A couple weeks ago I posted the following in the pictures thread of this forum:

My old 66 F100 what it used to look like in the early to mid 90's... The older photos with the boat attached, the camper, and the original hubcaps was how we used it most of its life.



This is actually me standing in the boat. I was probably 16 or 17 in this photo...









My dad bought this truck in 1988 for 600 bucks from a guy that had just drove this truck up to Indiana from Texas. It had no rust but was a bit beat up. It had a 300 straight 6 with a 3 speed on the column Transmission. We drove it as is for a couple years before we took an entire summer to put a brand new paint job on the truck. We also dropped the 3 speed for a manual 4 speed transmission with a low 1st gear (grandma as dad would call it)...

We used this truck daily for 10+ years. I learned to drive in this truck. Dad told me that if I did good in school and helped him build his (64 chevy c10 project) the ford would be mine when I graduated HS. By the time I got to HS we had finally got a 3rd car so we could just store the truck unless we needed it. Which also allowed me to drive it to school from time to time. I loved the this truck and all the looks I got while driving it. As luck would have it the motor finally gave out late in my senior year (1996) and it was time for a new one. The truck sat a couple of years while my parents went thru a divorce and blah blah. I had to end up trading the truck to my dad for a lawn mower. (I know stupid now) He pulled the ailing motor and had a used 300 to put in but that install stalled out for what ever reason. The truck sat a couple more years before dad came and had the truck towed to a garage to have the motor swap finished. From there the truck sat at the garage. I don't know for sure if the motor was ever finished. The garage it sat at now was some sort of cousin or friend of my dads. Long story short my dad forgot about the truck and it sat there until the garage owner towed the truck off his property to parts unknown...

Several years ago I got a call from a stranger asking about parts off an 66 f100 that belonged to my dad. I was pretty up set to find out the truck was sitting in a field out behind a barn at the garage owner's house... I have thought about taking a spin out there sometime and asking to see it to see if its still salvageable but after 15 years of sitting in a field I doubt very much its in good shape. It just makes me sad. I love these old trucks and want one again really bad.

Anyways enjoy What it used to look like... Also love all the photos of everyone's trucks. They are outstanding. Makes me want one even more...

 

After reading the replies I got to my story I took a drive out past where I last saw the truck sitting in the field.. It was still there.

I called up my dad (who is not someone I talk to as much as I should) and we met and had a pretty good chit chat about various things. I then brought up the 66 and asked him where he was at with it and or if he had even thought about it. He had forgotten about the truck. I told him I had found it and wanted it back. He was fine with that idea and signed the title over to me. I told him I either wanted to fix the truck and get it back on the road or strip it and sell off the parts if it was too badly gone.. He called his old garage buddy up and found that no work had been done to the truck and that nothing was owed on the truck.

We have made arrangements to go see the old truck tomorrow to get an idea of what we are going to need to get her home. Most likely i'm just going to call a wrecker out with a flatbed and have it hauled to my house. But we shall see tomorrow.. I will take my camera and post pictures and keep everyone posted...

 

Sounds like there could be a very happy ending to this. Good luck and hope for the best.

 

Bring a flat bed, even if you got it running the tires would be gone.

 

I am so happy for you. I have my own story that comes current with my getting my title today. I'll tell the rest elsewhere. Your story shows how these old trucks have such character, and promise. I was so excited to hear you made the step and called around to get the status on everything. Maybe you got more than a truck.

Best wishes!
-- Bob

 

a boy and his truck...fast forward...a man and the same truck reunited years later...I have a similar tale...cept I saw mine often before I got it...Ya gotta love a guy and his old reliable truck...dont at all be surprised if you throw a battery in it and add a bit of gas in the carb and it lights off ...these trucks dont go down without one heckuva fight....it also goes to the fact that you just cant keep a good truck down...
Cant wait to see the pics of its current condition...


- cs65

 

I'm thinking the last time I saw the truck was when I was 19 or 20. I'm almost 34 now so I can't wait... Its been a long time.

As far as getting it to start I wish it was simple. What started this mess in the first place was the fact the motor was knocking pretty bad and the oil light would come on alot on trips longer then 10 miles. The motor was pulled and taken to a junk yard as a core and we picked up a new used 300 which we heard run and had low miles.. Problem is that 300 has been sitting in the bed of the truck for the same 15 years now. So I have my doubts that its any good without a complete tear down. I know the 300's are tough but I have my doubts.

My first plan is to get it home and rolling so I can push it around between my buildings to work on it and go from there. Stay tuned for pictures later tonight..

 

The oustide of the engine might look weathered, but the inside may just need a lil love.
The carb may need a kit. Everyone has a unfreeze mix. Mine is a generous coat of
PB-Blaster and 1-2 oz of Marvel Mystery oil shot into each cylinder. Let sit for a few days. try to turn with wrench/bar. If still frozen, with a wrench on the big nut on the end, give the crank a sharp whack, wait a day, whack it again (Not like crazed chimp, but just a solid hit), wait a few days and pull the plugs and try to turn it over. The time gives the penetrant time to work. IMHO. I'm sure there are better recipes here as the knowledge bank is pretty huge.

 

Good luck!

 

Cool story! Keep us posted....

 

Pics. New pics. We like pic's

 

I just got home from looking at her. She is a bit more rough then I would have thought but the fat lady has not sung quite yet. Its still cleaner then a lot I've seen. I made plans to get her home on Friday..

A bit more good news. Looks like the 300 straight six is under a tarp which is under the hood in the back of the truck so maybe the motor can be salvageable..

And now for the pics....

 

That truck is definitely repairable. I think you could have it running in a short time. Keep in mind a 302 and a 351 windsor will bolt up to your bell housing. All upgrades as far as power brakes, disc brakes, and power steering are bolt in items from up to a 79 ford truck.

 

Brando, that truck is DEFINITELY repairable. The rust on the body seems minor, kind of what I found on mine. Hell, even the inside only seems dirty. And from what I can take from your post, you're in Texas, so the truck didn't have to deal with rough winters while it was stored. Give it a shot!

 

The truck was originally in Texas. It was driven to Northern Indiana in 1988 where my dad bought the truck. It was very straight and solid then. We painted it a few years later and drove / worked the crap out of this truck until the motor went sour in the spring of 1996. That was the last time this truck was driven any distance or seen for that mater until today...