78-79 Headlight Debate
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,339
Likes: 32
From: Lost In a Pit of Despair
For the 78-79, I like the rectangle headlights. To me, the round ones look almost bugeyed. I think it's because the designers divided the front into individual blocks. The grill is a block, the headlight doors are blocks, and the turn signals are blocks, all of which fit together. By having everything squared and rectangular, fitting a square headlight in make sense with the rest of the front end.
73-77 on the other hand would look horrible with square headlights. The grill is more fluid and split up, without separate blocks for the different parts. Split down the middle, flows all the way out to the edge where the headlights are. The turn signals are separate, but tied into the "FORD" emblem for coheasion.
-Jameson
73-77 on the other hand would look horrible with square headlights. The grill is more fluid and split up, without separate blocks for the different parts. Split down the middle, flows all the way out to the edge where the headlights are. The turn signals are separate, but tied into the "FORD" emblem for coheasion.
-Jameson
Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 17,708
Likes: 136
From: Calgary
I'm a traditionalist and prefer round lights on any vehicle. The 79 square light was a good idea. it lets us know the last year that traditional styling was available and when the modern truck era began.
Thanks for the pics 78/79, now I know where the black strips off my hood went.
Thanks for the pics 78/79, now I know where the black strips off my hood went.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,323
Likes: 3
From: Sunny Florida
This... The square on 78-79. I actually prefer the 73-75 grills to all others.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,323
Likes: 3
From: Sunny Florida
I have two 78's one with round, one with square. I can hook you up with a set of round buckets and bezels.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 335
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
I gotta go round specifically with the 76-77 grille inserts. To me the 78-79 with the retangular lamps look a little too much like the 80-86. Of course my kids (9 and 11) both thought I was nuts for switching it out, My son is making me keep the original grille because "when it's mine I am switching back" 
and yes I will eventually paint the hood and put the grille letters in or maybe run a piece of aluminum in the slot who knows.
and yes I will eventually paint the hood and put the grille letters in or maybe run a piece of aluminum in the slot who knows.
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 547
Likes: 11
I like the round lights on the 73-77's. They seem to fit better. I'm not sure which I like better on the 78-79's. Here's a pic of my 79 F-350 4x4 next to my brother's 78 F-150 4x4. I'm not certain which I like but I lean towards the rectangular on the 78-79's.
These next two pics are of the 1978 F-250 that I gave my nephew. They just had it repainted and we put the flatbed on it today(it's not done yet). I like the rectangular lights on it.
Dennis
These next two pics are of the 1978 F-250 that I gave my nephew. They just had it repainted and we put the flatbed on it today(it's not done yet). I like the rectangular lights on it.
Dennis
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 160
Likes: 1
I vote round so you can use these sealed led lights
http://www.slyvania.com/en-us/produc...aled-Beam.aspx
http://www.slyvania.com/en-us/produc...aled-Beam.aspx
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,263
Likes: 5,822
From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Side bar information:
"Also just to clarify the square headlights did start on the 78 model trucks. The base and custom package trucks came with the round headlights in 78 and the rangers, ranger xlt, and lariat trucks came with the square headlights."
So square headlights does not always mean "Oh that's a 79"...
"Also just to clarify the square headlights did start on the 78 model trucks. The base and custom package trucks came with the round headlights in 78 and the rangers, ranger xlt, and lariat trucks came with the square headlights."
So square headlights does not always mean "Oh that's a 79"...
