Competition Orange 1974 Ford F-250 Stays Solid

California Living

These days, finding a solid, rust-free '70s Ford truck isn't terribly easy. But that's obviously not an issue when you spent 43 years of your life in California, as this '74 F-250 did. We spotted the Competition Orange beauty at Bring a Trailer, where it certainly grabbed our attention for a host of reasons.

Photos: Bring a Trailer

Mid-Life Refresh

The truck moved with its owner to South Carolina in 2017, but not before it received a little refresh. That included a fresh coat of paint, interior work, and rebuilding some of the drivetrain components.

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Modern Upgrades

When the paint job was completed in 2014, the seller also added a new grille, side steps, and some modern 17" wheels wrapped in beefy 315/70 BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires.

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New Bed

The ad doesn't say why, but the seller also replaced the bed with one from a donor truck. Perhaps it was just too beat up to warrant repairing, but no harm no foul in this case.

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New and Refurbished

Inside, things look pretty normal with a familiar vinyl bench seat. The dash, carpet, trim, and headliner have all been replaced, and the seller added an aftermarket steering wheel and stereo as well.

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Mileage Unknown

A mere 47k miles show on the five-digit odometer, and the truck has accumulated an additional 2k over the last five years. There's no way to prove actual mileage, so it very well could be over 100k.

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Engine Upgrades

Pop the hood, and you'll find a few upgrades to jazz up the original 360 a little. They include Cobra valve covers, an upgraded fuel system, Griffin aluminum radiator, and a new alternator, water pump, distributor, and carburetor.

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Rebuilt Everything

Shifts are handled by the original C6 automatic transmission, sending power back to a rebuilt transfer case, driveshafts, and axles. There are also power disc brakes up front for extra stopping power.

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Super Solid

Underneath, this F-250 looks super solid. If you wanted the truck to be perfect, you could certainly do a little painting under the hood and here, but that's not totally necessary in our book.

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Top Dollar

This Ford sold for a pretty solid penny when it wrapped up at auction - $17,750. But we aren't really surprised, given its condition, ownership history, and upgrades!

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For help keeping your truck in great shape, check out the how-to section of Ford-Trucks.com