So I don't really go out of my way to take pictures of my truck, which is unfortunate, because if I ever do something to it I rarely will have a before and after picture of what's been done to give other owners a visual of maybe something they're considering. I'm really not into carrying a smart phone around and snapping pics all the time. I'm 34 and just old enough to still be into minding my own business and maintaining privacy and not documenting online everything I see or eat! Anyhoo. I'm starting to take some pictures here and there, so I'm going to upload stuff occasionally to this thread to document what I do to my truck. Like I said, I haven't taken many pictures, so it'll be a couple here a couple there and probably mostly after pictures rather than before, but I'll try! Here goes.

 

Here's my truck sitting in front of our local dog park this morning after I got off work. My two dogs are eagerly waiting for me to come drop the tailgate and let them out. They were pretty upset when I got out of the cab and walked away to take a couple pictures, like this isn't our routine.

 

Shot from the side. Sun's coming up. The beauty of working graves.

 

That is a great looking truck. Just don't see them with very little rust like that around here. Cool friends you have there.

 

Thanks. It's in a LOT better shape than my other truck, that's for sure.

I've had this truck for about 3 years. Its a Jade Metallic 1977 F-100 Custom SWB (117") 2wd with 302 and C4. The previous owner had trailered it from Hermiston, Oregon to Southern Idaho (where I live) after purchasing it there with the intentions of using the short bed off it for one of his other trucks (he had like 8 SWB 4x4 dentsides on his property) and I'm assuming parting the rest since it didn't run when he bought it. Upon further inspection he decided the truck was too nice to part out, that's where I came in. I put a want ad on Craisglist describing what I wanted. This guy called me and said to come to his place about 90 miles away without showing me a picture and said I needed to see it, because it was worth taking a look, so I bit.

It was a little more than I wanted to pay considering its condition, but all the areas where it counts are rust free, so maybe that alone will make it worth it. Little bit of surface rust on the floorboard, probably because someone removed the carpet at some point. Rust free fenders, rockers, cab corners, windshield pinch weld, cab mounts. Bed has the typical rust inside the bed, but nothing that's gone through. He actually told me how much he paid for it after I paid him, what a nice guy, doubled his money.

It had the original owners manual in the glove box which was neat. Had some other items to help me figure out who owned it before and what they might have used it for. The key still had a key ring from a local business in Hermiston. Some sort of "Stitching" shop ran by an old lady, I'm assuming by her name. Had some weight slips. Looks like someone occasionally hauled a couple hundred pounds to the dump. The most recent registration was from the early 00's. All in all it's a pretty solid truck at this point, just changing a few items here and there, like taking out the gun rack it had, to make it "mine".

 

I remembered I had a couple of pictures on my "dumb" phone from right after I moved and parked it for a while. Boy was it a death trap then with the way it drove. Here's a before and after with the wheels, also before I had it lowered. My brother said it kinda looks lowered, but I don't think he remembers how much of a gap there was in the wheel well before. I think it's noticeable. I actually got halfway through putting the 20's on and thought maybe I should take a before and after, one of those rare times I think that and it wasn't too late for my lazy butt. If you look at the first pictures I posted in the thread you can see the difference. Has different mirrors and headlights on it now as well.

 

Got a few more pictures of the 77 to add to the collection. I'll point out some things that I've changed and then lay the pics on ya.

I've added a chrome day/night rear view mirror since it didn't have a mirror when I bought it.
I've added new pedal covers with chrome trim.
I converted the manual brakes to power brakes.
I put on 2/0 gauge cables for the battery and starter.
Added relays for the headlights and wired in the halo's.
Put in a newer dome light to replace the 40 year old broken one I had.
Swapped out the mirrors for the factory style mirrors it came with originally.
Lowered the truck 3" in front and 4" in rear with DJM Dream Beams and shackle and hanger kit.
New shocks front and rear.
New steering box, king pins, radius bushings, and tie rods.
Replaced all of the weatherstripping in the doors.

Things I still need to do and why my dash is still apart.

Trace down a vacuum leak on the heater controls.
Repaint the gauge needles once I figure out my vacuum leak and button it all up.
Replace all the hoses and clamps under the hood. Lots of old OEM style clamps left.
Find a set of seat belts with shoulder straps.
Find a replacement OEM radio.
Put in a new turn signal switch I've had for a few months now.
See if I can save my bench seat and get the sun damaged vinyl on the top replaced.
Get some carpet and door panels.
Many other things I'm sure!

 

BTW, if anyone needs a '77 charcoal canister, I don't plan on keeping mine.

 

I like the smaller mirrors on the short bed.

 

I'm looking for one. What will you take for it?

Thanks, Shortbox4x4

 

You can have it for the cost of shipping. I don't know when I'll ever get around to getting it off the truck, though. I'm not very motivated to mess around with things right now. I'm sick, I have to work eight 12 hour shifts this week (1st-8th), and the weather has gone to crap. If I get it off this year, it's yours. lol

 

Thanks! I'm in no rush. I don't need it today etc...so at your convenience. Just get a hold of me thru the forums here when your ready and I'll send the money for shipping etc....

Thanks, Shortbox4x4

 

Well I finally got lucky and found some door panels! I went to one of the local junkyards here, the bigger of them, on a mission to get a replacement rear seat belt for my Bronco. I was strolling in the yard towards the nearest row of of Ford SUVs and spotted a 77 Super Cab and noted, out loud, "that's new" and walked over to take a look. Upon first inspection through the driver side window I noticed a door panel sitting on the seat, which is common at this yard I've noticed. For some reason a lot of the interiors are taken apart and set inside the vehicles loosely, which is weird to me. I wouldn't imagine that someone was searching for something and carefully dismantled the entire interior only to leave it all, so maybe the guys that intake these vehicles take them apart more than I'd imagine before dropping them in their spot with great force with the front loader. Right. Regardless, one door panel was sitting on the bench seat and I was like "greeeeen.... greeeeeeeen.... it's greeeeeeen!" I never find green and most panels are trashed. This one was perfect! Too bad there's only one! Then as I'm leaving the truck I walk down the length of the bed and peer in and there's the other one, laying in the bed... nicely. Greeeeeeen. Glorious greeeen. Green is not the color I would get if I ordered one of these trucks new in the 70's, but this truck has grown on me, and like most things I come to love, finding the right parts to make them happy always seems nearly impossible. The driver side panel does have a few small cracks and a small piece of the "grill" for the speaker is missing, but I'd give these panels a solid B+ on condition. They even had the arm rests! All I need now are the finger cups to complete them, along with new clips to clip them in. Yes, they're dirty, I haven't gotten to clean them up yet.

 

I'll see if I can get the canister off this next week when I tackle my u joints. I think it has a bracket that it sits in, do you need that as well or just the canister itself? I'll also check the condition of the canister, I haven't bothered to look at it since getting the truck, I just know it hasn't been hooked up to anything since I've had it.

 

Thanks! Yep need the bracket also. Mine is missing everything. Thanks!