Join Our Ford Truck Forum Today

Document your Ford truck project here and inspire others! Login/Register to view the site with fewer ads.

79 250 Upgrades

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
I talked with a Mechanic buddy yesterday that does restorations and will have him level the truck a little as the rear does sit a tad lower than I like.....it doesn't look exactly right to me. We talked about it and he said if we just added another leaf to the rear springs, that should do it. I only want it to go up another inch or two. This will happen the first of September as that's the first he'll be able to get to it.

Also, I noticed a couple of small oil leaks.....during my trip from SC, I'd crawl under during my fill ups and saw absolutely no wetness anywhere underneath.....was completely dry even after it sat during my rest stops.

I don't know if the long drive did something to the seals, but may have that looked at while he's lifting the back.
 

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
My wife gave me a budget over the next few years of about $5k to pretty up the engine and interior.....I haven't really looked into pricing and everything I want, but I have some ideas:

-Headers (this will probably set me back $500-1000)
-chrome alternator
-chrome valve covers
-polished intake (something is wrong with the carb or something because the air cleaner is leaning and even bending a little on the distributor)
-new chrome grill shell (this will set me back around $500)
-chrome rear view door mirrors
-upgraded stereo system ($500-750 estimated)
-Ford headliner
-roll cage (maybe)
 

fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
Sounds like a nice upgrade. You might just check the air cleaner itself. See if the bolt that holds the cleaner onto the carb is not loose or bent. Also make sure the wing nut that holds the air cleaner onto the bolt is tight. It might be a simple fix.

Are you leaking engine oil, transmission fluid or transfer case fluid?
 

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
Sounds like a nice upgrade. You might just check the air cleaner itself. See if the bolt that holds the cleaner onto the carb is not loose or bent. Also make sure the wing nut that holds the air cleaner onto the bolt is tight. It might be a simple fix.

Are you leaking engine oil, transmission fluid or transfer case fluid?

Let me crawl back under there and take some pictures, it's not from the transfer case I don't think, and it seems too dark for tranny fluid.

Maybe you fellas can help me source the problem before I take it to the garage.
 
I think every gasket leaks on my truck..:headbang:

Look at the oil sending unit at the top back center of the engine to see if it started leaking oil. . The NOS side view mirrors are going for $ 250.00 on eprey now. I paid $125 back when I was working on mine.
The roll bar might be over kill.
 

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
I think every gasket leaks on my truck..:headbang:

Look at the oil sending unit at the top back center of the engine to see if it started leaking oil. . The NOS side view mirrors are going for $ 250.00 on eprey now. I paid $125 back when I was working on mine.
The roll bar might be over kill.

Haha....thanks Mark...I'll check that out for sure.

My wife was saying a roll bar, just because there's one in the 77.....but I'd almost agree with you.

Will those mirrors match up with the holes/brackets I have on there now?
 

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
^^^What about the mirrors from China....I mean, LMC?
 

fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
I think every gasket leaks on my truck..:headbang:

Look at the oil sending unit at the top back center of the engine to see if it started leaking oil. . The NOS side view mirrors are going for $ 250.00 on eprey now. I paid $125 back when I was working on mine.
The roll bar might be over kill.

Sounds like you'd better get rid of it. :wasntme:

Haha....thanks Mark...I'll check that out for sure.

My wife was saying a roll bar, just because there's one in the 77.....but I'd almost agree with you.

Will those mirrors match up with the holes/brackets I have on there now?

If the mirrors are NOS, yes they will fit in the current holes. If the mirrors are LMC, well, no comment...........
 

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
^^^That's what I was worried about.
 

fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
I didn't realize that. But Ken, if you can provide some measurements of the bolt hole spacing, from top to bottom of the holes and between the holes on the same level, I will measure mine and compare. Mine are original Ford mirrors.
 

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
I didn't realize that. But Ken, if you can provide some measurements of the bolt hole spacing, from top to bottom of the holes and between the holes on the same level, I will measure mine and compare. Mine are original Ford mirrors.



Close up of the above:


 

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine

fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
Mine look the same, Ken.

The distance on mine, top to bottom, from bolt center to bolt center is 7".

The distance between the two top bolts is 2 3/4" center to center.

The distance between the bottom two bolts is 2" center to center.

By looking at your pictures, it does look like the bolts are closer together on the bottom, so I'm thinking they might fit.

Something you could do is find an NOS set on E-bay, and ask them to provide bolthole measurements.

Thanks for the pictures.

Oh, and it almost looks like they kept the mounts and just replaced the mirrors. Maybe you could get by with just the NOS mirrors on the old mounts.
 
Last edited:

DNFXDLI

The Token Canadian
Staff member
Those look like factory mirrors to me and it would seem that there were at least 3 types that look like that with slightly different heads and arms.
 

DNFXDLI

The Token Canadian
Staff member
If you can't find them Mark, I have a few sets in the garage...I can scan one.
 

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
Saw these at our most famous China suppliers:



It looks like these match the brackets I currently have on the truck....I'd like to clean up the brackets a little to get the little bit of surface rust on some of the corners and edges and do a little prevention work there also.
 

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
Mine look the same, Ken.

The distance on mine, top to bottom, from bolt center to bolt center is 7".

The distance between the two top bolts is 2 3/4" center to center.

The distance between the bottom two bolts is 2" center to center.

By looking at your pictures, it does look like the bolts are closer together on the bottom, so I'm thinking they might fit.

Something you could do is find an NOS set on E-bay, and ask them to provide bolthole measurements.

Thanks for the pictures.

Oh, and it almost looks like they kept the mounts and just replaced the mirrors. Maybe you could get by with just the NOS mirrors on the old mounts.

Doug, this was my thoughts exactly.....thanks.
 

Ford Truck Articles

Top