Hello there ! Just purchased a 79 large series with camper on back .
looking for help on decoding the vin so i can start trying to locate parts . Mainly brake system ! I will attach photos of vin and truck itself .

thank you for any and all help !



VIN : N70CVFG5903

 

Cool ol X fire rescue or police command center truck. The standard decoder for F series vins does not list "N7" because you have a F500 and or bigger truck.

https://www.fordification.net/tech/vin.htm

A 1979 Ford F500 VIN (typically 11 characters, found on the driver's door tag or frame) decodes to reveal the manufacturer, series (F50 = F500), engine, assembly plant, and production numbers. Key indicators for 1979 include a "X" in the first position (if built in Canada) or numbers for US, and the 4th-6th digits specifying the F500 series.

Hit up the FTE Large Truck forum for help with that vin decode. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum232/

 

Welcome to FTE. I moved you here as this is the forum for your LN700 truck.

N70 = LN700 gas

C = 429 4V "Lima" gas V8 (First year for these engines. Yours does have a 4bbl carb, right? 370 uses the same code but Master Parts Catalog says "F600" only)

V = Kentucky Truck Plant

FC5903 = 1979 numerical series

220 = 220 inch wheelbase

CQ
C = Special White
Q = Medium Vaquero Metallic (Looks like you may have been repainted)

N704 = N700 gas, 25,500 lbs GVWR (I don't know why the MPC says "N700" as the N series ended in model year '69. The '64-'72 MPC shows N704 as LN700 gas, 25,500 lbs GVWR,starting in '70) Stick with "LN700" when looking for parts)

8A8
8 = I do not have upholstery info for this model year.
A = internal Ford use
8 = With the preceding "8", Standard cab without butterfly hood. Cab and chassis vehicle.

N = Clark model 285VHD five speed transmission. (those are direct based on info from another source)

GQ4
GQ = Eaton model 17121 two speed rear axle, 18,500 lbs capacity, ratio 6.50 -- second ratio not shown. Other simiar models show a 6.50 / 8.86 combination.
4 = Ford 7,000 lb capacity front axle without power steering. (Edit: see post 10 and 12)

25500 = 25,500 lbs GVWR

241525
24 = Jacksonville District Sales Office
1525 = Special Order Number

I see what looks to be air horns. Does it have air brakes? If so, lucky you. Check the brand of the brake parts and search for supplies by the maker name.

 

thank you for all of this ! Yes 4 barrel carb .

my major confusion as well being the title and door tag starts with N which through me off after research of it being a LN700 it seems .

no air brakes it has vacuum booster with some form of storage tank under the cab ? Never seen that before . Rear end has a tag from a truck shop with 5.29 scratched into it . That adds up on my gearing calculator when i put in direct drive to 5.29 with 40” tires . It still has the functioning 2 speed in it .

main concern is the brake system . It is shot and needs a major overhaul from front to back .. wanting to find any info i can on these axles before i tear apart soon and if a new booster and master is available for these style trucks .

 

As far as I know, most parts are available but it's tough to find some of them. NAPA on line (change your vehicle type to "medium/heavy" if you search there) does not show shoes or wheel cylinders, but does show what appears to be a firewall mounted brake booster.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/search...der&referer=v2

Is that tank connected to the brakes?

Are those air horns or electric? If so, what supplies the air?

Shoes and cylinders will have brand info on them and sometimes numbers that can be cross referenced back.

You'll have to take it apart to find the shoe width.

Afaik from posts and searches, no new brake drums can be found.

You will have to find a heavy truck outfit to help you.

Your truck predates the expensive Lucas Girling systems, which is cold comfort at this point I suppose.

 

the tank is attached from the vacuum booster mounted under cab . Has blocked off ports but it’s simply a storage tank for vacuum it seems .




The horns are connect to a tank under the cab as well but has a chuck next to the driver door to fill with shop air it seems and the gauge is mounted in the door jam which is pretty neat !

 

Raise the hood and take photos of the firewall on the left side, and of the back side of the wheel hub assembly where the brake lines going connects
Also take a photo of the dash showing the gauges and controls on the left side, post the photos here

Ford used a few different brake systems and a couple different dash layouts, these photos will help to identify what you have

 

i got around to pulling the rear drum off passenger side today . I’m on the hunt for a 15x7” brake shoes .
i have an Eaton 17221 from what a tag on my axle says .

also looking for new wheels cylinders … part number on those 19110D. I will attach photos !

i will also more then likely be converting the truck to hydroboost instead of going back to vacuum / hydro brakes . I’ve done a few swaps in f100’s so feel confident i can do it with this without much issue.

 

Rears:





Parts List 10 & Illustration Section 21, page 5:




Wheel cylinder base number: 2261
Rear Shoes base number: 2218
Parts List 10:





Rear wheel cylinder C5TZ-2261-A
Lots & lots available, at least (30) listings via eBay, even Dorman sells a clone version.

Rear brake shoes C8TZ-2218-H
You're probably not going to want Ford part Nos. for shoes, but wheel cylinder numbers might come in handy.

 

Fronts:
OP, does your truck have power steering?

Could this be a 7,000 lb front axle? I don't see a 12M front axle listed for the LN700. Nor a 7.5M axle (you'll see why I mention that later).

For hydraulic brakes, there are only two options. Assuming a 7M axle:


Parts List 8 & Illustration Section 21, page 2:



Wheel cylinder base number: 2061 (RH), 2062 (LH)
Rear Shoes base number: 2018
Parts List 8:



The "split" vs "single" refers to whether you have a single circuit hydraulic system, or a dual circuit. How many lines come off the master cylinder? Most of our older rigs have a single line (single circuit) and the dual-circuit system was optional, but by '79 yours may have had a better chance to be a dual-circuit system without it being necessarily a special order option.

 

it is a single line coming from the master cylinder .
yes it does have power steering ! That’s why i was more so on swapping to hydro boost then replacing all the vacuum related stuff .

thank you for all of that ! This will be great help as I’ve been on the phone all day looking for the factory ford wheel cylinders with no luck !

 

I asked about PS, because the MPC shows front axle code 4 as "w/o power steering", but it's not exactly 100% accurate all the time.

 

Looks like my error. Will double check and correct decode later today.

EDITED and corrected above.

 

Probably the PS was part of the DSO special order.

The hydraulic brakes' under-cab vacuum tank was an option. The darker one with the extra plugs, not the crustier one with the right-angle fitting, which I'll guess is for your air horns.



Yours is mounted inside the frame rails, but that tank with the three bungs looks like one I've looked up before.

 

any idea what the tank was for ? Did the extra volume help with the vacuum assist ?
Just curious but I’m for sure going to swap to hydroboost soon as i get the drum brakes completely rebuilt .