I got a chance to buy a 1978 Ranger factory hiboy for 2g. Nice truck with only 300ft on a rebuilt 460. Standard cab. He says it's a rare truck and collectable because of the highboy. Is he right? I admit I have not seen one on the road yet. What do you think? Are they a good truck? Thanks

 

I"m prety sure the last year of a highboy was 77 plus Ford did not put a 460 into a 78 4x4

 

Hmmm..yet another highboy question.

Welcome to the site

Maybe read this ....read first thread at the top of this forum.

Posts #1 & 8 for sure.


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=102632

 

I talked to the guy and he put the 460 in the truck himself. 1978 is whats on the title so I don't know what to say on that.

 

It isn't what is considered a highboy, and even if it was, the fact of being a highboy is not rare, just desired. He is either feeding a line to get the sale, or he is misinformed and thinks he knows something he doesn't.
Money wise, it sounds like a pretty good deal if it isn't rusty and the rebuild is for real.

 

Can you get the VIN# for us ?

 

I got to see it today. I didn't have anything to write a vin # down but I did look on the door and the truck date was late 77. The engine is nice. It has been sitting for nine years. There is sone cancer spots in the doors but really nothing major. If I want it, he will change all fluids but I have to get it towed to a muffler place. I don't know. A 460 with $3 gal gas.

 

Late 1977 would be a 1978 model and NOT a highboy.

 

Bigsnow - I don't want to rain on your parade but any vehicle that has been 'sitting for 9 years' is going to have multiple problems. imagine the condition of all those seals in the brakes, engine, trans, power steering etc. Get him to licence it and take you for a ride - if you can, delay purchase it for a week, then you could come back and see how she leaks/performs. Every vehicle I've bought that was 'sitting' around turned out to be very expensive to get back into shape. It's your time and money.

 

No rain here. I thank you guys for all the advice. The guy is going to meet me at the truck tomorrow. It sits at his parents house. I told him what all you guys said about the highboy. He says he'll prove tomorrow that it is a highboy. I will admit that I would not know a highboy if it ran over me. What do I look for to know if he's on the up and up?

 

This is taken from another thread on what is and isn't a highboy, and is the generally accepted definition, so you are prepared for what he wants to "prove" to you.

A Hiboy is a Ford truck that came from the factory as having the following:
- Built from 1967 thru 1977.5.
- F-250.
- 4x4.
- Divorced transfer case.

Trucks that are NOT considered a Hiboy are:
- Any truck built after mid-1977.
- Anything other than an F-250.

There will always be a couple very oddball exceptions but, for the most part, this is it.

Front axle choices in the Hiboy were either the 8 lug Dana 44 or the old style low-slung pinion Dana 60 (commonly referred to as the Dana 50). Engine choices were either the 6 cylinder or 360 2 bbl. Steering was either manual or, the archaeic and commonly troublesome power ram assist.

Most important to know is that there were no '78 or '79 Hiboys ever built. Secondly, there are no 1/2 ton Hiboys!!! And to clear up the final misconception, there was no such thing as a "factory lift".

Hiboys were not the toughest of all the Ford 4x4's built by any stretch. They had terrible steering and weak front differentials. They, however, looked very menacing due mostly to their stance. These trucks were typically 3-4 inches taller than others produced.

Ivan Ribic had a very good point when he started this topic by saying that this should be stated somewhere. Even people that think they know what constitues a Hiboy are often wrong.

 

It doesn't bother me that people wish to proclaim their ignorance. I do that often enough my-self.

Past that it's used car 101. Look at what is in front of you, ask for reciepts from the rebuild ("rebuilt" is a whole other topic). Ask to have a mechanic look it over. 2 grand for a runner is a screamin deal. 2 grand for a rebuilder may not be such a deal, depends on the overall condition.

 

Thanks again. I will get the vin # next time. Maybe I looked at the door wrong and misread the date. It was getting dark. I'll bring back the #.