Guess I bought a truck.

I'm a bit fond of these since the first manual trans I ever attempted to operate was a '94 f150 4x4 with a 302.

That's a beauty! And the fact that it's all of the browns makes it even better. Nice!

I bought a ratty, beat-up  F-150 with the 300 cid inline six.   Mine was a neglected, rusty, the doors wouldn't stay closed, and it leaked from the windshield.....but you couldn't kill the six.  I swear, you could pour sand into the crankcase and it would probably still run.   Probably the most simple, straightforward machine I've worked on too.  This is a truck you can keep for the rest of your life.  Great score! 

Well, it arrived yesterday; $1100 to get it from Phoenix to upstate NY.  I called the shipper for three days with no response as to ETA, then yesterday at lunch time (the only time I can use my phone at work) I see four  missed calls and two texts.  I call; "Oh yeah, we'll be there in an hour".  Customer service?

She needs a bath and a good hum & buff.  The center panel of the dash is loose and duck buttered with some kind of silicone, looking for a replacement.  The PO was an anal nut job for documenting EVERYTHING!  Notes on every single fill up, every scrap of work done, the window sticker and the canceled check used to buy the truck.  The folder is ~3" thick.  Also included some manuals.  The factory steering wheel is missing its horn thing in the center so I'm buying a Mustang like wood wheel.  Briefly cruising the notes, I would say the indicated 55,000 miles on the odometer is correct.

Any thoughts or suggestions on undercoating and rust prevention greatly appreciated!

Dan

I’ve found that fluid film works very well at stopping rust.  Easy to apply.  

In reply to Sonic :

I was also going to suggest this. A friend just jumped on the Fluid Film bandwagon and he really likes it. My '79 Dodge is getting this treatment for next winter for sure.

I love it, the second line on the posted log page is "ignition module". This era Ford should carry a spare one of those in the glove box!

I had one with the 300 I6, 4 speed, 4X4 and it was a great truck except for the rust.

Rust prevention? Don't wash it or drive it in wet/winter weather. Nothing else you do will prevent it from returning to the earth, just maybe slow the process.

I've never had dual tanks before, the shop  manual and owners' manual don't hold the answer:  When filling the gas tank, assume two 12 gallons tanks, does gallon 13 automatically over flow into the second tank or do you have to flip a switch?

Flipping a switch, the gage shows the level of the indicated tank.

You'll have to fill the two tanks individually.  When one fills up, move the nozzle to the other tank.  I expect that the switch controls a selector valve.  This is just an electromechanical valve plumbed into the fuel line (between the tanks and the mechanical fuel pump...assuming this is carbureted).  The switch also toggles between the fuel level senders (reading whichever tank fuel is being drawn from at the time).  I had an '86 F150 (fuel injected, 4x4, 5.0) and the slector wasn't working right.  I don't think I figured it out before trading the truck for another truck with twin tanks that didn't work right either, lol.

That looks like a great truck!

The 300 straight 6 I had (fuel injected) made me smile.  If I came across a deal on the truck you just bought, I'd buy it too ;)

Thanks Clem, it's carbed.  I'll take a  picture later, it's a wonky looking thing.

Joe Gearin said:

I bought a ratty, beat-up  F-150 with the 300 cid inline six.   Mine was a neglected, rusty, the doors wouldn't stay closed, and it leaked from the windshield.....but you couldn't kill the six.  I swear, you could pour sand into the crankcase and it would probably still run.   Probably the most simple, straightforward machine I've worked on too.  This is a truck you can keep for the rest of your life.  Great score! 

 

Theres an urban legend that ive read in a few places where during cash for clunkers they poured in the slurry to destroy the engine and the 300 ran for quite awhile. over an hour maybe? before it seized up.

Cool story, but i doubt its entirely real

If the darker brown color is the same paint code as my van its got a fancy name like "Caramel Metallic".  Its one of my favorite 80s colors.

I would guess your carb is the electronic feedback version of the Carter YF single barrel.   

Carb is a weird Uncle device.  What's the tumor appendage up front?  1" NTP plug?

Appears to be egr related spacer under the carb, or made onto the manifold.

A 2bbl offenhouser intake should cure it.

Edit:Not offenhouser

In reply to 914Driver :

This has had EGR deleted. And some mod to the evaporative system as indicated by the small yellow cap on the bowl vent. If it runs well leave it alone, providing you can pass what ever emission testing you need.

The Carter 1 BBL of that era could vibrate itself apart. If it does just do a good dip and rebuild/ gasket kit and blue Loctite the bolts. Not a bad carb after that. 

The factory dual tanks were pretty berkeleying cool. What Clem said, solenoid valve (3-way?) switched tanks from dash and switched fuel level senders. I owned two trucks under ten years old and never had issues w/ them. Older trucks?, meh, I dunno. 

Grounds of that era could be sketchy. I'd clean every ground and be good for the duration. Turn signal grounds were the most offenders.

Control arm bushings are easy Saturday afternoon replacement if needed. 

Dirt catchers and rust:

-Wheel opening flanges catch a lotta dirt, hose out every wash. Problem was between the inner and outer fender panels.... particularly the bed, need to flush that out thoroughly. I'm surprised that '84 bed hasn't blistered through yet.

-Cab corners. Some models had foam in the cab corners (sound deadener?) that hold moisture, remove it if it's there, clean metal surfaces and paint w/ Rustoleum rusty metal primer. I know the carpeted '90 XLT had foam. Not seen on earlier less trim models w/ rubber floor covering IIRC.

-Lower front fenders at rocker panels, hose 'em out.

-Lower door outer and inner bottom. Make sure the drain holes are open. Replace the door belt line weather strip if showing age, that could leak water down the door inner, cheap n easy job. 

-Rear bed corners. There's a corner reinforcement that catches dirt. Hose out routinely w/ wash. Most of the flushing out of body panels is really easy during regular car wash, almost intuitive. 

Back in the day I'd thoroughly wash the body I/O and undercarriage. Used a pneumatic siphon spray gun (HF type now) to spray detergent. Air pressure helped break loose crud. Let dry then spray used motor oil thinned w/ kerosene in frame rails, body/ inner outer panels etc. Sprayed generally until it oozed out everywhere. These trucks are high enough so access was not a question. Fluid Film would be today's answer.

The rest of maintenance is fluids, filters and keepin' after it by the manual. Ya know, typical GRM stuff. Super easy, they don't make 'em like that anymore.

I owned '77, '81, '86, and two '90 F-150's, only one was a V8, the rest were I-6 300, loved that engine. Was really disappointed when it went away.

Nice score, good luck.

It has had the emissions deleted.  Not surprising as most carbs of that era have had things removed.  

For comparison here is my 82 Carter YF.

No emission test for cars before 1994.