Faults:

When purchased, the truck did not idle.

The rims were all rusted out and the bed needed a little work.

Needs new valve cover gaskets.

The timing was way out of spec and the carb needed some adjustments.

The seat has some cuts and holes.

The carpet by the shift is a little ripped.

One tire leaked and a brake pad was cracked.

Has little rust. And the wiring was a mess.

Radio stays on full time because the previous owner didn't know what he was doing.

General Comments:

The truck is up and running great. We fine tuned the timing and adjusted the carb. The truck will idle at 400 RPM and revs like a tank.

I bought the truck with all working additional gauges (tach, tranny temp, etc...). I sanded down the rims and painted them gloss black, and redid the back brakes while painting the rims.

I love driving the 4 speed, since I'm a teenager and I have way more plans with this truck. I paid $1000 for it, and now to me it's well worth $5000-$10,000.

Faults:

Valve cover leak and power steering pump leaked, and was replaced.

General Comments:

The 79 F150 4x4 straight six with a 4 speed manual trans, is a great ole truck.

Faults:

Rear differential broke with 35 inch tires at 170000 miles.

Broke a valve spring with old engine at 175000 miles.

Replaced steering linkage and steering box at 160000 miles.

Had a seat recovered at 100000 miles.

General Comments:

Put a 2003 superduty 5 speed transmission and a 2003 Lincoln Navigator 32 valve 5.4 liter engine in it last year. Tripled the power and improved the fuel economy. It is a real screamer now.

Starts and runs like a brand new car, but it's still my old reliable truck. It never once left me stranded. If something went wrong, it would always be able to limp home at the very least.

Faults:

Bought it with stuck 351M from sitting for 15 years. Replaced with a rebuilt 460 from a 1971 T bird. Easy engine swap.

General Comments:

For its age, very little rust. Still handles like new. Rides great.

It's a step side bed. Needs new wood floor in bed.

4 wheel drive never fails. Very durable truck. Built Ford tuff. Have you driven a Ford lately?

Faults:

I've replaced a few rusty brake lines and freshened up the brakes.

The power steering pump is a little noisy.

I replaced the alternator with one from a Ford Granada I used to drive.

My friend accidentally broke the shift lever off of the column, but I replaced it with one off of a parts truck. It was a straightforward job.

I replaced the starter two years ago. I have never had an easier time replacing a starter. I didn't even have to jack up the truck.

The gas tank leaks if I top it off.

This truck has cost me very little to maintain.

General Comments:

After '79, Ford started to make their trucks more complicated and gave them more creature comforts. In other words, this was the last of the truly "trucky" Fords. The inside of the cab has lots of painted steel to crush your head in an accident.

I park this truck for months at a time outdoors in the woods. When I need it, I put in a hot battery, squirt a little gas down the carb and it starts right up. I wish all my old stuff would do that.

I love the "3 on the tree" shifter just for the novelty of it. Most kids have never seen one before.

As heavy as it is (two tons), the truck can still squak the tires quite well. It's a rare occasion that I do so.

Emissions laws hadn't quite caught up to trucks in the seventies, so the underhood situation is blessedly uncluttered.

My truck is rusty. It doesn't get much respect from those who aren't in "the know". I ask them where their truck will be in twenty seven years.

Sometimes I get a wild hair and think about selling the truck. Then I realize that I'd immediately start looking for another one just like it.