I'm looking for a 76-79 Ford with 4 wheel drive. i'm leaning toward the 76-77 cuz I really want an FE engine and I like the front end........the reason I'm not looking earlier than that is because I'm shootin' for an NP205 transfer case. My question is this. For what I'm lookin' for, a good 4wd work/huntin truck. Do you recommend the F150? or the F250? Besides weight(axles, etc) and front suspension, are there any other real big differences? Any opinions will be awesome. Thanks

 

For what you're going to use the truck for I would suggest the F250. The F250 is a heavy duty truck with a heavier suspension. Your best bet would be to try to find a 76-early 77 High-boy F250.

 

If you want an FE, 76 was the last year it was offered. Not that it won't fit in a 77. But if you have to pass emissions, one of the basics is you can't install an older engine in a newer chassis.

 

I recommend the 150. Most of the parts are the same as the 250, but you will get the coil spring ride, which I think rides better. Plus, if you aren't going to put 38s on it, they will be fine. Just driving around with the occasional work won't hurt it. Back then they were rated pretty high for a 1/2 ton. If you plan to work it regularly, buy the 250. You get better brakes, and a stronger susp. so you can carry more. Also, the 250 axles are usually lower geared, making them ideal for tire upgrades. Ted

 

Thanks a lot for the help. Did a 390 ever come in 4wd?? I know the 360's did. Also, is there any other advantage to the F150 besides coil springs?? Thanks a lot.

 

Well I found out the 390's were not available from the factory in a 4x4. So my next question is should I be careful about buying one that has a 390 in it?? It seems to me there are a lot of 4x4 with 390's.....i've seen a lot for sale.

 

It's a direct swap to put a 390 in place of a 360, and its pretty easy to convert a 360 to a 390, so I wouldn't be to scared about a truck that actually has a 390 in it. Remember that all of these beasts are getting near 30 years old and have probably been rebuilt at some time or another. Remember too that sometimes a 360 magically becomes a 390 when people go to sell their trucks, as there's no real way to tell except by measuring the stroke with a dowel.

BTW - the NP 205 transfer case can be found in the '73 - '75 F250's, so I wouldn't rule them out because of that. The only real drawback to the older trucks is the closed-knuckle D44-6CF front axle w/drum brakes and outdated power-assist steering setup.

If the disc brakes are an issue and you gotta have an FE, then you're talking about a '76.

 

it sure is funny when they sell a truck with a 352 or 360 it right away changes into a 390 or a 410

 

While I'm asking a million questions, what's the difference between a married t-case and a divorced t-case?? Does it matter which model truck you get (150 or 250)???

 

A married t-case is directly connected to the back of the transmission. A divorced t-case has a driveshaft thats about 2 or 3 feet long between it and the transmission. F250's had divorced t-cases up until 1978, and i think all f150's had married ones.

 

Close, According to my ford book the divorced was dropped mid '77. Yeah, all 150s were married. However, the older 150s and 100s sometimes had a dana 24 case. Be careful and check this when you are looking. BTW, love your truck, Smitty