First post...

I just tracked down and purchased a 73 F350 Camper Special that my Grandfather originally purchased.

Other than the spare tire hatch, what makes a Camper Special a Camper Special? (I have heard there are 10 or 11 other factory differences between this truck and it's cousins. Is this so?)

Thanks in advance!

 

Well, welcome to FTE.

You aren't the first to post this question.

I don't have time to go through the unique characteristics of the C/S but,while you are waiting, I can suggest doing a search in this forum for Super camper Special & see all the threads related to this topic.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll have to do some more searching; there are just SO many results to go thru.

Is there a 'specifications' section somewhere in FTE that tabulates, for example, what XLT, Ranger, Lariat, etc. means? It seems to change over the years. (Or is this the holy grail that everyone's looking for?) I have a small fleet of 73-79s, and never sure which parts are stock, or what's been robbed, or what was never part of the factory package.

I'll be southbound thru Innisfail next week in my 79 FS SWB BB, so I'll honk for ya on the way by. If the horn works.

 

FTE IS the holy grail :0

To find out about things on trim line,just type the trim line in the search window then set it for this forum.

The word *Explorer* with get you all of them


I haven't been to Stoney Plain since 81 when I picked up my new girlfriend for ........................ the summer.

I'll buy you a coffee at Tim's if you have the time

 

According to the original Ford Trucks sales brochure, the SCS for the F-350 included the following upgrades:

55 amp alternator
75 amp-hr battery
Oil pressure guage
Bright 6" by 10" western lomg arm mirrors
ammeter
Front and rear stabilizer bars
HD transmission oil cooler (with Cruise-O-Matic)
Extra cooling package
Camper wiring harness
dual electric horns
rear shock absorbers
Camper Special Emblem

It came with a 137" or 161" wheelbase.
I also recently acquired a unit with a '74 Wolverine 12' slide-in that was made to match the '73 truck. I will be restoring both and can trade info as aquired. The above info is from a cd containing the entire Factory Shop Manual and some extras. Several companies sell these.

 

You can get the sales brochures for your truck as well as the service manual on the CD's available at the online store.

 

Thanks Guys; this is great info.

I'll have to check for all these features on my 73. I'm not exactly sure if I have a CS on SCS as it's not at home yet (still parked in Red Deer).

AliJess: Good job getting the camper too. Mine comes with a 73 12' slide-in, but I can't remember the make offhand...

I've just gotten my 79 SWB back from the paintshop and it will probably have my attention for a while. Expect a ton of posts from me looking for help with that one back on the road!

Mil1ion: I'll be likely be going thru Innisfail on Friday morning en route to Calgary. Unfortunately the shortbox won't be ready for that trip, but we can still hook up @ Tim's if you're free. Although there's no need to get excited about the 98 LWB XL V6 5SP I'll have with me!

If nobody's done it yet, I'd like to make up a year-by-year "Features" vs "Trim" table for 73-79 and post it on line somewhere, similar to the ones Ford.com for the 2004s (ie/ table that lists all the possible features down the left side, then columns for "Custom", "Explorer", "XLT", "LARIAT",... indicating "Standard", "Optional" or "Not Available" for each feature). Does this exist anywhere, all in one spot? If not, I'll make that a project for myself. I haven't checked yet, but I suspect this could be compiled from the various sales brochures you mention...? Let me know what you all think of this plan.