Yes it appears that way that he heads are newer/rebuilt.
I disagree on the carb though. I would replace with an original as they are available.
1959 FORD F-100 4.8L 292cid V8 Carburetor | RockAuto

Plus it would get rid of the rube gold berg cobbled together fix on the back of it to block off the the carbs PCV inlet.

That is exactly the sort of stuff under hood I would replace/fix. No sense in conserving the exterior/ interior to original only to open the hood to a bodged together assortment of non original bits.

 

Most advice that makes sense to me involves around getting it running and safe/serviceable to drive first. If you have the drive and motivation, skills and $$$ to rip it apart and go to town, then you probably wouldn't be asking necessarily. Do what needs to be done and see how you like it and go from there. Then you can use it in the meantime, and restorate and repair as you go along. Lots of disassembled project trucks out there, people lose motivation or run out of $$$. Then it sits in piles, parts get lost..

Get the Ford Shop Manual for your truck. It has all the specs and adjustment and repair for every component. Run a compression check on the motor and see what's what. 292 has solid lifters and needs to have valve lash checked and adjusted once in a while. Start with tires, brakes, wheel bearings before you get too far into it. Whoa is just as important as go. Y blocks sound great with dual exhaust and glass packs.

 

Thanks. First thing I did was buy the shop manual, then the seat cover, ignition switch, cylinder lock and battery. Next will be the driver's side window and brake light switch. After that, everything will be bonus. Thanks again all for your advise and comments.

Happy motoring.

 

Well, there are quite a few issues to address before you get too worried about cosmetic issues under the hood. I brought my 59 back from a lot longer slumber and it wasn't as nice of truck as yours. First is always to make sure the engine is sound, this is where I did the major tune up. Then it's on to most everything rubber. I did the clutch master and slave to make a test drive around the yard (with no brakes). Then all the rubber in the brake system, master cylinder, brake hoses and wheel cylinders. You can do a complete brake job now if there is metal to metal. If you have cleaned out the whole fuel system, you should have a driver at this point. On your truck, I would go back to an original fuel pump with the filter on it if replacement is needed. I also had a couple days of just cleaning. Heater was full of mouse nest, as was the head liner. Seat out, tank out and this is a good time to get all the lights and gauges working.
On my truck, as soon as I started running it some, the water pump went out and that was the hardest thing to find. I finally got one NOS from back east. Now after a few months my clutch is all out of adjustment and the rear main seal has taken to leaking pretty good.
Lots of shop manuals on ebay for cheap.

 

If you are replacing door glass, have some of these on hand. I use the plastic repops but if you look on ebay, they have the metal ones. I also pulled out the window regulator to clean, inspect and lube.

Ford Mercury window regulator rollers bushings 4 Lincoln Thunderbird Truck Edsel | eBay

 

And that was exactly the point first on the list, major engine tune up, if it will fire, and that will include doing the carb, no point what so ever putting money in to that carb.

 

I forgot to ad, at some point while crawling around under my truck, I decided to put in all new freeze plugs. A wise choice because several of them were all but rusted through.
And Mathew, I guess this is where we just agree to disagree a little. I don't like clunky looking stuff either, like the galvanized union on the heater hose. But I would take a good 2100 over a Holly. The old Hollys can tend to seep gas when they are that old due to slight warpage, mine does anyway. I have also found the needle/seat to be more problematic on the Holly. My truck sat a couple months while I was in the hospital and I had to replace it when I got home, never had alcohol gas in it either. If I could find a 1.08 venturi 2100 with a manual choke (from a 68-69 302 pickup), I'd have it on my truck in a heartbeat over the original Holly.

 

Difference is your truck is not original nor is conservation the goal.
And nothing wrong with the 2300 Holley either, they are second only to the Autolite's, and that was the point in buying a newly reman'd unit from Autoline no worries about warped bodies, worn throttle shafts or other age related issues and will be fitted with new Ethanol resistant gaskets/seals and needle and seat with and all the up grades and revisions done from Autoline. That Autolite that is on the truck is original is a 1960's vintage non ethanol compatible carb. And I'd take an application specific ethanol compatible Holley 2300 over a carb that is 45-60 years old non ethanol compatible of unknown calibration and even if it is an Autolite 2100.

As for a carb in your truck, there was no 302 in the F series in 68, the first year was in 69 ,and all you need to do is pay the money. A 302 calibrated 1.08" venturi manual choke 2100 is not a hard find.
1969 FORD F-100 5.0L 302cid V8 Carburetor | RockAuto

 

The only things not as original on my truck are the later 16 inch wheels, a cheesy fiberglass fan and the 205 transfer case. Oh, and a couple gauges in the dash and a phone charger port.

But then, I'm old and lazy, if it works just leave it alone, haha

 

First thing is a cylinder compression test by most accounts. It's usually on page 1 paragraph 1 in the tune up manuals. Reasoning is, if the engine is too far gone then it isn't cost effective to perform a tune up or spend money on it. Don't be too concerned if it's a little low, engines that have sat for a while will usually come up. Yank the plugs, pull the valve covers, and turn the motor over with a breaker bar and see that the valve train is in good shape. Valve lash should be checked, too loose it will clatter like hell, too tight will burn exhaust valves. I like Marvel's Mysterious Oil in the gas tank and crankcase on old iron, it frees up sticky rings. Make sure the tank and lines are clear of old stale fuel. Varnished fuel means bent pushrods.

 

So the Holley works just fine then. And there ya go....

 

It leaks and I've had to replace the needle/seat since a rebuild about 6 tanks of gas ago.
We all have our personal preference in carburetors and you seem to think your choice is the only choice, and for you I'm sure that is the right one. For simplicity and reliability, the 2100 is a great choice. When I switch to my 4 bbl. intake, I will be running a 4100.

 

Agreed, we sometimes forget that but it was what I was also taught 45 years ago. Do a compression test first because there is no sense trying to tune up an untunable engine. Uniformity is more important that how high the numbers are. While not an accurate test, over the years I have developed an "ear" for the sound an engine makes when cranking over and can often tell there are one or more cylinders lower than the others.

 

If it's a conservation there is only one choice, what it came with. I think that is what you are failing to grasp.

 

I would keep the CB radio.......