Hey guys so like the title says I'm trying to track down my dads old 1976 F250. All I know of the truck is he bought it in 1978 and traded it to a dealer in 1980. He said after he sold it the truck ended up around Park Rapids, MN and doesn't know what happened to it from there. When he sold it the truck was red with a 360 and a 4 speed, 4x4 and he thinks it was an XLT.

I know it's kind of a stretch to find that truck in particular but it has been done before so I'm giving it a shot. I've already emailed all the people on craigslist in pretty much all of Minnesota and around the east end of north Dakota who had a 76 listed so this is my next stop. If anyone on here lives around Park Rapids and knows of anyone with a red 76 currently or knows of someone who bought one around 1980 let me know or if you have any info of a truck like that let me know. Like I said I know it's kind of a stretch to find a specific red 76 but it's worth a shot. I have only two pictures of the truck from around 78/79

 

That's a 250 in the picture not a 150 btw

 

My bad, I thought I remembered him saying it was a 150.

 

Also, I think it's going to be a "Ranger" rather than a "Ranger XLT". There's no red plastic XLT emblem on the grill divide and it's hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like the emblem on the rear bed side are a little too short to say Ranger XLT.

Good luck on your search.

 

To me it looks like its a Custom. Looks like no trim and Custom emblem at the back of the bed.

 

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I'll keep my eye out and chase em down. I haul up there often. Every dent gets my attention. Roof lights and in cab tank. (wrote that for my memory)

 

I'm a little too far away to help I'm sure. I do however enjoy seeing pics of these trucks when they were almost new.

 

Could be, I'm just going with what I was told. I didn't even know he owned a dent until I bought my 78 last year and he said he thought his was a ranger xlt when we were talking about the new platinum series trucks but he said he didn't remember exactly. I've only ever seen him show any interest in one vehicle, a 71 bronco but this is the only truck I've ever heard him say anything about so I'm trying to track it down for him.

xkpsanit: Thanks, I don't get around there very often since I'm from around the iron range.

PA74F250: I agree. I wish Ford made trucks like these still.

 

Good luck with your quest. It would be nice if you could track that one down.

 

It's a long shot, but you could possibly contact the DMV about the plate number and see if it's had any recent registered owners and get the VIN. Once you have the VIN, you can go from there.

 

I actually stopped at the DMV today and asked about them tracking it, they said if they have the VIN and it has been registered within the last 7 years they would have records of it. I forgot to ask about the plate though. Didn't you still have to buy new plates each year in 78 though? I can't remember when that got switched.

I'm going to ask my dad tomorrow and see if he has any records of it that would have the VIN on it. Knowing him he probably does, I like to say he belongs on American Pickers

 

Possibly an old registration card? Old insurance policy filed away? Good luck.

 

im here in the area and will ask around......

 

WOW, take the cab lights off and that's looks like My uncle's 76 F250 4x4truck when he bought it new.

Nice pictures and I wish you luck! (selfish request here) Do you have anymore pictures to share?