Howdy Folks
My first post since joining in the 73-79 forum. This is a Great Forum from all I have seen/read already, THANKS for All the info you All have freely shared and for letting me come aboard... I hope I can give help and/or advice in the future where needed...


My dad & I just bought a 76 F250 4x4 Camper Special from Montana. Its in really good shape for being 39 yo. Its perfectly solid, no rust (1 tiny pinhole in lower RF fender bottom) and is gonna be a daily driver after a little TLC is finished. It needs a new windshield & gasket, and a new rear slider & gasket, inst cluster light inop at the moment, but that's what I'm working on now. I rebuilt the carb and it's Purrrring like a kitten now
The motor was changed to a 351M which is OK with me, as long as its runnin good I don't mind it not being stock motor.


I want to change the radio and door speakers while I have the dash apart working on dash lights, so I have a question regarding the door panels.?


How do they attach exactly? I'm sure they probably have clips into the door, but do the clips and panel just pop straight out, or does the panel need to be pushed or pulled forwards/backwards to not break the area that the clips attach to the panel???


I was looking at 6.5" POLK 651s speakers for the doors. I believe that 6.5" is the correct size from memory of a 78 Bronco I had years ago (WISH I still had IT )
I am also looking at a Pioneer DEH-X5700HD stereo unit. Does anyone have a preference what type radio's install nice in these dashboards of these old gems... I haven't bought a new head unit/CD player stereo in years ...... What is the better brands going now? I was always a Pioneer fan, but not sure whats new and maybe better these days. I'd like to keep the price under $200 for radio if possible and closer to $100-$150. I don't knowabout all the USB/Ipod/IPhone stuff, but might like to use the Ipod thingy if I can get use to it and get some good Old Country/New Country and Classic Rock playing in my 76 HiBoy


Thanks a lot folks!
BigBore44


Here's a pic the day my was waiting on the 18 wheeler to transport truck from Montana to New York...

 

Welcome to FTE!

The advanced search function is great for finding information.

Check out this thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...tallation.html

 

They have metal clips that hold them to the door frame. Just be careful taking them off because they are quite strong and your door panel is brittle from age. On mine, the clips stayed in the door and busted the plastic that held them on to the door panel. I had to reattach the door panel using screws.

In case you find yourself in this predicament, I bought some screws and matching plastic caps from pro-dec.com and painted the caps to match the door panel so the heads would not show. It turned out fairly nice looking:



BTW I *love* Polk speakers - I use them on everything I own and also in my house.

 

Thanks Guy's! I appreciate the link and the Tips & Tricks...


I haven't taken any pics of my truck since it got here (from Montana, I'm in NY) but, here's one on the sellers truck the day it was getting picked up for transport...







Kool the Pic Worked!!! LOL


Thanks
BigBore44

 

X on be VERY CAREFUL, if they are still held on with the metal springs clips, yes a very good way to ruin a set of door panels.

Remove the 2 phillips screws holding the finger cup on, and then the one big phillips holding the interior door latch on.

Then starting on the bottom, either corner, carefully pull it out just a bit to see if you have the metal ones. They could have a piece of foam stuck on the clip also.

Red is in the door part, blue is hooked/slid in the mounting tab to the door panel.

Ford Door Panel Clips, Set Of 10, 1955-1979 - Macs Auto Parts

Metal ones, get a door panel pulling tool, or bend 45 on a #4 flat tip and grind a notch in the end, wrap it with tape to protect the paint. And proceed CAREFULLY, BY PRYING WHERE IS GOES IN THE DOOR, constant light pressure on the panel and another guy running the tool. And hopefully they will pop out and not destroy you door panel.

Ford - Door Panel Removal Tool - Stamped Steel - Economy Version - Macs Auto Parts

If they are held on with the push on X mas tree looking plastic button just take a hack saw blade and gain a little tape to protect the paint and holding the panel out a bit, cut the button off. The buttons are available in any help section of about any auto parts store. FYI the cream GM ones are longer than the black Ford ones.

I have another tip for the reinstall, pics of that later.

 

77&79F250


Thanks for the info. Yeah I just picked up one of the trim panel tools like you pictured above. I figure it would get used for something along the way...


BigBore44


PS
Thanks for the link to Macs. I haven't heard of them but have more shopping to do now... LOL

 

If you like that link, them come over to this one for a long list of info links. See pg 1 and then pg 2's Parts Vendors & Resources list.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14955940

Awesome looking truck too!

 

Thanks Bud! Yeah its really startin to grow on me. I think its gonna be a most excellent adventure. Should be a fun ride

 

Nice ride. All good advice above.
Feel free to join the NY Chapter if so inclined. I'm N of Ithaca. We're always looking for fellow FTE'ers for a G2G.

 

Door panel removal:

unscrew the window crank handle -1 screw
unscrew the the door handle -1 screw
unscrew the armrest door pull cup -2 screws

There are 8 clips holding door panel to door
-3 along top
-3 along bottom
-1 in middle on each side
-they may all be ford factory clips or alternative aftermarket plastic clips as other people have said in their post
-use a door panel popper and patience, sometimes they go easy, sometimes they don't want to let go
-Or if not caring about scratching door paint or breaking the panel, then use a big flat prybar and destroy everything in sight (lol joke, I've seen other people do this, and I've done this with previous owner damaged panels that the doors were getting redone anyway)

 

Pretty Truck. More pics please

 

I don't think that just the motor was swapped out. Looks like a body swap to me. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like a 77.5-79 frame. It also seems to be missing the divorced transfer case. Beautiful truck though!

 

Door panel reinstall time. Remove the arm rest pad and then dremel notch the door panel where the finger cup area hits the latch bracket mount bolts. It will let the door panel go back on tighter, no worries the finger cup will cover it. Also upgrade the plastic finger cups to metal ones. LMC $12.99 or a JY ck older 73-77 trucks they are metal OEM.

https://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fc/full.aspx?Page=51

I JB weld reinforce the plastic mount tab on the back of the panel, for piece of mind. And I made a simple sheet metal overlay/reinforcement bracket for the plastic tab that always breaks. And use the GM (x mas trees) push in mount tabs, they are longer and have a bigger mount head to slid in the tab.

I am velcro stripping them too, I hate to have loose door panels.

 

Thanks much fellas. I appreciate all the good info...


77&79F250

Great pic and tips on makin the panel stronger. I did get a set of those metal cups for the armrest already from NPD. I like your mods and I believe I just might have to copy them ..
Stronger is always better in my book.


I believe that FordCrzyMikeis right. I looked today and my trans case is "married"... I haven't had much time since I got it to look it over Really good, but its a solid truck nonetheless. NO rot and nothing for even rust.
I have seen where its said that 76 HiBoy frames are 33" wide and later is 37.5" ....Is this good info?
Mine I measured across at the transfer case and it is 33".

Maybe its just had the motor/trans/T-case swapped???

I'm tryin to get a handle on exactly what I have here

Whatever it turns out to be, least I have a solid foundation to go with is how I look at it.

Thanks
BigBore44

 

The 4 red button mount tabs and the red repair under the front corner of the arm rest is an over haul of a door panel I wanted to use that had the metal chrome strip.

JB weld or some other favorite 2 part epoxy is a great reinforcement of that mount tab area.

I would not use the metal mount clips again. Using the plastic push in buttons will give you the banality to cut the buttons (hack saw blade trick) and not fear destroying the mount tabs if you have to remove it in the future.

Post up a walk thru in your thread of the job to include the speaker choice and mounting.