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1972 F250 Highboy 4x4

S8NS 289

Member
When i was 8 or 9 i remember my dad having a 72 4 wheel drive truck with a 289 he put in, He accidentally dropped change in the defroster fan (cluttered dash syndrome) and when he would turn on the heater it would" Cling Clang Ding"
He would always smile and say "I'm not broke yet!" He was the second owner of the truck bought in 1974.

I wanted to recreate this truck, but with a little more torque... I do love the 289 but I want a lil more..

I was looking in the local trade' n post when i saw the ad., 1972 Multi-colored ford highboy 4x4 from nebraska, asking 900$ OBO The truck was blocked between the guys garage and the neighbors young pine tree, I drove over the tree to get out, The guy selling it was :wth :wth freakin'

Then years later i found a truck from "Washington" that looked really good, picked it up for almost nothing, the trim was worth the money i paid...

Well, I began stripping the highboy body 3 days ago, the cab corners & cab mounts were shot, the box looked like it just landed from a twister and the fenders were cut to clear the 37" Bias ply floats.

I currently have it stripped to the frame/360FE/and NP435 trans. which will be also leaving

Washington truck was not a cherry like i thought, more like the 59 year old hag with a purse full of Misty 100's
the floor boards are rotten, and the radiator support is gone too... but the rest of the sheetmetal looks good...

I also have a low mileage 6.9L IDI and ZF5 speed, Sterling 10-1/4 rear I will be transplanting into it. I guess they require a 3" body lift on top of the 4" suspension i already have.

I Will get pics up in the morning sometime,
 
My paint scheme will be the same as this truck- but without those -one of a kind LUND hoodscoops- :puk

Tidewater Aqua top and White bottom

 
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Wow does that thing bring back memories. My father had a '72 F100 Sport Custom, 3 on the tree and a 302 2v. I learned how to drive a manual tranny in that truck. My brother and I totaled it one night when a driver turned in front of us at an intersection. The angle of the impact cause the truck to roll over with us in it. Seat belts? Nah, those were just dangly things that got it the way! He was uninjured from the collision, but I ended up with a bruised kidney from bouncing around in the cab. My brother WAS injured AFTER the collision though. He was trying to climb out with me boosting him up. A passerby tried to help and pulled the door up. It slipped out of his hand as my brother climbed out, splitting his head open! It's the only time I've personally ever seen an I-beam on one twisted around like a pretzel! The upside? My father was in the process of trying to sell the truck (Dad, it's SOLD!), my brother bought a boat from his settlement and me? I bought a '65 A code coupe with auto, air, p/s and console!! :yah
 
Yep....my Dad had a '72 long bed 302 auto Sport Custom....of course, I was 22 when he bought it. Over the years we repainted it, two different campers on it, wore out two motors, and blew the last one. Always did a hopped up rebuild so it moved a bit better. Nice truck and it still is back in As. Sold it when his driving questionable.
 
I had a 76 high boy with a 460 and we put a 79 cab because it has more room and no in cab fuel tank.

Loved that truck. I also had 69 f100 2wd propane powered. Pretty cool.

I would like to get rid of my F350 and get a 74 or older truck for around the property.

Mel

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2
 
My Dad bought a 75 F100 Ranger Custom with 360Fe and Auto. It still sit out behind my shop. Too bad the North East has had its way with it. I love those 70's F series!
 
Been a while, been busy. The highboy is coming along fast now I strayed from the aqua and chose a more teal color and did the top white. I also went with a 410FE/Np435

I was going to fab a power steering box out of a 79 3/4 ton ford, but am debating just taking both axles for the 3.55 gearing disc brakes and a closed knuckle. the spring perches will need to be welded as they are different width from 72-79. I put military take off BFgoodrich Baja's 37/12.5/16.5 will put a couple more leafs in the front
 

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16.5 tires are hard to find are they not? I have a set of wheels sitting by my shed for that very reason.

Mel

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2
 
update on the highboy ha after 4 years, the 410 i built swallowed a valve, so i built a 557 with super cobra jet heads for it, using it as my dd spring through fall, added power steering,axle swaps to get power steering, and a bumper i call hamburger helper
 

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I'll wager it gets good gas mileage, eh? *G* I love the torque curve!!!
 
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