Hello,

I am new to the boards here and thought I would post a quick "Hi". Soo, Hi! :+)

Just picked up a 77 F250 Extended Cab Shortbed. Body is in excellent condition, no rot, small amount of surface rust on the roof, shallow dent in the bed rear quarter behind the tire.

It has a 400 with 2 barrel, Dark green with mint green side panel. I have allready started my junkyard scavanging. I picked up a complete fold down rear seat (I have the jump seats) at Ecology in Chula Vista and all assorted brackets and belts for about $50 out the door. It was even in dark green vinyl to match my much abused bench :+)

Next I am looking for a dark green dash cap. The one I found was a little too beat up to warrant $28. It was better than mine now, but had tight cracks. I have found 1 in brown that might dye to either dark green or maybe black. I might pick that up.

I have been cruising the 351M/400 boards looking for info to make my engine run better but still pass smog. While there is a TON of information there, it is very scattered around. I will be digging through more and more posts as I go lol.

Anyway, I look forward to being a member here.


Bill77F250
in Ramona

 

Welcome to FTE, and to this forum! If it is Ford info you are looking for then this site is for you. Sounds like you picked up a good truck. Hope you enjoy it for a long time.

 

Welcome aboard!
Make sure to look over at the 73 - 79 forum. Alot of fart smellers over there, when it comes to seats.
No, really, there are alot of folks who are very knowledgeable about your truck. Also, the engine specific forums are a good source.
At the 73-79 forum, keep an eye open for Mil1ion. He is a gem here on FTE, with quite a bit of smarts and resources pertaining to your truck. If he has input, it more than likely is right on the gnats rear end.
See ya on the boards, Tim

 

Agreed,
Sounds like you have yourself a decent truck there. Just a word of advise on the dye...you'll get better results ifthe dye is a darker color than what it's being applied to. So if the brown is a dark color and the dye is a lighter green you may run into problems like the dye not showing true to what it is. In other words if you do dye it, go with the black haha.
-Chris

 

I prefer black anyway. I think it looks better. What kind of dye do you use? Is there some kind of vinyl dye or something? I'd like to dye my brown dash covers to black. And the door panels too. (but they're plastic) What would you use on the door panels?

 

Yeah,
I used an aerosol spray dye on the dash of my Elkie...it was a vinyl dye and it turned out pretty good....just make sure its nice and clean before you spray. As far as door panels go thats a bit tricky...if you have inserts that are fabric you could use the vinyl dye and it would probably work.. but if you only have plastic youll need a different type or even go with some of that Krylon spray paint for plastic and some clear I guess.
-Chris

 

You can also find replacement parts int the National Parts Depot catalog. They have dashes and door panels in original stock colors. They have everything else, too.

 

I wish I had more info on mods you can install on a 400 and still pass smog. Mine has an RV cam, but I think it'll do okay with a new CAT. Want to do the headers and Edelbrock, but don't feel like installing it, then ripping it all off for smog...

 

Build one motor for performance, and keep a stock motor for smog. Then every 2 years do an engine swap......twice.

 

I like your thinking...
Although, I might upgrade to a 460 if that were the case...
But there is something wonderful about building up a small blocked motor into a monster that has it's appeal...

 

So true. These gas prices keep going up, and I will be forced to put a 2.3 Liter 4 cylinder in my F-250 just to be able to drive it. Have to add a turbo and intercooler just to turn the 31's I have on the back

 

Id rather slap a 7.3 diesel in it and run it off Veggie oil....that stuff is free if you find a resturant with a fryer that wants to donate it lol...Im seriously considering getting a diesel anything just for that reason. Thing thats great is its a pretty simple conversion too all you have to do is plumb it all in .
-Chris

 

It's a cheap fuel alternative, pricey conversion, and you will get NO power out of it. It's not going to be moving that steel brick of a rig you have worth half a da*n. It'll move an old Benz, but full size rigs are not going anywhere with that tech...

 

It'd still move it better than a 4 banger though lol.
-Chris

 

No arguement there...