Learn me Ford f100s?

I always have tow vehicles on the mind, was wondering about things like these?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/4426204576.html

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/4420255972.html

They are smog exempt in CA since they're <1975, which is huge and they seem like they would make good tow vehicles.

Any thoughts on these massive ponderous trucks?

Even in CA they'll rust with a vengeance. Check the TOPS of the inner fenders by the firewall, plus all the usual places (meaning everywhere).

Not to mention the 360 sucks gas like a starving whale . I'd take the 6 if it was a 300 any day.

Those two look like they were rode hard and put away wet, I'll bet you can find better examples for the same money. They're great trucks but don't buy one thinking it's going to be like driving a modern SUV.

Under the skin, Ford F series trucks were pretty much the same from 1965 through 1979. Later models were available with more creature comforts like power steering and brakes, or air conditioning. At least on F-100s (I'm not sure about the F-250) you can easily upgrade older ones from front drums to front disks using parts from a newer truck.

You can find much better condition ones if you're willing to spend between $2k-$4k.

Best reference I've seen is on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F_Series

What's the big deal w/ the smog exempt? The later trucks are much better trucks, will tow safer, have more tow capacity, have better brakes and get better MPG. Just keep a cat on it and don't do any dumb mods and smog is not an issue. Not sure why you'd spend much modding a pickup anyway but that's just me. I'd rather spend the mod money on the car being towed. :)

I'm aware of how vehicle from the 70's will run and drive, I'm more curious about reliability, etc for the f-100 series. I like the look of them and they're smog exempt, so that's always nice in CA. 90% of the cheap trucks/cars from the 80-90's in CA are cheap because they won't get through smog or have back fees on their registration, just take a look through the list of craig.

I'm not too worried about gas milage either, but would love to find a good 300 i6.

I had a '78 that I bought cheaply in '85. It had V-8, auto, a/c & perhaps towing package. I drove it until '95 & put around 50K on it. It was reliable & until the last year or so I owned it, trouble free. Toward the end, little things started to be aggravating, so I sold it to a guy down the street for about what I had paid. He kept it at least 10 years & around 10 years ago, I asked him how it was doing & he said the a/c had quit but no other significant problems. Last time I saw the truck it had no significant rust (spent all it's life in NC). While I owned it, I could count on getting 10 mpg, no matter how I drove it. It was a very good value for me.

Oh by the way, the seat upholstery was pretty crappy when I sold it.

accordionfolder wrote: I'm aware of how vehicle from the 70's will run and drive, I'm more curious about reliability, etc for the f-100 series. I like the look of them and they're smog exempt, so that's always nice in CA. 90% of the cheap trucks/cars from the 80-90's in CA are cheap because they won't get through smog or have back fees on their registration, just take a look through the list of craig. I'm not too worried about gas milage either, but would love to find a good 300 i6.

Gotcha. May wanna check out this forum then: http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum38/ There is even a recent thread on reliability http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1310612-reliability.html

I think they're quite reliable. The great thing is they're so simple, so they're easy to work on - not much more complicated than a lawn mower.

In reply to amg_rx7:

Sweet! Thanks :D

In reply to M2Pilot:

That's kind of what I'm hoping for, reliable as a hammer and simple to fix and maintain. As I said, it will only be driven to the track and back, most of the tracks are very nearby so gas mileage isn't an issue.

The unreliability in more modern trucks (cars too) simply isn't there in these older trucks.

Put it this way, if it starts to run rough, you can blame fuel or spark, not a code 323, 211, 402 for a TPS, EGR and CPS.

Plus I'm pretty sure the ECU won't be failing on ya in the middle of nowhere.

The only web site you need to visit to learn about those trucks: Fordification.com

Ditto the above; who wants a truck known for blowing spark plugs out of the heads (5.4 Triton)?

These old trucks are about as complicated as an axe. Parts are easy to get, and the repro market has really picked up on a lot of them. If you can get one from a 'dry' area and don't have to concern yourself with rust, everything else is easy. Disc brakes? Bolt-in. Newer bench seat? Bolt-in. Depreciation? What's that? They are also made of real steel, so you can toss stuff in the bed or sit on the open tailgate without having to worry about it bending.

If you're (smart enough) willing to accept the 300 six, you'll have a fairly economical truck with plenty of torque and an engine almost as durable as Chrysler's slant six. V8s are a little harder to choose a good one; the 360 was 'meh', small blocks are a little underpowered IMO and the 460 will drink you to bankruptcy...and the less said about the 400M, the better. It is possible, though, with the right axle ratio and a light foot to get 15 mpg out of an FE (352/360) or low 20s from a 300 six.

all i know is they are tough, reliable, and have twin i-beam front suspension that makes them good dune trucks

If '75 is the cut off year for smog I would be looking for a Dodge or GM myself. All the 2wd Dodge trucks after '72 have disc brakes, ifs, and power steering, same for GM after '73. In either overdrive transmissions and engines from more modern trucks are drop ins with factory parts, in the Ford you almost have to get the aftermarket involved.

Can anyone chime in on this? It's a 73 f100 with the "tow package" has disc front brakes, I couldn't find the tag for the diff on the rear to get the axle ratio. Grandfather owned it for 10 years before he passed away, dudes had it for a few after, says he doesn't really use it for anything. Engine made no non-engine noises, it was a 360. Oil was a bit old, but nothing shiny in it and no coolant. Rust was what you expect I suppose, 4 on the floor with the granny first; I was having hell shifting it but I jumped from my MS3 into it, so that doesn't seem surprising. Tires looked fantastic. Great news, it's 800 flat.

I had about a 71 F100 with a 302. It was a tough truck. It would haul half again more than a 67 Chevy half ton.

accordionfolder wrote: Can anyone chime in on this?

Some minor rust problems and I'm not a fan of flatbeds, but it looks pretty good for $800. Check underneath to make sure the cab mounts are all solid.

Agree with the comment re flatbed. Plus, decent beds for these don't seem to be that easy to come by.

In reply to BoxheadTim:

What do you mean about beds aren't easy to come by? Does it need replaced? Or are you saying that if you got it you would swap the bed?

I like the flatbed honestly. I actually really love the truck as a whole, it's got character ...

If you like it, buy it. $800 for any running, road legal truck is a bargain. The flatbed hurts resale value for anyone wanting it for collectability. They just aren't 'cool'. The 360 is probably the least-loved of the FE engines, because it's a low power, low fuel economy emissions motor but they aren't awful. Transmission will shift with a total lack of precision mostly thanks to the shift lever being longer than Marky Mark's rap sheet. The rear isn't a 9 inch with that removable rear cover. If it wasn't changed, the door tag should have an axle code on it that will tell you the ratio.

accordionfolder wrote: 90% of the cheap trucks/cars from the 80-90's in CA are cheap because they won't get through smog or have back fees on their registration, just take a look through the list of craig.

I understand the smog thing, but what are the back fees on the registration all about? Help a midwesterner understand.

ddavidv wrote: The rear isn't a 9 inch with that removable rear cover. If it wasn't changed, the door tag should have an axle code on it that will tell you the ratio.

I didn't notice that earlier - I wonder if since this truck has a towing package, maybe they put in a Dana rear end out of a 3/4 ton? Since it has hubcaps you can't tell from the picture how many lugs are on the hubs, but they do kind of look like 16" wheels.

Probably a plain old Dana 60. Was common to put that in with the bigger motor options.