1974 Ford F-250 “The Brown Turd(now)”

documented by 71ranchero registered 2009 ♡ Follow this build

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About the 1973-1979 Ford F-250

The 1973 model year brought the sixth-generation Ford F-Series, nicknamed the "Dentside" for the concave bodyside crease that is the visual opposite of the previous Bumpside's outward bulge. The 1973-1979 Ford F-250 is the three-quarter-ton truck of this generation, sharing its cab and front sheet metal with the rest of the F-Series. The biggest lineup change came for 1975, when Ford introduced the F-150 as a new model between the F-100 and the F-250, created in part so a heavier half-ton could sit above the federal 6,000-pound gross-weight threshold that triggered stricter emissions rules. The 1973-1979 Ford F-250 was gas-only; the first diesel did not arrive until the next generation. The base engine was the 300-cubic-inch inline-six, with the 302 small-block, the FE-series 360 and 390 big-blocks through 1976, the 335-series 351M and 400 from 1977, and the 385-series 460 (7.5L) big-block. All ratings in this generation are SAE net. The 1973-1979 Ford F-250 4x4 used a solid front axle, typically a Dana 44 with a heavier-duty Dana 60 available. The SuperCab extended cab arrived for 1974, and the four-door Crew Cab and Camper Special continued. The 1978 model year brought the largest restyle, with a single-piece grille and rectangular headlamps on the upper trims.

The 1973-1979 registry All Ford F-250s

The story

I bought this truck in 05' for $450.00 with a huge dent in the rear right hand side. Pounded the dent out of the side with a hammer and a 2X4, just to get the corner shape somewhat in place. I replaced the (i assume) stock holly double-pumper carb with an inexpensive edelbrock 650, because the holly was puking fuel out of every orifice, and I was out of town and preferred not to have an engine fire on the road. Since then I have had the motor completely gone through and bored 60 over(they had to bore it that far to get the taper out). Then less that 15K miles later, I let my neighbor borrow it. It came home on a tow truck. They had somehow figured out how to overheat it and blew a head gasket. I still haven't figured that out since it had a new 4core radiator and everything else was rebuilt? Anyway, their promises to get it fixed went on for a full year, and they finally did it themselves. Then they said it was fixed, so I went to get it(they told me that they had messed up the oil pressure sensor and it needed a new one. Cool, I can deal with that. I drove less than a mile from their house, on my way to the dump, and it just acted like old worn out motor. I pulled the distributor and low and behold, no oil pump drive rod. I love neighbors! I got the rod replaced, but the damage was done. Now it sits and goes to the dump once a year. Sad! · 71ranchero

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