In mid November I found a 78 F-150 2wd sitting in yard in an older neighborhood. It had a weathered "FOR SALE" sign in it. Of couse I had to stop. I have a 78 F-150 Lariat 4x4 I'm resto- moding so always looking for parts. Truck is cream color on outside with dark brown inside the race track trim. It also has a nice shade of gray primer with surface rust bleeding though. Owner came out about 60-65 yrs old. His Dad bought it new and passed away about a year later and he bought it from his Mother. It was his DD until about 5 years ago when he wanted to restore it. But he had a hip replacement that went bad and was using a walker,so the project was stopped . He did have the engine rebuilt(460) and upgraded with Edelbrock intake,carb,valve covers,and headers. Even with it looking bad,hearing engine fire up I was hooked. It's also a Lariat with the same brown interior as mine. Options: 460/C-6,tilt,cruise,A/C,dual tanks,cargo light,lighting package,delay wipers,lighted visor,hood lock,and 10 hole alloy wheels. After a few weeks of haggling,I had it towed home( no exhaust,bad tires). My first plan was to pull the doors and bed to swap with my rusted ones and my son wanted the 460 for his 79 Bronco. It's very soild truck with the only rust in the passenger side floor pan. I have another set of doors and bed to use on mine 4x4,but not as nice. I know these trucks are getting harder to find complete,and this has all the nice options. It's really growing on me to have a 2wd sleeper truck,but finding time and $$$ to finish one is hard enough with kids at home. I think trucks of this era are the best ever made. I'm sure I not the only here with this problem. I just want to do right by the truck and last owner.

 

If your other trucks are more important, I'd part it out without damaging what I didn't use. It isn't a 4x4, it isnt a Bronco, and it isn't a heavy hauler.
Give your important project truck the parts it needs, your son could use the 460, and sell the rest. If someone wants to they can make it whole again, but to save some of these trucks consuming others makes sense.

 

This truck is one hell of a find. even tho it aint a 4x4 its still very unique. id leave it the way it is since it seems to be in good shape and use it as a 'sleeper hauler'. its like having the 'cadillac/lincoln' of these trucks. all the good options minus the 4x4. its very hard to come by and if its in good working order it is defintely worth keeping 'as is'. do not part this one out!

 

You could always test the level of its wonderfulness by putting it up for sale at a fair profit.

You could keep the Edelbrock goodies off it and install stockers, sand it and spray-can some primer-sealer (so it dosen't bleed rust through again) and see if another FTE member wants it.

They might be able to throw in the sheet metal parts you would otherwise be taking off it from one of their donors, or do a "donor plus cash" deal. (I'm not trying to buy it, BTW.)

If you try to save every truck, it's hard to find time to fix them all, costs more than concentrating on the main projects, and isn't good for the truck or the owner.

"finding time and $$$ to finish one is hard enough"

Just answered your own question.
If you can make fair money selling to someone who wants to save it then you furthered the resto of your machines and didn't slay the '78.
Plenty of people will say "don't part it" i.e. sacrifice YOUR other trucks needs and YOUR money you'd otherwise spend buying parts for the truck and your main rides.
If they offer to show up with money and/or trade bait that's another thing entirely.

 

I was struggling with the same problem with a F350 4X4 I bought last fall. The engine was locked up but the rest of the drive train seems to be in good shape. I bought it for the front D60. I had people telling me to keep and fix the truck, but like you I have a hard enough time fixing the one I have let alone two. The F350 has alot of rust in the usual places, and the closer I looked the easier it was to start taking off parts. I still feel a bit guilty when I look at it, but my Super Cab is greatfull for the attention it is getting.

 

I hate to see ANY Lariat,XLT or Ranger Explorer get parted out.

Part out all the Custom's you want though

 

Unless of course it's a highly optioned custom, with lots and lots of optional extras.

Those are quite rare too...

Like the 1976 custom I saw not too long ago, with the full Ranger XLT type exterior molding on her.

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Parted out a 1979 F-350 4x4???

 

I would be interested in purchasing the frame mounts and motor mounts and perhaps a few other parts also. Robbie @ 330-307-9581
THanks.

 

I am kinda thinking the other way save the customs and part out the xlts,explorers, and Rangers
but that is just me

 

Well you see , My thinking is you can get the options you want from Custom that has just happens to have it.
But ,If you want all the options you can get....you just but the truck that came with most of them
ie: The Lariats & XLT's

 

I agree i hate to see any of these year of trucks parted out at all but what can you do if its in that nice of shape why not keep it and maybe later in the future put in a engine and fix whatever needs fixing especially if its a Lariat with all the options hard to come by if you got the space i would keep it but totally up to you

 

if the frames bad or the cab is shot. that is when i part it out. no matter what it is.

 

I would be willing to do some trading if I could find the right bed. I'm looking for a long bed dual tank,race track trim and side tool box. I have a nice black one in the garage also off 78 Lariat but it has no tool box. My 4x4 has the toolbox and trying to keep it original. I will probly have to cut it out of the original bed and add it to this bed otherwise. If I keep this truck it will be painted black and I will leave my 4x4 white.

 

I picked up a 79 F350 Lariat Trailer Special Super cab for $500... for the 460 motor with a new edelbrock intake and new holley 4 barrel. Has the neat tool box on the side, matching fiberglass topper, and race track trim. Paint is bad shape and has some cab rust. But I do body work, so, I kept it and just put over 3 grand in the motor , Talk about a sleeper!

I hate to see these highly optioned trucks go to pieces. I will restore this one entirely.
Where are you located?? Always need parts.