1976 Ford Trucks

[StevenCaylor]

Just happened to go through some of my archives today and spotted a brochure for the 1976 Ford Trucks. Here are the curb weights.

 

F-100 - 3590 lbs

F-150 - 3805 lbs

F-250 - 3910 lbs

F-350 - 4515 lbs

 

This was reg cab for all, 6.5 ft bed for the F-100, 8 ft for the others. Back then, the XLT was considered the luxury model. The heaviest F-350, a crew cab with an 8 ft bed, 4865 lbs.

Edited March 1, 2009 by StevenCaylor

[2005Explorer]

That was the year I was born! Not that anyone really cares.

[atomaro]

4x2 or 4x4?? And what engines came with them? Not being a dick, just curious.

[2005Explorer]

If I have to crash one into a wall I can tell you which one I would rather be in. Just the safety equipment and all the extra bracing that is required now adds hundreds of pounds.

[Mark B. Morrow]

That was the year I was born! Not that anyone really cares.

 

 

It's the year I got my driver's license. :D

[Anthony]

...and the dash was just as hard as the front bumper.

[TomServo92]

It's the year I got my driver's license. :D

 

I was 12 but my older brother had a '76 F150. Blue metallic with a 302.

[F250]

1976 F150 ran on leaded gas because it had no catalityc converter and very basic emissions controls for their carbureted engines.

No air bags.

Air conditioning, power steerng and power brakes were luxury options...not standard equipment. The basic trucks didnt even have a headliner.

 

The trucks were big though, larger than the 1980-1995 models and used a lot of heavy gauge steel, including the dash. I liked their style and simplicity, one of my favorite trucks.

[fordmantpw]

That was the year I was born! Not that anyone really cares.

 

+1

[Mark B. Morrow]

1976 F150 ran on leaded gas because it had no catalityc converter and very basic emissions controls for their carbureted engines.

No air bags.

Air conditioning, power steerng and power brakes were luxury options...not standard equipment. The basic trucks didnt even have a headliner.

 

The trucks were big though, larger than the 1980-1995 models and used a lot of heavy gauge steel, including the dash. I liked their style and simplicity, one of my favorite trucks.

 

 

That is a really good looking truck.

[2005Explorer]

That is a really good looking truck.

 

Then came the "Better Ideas for the 80's" and the dramatic lightning up, but still a very attractive truck.

[chucky2]

There's just something about a late 70's F-150 or F-250 that says: Truck.

 

Maybe it's the heavy ass guage steel, the round headlights, the squared hood, kick@ss bumpers, simple bench seat, simplistic cab...who knows. If money was no object, even before I'd get a GT500, I'd have a '78 F-150 Ranger 4x4, 460, auto, blue. Other than a F-250 of the same year/options, what more could a truck guy want?

 

Sorry folks...went into dreamworld there for a second...

 

Chuck

[Captainp4]

Chuck they can be found in good condition for under 3000. Or find a truck with a 400/351m - 460 swap is stupid simple, in the process of building a 460 right now for my 78 bronco.

[goinbroke2]

Dad had a new 76 f-100 supercab with a 390 2v/c-6. I raced a guy in highschool who had his fathers 77 chev with 454.(we had fords on our farm and they had chev's on theirs) Smoked him about 6 times in a row. Finally lost to a new firebird. I of course was the ONLY guy driving fords and got boo'd regardless....ah to be young again.

 

In 80 or so the valve seals started leaking, I got a set of 390GT heads off of a torino and the 4bbl intake/carb. All dad knew is that it was fixed and didn't smoke anymore LOL!

[lfeg]

Had a 77 F250 4x4. Was a good truck. I cannot say that the sheet metal was thicker than the 90 that I had, but the 90 was a bit lighter than the 77. This was mostly due to the aluminium case transmission and magnesium alloy case transfer case on the 90. On the 77 I ordered, both power steering and power brakes were standard.

 

In the 73 thru 79 model years, the base engine for just about all F100 through F350 was the 300 six.

[Ovaltine]

My Dad and brother (who was 19 at the time) co-purchased a '76 copper colored F-100 Ranger for light use on our farm. It had a 2-bbl 302 in it, and ran REALLY strong. Unfortunately that translated into really crappy gas mileage.

 

The Ranger package provided the outside chrome trim on the sides and tailgate, and an upgraded interior. The bench seat were a really soft tan vinyl. The combination of the copper painted interior panels along with the tan plastic/vinyl pieces and blacked out dash with chrome surrounds really looked good!

 

My Dad eventually sold his half out to my brother, who then soon got rid of it due to the gas mileage.

 

I still remember many times though, sitting in that truck jamming out to Kansas' "Leftoverture" when hanging out with my bro'!

 

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for this era truck. If it's ever in the cards, I'd really like to find a clean '76 shortbed to fix up and use as a classic cruiser. Picture the following with a nice tonneau and rebuilt 302 w/headers and duals on it, etc.

 

Here's an example of what I envision, sans the tu-tone paint:

 

 

The one tricky part will be finding a repair shop that know what the hell to do with the famous "Twin-I-Beam" suspension if it ever needs aligned! Camber and caster on those were supposedly a b--ch to set. Something about heating things up with torches....

 

:D

 

-Ovaltine

Edited March 2, 2009 by Ovaltine

[Mark B. Morrow]

My Dad and brother (who was 19 at the time) co-purchased a '76 copper colored F-100 Ranger for light use on our farm. It had a 2-bbl 302 in it, and ran REALLY strong. Unfortunately that translated into really crappy gas mileage.

 

The Ranger package provided the outside chrome trim on the sides and tailgate, and an upgraded interior. The bench seat were a really soft tan vinyl. The combination of the copper painted interior panels along with the tan plastic/vinyl pieces and blacked out dash with chrome surrounds really looked good!

 

My Dad eventually sold his half out to my brother, who then soon got rid of it due to the gas mileage.

 

I still remember many times though, sitting in that truck jamming out to Kansas' "Leftoverture" when hanging out with my bro'!

 

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for this era truck. If it's ever in the cards, I'd really like to find a clean '76 shortbed to fix up and use as a classic cruiser. Picture the following with a nice tonneau and rebuilt 302 w/headers and duals on it, etc.

 

 

Here's an example of what I envision, sans the tu-tone paint:

 

 

The one tricky part will be finding a repair shop that know what the hell to do with the famous "Twin-I-Beam" suspension if it ever needs aligned! Camber and caster on those were supposedly a b--ch to set. Something about heating things up with torches....

 

:D

 

-Ovaltine

 

Anyone who grew up in the '60s and '70s will remember service stations having signs advertising their ability to service Twin I Beam Fords and Volkswagens.

Edited March 2, 2009 by Mark B. Morrow

[grbeck]

1976 F150 ran on leaded gas because it had no catalityc converter and very basic emissions controls for their carbureted engines.

No air bags.

Air conditioning, power steerng and power brakes were luxury options...not standard equipment. The basic trucks didnt even have a headliner.

 

The trucks were big though, larger than the 1980-1995 models and used a lot of heavy gauge steel, including the dash. I liked their style and simplicity, one of my favorite trucks.

 

A friend's family had a brand-new 4X4 model with two-tone green and white paint.

 

Even though none of us could get a license until 1978, he still drove it around our development, with all of us in the bed. Until a neighbor noticed and told his father.

 

His family never used the Ford truck for their "regular" vehicle. They had a 1972 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Holiday sedan for the "family" car.

Edited March 2, 2009 by grbeck

[goinbroke2]

That reminds me of the time I came back on leave to my uncles place. First time back in a couple years since I joined the army. I had a 81 f-350 and I loaded all the kids in the village (about 12-14) in the box and went and got icecream for them about 5 miles away on country roads at about 30kph. can you imagine doing that now?? That would be child endangerment/child abuse/on and on.

 

Fun times...they're grown up and still remember "whenever uncle jimmy came he'd take us for icecream" even though it only happened once..maybe twice at the most.

[6-cylinder]

'77 F-150 was my first vehicle. 300-six. four-wheel-drive. Four-speed with granny gear. 3-inch lift. cracked windshield. No carpet. ragged out vinyl upholstery. I'd buy it back today if I could find it.

[StevenCaylor]

4x2 or 4x4?? And what engines came with them? Not being a dick, just curious.

 

The payload guide was for 4x2 only.

 

F-100 - 300 1V (117 hp), 302 2V (130 hp), 360 2V (145 hp), 390 2V

F-150 and up - 300 1V, 360 2V, 390 4V (195 hp), 460 4V (210 hp)

 

Again, this is for 4x2's.

Edited March 2, 2009 by StevenCaylor

[Bored of Pisteon]

I know somebody who has a sweet looking and clean 1978 F-150 XLT 2-Tone Copper/White with the 351M in it. Now, some of you may knock those motors but he's had that truck for 4 years and done virtually nothing to it and has 135,000+ or so miles on it. The remarkable thing about that specific truck is that it is a true 100% Michigan truck. Never driven in Winters, Built at Wayne truck assembly, sold in Sault Ste. Marie, and just stayed up north for most of it's life and driven around in nice weather.

 

I've had a couple old school trucks in the past. I had a 1979 just similar to his but it was Red/White and a 1981 F-100 Stepside. There's nothing like the old school.

[twintornados]

My Dad had a 1974 F250 4X4 "Hi Boy" and man was that one awesome truck. Ginger Glow paint, Ranger trim, full time four wheel drive, 360ci V8, 3 speed automatic. he had a custom rear bumper made that weighed like 300lbs.....backed it into a nieghbors car and damn near tore the front end off it

 

Had a 7 1/2 foot Western plow on it and it was tough to get stuck...but when it did.....yikes! Also, it had a cab mounted gas tank and I used to remember thinking, boy...if anything punched through the rear.....we were fried

[Project-Fairmont]

No doubt they were lighter back then, and the twin I-beam gave tremendous wheel travel and a great ride.

 

However in terms of every measurable area these simple trucks can't compare to the current F series. I grew up with these and while they were sturdy and good looking, the vague steering and poor driving possistion required your complete attention... Ah the good ole' days! A new F150 by comparison get better fuel economy, are more reliable, safer and drive like sports cars!

Edited March 2, 2009 by Project-Fairmont

[old_fairmont_wagon]

YEah, that cab mounted gas tank was definitely un-nerving. My dad had a 72 F-100 Explorer Reg cab short bed. Found it in a lot full of cars to be scrapped. The body and interior was in great shape, but, the engine (a 302) and the tranny were junk. He got it, put in a C6 and a 390 (which he had setup for trailer towing, gobs of torque). That thing was a rolling bomb though, it had a pair of 27 gallon "side saddle" gas tanks installed to extend the drivng range while towing.