Alright I bought a 1977 F100 SWB that has an almost perfect body and has had a 460/c6 swap already done. After running the VIN it matches the title saying its a 1977. Now for the questions, the door tags are both missing (the body is in primer and all the chrome has been removed) the vin tag under the hood is attached and matching but it has some 1978 features. It has the chrome around the windshield, weatherstripping on door, tilt wheel(which needs replaced so if anyone has one). I found out that if it was produced late in the 77 year it could have come with the new year features. So are there any things I can look for to figure out what the HELL? Also is there anyway to get a replacement door tag?

 

Ive never heard of that. Is the VIN under the hood the one thats stamped on the frame or is that a buck tag you are lookin at? Its more likely someone replaced the cab and removed the VIN info off of it and just went with the VIN on the frame.

 

Or possibly it still has the original cab and frame, but different doors, like mine. Might explain the missing tag and the big mirrors on a 2wd shortie, unless you put the mirrors on. The doors could be off '78-79, with the door weatherstrip, or someone installed them anyway - they just use adhesive, so they can be put on any door. Various chrome here and there or not is pretty common on these old trucks. Is it a custom or ranger?

 

Grille is 77
Bumper is 77

You must have a frankentruck

so what are the last 6 digits of the VIN# ?



78's were first built in August 77.

 

The doors and cab go together, the fenders are both new, the hood is a donor and the bed is also from some other truck. I'm not really all that concerned except how much money do I want to put into a truck if I can't prove the VIN is correct.

Where on the frame would I find the VIN? There is a red tag on the cowl just above the ac/heater box with the VIN, not sure what that proves becuase it is screwed on. Any and all help is appreciated, this is my first Ford project so I'm learning as I go.

 

Last 6:
y08674

 

Going By the vin #, it's a mid 77.

Look on the passenger side frame rail between the rad support and the firewall
see post #16 on this thread.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...ear-is-it.html


You may need a wire brush and some welder's chaulk to see it clearly

 

The 76 and 77 grills are identical. The bed is 77 or newer because of square fuel filler door.

 

The grille frame is the same 1973/77.

The grille inserts are not all the same 1976/77. The difference is in the grille insert colors.

1976/77: ARGENT & CHARCOAL: D6TZ-8150-A right grille insert / D6TZ-8151-A left grille insert.

1976/77: BLACK: D6TZ-8150-B right grille insert / D6TZ-8151-B left grille insert.

1977 only: CHARCOAL: D7TZ-8150-A right grille insert / D7TZ-8151-A left grille insert.

1978/79 tilt columns are hard to find...but the parts to fix them are easy to find.

The tilt wheel parts that usually wear out are the same exact parts for trucks & Bronco's 1978/96. 1975/91 Econolines, and are also the same parts as the following cars used > > 1971/78 LTD & Merc Marquis / 1971/79 Lincoln Town Car & Mark IV and V / 1971/76 Torino / 1971/79 T-Bird / 1977/79 LTD II / 1971/79 Cougar / 1975/80 Granada/Monarch / 1977/79 Lincoln Versailles / 1971/73 Mustang/Cougar.

The tilt wheel actuator is the usual problem. It's cresent shaped and has teeth that wear down. When that happens, the column won't lock in position.

The parts are still available from Ford.

 

Are you in Auburn Washington by chance? I think this is my old truck. It was a 77 with a 79 Lariat cab. The hood was dark green on the bottom and the cab was a brownish bronze color and the tailgate was black. It also had a tilt column. Seat was green with a black cover. Am I right or is this just to weird. I was told the truck had been totaled. It also had new OEM fenders. Same wheels and exhaust also.

 

I am about 2 hours north of Auburn but it sure sounds like the same truck. I just bought this about a month ago and want to fix it up for my dad's 65 birthday(next July) but I don't want a complete basket case. The biggest concern I have right now is the wiring harness, some dead ends and burnt plugs but everything seems to work. There was a receipt in the glovebox from 2005 when somebody paid $3400 for the truck from a dealer. Any info you can give about the truck would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and what a small world.

 

The truck was originally a 6 cyl with a 3 spd manual. I bought it for $200.00 from a friend who got it from Tony's Ford Truck Parts in Portland. This was around 1999 or 2000. I put a new 302 and c4 in it and drove it for a few years before I sold it to a friend of mine in Auburn. He put a REALLY radical 460 in it. He sold that motor and I installed a stock 460/c6 setup for him. He owns an exhaust shop in Auburn and we would trade work for work. I sold him the cab because the original one had rust in floors and was creeping up the right side kick panel. I also installed the cab for him and drove it back to Auburn. That was the last time I ever saw it. He sold it and had heard it was sold at a dealership to a kid that wrapped it around a pole. Guess that info was wrong!! I'm very glad it is still around. My son is still pissed at me for ever selling it!! It drove awesome. The VIN# on the red buck tag matches the frame# and the title. I took the numbers off the cab to avoid confusion. As far as the wiring...it all worked great when I last drove it. The harness is 79 up front and 77 in the back. If you look under the truck in the floor pan area you will see a bulge in the harness where it is spliced together. The reason for this was the 78-79 harness had plastic plugs instead of rubber. The 78-79 frame harness I had was from a longbed so I just spliced it together. When I originally bought it it had no front clip on it hence the new fenders. I loved this truck so much I built another one just like it. We called them the "junkyard dogs". When my buddy was going to sell it I got the NOS door panels and the new seat out of it and are still in my 77 today. Let me know if I can help out anymore.

Steve

 

Well Steve all that info was great, makes me feel even better about my $1000 purchase. The truck still runs pretty good and the panels are all still in great shape so hopefully the telephone pole was just a tale. The truck is going to get stripped completely down at some point so the info about the wiring will come in handy. Thanks again. Matt

 

FYI the bed is original to the frame.

 

This is too freaky.