Hi folks,
I just recently purchased a 1969 Ranger F 100 LB and it needs work. Searching the internet for various sites I came across you guys and it looks like this place rocks with great information. I`m not sure what my goal is for this truck but I was attatched to it because I know the original owner whom was a career Ford mechanic during the 60` and 70`s. He used to take his son and I to the beach on Hwy 101 in SoCal as we rode in the back bed soaking up the rays. Ahhh the good old days. Anyway, today I`m in my mid forties and I bought the truck from the original owners son. The speedometer reads under 100K miles, interior is very clean....Frame is straight, most of the body is clean except the following: The bottom side edges have rust from water build up in the "gutters" on the inside of the hood. It`s enough where I can put my finger through it along the bottom 2 inches. The other rust is at the top cab just above each door....again I can put my finger through it along the bottom inch level. The rest of the body is great with only minor surface rust here and there.
Mechanically it`s very sound with no smoke or leaks. It has a 360 engine 2b brl carb, single exhaust. Dual tanks. 411 rear end.
My question today is, I went to the local auto wrecking yard and found 2 hoods both of which are in better condition than mine (minimal surface rust) but they are on 1972 Rangers. The hoods look identical except that they have the turn signals on the hood unlike the `69 which are in the grill. The wrecking yard boss stated emphatically that the hoods are identical from `67 thru `73 and either of these would bolt right on my `69. Is this true?
At this time, I have no interest in putting major $$$$ into this truck except I do want to clean up the outside body work and paint it. Buddies of mine are trying to talk me into putting in a 4 brl carb, headers and dual exhaust. What do you all think? Thanks in advance for any input. JW

 

the hood will fit, that doesnt change between years.

 

Are you talking about the chrome Ford 100 or Ford 250 emblems with the amber plastic on either side of the hood?...Those aren't turn signals, they're reflectors....Your old truck must have had them removed by the previous owner...The hood should work...Congrats on your purchase and welcome to the club!...

Actually, you can see in my avatar pic of my truck---the turn signal below the light and the hood reflector above...I was also thinking of putting a four-barrell and dual exhaust on mine---but right now it's running so good I don't want to mess with it...

 

The wrecking yard owner is almost right...most parts will interchange between '67 and '72, so a '72 hood will indeed fit but the '73 was a new body style and the hood won't work...sure he's not trying to sell you the hood off a '73? The turn signals aren't mounted in the hood on a '73, but they're above the headlights instead of below them like they are on all '67-72 trucks.


1972 on left, 1973 on right


And Welcome to FTE! Be sure to check out the So. Cal chapter...

 

Not true. Here are the two trucks love child.



Member Tacson took this picture at a car show and shared it with us. The guys on that thread say it is not difficult to do. here is the link.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-bumpside.html

The turn signals are in the grill, not the hood.

 

1968/72's have the reflectors in the hood side emblems, 1967's do not.

As original:

DOTZ16612A replaced C7TZ16612A .. Hood Panel / Fits: 1967/72 F100/750.

C7TZ16796E .. Right Hood Hinge & C7TZ16797E .. Left Hood Hinge / Fits: 1967/72 F100/350.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D8TZ16612A replaced D3TZ16612A .. Hood Panel

D3TZ16796A .. Right Hood Hinge & D3TZ16797A .. Left Hood Hinge

Fits: 1973/79 F100/350 & 1978/79 Bronco.

 

I got the impression he was looking for a straight bolt-on to keep it original, not have to do a modification. Does look nice though...

 

Yeah, I think it really smooths out the overall look.

 

Thanks everybody for your input. Again, I don`t know how far I`m going with this truck as far as a project or not. As I stated earlier, it`s mechanically sound and the interior is very clean but I`m scared of the cab rust and the $$$ it will take to fix and paint. The hood at the yard will fit and it will cost $150.00 but I`m not sure what the cost of cab repair will be.
Truth be told, I`m torn between fixing this beauty up or possibly getting a `68 GTO and having that as a project. (I`m also an ex GTO owner and have been kicking myself for selling it 25 years ago)
Again, thank you all for your info!!

 

Ford nuts called the Pontiac GTO = the Garbage Truck Option.

 

Bill, I imagine the wraparound turn signals on the 70-72 grills were to comply with the side marker lights that were required on cars in 1968?...What did the '68 and '69 Ford trucks have for side marker lights on the front?...Or were the hood reflectors considered enough?...

 

LOL.....I kinda thought I might be opening a can of worms being truthful....kinda like the Crips and Bloods huh????

 

When the park lamps wrap around, making them visible on the side...as well as the front, there is no need for separate marker lamps.

This is also the case with taillamps. 1980 and later Styleside pickups for one example.

1968/69's had amber lamps on the front fenders, red lamps at the rear of the quarter panels (or mounted on the taillamps of Flaresides) and red reflectors under the taillamps on Stylesides.

There are myriad different types. Some have anodized aluminum bezels around them, some do not. Some fit into the bed side mouldings of so equipped 1968/72's Stylesides.

Not all of the marker lamps lit up on these trucks. 1968/69's before serial number F70,001 used reflectors, 1969's from serial number F70,001, 1970/72 had lamps that lit up. Of course, all these lamps were different.

Back then, customers and body shops needed to replace these. It was a b!tch trying to explain to these ppl how many different types and styles there were.

When I read your post...I thought...Oh No! Not this again!

And...to make it even more confusing, 1968/72 Camper Specials had clearance lamps mounted on the front fenders above and towards the front of the wheel openings.

 

Cold just cold I have been a (ford trudk nut for over 30 years) but also loved the goats and owned a 67 and 69 convertible that I sure wish I still had.

 

What Pontiac prez John Z. DeLorean (the guy that came up with the idea of stuffing a 389 into a '64 Tempest, calling it a GTO) said the initials GTO stood for:

Gran Turismo Omologato. What a mouthful! Bet y'all are glad they just used the initials!

No see 'um goats, gato is Espanol for cat. What Omolo translates to...I haven't a clue.

Yeah...I know Pontiac nuts refer to GTO's as goats. But...personally...being a Ford nut, I prefer what we called 'em.