This is my first post at this forum after much reading. First off, In the spring I will be looking for a 1975-1979 F250 4x4, and am wondering if there are any particular spots ot items to lookout for when buying, such as typical rust spots, gas tanks, mechanical items. My father had a 1978 years ago, and I loved the look of that style, I am a fan of the FE motor so I might swing that way, but the 335 series doesn't bother me either. Any info as to what to look for would be appreciated. Thanks

 

OK maybe I can answer a few of your questions. First in the years you mentioned you have 2 different suspensions in the F250 4x4. The 75-77 are what is known as the highboys which mean they are 2" taller in the front end. The 77 1/2-79 arent actually named lowboys but most people call them that. The reason I would choose the 77 1/2-79 over the 73-77 would be power steering and disk brakes as standard equipment. All the body panels (fenders doors cabs beds...stuff like that) are the same through the years. As for motors FEs are great engines for trucks esp 390s and 428s. The 75-77 will have FE motor mounts and probably have a 360 in it already. The 77.5-79 will 8 chances out of 10 have a 351M which is a good motor but leaves a little to be desired for me. The plus side is that a 460 will bolt directly up to your 351M bell housing and about $100 will buy you the motor mounts. Rust spots vary by location. Here in SC they always rust out above the wheel wells on the lip, the cab corners and the bottom of the doors. As long as its not a complete rust bucket they make patch panels that are pretty cheap. The biggest question is what do YOU want and what do you want to do with the truck? Also, what is your budget? and are you mechanically inclined enough to say tear it down and put it back together? and do you have a garage to work on it? All those play a big part in what you buy. If you live in a apartment with only a parking space to work on it then I would suggest buying a truck that is already exactly what you want. Make sense? Hope that helps some. Sorry for the long post.

 

Welcome to the site.

Please take th time to read the "Read First" threads attached to the top of this forum.

They are most informative to new users and will aid one in their time on FTE

Actual Topic:

Trucks without bedside doors for fuel tank fills will be hard to fill without making a mess.
(77-79 have bedside fuel doors.)

These Trucks rust whereever water accumulates

Tops of mirror brackets,Drip rails,Body chrome,Tailgate chrome,Cab supports,Bed mounting spots,wheelwells,just below tailgate,etc,etc

 

Sounds like Mil1ion and stgfordcrazy04 pretty much covered everything, but somthings to add.

You might not want to consider a 75, b/c they didn't start putting disc brakes on the 4x4s until 76, so I'd go oldest a 76.
Also like stgfordcrazy04 crazy said, the "351Ms are good motor but leaves a little to be desired"..... true in stock form. These engine came out in the wrong time... right when they came out, the restriction and smog really became a big problem with the power loss on the engine.

IF you get rid of all the smog cr*p they did to them, then they are a very respectable engine, like 4v carb(600cfm) and intake, straight up timing chain, cam and lifters, and headers, then you really got somthing going.
The good things about the FE engines is they came out before most of this was put on all the engines, so you don't have to do anything to them for a good stock engine.