I finally got everything clean enough for my liking to start my project. One of the things I hate most in life is a hypocrite. I can't stand people who have build threads with very few pictures. So I'm going to do my best to put as many pictures as I can even though I'm not much of a picture taker.

The plans for my rig, is a complete frame of resto. My truck is a 1978 4x4 swb Lariat. Everything exterior and interior is going to be 1978. I'm going to have the Lariat interior restored and have the exterior painted off of the Ford color sheet. I'm going to add the options I would have ordered if I have the build sheet in front of me in1978. I'm going to add the tilt wheel with cruise control, and a c6 automatic (the truck came with non-tilt non-cruise and a 4 speed), and I'm going to rebuild a 400 and replace the foreign 460 that found it's way into my truck. There is no way I'm repainting this truck with white an medium copper scheme, because the medium copper color is disgusting. I'm going to paint it white and yellow. The two thing that won't be built to factory specs are the engine, because a 6.6 Liter V8 with 160 hp is travesty, I'm going to build mine for about 350 hp, and the 9 inch rear is going to get a traction lock.

 

Btw just a bonus, my fathers 66 gt350h was sitting close by and since I helped with it's resto I snapped a couple pics of it as well.

 

Love the Mustang, You and your Dad did some really nice work with it.

Being and owner of a Ranger Lariat and doing a similar resto project I'm looking forward to see your build. If you want a 400 engine core let me know and I can ship it to you.

 

Hey Jexas,I had a 77 2 wheeldrive back in the day same copper schem,I loved it, love at first sight actually,although I think they had 2 diffrent color coppers,nice pics

 

Thanks for the compliment!

I already have the 400 sitting on an engine stand. I'm selling the 460 on craigslist.

 

I only see one available and it's pretty bad.

 

I was thinking it was close to mine, but I guess it is different. Mine is copper metallic, which has really grown on me. When its over cast, it looks more brown, but in the sun, its more orange. Mine is an original '77 color which I don't see on the '78 chart. My dad's '77 was vista orange, I don't see that either.

Anyhow, looks like a nice project you got going on, and I like your take on making it the way you would have ordered it. I guess thats what I did with mine, what it didn't come with, that I would like, I am going to add, (bed rails/cab lights/amfm/rear slider window/cargo light/intermittant wipers/wheel well trim etc,etc.

Best of luck, and I look forward to watching your build, and if it follows the same path at that Mustang, it will be a great looking dent.

 

Great looking stang!

The things I would do it if I owned it...

 

funny.mine was a77 it was the copper metallic,it was one good looking dent

 

It looks like you are off to a good start! I have a 75 F-100 that I will start soon. I just need to figure out how to work all the options on this site to add the pictures! Good luck with the build.

 

I thought someone would have commented on the signed glove box.... Your truck is in good company!

 

Considering you can't get those signatures anymore, that's a nice little option!

Looks like you have a good base to work with, and if you need any input or guidance on the 400, you might want to give Tim Meyer a call. He's the guy that helped me with my 434, and he knows what he's doing with these plants.

Good luck with your build!

 

Good eye Oldstyle. I had to scroll up and see what you were talking about. Very nice option! RIP C.S.!

 

Well the cab is off of the frame. I have a running 460, a 4 speed NP transmission, and a np205 manual trans adapter that I don't need anymore. If anyone wants them shoot me a PM, and since the money I would make off of selling the parts would go for more parts anyway, I'm not opposed to bartering.

Before I ever owned one of these trucks I logged on to this site quite a bit, and did a lot of reading so I wanted to thank all of the posters who've helped me by posting tons of information related to these trucks so people like me can form a strategy on just how they want to build their trucks.

When I was younger I wanted all my cars black and sleek, but something started to change with me a few years back and I started to get a taste in cars that only comes from years of looking at cars and developing a refined palate. I've always loved the 73-79 truck body lines and the look of the 78-79 grille in particular but it was only recently that I fell in love with the two tone paint jobs and the 70's interiors where all the different parts a completely different variations of the same color, where the dash panel is the interior color and the inside of the cab is the exterior color. It's that 70's style, it's cool because it's unique, and it's got a character that's missing from most of today's automobiles. It's for that reason I decided to keep the interior and exterior of the truck true to the Ford factory specs. With that said, I'm going to try to shine up, pound out, and re-purpose as many of the original parts as a I can, if those that are beyond repair I'm going to try to get NOS, and if that isn't possible I will try to find nice used parts, and only if those avenues have been thoroughly exhausted will I turn to Dennis Carpenter or LMC. Because I wanted to keep everything Ford and yet I can't bring myself to put that horribly choked up, mistreated 400 back in as it is. I have decided I'm going to make the engine a Boss 400. I've already purchased the 351c 4v closed chambered heads, the correct aluminum valve covers. Now all I need is the spread-bore manifold.

I included an extra picture of the mustard packet I found inside the air vent. I don't think the truck was very old when it got dropped in there.

 

very nice