I've been told several things about 78s with the 79 square headlights. Matter of fact if you look below that 78 is a square ball. What's the straight scoop? Was it in fact that the late 78s came with the squares because they ran out of rounds? Not that it matters much in the arena of world happenings, but I've always been lookin for the real answer.

Thanks


Texas Bird :+

Daddy's First Car Was A Model T--He Bought It Used For $11.50 And Drove It Home

1979 F150 Custom--Betsy--302 2V, 4sp.OD(RUG)

1978 F150 Ranger XLT--Snuffy--400 2V, C6

 

I think its the Rangers and XLTs that have squares in 78.Thats what Ive heard and it seems to be true around here anyways.

 

Yep it’s the XLT-Rangers fault that things got square. I have an early 78 Custom with the round lights and my buddy that lives 2 doors down has an early 78 XLT (mine was built in September and his in August of 77). You guessed it, his has the [] and mine the big O.

BTW A federal law was passed back in 1966 because auto manufactures were price gauging (how dare them make a profit) replacement body panels. The law states that X% of new spare parts must be made for each body style production run and they must keep these parts for (now don't quote me on this because I got this number wrong in my business law class) 20 years (I said 10, silly me) before they can call the part obsolete and remove it from inventory.

After just a couple of years parts were getting stacked up all over the place and the auto manufacturers were getting upset at the storage cost. They petitioned the government and got a reprieve of sorts. Instead of keeping all these, what basically equaled un-built cars around, they could instead keep X number of parts and the tooling needed to make the part. Manufactures before this time use to recycle the tooling after the production run instead of storing it.

This is why today many aftermarket companies such has Year-One and others can state that they use the original factory tooling in the reproduction of body parts.

So the urban legend that ford just ran out of the part and grabbed the light bucket that was on hand really doesn’t hold water.

 

78 rangers/xlt's i think had square and all 79 truck. i thiknk that's right. please inform me if im wrong

 

Thanks to all.

 

Hey Wayne...Interesting comment on the parts thing. I'm in agreeance with you...I was always under the impression that it was 10 years also.


Texas Bird

 

Nooo.nooooo.....

::steps in::

There is no such thing as early or late. It was in effect for the whole model year.

1978 Custom only had the round headlights. If you ordered a Custom with the Explorer package, you get the full chrome rectangular headlight bezels. Or seems like that way.

1978 Ranger, Ranger XLT, Ranger Lariat all had the full chrome headlight bezels.

Rectangular headlight bezels became standarized on the 1979 model years.

ALL models came standard with argent/black rectangular headlight bezels. Optional was the full chrome headlight bezels.

 

I had a Bronco XLT Ranger that was a late 78 with rectangular headlights.

 

My buddie's 78 custom has rectangular head lights. I heard all 78 and 1/2 trucks and later had rectangular. My 78 custom has round ones.

 

[b][i][font color=red]Dennis[/font][i][b]
A Square is a 4-sided figure with All sides being equal.

The headlights on All 78 1/2's are Rectangular in Shape.

It goes by date,not by trim package.

Just like opposite situtation > there were parts continued into the 64 1/2 mustangs from 64 Fairlanes and Falcons.Then when 64-64 1/2 parts were gone ,they were replaced with the 65 design.

The round headlights were being dropped and the rectangular ones were being intiated.



[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Minimorleytruck.JPG

[font color=green]Do You Need To Decode Your 78 Truck Data Plate?
[/font

http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/FordTruckCodes.html

[font color=red]If New Ford Parts Is What You're Cravin',
Then Buy Them HERE,At Motorhaven![/font]



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[font color=blue]78 F-150 429CJ,Silver,Explorer Pkg.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V [/font]

 

The thing about the parts for the Mustang and Fairlane work because the LAW was inacted in 1966. All auto manufactures did the parts thing back then. Thats one reason the LAW came to be. Ford could not just simply have run out of the round head bucks. By LAW there had to be a supply "...for the use of repair and/or replacement of said part for a period of not less then 10 years after the manufacture and sale of each body design." What probably happened was a mid-year design change. There is no law that says they cannot change designs in mid-year. Has this shows Ford could not have "just ran out of the parts" and started using the 79 buckets. If that was the case then Ford would have been in violation of this Federal LAW.

 

Ops forgot this law not only applied to body parts but to unique drive train parts also. How many here can remember that in the late 80s and early 90s you could go to the ford dealer and pick up a brand new create 302, 351 or 429 boss, 428 CJ or for the Chevy freaks a brand new LS6 454 or LT1 350? That’s because these engines were left over from the warranty service inventory and after the legal time line runs out the factory can move the inventory in any fashion they wish.

 

You are correct about those Crate engines.

They caused a lot of people to suffer some anxiety problems.


[b][i][font color=red]Dennis[/font][i][b]

[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Minimorleytruck.JPG

[font color=green]Do You Need To Decode Your 78 Truck Data Plate?
[/font

http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/FordTruckCodes.html

[font color=red]If New Ford Parts Is What You're Cravin',
Then Buy Them HERE,At Motorhaven![/font]



[font color=green]Please Feel Free To Visit My Website.[/font]

http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Mil1ion.html

[font color=red]
Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions,
"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's" [/font]


[font color=blue]78 F-150 429CJ,Silver,Explorer Pkg.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V [/font]

 

I have a 78 Ranger Explorer, square lights: Chrome grille and light buckets. Not sure what month it is...
Mark




Ford started it; Ford will finish it!

 

hi
i have a 78 f-150 4x4 custom and i have a 78 f-150 2x4 ranger that has square headlights but my 78 f-150 2x4 cutom, doesn't have square headlights. This is weired. If i could have help on that it would be appericated.