages.

furthermore, in 79 for sure, and i think 77-79, the only way to get a 4x2 F350 was with the 140" WB, and all 140" WB trucks were F350 4x2's. I think most of those were a Camper Special, but the CS and TS packages could be ordered on any wheelbase configuration.

...EDIT... i should check that, the only way to get a *regular cab* 4x2 F350 was 140" WB, the 4x2 could be had in the supercab which would not be the 140" WB.

To the best of my research so far, It would be possible to have a 140" WB Trailer Special and not be a Camper Special.

I'm begining to think that the only way to know if your 140" WB truck is a CS or TS or not is with a Marti Report, unless you are lucky enough to have the original window sticker. They say you can tell if it is a CS by the wire harness under the dash and rear bumper. Supposedly if you have it, it is a CS, but i'm thinking the TS's may have had the same wire harness.

Beings that his and mine are nearly identical, i'm thinking more and more that they are both a Trailer Special and not a Camper Special.

time to get that Marti Report !!!!

 

Higbean, think I might have a spare box too from my running parts truck for the ignition.

 

^^^
You asked/ stated why everyone was so sure it was a Camper Special etc. I simply replied with the answer. People see the huge removable door on the bed and assume that it is a Camper Special or a variation thereof.
-Chris

 

Well, I pulled the wet carpet and will junk it and the lame bucket seats. She needs a new drivers side floor board. It looks like it was leaking from the boot to that lame topper. I was surprised to find the topper is only held on by the boot. All the adhesive was hard and brittle so I siliconed it up with a caulk tube and put it back on until I find a cheap window. I removed the bug shield and both of the running boards. Trying to get her started tomorrow. I think I'll put her up for sale on CL or maybe ebay. Trying to figure out how much to ask for it. Any ideas? Here's an album of pics I took today. Tried to show all the bad stuff a guy would want to know about.

camper special pictures by Higbean - Photobucket

 

I couldn't begin to guess what the market is like in your area, but they were asking $1100 for mine, and i gave $900. Most trucks around here go for $1500 minimum for a 4x4, but most people don't even look at a 4x2, so they go quite a bit cheaper.

I offer this for comparison's sake. your truck has an option or two that mine does not, and the body is a fair bit cleaner. the mileage on mine was about 84,000 when i bought it.

you can see some pics of mine here:

Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - meborder's Album: 1979 Camper Special

here are a bunch of before/after pics of the interior if that helps you any:
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - meborder's Album: interior

don't know if it helps you or not.

 

Ok, so for comparison sake. First you said it might be close to $5,000 and now it sits around $1,500? What gives?

 

It's a Trailer Special, not a Camper Special. There were no Super Camper Specials after 1976, as Ford dropped Super from the name.

Only F350's were available on the 140" wheelbase (2WD only), and the only F350 models available were these: 1973/79 Regular Cab Trailer Special / 1973/76 Super Camper Special (all Regular Cabs) / 1977/79 Regular Cab Camper Special.

meborder: You are misinformed, The above models were all that were available. And: There was no such thing as an F350 with factory installed 4WD until 1979.

The only outward appearance differences between these Trailer Special's, Super Camper Special's, and Camper Special's are their specific emblems. All have the spare tire located within the right quarter panel behind a door.

There are two different Trailer Special emblems. 1973/76's have two, located on the rear of the R/L front fenders. These emblems are 'squarish' in appearance, have TRAILER above, SPECIAL below.

1977/79's have one emblem: D6UZ-1142528-A .. Trailer Special Emblem, has 'map' of USA behind, Trailer Special in front.

Applications: 1977/79 F150/350 located on center lower of tailgate / 1976/79 Econoline, located on back door / 1978/79 Bronco, located on tailgate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While DuraSpark electronic ignition was introduced in 1974, not all vehicles came with it until 1976. as it depended on the applications.

The 3 step scenario of a failing DuraSpark ignition module:

1) Module overheats, engine dies. Module cools down, engine restarts alsmost at once.

2) Module overheats, engine dies. Module cools down, engine restarts in an hour...or so.

3) Sooner or later, usually sooner, the module overheats, BURNS OUT. Now the engine will not restart.

Engine heat, especially radiating from a V8's red hot left exhaust manifold is the mortal enemy of these modules.

Taking module to autoparts store to be tested: It'll be cool, so will test OK, unless the little darlin' has burned out.

Module located on left fender inner apron. When replacing, use some washers to space it further away from the apron.

The more airflow around the little darlin' .. the better.
Misinformed again, You should think about acquiring some sales brochures and the '73/79 Ford Light Truck Parts Catalog.

1973/76 S/CS emblems are similar to the 1973/76 Trailer Specials emblems, located in the same place, at rear of R/L front fenders.

1973/79 C/S emblems are located on R/L sides of the cowl panel. Where are the 'marker' lghts in these locations? No see um.