First off, great to be an American! And God Bless us all!

First message on the site, been an admirer for some time and have finally located the truck I've dreamed about: 1979 F-250 with a 460.

I can barely afford it, but it's in Michigan and I'm in New York.

So here's my question:

Can you guys give any advice on what to ask regarding the quality or condition of a 460 with a 100,000 miles on it?

I've read here that 460's taken care of can go 200,000 plus.


I'm just another working guy - a general contractor - and I can walk you through and renovate every single thing in a house, but I'm embarassed to say I don't know my way around an engine. That will change!

But I'm just trying to avoid buying something only to find out its going to require a total rebuild or new engine - I don't have the money for that. I emailed the guy, he says the engine is stock and never had any changes.
I would like to upgrade the carb and put headers on it for starters, but not if the engine is bad to begin with.

If you guys were buying an old 460, what would you ask?

And if I decide to go look at it, other than checking the hoses and such, what kind of real tests can be done?
Compression?

Well, I can't thank you enough. I'm originally from Missouri, my grandpa only drove Ford, and I'm hoping to finally be a part of the family!

Sam

 

Compression check is good. Hey here's one, check the oil. If someone has maintained their engine, they sure should have clean oil in the crank case. That would be an indicater of an engine abuser vs a responsible truck owner. Carefull though as the oil could have been freshly changed to disguise something else wrong ie. water in the oil etc. Look at the plugs to see how she's running and see whats going on in each cylinder. Put you fingure into the exhaust pipes to see what and how the engine is burning. Bring a haynes or chilton manual with you as they will show what plugs look like in different engine conditions. Overall appearance of the engine will be another indication of how well it's been taken care of. 100000 miles though, don't expect it to be worthy of eating breakfast on. Don't know how the smog laws are out there so dunno how critical it is but make sure your not buying a smog problem. These can be a royal pain in the @*%. Test drive it. Then weigh all of this with the price. I'm sure more replies will follow so get all the info you can before going over there.
Good Luck

 

Also ask what oil he used, what oil filter. If he says pennzoil for oil, watch out. Fram oil filters are kinda junky, along with pennzoil and quaker state filter, because they are just fram filters. After it warms up, get out make sure nothing leaks. If it is 4x4, test it. You can tell if it is all stock usually by just looking at it, how much rust is on the bolts, if it has a smog pump, or whatnot. Check all fluids, espesially differential fluid, because many people do not check that, and those can go out if they have little or no oil in it. Once its warm, make sure it will restart. Now does the truck have 100,000 or does the engine have 100,000? Also is it 4x4 or 4x2? What type of tranny? reg cab? what year and model?

 

Hi and welcome to FTE Glad to have you.

Another thing that you can check is to remove the pcv valve from the valvecover after it is good and warmed up. Look for blowby ( misty smoke coming out of the valvecover) Rev it up with it out. A fine mist(light smoke) is acceptable at 100,000 miles. If a lot comes out, it is the sign of the rings are weak and not sealing the cylinders as good as they should.
My 460 has over 180,000 and will still pull a house off of its foundation. It does use a little oil and has some blowby. It could use a freshening up, but I still wouldn't be afraid to drive it across the country.
Jimmy

 

Gentlemen...I can't thank you enough for these responses...and anything else anyone can can contribute would be most appreciated. I guess the bottom line is this: Do I go for a '79 with a hundred thousand miles or maybe go for something newer but with more miles? I looked at a 93' F-250, 350 engine w/4x4, but it's got 140,000 miles on it! But my financial situation is...well, you know how it goes. The '79 is also an F-250 with that 460 4x4, but I don't know what it's tranny is? Here's one of those questions that only a rookie like me would ask: Are you better off going for a newer truck like the '93, even though it has forty thousand more miles on it, because it's newer? If the service needs are beyond my capabilities, is there any advantage to a '93 or a '79 as far as the cost of repairs goes?

 

Personal preference. My wife gets on my butt all the time about my old trucks, says that I should get a newer one with more comforts, Yada Yada Yada. I like my old trucks, one 73 f250 4x4 and one 74 f250 4x4. For me, simplicity is key. Both are excempt from smog and are tougher than John Wayne. Well, almost as tough anyway. I could build the engine anyway I want without restriction. They look real cool. In fact Badass. Ya just gotta set YOUR priorities and go with it.
I didn't know there were so many old Ford fans out there till I found this web site.
Good Luck in your decision. If you do go with the Older Ford, I'm sure we'll here from ya again.
Tim

 

I'd go for the 79
there will be more repairs YOU Can do as opposed to the 93
the 79 is simpler, therefor easier to learn on
besides, you said the 79 was your dream truck.

 

The factory did not put 460's in 4x4's in the 70's,


so someone put the motor in there, look out for any cut framerails to fit the exhaust manifolds.

Also, look out for bad motor mounts, and poorly done conversions. Also look out for rust, it is alot more common and severe in the older trucks.

 

I though the 460 was an option in 79???

 

It was an Option ....in 2 wheel drive trucks...ONLY. The 460 wasn't introduced into 4x4's until about 1983 or 84. The 351m\400 were the 2 standard(V 8's) engines available from 77 thru 79. Actually, I think the 351m\400 was used until about 82 or so.......s.kuteman

 

Do your homework and try to find someone to take with you. The best kind is somebody who has worked on or around trucks for a few years. That way if you decide to drive it home, they can drive your other car home. On the other hand they can play devils advocate if you get that gleam in your eye and start drooling like a kid in a toy store.

 

Yeah, the '79 is what I want, the 70's body stlye has always been what I wanted...tougher than tough looking. I know it's what I want, I just hate feeling like such a new guy. It would be easier if the darn truck was closer to New York! Do you guys know of any websites that run ads for our style old trucks? I've been doing Ebay, but that's about all I've had luck with? It's funny now, I think of all the old Fords I've seen with a For Sale sign in the window driving through Missouri. All the best to you guys, and thanks again for the feedback. One last question, do you think a new guy who's good with tools can run a lot of these engines checks that have been mentioned? I think if I read up on everything and come prepared, well, I just might be able to make a good show of it!

 

I agree that taking along a friend who is savy would be a good idea. If that's not a good option, then I would say to give it your best shot. If it drives right and runs good well.... The nice thing is about these old trucks is that you will be able to work on it if you find something wrong. It would be a great toy to learn on and you always have this forum to get help from.
Another idea is to take it to a good mechanic shop to have it inspected prior to purchase. That's always an option.
Good Luck, Tim

 

I have two 1979 Fords And the parts are cheep.

 

Sam,

Get what your heart wants or you'll never be happy, life is too short to put stuff off or P*SS Around with "make do/ settle for"!The 79 is the way to go, if it's all there & solid you can't buy a better FoMoCo Truck [in my stilted, prejudiced, convinced opinion].

Mechanical stuff is easily repaired, what's tough is when "Iron Termites" have eaten body & chassis parts! There's no-going to a wood yard & getting quarter sawn Locust plank to replace that rotted frame rail or cross member! No re-pouring a Cab Floor and so forth. I'll buy a wore out torn up 65/79 & rebuild it from scratch before I'll lay out a dime for anything else newer. My 88 F150 is about 1/2 what my 79 F150 was/is.


The newer a truck is the more parts will cost PERIOD! The breakpoint is 1980!

B4 1980 FoMoCo built their own trucks, their own way using their own parts. After 80 FoMoCo trucks start getting more like Brand X trucks. The newer they get the worse they are! I'll except that with the 04 F Series trucks because the jury is still out on them, in my view of things. The 2000 - 2003 trucks have worst crash rating ever achieved by a Pick Up truck, frames buckle behind the cabs causing the cab to crush in. 65s to 79s don't do that, and in truth niether do 80-99.

I can replace 100amp alternator on my pre 80's truck for $70 if it was a 35 amp I could replace it for $29.95. I just replaced 45amp Alternator on my 88 F150 and it cost me $120 with my discount! I can rebuild a manual new process, or eaton 4 gear by replacing bearings, thrust washers, seals, bushings & gaskets for under $200 in pre 80's F series Trux, but bearings alone for an 88F150 5spd/ O-D are $600 with my discount. . . . Need I keep going 0r say more? Everything costs more for 80's up trucks and IMHO they're a lot less truck to begin with, although bad as they seem to be, they have Brand X beat BIG time!

My 79 F150 4X2 SWB Styleside Trailer Special 460 w/ C-5 has a 66 F100 Body [cab nose & bed]. It's a mongerel of a truck, which I built to be what it is, for the road. It handles unbelievably well, it corners better than most cars. It turns mid 12's, @ 125+mph in 1/4mi. (it would be faster if I tuned suspension for drag racing, but) it's a road truck, remember?

SO!. . . my answer is there are no trucks after 1980. There are only expensive, disappointing, wannabee's that can't quite measure up to their predecessors.

Last point I run a D1VE Based 460. I can rebuild it twice for cost of rebuilding a Modular once, in trux today. Plus my 1971 Engine will last 2 to 3 X what modular engines last (about 100K). I had a D2VE 460 that I got 280K out of before it got tired. And a D3VE that has 220K on it now it still runs "purty good".

You hadda ask! . . . . . . . . .
FBp