Well, I have decided to look for a 1978-79 Ford F series pickup. I recently found a 1979 F100 on Craigslist, it reportedly has around 70,000 miles, it does not look too rusty, and it has a bad paint job. I was just looking to ask, are there any common problems that anyone has had with this type of truck that I should look out for? For anyone who has one, how often do parts go out, and what parts are most likely to need replacement often. Obviously only the original owner knows how it has been treated, but I just would like some input on what Y'all think. Here are some images of said truck, it looks pretty rough, but It is cheap and I am looking to do a little restoration anyways.
Well knowing anything about the truck would help, 300-6? 302? 351 or 400? Auto? Manual? Also, I'd almost guarantee that that's actually 170,000, not 70k.
I am not exactly sure what engine it has, it is a base model RWD though, so it likely has an I6 engine.
That should probably be the first thing I'd do. I take it you haven't actually looked at it yet have you? Let's assume its got a 300-6 and an NP-435, The 300-6 is among the best engines Ford has ever made, assuming it's had any kind of attention paid to it, it should be alright. The NP-435 is also basically a brick, you couldn't break it if you tried, Probably would't be a terrible idea to throw a new clutch in it. That truck should have a 9 inch Ford in the rear, which is also borderline un-killable. Put simply, you should be fine.
It is automatic, RWD, probably 300ci I6, And like I said, it is "reportedly" 70,000 miles, so the owner may be lying in the add. But, based on it's location in a state that salts the roads, and considering it's age, and how much rust is visible, I don't think it has been driven much, at least during winters. Unfortunately, the add is rather vague, it only gives transmission type, mileage, and location. I have also not looked at this truck yet as the add is rather new. I would like to know if anyone has experience with these trucks' common problems so that I know what to look for when I inspect it. I also am not necessarily asking about this truck in particular, as I know how hard it is to diagnose a vehicle off such limited information, but mostly about this model, and age of truck, I simply gave this add as an example of something that I had found. --- Post updated --- I will surely inquire as to what drive train it is equipped with. Thanks for the info.
Overall the only issue that I know of with the 73-79 Fords I know of is the front ends can get sloppy over time, That being said I've only ever messed with 4wd's, Not sure if a 2wd would have the same issues or not. I've messed with two, a 73 F250 with a 360FE with a C6/203, and a 77 F250 with a 400M with a NP-435/205. Both of those truck's were built like tanks, and never really needed anything other than oil changes and brake pads.
One of the things I am hoping is that a RWD will have a slightly simpler front suspension setup that I will be able to fix myself.
Just be prepared to fix random stuff. Shake the fan to see it the water pump is good, look in the radiator to see if it is liquid rust by now, look for checked belts, the usual. You should be able to judge whether or not they're lying on the milage by the condition of the delicate parts. Look for damage that is linked to time (rotted rubber, cracked vinyl, faded plastic, seized controls, etc), and note any damage that would be the result of repeated use (ripped up seats, worn off pedals, missing pieces, busted dash controls, broken window rollers, torn off arm rests, etc.). Some of those old trucks have been driven until the odometer rolls over, in which case it would have a lot more than 70k. Depending on how long it has sat, you may need new tires, a new battery, new oil, new coolant, new spark plugs, wires, a cap and rotor, and a thorough inspection of the engine bay/intake for any bad wires and loose debris. It isn't worth the trouble if it has a rod knock or a bad transmission unless you really love the body style and have room to fix it up. Check the dipstick for water in the oil, and look at the bottom of the fill cap for the same. If it runs, start it for a minute, then turn it back off before you look at the oil. Odds are it will work fine for as long as you need it to. Most folks just drive those old trucks till the rod bearings go out or they break something real important. The proper thing to do even with that low of mileage would be a full rebuild, or at least new gaskets for everything (age doesn't treat seals well). I'd be very impressed if it didn't leak oil from somewhere. Old cars just needed more maintenance than new cars do, but they are very hard to actually kill. If you want to learn how to work on stuff (assuming you don't already know how to), the best way to learn is to fix your own vehicle when something goes wrong. --- Post updated --- It'll have a twin I beam front end. A little weird, but not complicated.
If it's not 4WD, front end should be fine. And that's low miles regardless the engine. All Ford's engines from that era are pretty solid and you can never go wrong with the straight six.
