Bought a second truck.

[specta]

Last week I bought this 1976 Ford F-250 4-wd, gratefully it isn't a highboy. I really think I stole it after searching for another truck.

Body and paint a bit rough but very little to almost no rust.

Once I put my camper on my other truck I no longer have a PU. I've only taken the camper off of my truck once since March and I'll be using thru the end of November.

The truck needs a lot. Its been sitting outside for nearly 20 years. Started and driven a few miles about once a year.

It has a 390 2-bbl out of 1966 Mercury Monterey. Runs pretty good after giving it a tuneup.

Replaced a bunch of stuff like the grill, battery tray, dash pad, seat cover, brake/clutch pedal pads and some other misc stuff. Still have lots to go.








My new tires arrived Monday so I took some steel wool to the Dodge chrome wheels and then had the tires mounted and balanced.

I like it. :B

[specta]

blofgren wrote:
Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to post all of this and that I'm really enjoying it! The scary thing is that I remember these trucks new in the '70's. :E Happy New Year!

You're welcome and thank you.

I went to work in a Ford dealership in 1973, as a lot boy. 😉

I got to drive a lot of those trucks when they were new, and Broncos.
It was a lot of fun back then.

My career was automotive. I've probably worked on hundreds of these old "highboys".

This one has been a lot of fun and I'm really enjoying it.

[blofgren]

Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to post all of this and that I'm really enjoying it! The scary thing is that I remember these trucks new in the '70's. :E Happy New Year!

[specta]

Edd505 wrote:

specta wrote:

C Schomer wrote:
It's nice to have a 66 engine instead of one of the 76 messes they built! That low of mpg might be a blown power valve in the carb. Craig

I'd take a 1966 390 over a 1976 360 every day of the week.

It does need the carb gone thru and new valve stem seals. Other than that it seems run pretty good.

I was a mechanic for Ford/Lincoln/Mercury during this period. If you break the insulation off a spark plug and weld an air fitting to the metal. Or you can but this air tool Add air from your compressor and you do not have to remove the heads. Compress the spring, remove retainers & spring, replace seal and reverse.

Thank you. I've done it several times before on other vehicles when swapping in different cams that required new valve springs.

I just use one of the hoses from my compression gauge set and the spring compressor.

I still have soo much to do I can't decide what's next.

[Edd505]

specta wrote:

C Schomer wrote:
It's nice to have a 66 engine instead of one of the 76 messes they built! That low of mpg might be a blown power valve in the carb. Craig

I'd take a 1966 390 over a 1976 360 every day of the week.

It does need the carb gone thru and new valve stem seals. Other than that it seems run pretty good.

I was a mechanic for Ford/Lincoln/Mercury during this period. If you break the insulation off a spark plug and weld an air fitting to the metal. Or you can but this air tool Add air from your compressor and you do not have to remove the heads. Compress the spring, remove retainers & spring, replace seal and reverse.

[specta]

1320Fastback wrote:
I also bypassed the ABS but doubt your old girls got that.

I think the most advanced item is the electronic ignition. LOL

Thanks, no outboard drum and it is a full floating.

I had a '79 F-250 so I'm quite familiar with what's ahead of me and I have the sockets to do the job too.

When I pack the front wheel bearings I'm going to replace the u-joints in the axles too.

Thankfully, I've never had to deal with dualies. 😉

[JRscooby]

1320Fastback wrote:
If the rear is full floating they are pretty easy to work on but be ready for a drum that weighs about 47 pounds. I upgraded my rear brakes to wider shoes and bigger Chevy wheel cylinders. I also bypassed the ABS but doubt your old girls got that.

Not sure if that old will have outboard drums or not. If not, get the right size socket and seal driver to add to your tool kit. I did a lot of them with punch, wood blocks, and other MacGyver systems. But with the right tools to drive in seals, and to torque bearing nuts I had no more failures (unless I hit seal on axle threads)
BTW, working with dual wheels I would jack up the end of axle, remove axle and bearing nuts, then lower until tires just touch a sheet of steel on ground. Dump some water on the steel, slide tires, wheels hub and drum off as a unit. If the axle stays at same height, slide sludge hammer handle thru bearings and into axle. This makes it easy to align front/back as you slide back together. If I was working on single wheel I would take 1 side apart that way, to see if it would stand up well enough to work. The slide might be as hard as lifting hub off/on, but when in position to lift it is hard to see seal go past the end of axle.
(LOL, I bought a jack designed to roll with assembly on and off, but also replaced trucks with 1s with outboard drums)

[1320Fastback]

If the rear is full floating they are pretty easy to work on but be ready for a drum that weighs about 47 pounds. I upgraded my rear brakes to wider shoes and bigger Chevy wheel cylinders. I also bypassed the ABS but doubt your old girls got that.

[Grit_dog]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I have done it both ways and the RS is superior IMHO. The Dana steel covers can get distorted and the RS fills in any imperfections.

You are only four years older so not too old. 🙂

I’ve heard that as well. Haven’t used any. Was about to try some on a weeping gasket on my old trucks transfer case, but JB to the rescue…so far.
Buddy used it though for the intake manifold install on his latest big block build. Dunno what happened but it leaked both front and back sides. Pulled intake off and re-sealed with rtv and no leaks.
Regardless, I too will not intentionally use gasket goo in place of a recommended gasket, in general, and not as an ad hoc fix.

[specta]

1320Fastback wrote:
Sweet truck. My first was a 1972 F100 step side. Our neighbor had a Highboy back then kinda the same color as yours.

It's fun working on and spending money on our old rigs. They are easy to work on and relatively cheap to do so. Every once in a while I'll throw some money into mine. The next thing on my to do list is probably a injection pump tear down to reduce the fuel a little bit and change the hub seals on the rear axle.

Its been a lot of fun. I still need to repack the front wheel bearings and I haven't had a rear drum off yet either.

[1320Fastback]

Sweet truck. My first was a 1972 F100 step side. Our neighbor had a Highboy back then kinda the same color as yours.

It's fun working on and spending money on our old rigs. They are easy to work on and relatively cheap to do so. Every once in a while I'll throw some money into mine. The next thing on my to do list is probably a injection pump tear down to reduce the fuel a little bit and change the hub seals on the rear axle.

[specta]

I got the transfer case mount bushings replaced too. I had a good friend come over and help me drop the transfer case.
This is who I bought the truck from.

I got my glove box light in and did a little work on the door jamb switches so now the dome light comes on when you open the doors.




🙂

[Cummins12V98]

I have done it both ways and the RS is superior IMHO. The Dana steel covers can get distorted and the RS fills in any imperfections.

You are only four years older so not too old. 🙂

[specta]

Cummins12V98 wrote:


Next time skip the gasket and use "The RightStuff" by Permatex for a leak free job.

In my HS auto mechanics (back in 1971 😉 ), my teacher who went on to teach advanced automotive and diesel technology at Utah State told us that's what gaskets are for and if the job is done right they will never leak and its always worked for me.

I know things have changed, maybe I'm too old to change. LOL




I got the front diff fluid changed, dome light switches fixed and a new switch and light for the glove box done so far today.

Waiting for a friend to come by to help me drop the transfer case to replace the mount bushings.

[Cummins12V98]

specta wrote:


I got the rear diff, transfer case and transmission switched over to full synthetic gear oil today.

Next time skip the gasket and use "The RightStuff" by Permatex for a leak free job.

[specta]

Thanks Huntindog, Truetrac are still available for the Dana 44.
A local 4-wd shop claims that they have been greatly improved in recent years.
Hope that's true.