Full Size Jeep Network

Nothing special, and nothing FSJ related (except using a hand full of the same parts).

Picked up this exceptionally straight 1974 F250 Ranger XLT Camper Special from a buddy. Literally one ding in the bed side, and two small dings in the tailgate. Interior needs help, but I can take care of that. I'm blown away by how clean the body is!

390/C6 2 wheel drive. Thing runs great. Steering is pretty wonky, but I'll take care of that. Ordering new tires today, and then it'll be registered and on the road!

Untitled by Marn, on Flickr
Untitled by Marn, on Flickr
Untitled by Marn, on Flickr

Nice truck! My dad owns a '77 F150 Ranger Trailer Special with a 460. Great truck.

Sweet ride. It's crazy you found something with the bed in good condition. Back in those days trucks were, well, trucks.

Beautiful truck! I love those almost as much as the FSJ. That's a canidate to be Dropped with a Ecco Boost crate motor

Nice find. My dad had a 69 with the same 390/c6. Fun truck to drive.

Cool find!
When I was a kid, my best friend's dad had a 2wd 68 F250 Ranger with 390/C6. It was a tough truck and could tow all day long.

Hey thats a nice truck!!! Grats! You are right it is really clean...

This era Ford truck is very durable. Great purchase if you need a pickup for your chores. The 390 will be thirsty. It'll haul a slide-in camper very well.

These trucks were and still are tough Nice find

In my mind, ford stopped making trucks after 1979.
That one looks very clean and surprisingly good shape for it's age. Gotta love old iron.

JeepsAndGuns wrote:In my mind, ford stopped making trucks after 1979.
That one looks very clean and surprisingly good shape for it's age. Gotta love old iron.

Yep the older stuff was made to last..which is why we have our Jeeps

will e wrote:Sweet ride. It's crazy you found something with the bed in good condition. Back in those days trucks were, well, trucks.

No kidding right? I was blown away that the bed rails weren’t all dented and smashed. He had a few landscape laborers driving it for about a year when he owned his own company too and it made it through with no real damage lol!

A most excellent find!

Man, this thing is kind of making me hate the wagoneer. Runs so damn well, parts are available, its comfortable, cruises down the highway with no hesitation...

Everything except the AC works....

Did i mention you can actually find parts for it? Every piece of trim...every body clip...

Dr. Marneaus wrote:Man, this thing is kind of making me hate the wagoneer. Runs so damn well, parts are available, its comfortable, cruises down the highway with no hesitation...

Everything except the AC works....

Did i mention you can actually find parts for it? Every piece of trim...every body clip...

We know, I helped a neighbor with an old suburban, as you said, you can find fenders, inner fenders, and what not for the burb...

I literally sold almost the same truck to GET my wagoneer. Too funny

letank wrote:

Dr. Marneaus wrote:Man, this thing is kind of making me hate the wagoneer. Runs so damn well, parts are available, its comfortable, cruises down the highway with no hesitation...

Everything except the AC works....

Did i mention you can actually find parts for it? Every piece of trim...every body clip...

We know, I helped a neighbor with an old suburban, as you said, you can find fenders, inner fenders, and what not for the burb...

Thats the part that is blowing my mind. Im just like "oh man i need this little piece its never gonna be avail......wait a SEC! LMC has it? Dennis Carpenter has it?!!!? WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On my $400 68 camper special after rebuilding the motor. I had the tie rod fall out after an 800 mile trip from Alb. to Tehachapi CA with an 8 foot cab over camper ( truck shook everytime I got over 60 MPH). Replaced them all of them. Next job was in AZ, had the king pins and center bushing replaced. Mechanic said it was a good thing it had kingpins because if it had, had ball joints it would have left me sitting on the side of the road. Had multiple trips after including one to Florida where I came back with the camper and a 26 foot travel trailer (Word to the wise don't buy a travel trailer that has spent a long time in Florida) Burned up the valves that time dang unleaded gas.
Did the kid thing of replacing the two barrel with a 4 and a Performer RPM intake could never get it to get out of it's own way after that. The killer was when the rag joint let go as I was turning left ended up on an embankment with gas pouring out of the seat tank. A guy pulled me off and AS I headed down the road pushing down on the wheel to keep it engaged I heard the traffic reporter giving the intersection out as a roll over accident with fuel spill I waved at the firetrucks as they went by the other way! I used some 1/4 20 bolts to hold it together till I finally parked it. We called it the Behemoth because I got it after I totaled a Samurai I called the Runt on black ice in Meeker CO, but that is a story for anther time. Oh mine was originally bought in New York state and ordered with a tow package so it had disc brakes something I was told only came on 1 tons at the time.

Dr. Marneaus wrote:...

Thats the part that is blowing my mind. Im just like "oh man i need this little piece its never gonna be avail......wait a SEC! LMC has it? Dennis Carpenter has it?!!!? WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ford's domestic light truck production has been around a million units annually for ... a long time. Our Jeeps are oddballs and production was maybe 50x-100x less than Ford pickups?

P.S. its not actually making me hate my jeep (I already hated it right?.....just kidding). ITs just a super interesting juxtaposition of two vehicles from a precisely similar time period.

I still, to this day, get a bit nervous driving the jeep some places.

After having owned the truck for a week and having driven it maybe 15 miles, i drove it to work and then down to carson city and back to get a new seat. Proabbly an 80 mile day, lol.