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Dad's 79 F-250 build thread

84-6.9L

Under Funded
15
0
Ok first off I just joined this forum, and figured its a good place to document the progress my brother and I make on our Dad's old 79 F-250.

The story, my Dad bought a 79 250 4x4 Custom Camper Special back in 85 with 110,000 miles on it, the 400 was long gone and a 429 filled the empty space that was left in front of the 4spd. I remember being 2yrs old listening to John Prine sitting on the red saddle blanket seat cover. The truck always had a Western plow and 12.00x16.5's on turbine wheels. In 1992 he was trying to solve a fuel problem and a fire stated in the carb and also the duraspark brick melted too. The truck was parked due to the cost to fix it and the fact it was getting fairly rusty, I had just turned 6 at the time. Fast forward to the fall of 96' he had bought a 91 250 and needed to put the plow on it, the old 79 was put on the roll back taken to my dad's buddys shop and the plow frame was removed as were the 16.5's. The truck was then brought to his friend John's house because it was sold to him for 600 bucks, the plow frame was traded for one to fit the 91.

My dad drove a gravel truck and shortly after returning to work form the winter layoff he had a heart attack while driving his truck, he ran the stop sign and was T-boned by a school bus, he managed to keep hold of the wheel and steer the truck and trailer after being hit directly in the passenger door by the bus travelling 50mph. His actions after getting hit (from what I was told) prevented the truck from landing in the ditch on top of the bus, sadly 3 children on the bus didn't make it, and neither did my father, I don't know what God's plan was for him but I know he ushered those children all the way to Heaven. He loved kids and was hated after the accident by many people, but when they looked closer at his driving record they found it flawless the whole 18 years he worked for that company. It was found until a year later he had the heart attack, his good driving caused them to look else ware for the real cause. He was a father to me but a friend to many, 1000 people attended his funeral, he was a friend to everybody he knew.


spring 2013, after ma kept on being ma and got into some expensive illegal habits I broke contact with her in 2004. Now I'm married to a wonderful lady who already had 2 great kids, we added a boy named after his grandpa in 2011 and a daughter last july, and I try everyday to be the father he was.

My brother (H2Opro) Is a long way from Minnesota stuck in the service at Fort Polk, LA. He contacted me late april and told me we should find dads 79. We knew who he sold it to so with some friend networking I got a phone number in 20min. After work I called the man and asked him what happened to the truck. He stated that the truck was still exactly where my dad had dropped it off in the fall of 96. I asked if I could see it and where it was. The next morning I buckled the my boys 4 and 2 in the 84 6.9 and 10min later I layed eyes on the 79 for the first time in 17 years.

The field it was in had turned to woods but the 79 was just the way I remember it right down to the seat cover. I brought a bar and put it on the crank and rolled the 429 over and it was loose, I would find out way later. I took pictures relived some memories and missed dad all at the same time. I got home and made a call to the owner, asking what the sale price was. He stated he wasn't interested in selling it to me, my dad was such a good friend of his he wanted us to have it.

It was hard to wait for my brother to get leave to go get it, but in mid july the 6.9 got the gooseneck hole to it once again and we headed out with my brother following with his 06 250. After cutting one small tree and dragging it out I had to get the 8lb maul out and crack the LR brake drum around the hub so the wheel would turn, the shoes refused to tap loose. Upon removing the tire we found dad had put oil on all the lug nuts when he out on the junk set of tires.

We got it home and cleaned out the box, cut the front 2 bolt and pulled the box off (yes it was that rusty). Now before my brothers leave was up we wanted to get it running. New distributor, new non melted ignition module and a working carb that has never reached its melting point were added. A junkyard dipstick to replace the missing one showed the motor was over full on oil by a lot. So thinking I was going to drain water out I pulled the dipstick and only oil came out, hmmm dad poured oil down the cylinders when he quit driving it and that is why its loose still (thanks dad!) So she cranked and cranked and cranked with no sign of life whatsoever. I get off work at 9pm, we worked til 11:30 the night before my brother was to leave, but no luck. The next morning I rolled out early and started putzing again. Eventually I got a backfire, ok good now just bump the timing a smidge and wake up the bro, put some jumpers off the 06 250 and crank and crank while pumping the gas she coughs and sputters, keep pumping the gas, faster and faster finally she hits on all 8 and settles into a nice idle. Bad knock is coming from a place that we later determine is the throwout bearing. But now 3 pumps of the gas and a touch of the key she will fire. We still need a radiator when funding allows so we can run it more then about 45sec.

So that the story so far if you had it this far stay tuned for updates the plans are to restore it to the truck he had with the plow and turbine wheels, however it will need a body swap.

I can't post picture yet but he is my facebook album, picture whizzes feel free to steal them and post them if you want. the 2nd link it the video of it starting.

https://www.facebook.com/tom.oswald...45468932923.1073741827.100002524218943&type=3


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10100618298492221&set=vb.56012989&type=2&theater
 

H2opro

Anyone for Scuba?
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One of the last memories I have of him was hauling the 79 out there. Got the idea to get it back of few years ago. But then the army happened. Now that is almost over so now it was time to at least try to get it back.
 

H2opro

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3
Here's after it was loaded.
 

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  • 993600_10100602179409991_1611153079_n.jpg

H2opro

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Sitting next to my Powerstroke that was used to drag it outta the woods.
 

Attachments

  • 1044433_10100603638950061_1185414210_n.jpg

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
Looks like you have your work cut out for you....also looks like it could be a fun and rewarding build because of the history.
 

H2opro

Anyone for Scuba?
77
3
It will be a gas when it's done. She runs like a champ now. Pretty much everything can be saved but the body. We will reuse the drive train,dash, trim door hardware, seat, all the glass minus the windshield. Doing a body swap will put us ahead of the game a little I think.
 

DNFXDLI

The Token Canadian
Staff member
Cool, looking forward to seeing the build!
 
If you were close and I had my old truck the body was perfect other than on dent not one single spot of rust anywhere. All original except the tailgate which had been stolen from me it was an xlt model with all its chrome too
 

H2opro

Anyone for Scuba?
77
3
I got about 4 months left in the army. Once I move home we will be able to make some real progress on it. Once we heard it run I knew we had to restore it. It took very little work to get it there. If I was scrapping the truck I'd have no problem putting the 429 into my other 79 f250. It runs that good. I'm just glad it's out of the woods and not on its way to the scrap yard. It needs a old of work. But with a new body it will cut out a lot of work.
 

H2opro

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H2opro

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ja7u4e4y.jpg
4age9eza.jpg
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H2opro

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vumyquje.jpg
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Big Jim F150

73-79 Ford Trucks Rock
Is that a '79 F-150 Ranger Lariat? It look a lot like my '78 F-150 Ranger Lariat
But mine is red, where yours is a copper color, nice truck anyway.
 

84-6.9L

Under Funded
15
0
Yes it is a ranger lariat, however it is a 250 trailer special. And on the other 79 I did do some more work cleaning the frame up. Found the frame is very thin right along where the fuel tank was right along the left frame rail the damage is about 2 ft long, it runs along the bottom edge of the frame and maybe 1/3 the way up the side. I'm thinking about getting a piece from a half ton frame and welding it in and make something a kin to a double frame. Any opinions on this?
 
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84-6.9L

Under Funded
15
0
So finally got some time to work on the ole'79 again. Mom passed away this March and while sorting through all her things we did find Dad had kept the original keys for it with the ford key tag on it. With mom's passing and all the secrets she hid it has kind of taken off as a tribute to both of them. The starter was bad so we pull started it. That became real interesting since the clutch is seized, however at no point did any of the vehicles make contact.

We stripped the cab clean to see what exactly we were dealing with. Lucky for us the Custom trim level is a pretty easy strip. We also removed the trim, grille, and inner fenders. We left the dash in because we have a radiator coming this week so we can actually run it and do some hot laps since the front brakes still work. Still on the hunt for a decent body if the cab is too far gone. My brother will be by later to update with some pictures.
 

H2opro

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a0181fc588c2982e933d50e3067d9912.jpg
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H2opro

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