I'm very intersted in the 78 and 79 F150's. Best looking year I think, yet looks aren't everything. For those of you out there that know these years well, what problems are common with these years?

 

the biggest problem........They tend to be very costly to buy because people like them so much! I know i do. Well, and rusty box sides.
Brian

 

My opinion my be a bit biased (check my signature below), I don't know that these trucks have anything wrong with them. they are Tough, Durable, Powerful, Sturdy, Heavy trucks. My truck has treated me well the past year. nothing, not one thing, has gone wrong. it has 313,000 miles and doesn't have one rattle, squeak, or anything falling apart. Good 'ol Henry Ford & Associates knew what they were doing when they built these trucks. I feel after 1980 they tried to make more money on them by going cheaper on the accent pieces, metal, engines, and such that prior 1980 were in my opinion the best trucks built. Solid good hard working trucks. i know when new they had some problems with the Auto's not engaging in PARK all the way cause of linkage problems, but one that were affected were recalled and fixed, which were only about 4700 units. SO if you find a truck that you like get it and it'll be good to you as long as you are good to it. If you do the above and beyond in the mantinence dept. you won't have any problems. Also they have a higher re-sale than there Chevy competators. more kids took the old chevy pick-ups back in the 80's and 90's and beat the crap out of them and most of them are garbage. Well even the one that the kids didn't touch are almost all garbage. So go with a good ol 70's ford and you'll grin everyday you get in that drivers seat and start that ol girl up. I know i do!! Watch for Rust around fenderwells and cab mounts and cab corners are the most common. Hope this helps!

 

As far as my opinion, the 70's Ford trucks were the best ever built for pure strentgh and reliability.

Put a 429/460 in it with the crank timing right and they are GREAT!

 

Thanks guys, thats exactly what i'm looking for!

 

Hmmm, did FORD still build a truck after 79? 1980 and up looks like crap as far as I am concerned. The biggest problems with the 73-79 style is rust. Check the floorboards and cab mounts as these were the common areas for rust, also the most obvious is over the wheel wells on the box.

 

If you get one with a 400 you can build it to be a great motor too. Without the build they are kind of a dog. Erv

 

The only problem that I know of with these trucks is rust. I live in IL, and it's next to impossible to find one with no rust on it. The rear wheel wells seem to be the worst spot for rust.

 

also look under the box at the rails these seemed to rot out quite often

 

dont forget about the pour oiling systems in these trucks. the 351M and the 400 have some stupid desing for pumping oil were the cam get the oil before the crank or something like that. the boxes rails rust bad, the sides of the box, and the cab mounts. other than that they are the toughest truck built on the face of this earth.

 

Don't forget about the body mount perches.
I second the hard to find without rust. Wisconsin uses enough salt on the roads to eat a metro in one winter.

 

These things rust?

I'll let you know what goes wrong with these trucks when something finally breaks. This truck still has the original u-joints, tie rods, and wheel bearings in it. Nothing in the drivetrain has ever been cracked open. It's one helava strong truck.

Now if I can just find a Crewcab....

 

In my state , between the farmers running them until they junked them out, the mudders and the truck pullers grabbing them up and destroying them, there are not too many real sharp ones left. They are good , solid old trucks, with a body style matched by none in that era,

 

if it's 4wd the short shaft in the front end likes to break.
if it's has A/C, then changing the heater core really sucks. I'd like to choke the engineer that made the heaterbox.

 

Try changing the heater blower moter. It is behind the core. I had to take the hole box out. I did not put the a/c back on