Lots of interesting reading and some differences of opinions.

Nothing so simple as a different number of leaf springs on the rear? (JK)

Is "ranger" a significantly different model or just a trim spec?

It would seem that my truck is in fact not F100, but F150. With asthma.

 

I have a 82 F100 with a 300 six and 3 speed on the column. It has A/C, and power brakes. The rear end is a 9" with 31 splines and 10" brakes. The bolt pattern is 5 X 4.5. It does not have the swiss cheese frame.

 

With Asthma ??
I would say with the little V-6 in it.

The Ranger is an actual model of truck by Ford.
It is smaller, Kinda like a compact truck.

 

We have a ranger over here too, was introduced in'99/'00. 2.5D 4x2 only IIRC.

V6 = asthma

Any chassis differences for long or short bed?

 

There are differences in the wheelbase of the shortbed vs the longbed.

My 96 F-150 has a 133 inch wheelbase.
Commonly measured from center of front tire to center of back tire.

Shortbed would be around 115 to 119 inches.

 

There are no engine mounts, engine mount brackets, flywheels, crankshafts, harmonic balancers, intake manifolds or any other engine parts listed in the 1980/89 Ford light truck parts catalog for a 1980/83 F100 with a 351M or 351W.

I have two of these catalogs on microfiche, one dated 1989, another dated 1991 (last revision).

Ford updates parts catalogs 4 times a year, so thru 1991, that's 48 changes, so any mistakes would have been corrected.

I'd like to see a pic of your VIN as mounted on the dash.

 

Sure thing. It's 9.43pm here and dark so will sort it asap tmw.

 

1958/60 Ranger = Edsel model

1965/66 Ranger = F100/250 Custom Cab w/Bucket Seats

1967/81 Ranger = F100/350 trim line (Ranger, Ranger XLT) There are Bronco Rangers, also.

1983/2008 Ranger (introduced March 1982 as a 1983 model) small pickup similar in size to a Chevy S10, Nissan Frontier, etc.

 

It's not your VIN I want to see.

Did you notice who's post I quoted?

I want to see Quaddrivers VIN, because he claims his F100 came with a 351 originally.

Ford sez there isn't any such thing. Standard Catalog of Light Duty Ford Trucks has no listing for a 351W in a 1980/83 F100.

I even looked in the Kelly Blue Book, there's no listing for any 351 engine in a 1980/83 F100.

I've never seen any F100 from this time frame with a 351.

I've been a car nut since 1951, a Ford car/truck collector since 1956, and a Ford partsman for over 35 years, I've prolly seen more Ford trucks than the entire registered membership of FTE has.

That's over 400,000 trucks.

 

I would also like to see the Vin number.

According to the 1981 Light Truck specifications manual, "FPS 365-322-81"

F-100 Pickups 4700/5000 GVWR with power brakes has the 10" brakes with 4.5 wheels. Manual brakes used the 11" brakes on the F-100.

The F-100 GVWR ended at 5150.

The F-150 GVWR started at 5250.

 

I mulled this over, and came up with a possible answer:

A Domestic Special Order, as it could have been ordered by a "ranking" Ford employee.

So I'd like Quaddriver to post his DSO code, along with a picture showing the VIN on the dash.

A friend has a '71 LTD Convertible with a 429, and a THREE SPEED MANUAL trans.

It was assembled at the Louisville KY Ford truck assembly plant for a Ford executive.

One has to wonder what he owned before...and since.

 

any way it goes this guy got screwed over BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sorry. I will read more thoroughly in the future.

 

In CA he could get his money back, even from a private seller, but it's an involved process.

I'm sorry to see this happen. I wonder if the previous owner really knew?

I also wonder how long it's been in the UK.

And how was it was able to pass thru English Customs with that VIN that doesn't match the title?

 

no I didnt. I claim that my F100 came with originally what is listed on my project page. I clearly said that in 1981 and ONLY 1981 of the last version of the F100 (80-83) there was a 351 option and it was given VIN code G. I did locate two people that have them, one on LA (state not city) and the other in OZ. And one being parted out.

there is also a vin code Y 300 I6 that came with a 2bbl motorcraft carb. In order to have the VIN assignment, Ford *HAD* to have not only built them, they had to be EPA certified and registered with the NHTSA.

Another poster a few lines up sez he does not have the swiss cheese frame. one perhaps 2 people have claimed to have the 4.5 wheels while the rest of us have the 5.5's. Both these conditions are claimed to NOT BE POSSIBLE.

If you would look at my project page you see that CLEARLY I have mid-90's E150 passenger van wheels on the truck. they only came in 5.5 so we cannot make the claim that I am mistaken.

I have said this before in other threads, I will say it again for the 3rd time here - be darn careful with ford saying 'never' or always, there were so many changes that Ford themselves do not know what is in the trucks. (to be fair, GM has mystery options in cars/trucks that were not 'available' but stuff still occured (ever hear of Yenko?) - one has to know how to read RPOs or have the bible)

Case in point: If you recall, i had asked about a month ago help in identifying a tranny in my truck (the one put in there by ford) and I gave you the code. You came back with the 'clark tranny', whatever that means. There was no such option on a 1981 F100 any motor. When I de-grimed the tranny and got the number and scratch plate, we find that it identified PERFECTLY as what it should have been, door jamb sticker/parts catalog be damned. At the same time, the speedo gear (again read my project page) is sworn up and down by ford to ONLY exist in 1965-1973 car and light truck trannies. Yet I got a part with a ford number in 5 minutes using the web. Brand new, well, NOS.

One of the reasons I did my 8.8 axle swap rather than a center section is we could not find the proper bearings - at the ford dealership, OR Miller auto parts who in PA supplies nearly all the axle bearings for the center of the state.

Well I have never seen any F100's with 4.5" bolt circle wheels. touche? I looked at 3 power brake boosters last wednesday at the junkyard on F100's, 2 4x2's 1 4x4 and each one had 5.5 wheels. someone also said no F100 had 4wd, well Im going back next week when I have the wagon to grab the perfect bumper, perhaps a picture?

I believe you, but it does not change what people have in their driveways.

PS - funny you mentioned 351M, I wasnt gonna say anything, but I have it on good authority that canadian built trucks in the early 80's still used this engine.