I am pretty sure there is no such thing as a rare dentside. No matter what people on CL or anywhere say. But, if one of you old timers or real knowledgeable Ford guys know of one, please let us know (like a 1976 F350 CrewCab diesel 4wd 5 speed from the factory). I am always thinking that I could be pulling parts at the jy from a rare dent or possibly a 1 of 200 1970-whatever F-series.

Now, that being said. I have yet to find another truck like mine. It's a 1978 F150 Ranger XLT Explorer painted Ford Cream w/lime green stripes and Jade green interior with a 351M and C6 4wd. I'm not calling my truck rare by no means, but has anyone seen one exactly like it? If not, I might just repaint it back to the factory colors.

 

The most rare are the rust free ones, GOOD LUCK. LOL
These trucks were built for the farmer, construction company's and the like. Then came the camper special for the blue collar family man in mind, im considered to be an old timer now and been into the automotive world over 40yrs and in MY OPINION, there is nothing that makes one a "Rare find" Just find yourself a decent one and enjoy rebuilding or tinkering with.

 

Maybe some rarer than others. About 15 years ago I lived across the street from a kid that had one of those red flareside shortbed 4x4's with the freewheeling package. I didn't know it was something "special" at the time. I thought he added the pinstriping himself to fit in with the tuner craze at the time, late 90's early aughts.

 

Some times the dealers throw a strip package on that ford gave them. Lets see a pic.

 

I would think the 1979 Indy pace truck would be. it was a half ton with a 460.

 

I think the long wheel base camper special would be one. Also the 79 F350 4X4 has to be on the rare side.

I don't have a picture of a pin stripe free wheeling package Flareside 4x4 but Ford did make them. If you look in the Flareside thread there is a couple of pics in there.

 

I think rare would be the 390 with factory 4 barrel

 

Interesting question. A few months ago I posted a comment on here about an ad for a truck that in my opinion was rare...and out came the experts "guns'a blazin". It took me a while to bat out the flames. Rare might be a bad term to use. Perhaps some models are more difficult to find than others, but not necessarily rare.

My BIL bought a new 1979 F150 long box Lariat with a 460, factory slotted aluminum wheels. It was a beautiful truck. Trucks equipped like that are still around but they don't appear very often. There are other trucks that I run across from time to time that have unusual options that you simply can't open up Craigslist and find any day of the week. In comparison, I can find 2WD custom cabs with 302's or 360's and automatic transmissions pretty easily. Well equipped trucks with the higher option packages that aren't in real rough shape are getting harder to find in my area each year.

 

Rare is a '48 Tucker, a '71 Hemi 'Cuda, the '67 and '70 Coronet R/T 426 Hemi convertible, or a '70 Ford Torino King Cobra. I prefer to use the term uncommon for most everything else.

 

Find a 4wd 79 F350 Ranger Lariat..... not at all common.

 

I've got one of those rare rust free dents in my shelter, its a 78 F350 dually dump that was only used for work when needed and was stored under a carport with a tarp wrapped around the cab from November to the end of April. Had 72,000 miles on it when I bought it. It is virtually rust free including the floor and cab corners, there wasn't even any rust at the mirror mounts.

 

What my 1969 Dodge Charger R/T isn't rare? but it was actually easier to locate than a f-150 with a 460 where I live at least. I have an uncommon Dodge that was used on an uncommon Tv show in the 1970's and early 80's lol I suppose if you dont own an "uncommon" Ford.. Its just a Ford. opinions..... opinions.

 

So the bottom line is, there is no rare 1973 to 1979 F100/150/250/350. Maybe hard to find trim packages, but nothing in the text book "rare" category. The value of any dentside is only what the buyer is willing to pay. I do agree though that to find a completely rust free 40+ year old anything is rare but the vehicle itself isn't necessarily rare. I just get tired of dumb people posting on the internet about their "rare" 1978 HiBoy (which is wrong) or F150 SuperCab. Just trying to clean the water here with the experts. And I guess the "rarest" dent that I can think of is maybe the 197? F250 4x4 long bed flareside. I've only seen one in my life time (34yo) in person. But I know it isn't all that rare, just hard to find.

 

Need to better define "rare" and how we apply it to our beloved dentsides.

The base truck-lots were made. Short bed or long bed. 4x4 or 4X2. Round headlights or square.

Because they were only used in 78/79, one could say square headlights are rare.

A poster above suggested that the "long wheelbase camper special" is rare...but I have two of them. Had no trouble finding or obtaining them. Not as common as others, but certainly not rare.

Perhaps after 40 years, the only thing rare is an all-original and/or rust-free truck. Or maybe they're just not for sale.

 

I had one of those, air and cruise worked, it was a CA rust free trailer special. 89k original miles. 400/c6 410 gears. I loved that thing. I sold it on this site, don't regret selling, but if I had a place to keep everything I would still have it. Red interior and the silver dash cluster. Everytime it went to town, somebody would be looking it over and asking if it was mine and compliment me on how nice it was, but rare? I have found a few others, but most were pretty beat up. Configuration was sure not common but most by now are not in any sort of shape, no ac anymore, definitely no cruise, but they sure are nice when cared for.