Hi again Ford guys,

Bought me another old Ford truck.

This time a 1978 F250 Camper Special.

400m, NP435 (I think), NP 205, RC60, FF60, extra cab, long box, electric brake controller, AM radio, and the most putrid 2 tone 70's brown ever seen! I love it!!

The whole idea was to just pull the RC60 for my buggy. But the rest of the damn truck is in such great shape (except the body), I'm going to have to keep it.

Questions:
1) Can I replace the whole bed with a later model bed? Any ideas on what fits?
2) Same question for the cab (it's a "super cab", only 2 doors)\
3) I have an RCD44 from a 79 F250 I am likely going to swap in the front, so I can rob the RC60 for my buggy. Thing is, this truck has 4.10 gears, my 44 has 3.55. I have a set of rear FF60 3.55 too, so the cheapest would be to bolt in the RCD44, and regear the rear to 3.55 also........will I regret this, assuming I use the rig as a parts hauler and occasional tow rig for the buggy?

Many thanks as always,

How can you regret using the 60 in your buggy! :D The 44 will do an admirable job of hauling parts for ya and will tow just fine. Just may have to lengthen the front d/s a bit.

I think the '80 and later trucks have a wider frame than the '70s so a body swap might be a PITA. Just find a good bodied supercab truck from the '70s.

Good luck Bill, nothing will fit "right"
You can find standard cabs at pick and pull but extra cabs from that year are kind of rare.
You will be hard pressed to find a bed from that year not beat to shit as well.
A newer bed will go on with changing the mounts, but with out a newer cab the body line would be way off

Got some time?
Chop the bed off, get a 78/79 bronco back half, weld it togeter, make it a cool looking fullsize bronco with the extra cab area

Just build a flatbed! I have a super-secret design for mine, so you can't have it!:D When I bought my '78 F150 it had the hay hauling flatbed, still does, but as soon as I find an extended cab it's going to a buddy of mine for hauling his quads and I'm implementing my super-secret design:D

flatbed would be siiiiick or just make a "custom" bed with diamond plating floors and whatever for the rest of the "box"

Well, it's a consensus then

I'll patch up the old one for a while, and build a custom bed or flatbed when I have time (AFTER the buggy project would be my guess :) )

'Course I've toyed with the idea of MAKING it the buggy project...just swap the FF60 rear for my disk braked D70, rip off the body, shorten the frame, and chuck the Rover body on top.

Only trouble is...then I have no tow rig....and who doesn't want a tow rig ;)

Thanks all

did it make the trip back east?
I want to hear the tale

You can always do what I did.....

I picked up a '79 F250 4wd for 5 bills that was taken care of mechanically (lube in the pumpikns was gold when I drained them), but the sheetmetal was shot. I found a '79 F150 2wd that must have been used as a grocery getter for 5 bills and did a complete body swap.

Now I have a sweet 79 F250 4x4 XLT with auto, a/c, and the original factory paint....not to mention a mechanics door in the bed.

A bit of work, but definately worth the result. After selling off the parts I didn't need on the 2wd I am into this project around $1000.

MJ,

It still sits in BC on the farm as I attempt to collect the $$ to ship it home by rail.

Belzurker, good idea, but unfortunately, being in the NE, there's not gong to be ANY decent bodied vehicles of that era...and if there were - they would re restos going for $5k rather than 5 hundred!!

I'll probably patch it up and run it as a classic beater pickup / tow rig....what the heck.