I am looking for a 50s-60s truck. I am not sure exactly what, but I open to pretty much anything. I happen to be looking at a couple of 65 Ford F250s. One of them has split rims on it and the other is missing the tailgate. Both have 390s and auto transmissions. What should i look out for on these? I really dont know alot about them. THANKS!!
parts-a-plenty....have an old 65 F350 wrecker...just won't lay down....also should brag on my 72 F350....or 76 F250 all running 390's....
I have a 66 F250 Camper Special I bought new. It has 570,000 miles on it. Been rebuilt twice. Very dependable, but 10-12 mpg is about all it will get. I have had a Mallory Unilite in it for about 15 years, no problems, but if it takes a dump I will go with another brand. The 390 was not available in pickups until 1967. 390's were available and made good replacement engines in later years.
I'd look for a 57-60 Ford F-100. You can find em running cheap and put your own twist on em. Plus they are great looking trucks.
My 56 Chevy has been real easy to work on and getting parts is easy also. I went with Chevy because the price was good. Go for it!
The nice thing about the late 50's , early 60's trucks is they are everywhere and still can be bought for a damn good price and still running strong . The Fords have the Y blocks and any parts you need for them are being made . the problem about the heaver suspension trucks is they have the 8 lug rims so can't do much with any up grades . A good ole F100 are easy to find and fun to drive . they also have plenty of room for a nice 302 or 351w swap unless you have a spare 460 to sit down in there ! There are a ton of options so go get one and have fun ! Retro Jim
Thanks for the info guys, keep it coming!! I am selling my 00 F150 and am going to use the $$$ for a 50s or 60s truck. I really have no preference at this point what it is. Nomatter what it will be cooler, cheaper to fix, and easier to work on than what I have now.
If you're just going to use it as a work truck, and don't plan on trying to make it "cool" then a 3/4 ton (F250) would be ok. If you want to lower it, make it ride nice, etc then start with a half ton short bed.
I am pretty much going to use it for a "cool work truck". I wont lower it, but maybe some whitewalls and paint. It needs to have a V8 and an auto trans though. Something about shifting a truck isnt fun like a car.
Split rims are probably 16.5" Find some 1 pc. 16's, better tire selection. In 1997 (IIRC) bolt pattern was switched to metric.
I've noticed far too many of the "fridges" up for sale lately dirt cheap. I was on the hunt for cheap transpo and they were all over the place. Not good mileage as a commuter, so I passed, but don't pay too much since they seem to have very little value. Devin
I own 3 old ford trucks... a 63 f250 custom cab, a 65 f100 standard cab and my dd is a 66 f100 custom cab. 95% sure it's not a 390, these trucks came with the FE352 engines. measure the stroke to be sure it's a 390. if you end up with a ford, stick with 65 up. 1965 was the first year of the twin I beam front end which can be upgraded using 73-79 spindles and disc brakes, power steering... A MUST if you plan to use it every day. 65 was the first year for the Ranger package which is very cool! early mustang bucket seats and a falcon sprint console, carpet on the floor and a drape to cover the gas tank. early mustang, Isuzu trooper and bronco 2 gas tanks are good swaps for getting the gas out of the cab and under the bed where the spare tire goes. if you want to see how the interior looks with buckets check out my albums. Freeman. 1967 had a 360... 390 was not available untill 69. split rims, aka widow makers, toss them out, any 8X6.5 rim ford chev or dodge will fit up to 1996, unless you do custom 8 lug disc brakes like me! then you need aftermarket rims to clear the calipers.
57-60 is among my favorite pickup bodys, have been looking for a decent 57 for years and all I can find are mostly 60s with that fugly-assed grill. The 65s are a great body, look for rust in the cab mount area and if you live in humid climate check the inside hood lip for rust and any pinholes in the drip rail area, also the inner fenders around the hinge area. One or two pinholes in the drip rail means there is no metal left there and you don't want to deal with that. On the 65, any of the chassis parts through 79 are pretty much the same but there are some variations. 61-64 look similar but are solid axle trucks and quite different. IMO from 57 to 97 the Ford cabs are far superior to anything from GM. Most chevy 8 hole wheels have a smaller register and may not go over the hub. Most of us old Ford guys know that every 352 or 360 somehow turns into a 390 when being sold.lol. The 352 is a great engine and will do everything you ask it to. If it is all original there will be a metal tag near the coil that has the displacement on it. 65 was the first year for a Ranger but they are rare. I've only ever seen 2 come up for sale. Also worth noting is the early power steering boxes, through about mid 68, were Bendix. They are inferior to the later Saginaw style but could be installed with no modifications. In order to install the saggy you have to change out a lot of parts.
Thanks for all the replies guys. I like the 65 with the split rims, but I would want to get something else on them. Are there any places that have steel wheels, or alloys that still have a 60s feel to them that are 8 lug?
I've got a 1968 F250 Camper Special Ranger Edition. Great truck! 390, C6, Power Steering, Disc Brakes, Power Brakes, Dana 60 Full float rear axle, Air Conditioning; All standard from the factory. I restored mine completely, but didn't do any body work, so it looks like the farm truck it originally was. I decided to go with plain with wagon wheels, looks pretty good in my book. Yes, it's for sale
Any of the standard F250 wheels through 97 will fit, lots of them around. Then use the late 60s to mid 70s stainless hubcaps. Here's how they looked on my old crew. Black wheels makes them look better.
Here is one that I looked at today. Its a 64 with a "390", auto trans, air conditioning, power steering, etc. Is has a slight exhaust leak, and it needs a tailgate and a rear bumper. There is NO rust at all. It runs and stops, though the brakes need adjusted, and it needed a bit of gas down teh carb to fire. I would get it and some $$$ in trade for my 00 F150 7700. Thoughts? Also, are Chevys from this era bigger inside? I am 6'1" and there isnt a whole lot of legroom in the ford.
The one above would probably retail in the $2500 range, maybe $3500 around April when tax returns come out. If your other truck is worth $7700 you better be getting about $5K to boot or you're getting screwed.
My truck isnt worth $7700. It is a 7700, whitch means it is a 3/4 ton F150. 7 lug wheels, etc. Its probably worth about 3500 because the ABS light is on and the airbags are blown, plus its got 175k miles.
I picked up my 76 f100 ranger for 500 bucks, and all I did was wash and polish her up, oil change, plugs etc all the usual, and put the wagon wheels and tires on it! These trucks are easily found cheap and run for ever. and when its time to fix them, its dirt cheap for parts!
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