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I've been posting in this forum for just shy of two years now since I purchased my '74 Dentside. As I said in a previous post, she was stolen and, though recovered, was totaled by my insurer (my wife and I stood on the front porch and cried as she was towed away). I, of course, immediately set out to find a replacement.
Attached to this post is a photo of my new to me pickup, who we have named "Allie June". As the title says, she's a '78 F150 Custom. She has a 302 with 23,000 ORIGINAL MILES backed by a Ford-built 3 speed automatic. According to Marti, among her options are a painted rear step bumper, a sliding rear window, and factory A/C. The colors are "Dark Jade Metallic" and "Light Jade". Most of my vehicles are red or blue (as was my stolen truck), so I'm really liking the different color scheme. Coincidentally, I brought her home 4/13, and her build date was 4/14/78 - we got to celebrate her 48th on her first day at my home!
She's far from perfect, but I, like all of you, am looking forward to the journey of owning, tinkering with, and restoring her. I'll be counting on all y'all to help this sub-par shade tree mechanic navigate the intricacies of the issues I'll be facing.
Thank you, friend. You've been a help and encouragement to me over the in this forum over the past two years, and I'm grateful for your support. Looking forward to our future interactions.
I'm still wising I'd been old enough to go to the Playboy Club with you back in the day.
Awesome truck, any plans for an added security/theft deterrent feature?
The anti-theft stuff is a long topic, but a really easy and free way to at least stall the *******s and make them think twice (most thieves are looking for the path of least resistance) is to pull the coil to distributor wire. They might figure it out, but it won't be immediately. They'll likely hit the bricks and look for another target.
Awesome truck, any plans for an added security/theft deterrent feature?
You bet! Steering wheel lock already on, two other cars parked between her and the street. If you have any advice on how to install a hidden kill/disconnect switch, I'm all ears.
The anti-theft stuff is a long topic, but a really easy and free way to at least stall the *******s and make them think twice (most thieves are looking for the path of least resistance) is to pull the coil to distributor wire. They might figure it out, but it won't be immediately. They'll likely hit the bricks and look for another target.
Coil wire routed to an under the seat spring wire
You could use just 1 plug wire, then it will start and just shock the sheet out of the thief
That is what we used to do to new salesmen at the dealer when they sold their first car and needed it detailed
Plug wire routed piece of regular wire to under the seat
Even sneakier, and this is what I do on our farm truck that sits in the middle of nowhere unattended for months, is to make up a dummy coil to distributor wire. By that, I mean that I have caps on it that snap on and off the terminals of the distributor and coil, but neither end has the ignition wire crimped onto the wire terminal. Just swap the real wire for the dummy one when the truck is sitting. The jerks might spend a minute or two looking for a kill switch and searching under hood for something that's unplugged, but they'll never get figure out the real problem that is causing the no-start. After a few minutes of searching with no luck they'll leave.
Hi, congratulations on the awesome truck. It looks great. I really like it. Theft protection is important. On my vehicles, I always have an emergency battery disconnect switch. I also have a hidden switch for the ignition. It’s easy to install and makes a big difference. I’m thinking about getting a Tracker for my vehicles too. At least part-time. Always on the vehicle I’m currently driving.
Deputy friend opened a oil change business on the side, parked his deceased Dad's early '70s 4x4 there one time too many. A witness heard a winch, another saw a box trailer ..... and it was gone. Left some drag marks from rear tires.
You bet! Steering wheel lock already on, two other cars parked between her and the street. If you have any advice on how to install a hidden kill/disconnect switch, I'm all ears.
A.S.
You can just run a hidden switch under the dash in-line with the neutral safety switch. My dad used to do that all the time with his work trucks. Simple to do.
Introducing my "new to me" '78 F150 Custom
