Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire black betty (1977 F250)

The mild cam I mentioned before, ignition recurve, and:



Top it with one of the economy calibrated, smaller four barrels Edelbrock offers. Add a set of headers and the transformation will be complete.

Right on!

We will cross the powerplant bridge when we come to it.

Priority right now is beautification of the Betty.

The truck functions flawlessly in every mechanical respect.

Priority will be body and paint, tuck the bumper back to stock location, freshen up the interior with some insulation and sound deadening, new rubber floor, recover the seat, new windshield and gasket, perhaps a functional stereo and possibly new front leaf springs to level the truck.

Mechanical priorities (future), will be upgrade the 77 power assist steering system with a later power sector, traction devices in both differentials, new bearings and seals in all gear cases at that time and convert to synthetic gear oils, lastly the engine.

First new truck I bought was a 77 F250 4x4, 4 speed 351, jade green. Certainly was not overpowered but that motor was very reliable for the 80K miles I had it. I put a set of headers on it that perked it up fairly significantly and improved mileage noticeably. My brother had the same motor with headers and an edelbrock/small holley that really helped in the power dept.
One problem I had with the truck was the spring inside the front hub that engaged the front axle when you turned the hubs, had two break over time and or not engage because of too much grease, etc. Most troublesome when you are already stuck in a snowdrift during spring bear season, only to find that you only have rwd truck (empty, naturally). Happened again the night before opening day of deer season, when I couldn't get up a loose rock piece of road to a previously scouted spot.
When it was all working it was pretty good in snow and could pack a load without complaining.
Truck got sold to help fund the wife staying home with the kids through their childhood. One of the better decisions we made, at least for us!

That is entirely too sensible and thought out.

Stick to the unicorn piss.

+1

I run that size, even when i had a half ton ford I found some 16 in 5on5.5 wheels and ran a 255/85R16, it just makes since

I don't think we're going to get anywhere with Dave. The plan I laid out didn't even require horse piss, let alone unicorn piss.

Mathman, lol!

If you are bored, I have a challenge (for everybody).

1977 was a very odd year for the f250 4x4.

77 was the first year the 351M and 400 engine was used in that truck. And early production for that model year still used the "highboy" frame, divorced t-case and the tall stance that everybody loves.

Here's the challenge:

Find headers that fit the 77 4x4 f250 with 351m or 400 engine that are not fender well exit headers.

There, that will keep some people busy.

Talk about unicorns.....

Lol!

I beginning to think you pick projects just so you can't make performance modifications!

Even so, the mildness of the cam I suggested is such that it should work fine with stock manifolds.

I plan to cut the "bump" out of the exhaust ports in the cylinder heads, along with typical mild porting. Then have a look at the stock manifolds and see what we can clean up inside of them for additional flow.

(When the time comes(

"I'll think about it" is the way my Dad spelled "never."

TFF that is good

TFF!!!

The headers I had ran through the fenderwell, and rotted out in 3+ years from all the spray on them!

Those headers might be tricky to find for that narrow frame.

Either some shorties or stacks out the hood.


I have mine dump out the fenderwell & there were no clearance issues. One truck was a '77 F150 with 38" tires and the other was a '79 F250 with 33's.

I think you should come get my old 400. The EGR bumps have already been removed, mild port/polish, and a valve grind that you won't see unless you work in a race shop.

more power? find a 351w roller motor out of a 90s for truck, pull the trans to. should be able to get the whole shebang for 600-700$. I probably have a older dual plane intake around here for a holley 4150 flange.

+100 That might be the post of the year

Tonight we cut this off the front of the truck with the plasma torch.



Frame horns are restored to stock so the new bumper will be tucked back in there where it is supposed to be.



Next we removed all the bed floor bolts so the bed is loose from the frame. We had 8 extra ones because this truck had a drop down goose neck ball installed at one time (poorly done, this is coming out)

Then I had Nate sand the inner bed side pinch weld lip to help expose all of the spot welds for drilling.





My spot weld driller is a little more than most hobbyist have laying around.





splitting knife/chisel.

[img]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e...G_20150310_212556545_HDR_zpss84tdhel.jpg[/img]

these are popped.

[img]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e...G_20150310_212544888_HDR_zpshccyrvxg.jpg[/img]

We do that down the length of both sides.

We are done for the night, possibly more tomorrow.

You are a much younger man than I David, to enjoy working nights.

Mind you, time was------------.

Working nights, not awesome.

Working nights with my boy, awesome.