1979 Ford F150 Custom from North America - Comments

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.

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.

It is easy to fix the gas problem. On your truck at the top of the gas tank are a few rubber hoses/ fuel lines one of these lines are cracked. A very cheap fix and you can lower the tank by using a floor jack and a block of wood. Hope this helps.

One possibility for your fuel tank leak is a rotted fuel filler boot. I had this problem with an old car. The rubber boot gets brittle with age and when filling up, gas will leak out. I would check into that if you're concerned about it.