Hi I have been a lurker here for a while and I thought I should introduce my self. My grandfather gave me his 1986 F250 that has been sitting in the barn since he bought it new. It has 26550 original miles it is a XLT Lariat 4X4 with all the factory options power locks, power windows, a/c, tilt wheel, cruse control you name it its got it. Its powered by a 460 and putting it to the ground through a C6 I think it has L/S too but I need to do more homework on the axles. Anyway that's My beautiful rust free baby. My only question at the moment is since its been sitting and has a minor exhaust leak where the exhaust gasket rotted out a tiny bit. Is what shape ports should this truck have so I can buy the right ones to replace them. And since I know what everyone really wants... Here are some photos.

 

That's a beautiful truck!
Congratulations.

Gramps must have had a cross box up against the cab. (at least the bed scuffs look that way)

Fords didn't come with ANY exhaust manifold gaskets from the factory.
Maybe you should try just tightening up the bolts?

These are D3VE heads and as such have the regular oval ports.
If you want to install gaskets just go with something like the FelPro 90291.
D ports are for '88 & up EFI, and SCJ heads were never available on these trucks.

Welcome to the forum!

 

Thank you. And how sure are you on the gaskets cause my dads 86 had them and if you look at the motor you can see the heat shield by the spark plugs which if I am not mistaken from looking on the form was part of the gasket. Or am I way off? Also I don't know what a cross box is but he used it for a cab over camper for a bit.

 

I was thinking of trying these ones to replace or as the case my be add.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ph...view/make/ford

 

Its a beauty!! Good idea to change fluids if its been sitting for years. At least oil, coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid and fuel.

 

Yup first thing I did was change Oil replace spark plugs, cap, rotor and belts I still have to do all the other fluids but its in the works.

 

Very nice truck I'm curious about the F O R D lettering on the hood , I thought just the blue oval was used after 1981.

 

There may be a gasket there.
I didn't think Ford ever installed gaskets from the factory.
I AM sure there were none on my '87 when I bought it.

I meant that looking at the bed it appeared that he had one of those tool boxes that goes all the way across and has a lid that lifts upon each side. (protected the front of the bed from scratches)
I can see if his slide in camper never rubbed the bed up there, it would look like that.
I used to have step down/bunk over for mine.
It made the truck really top heavy, even with the towing package.
Had a lot of good times in it though!

Those gaskets are for headers, not cast iron manifolds.
Copper, carbon, aluminum... that's all fine if you have a fat header flange.

You don't need anything fancy.
Get ones with a hook at each end so you don't have to juggle everything trying to get the bolts back in.
The regular perforated, laminated ones will seal better to cast iron in my personal experience.

 

if it is an 86, than the hood letters had to be added, because you are correct on ford not using the hood letters after 81, and also ford never offered it with both the letters and the oval

 

Replacement hood from 81

 

It is an '86 Lariat tailgate panel.

I don't know enough about body side mouldings to say if all that is 'correct'
But I WISH my salt eaten truck looked half that good.

 

Very nice looking truck. Mine is a beater that works. Everything I do to it is for practicality and function.

I've always said I'd never have a truck I was afraid to dent up. Seeing an example like this makes me question that quite a bit lol.

Glad you decided to join the conversation!

 

I noticed this, just forgot to mention

 

Wow, what a beauty.

It's an honour to be the keeper of such a great old rig

 

That is a beautiful truck, welcome to FTE! Did your grandfather restore/restomod it, or is it mostly original?