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1-of-11: 1979 Ford F-150 4×4 Flareside

The owner of this 1979 Ford F-150 4×4 Flareside unearthed the vehicle in a Californian barn. It isn’t clear how long it had spent in hiding, but it should represent a fairly straightforward project for its next owner. It is also a confirmed 1-of-11 F-150s from this model year that wears its combination of exterior paint and interior trim. If you would like to tackle a project build that is sure to stand out in a crowd, you will find the F-150 located in Creston, California, and listed for sale here on eBay. The bidding has been pretty sedate to this point and has only pushed the price along to $5,700. This remains short of the reserve, although the owner has also provided a BIN option of $14,000.

The Raven Black paint that graces this Ford’s panels is showing some significant deterioration, and you have to wonder whether most of this is due to long-term exposure to harsh UV rays. There is plenty of checking and cracks, and while it doesn’t require immediate attention, the buyer will probably choose to perform a repaint sooner, rather than later. A previous owner has installed an aftermarket sunroof, and this could be the source of some aggravation for the next owner. The seller admits that there is some rust in the roof below the headliner, and he believes that this could have been caused by a water leak around the sunroof. If this is the case, it isn’t the first time that I will have struck this problem. Those aftermarket units are usually pretty good when new, but they are renowned for causing problems over time. The only other rust that rates a mention is in one of the rear Flareside fenders that could be addressed with a patch. There is also a spot where the dash pad meets the windshield, which may also have been the result of a sunroof leak. The underside of the vehicle wears little more than a coating of surface corrosion, with no signs of rot. All of the exterior trim is present, the tinted glass is in good order, and those enormous aftermarket wheels impart a tough and purposeful appearance to the F-150.

Lifting the F-150’s hood reveals a 400ci V8 that would have produced 169hp in its prime. Those ponies find their way to the road via a C6 automatic transmission, a dual-range transfer case, and a 3.50 Traction-Lok rear end. The buyer will also find power steering and power brakes to make light work of driving duties. That drivetrain combination should allow the F-150 to find its way into some pretty inaccessible locations, especially with those chunky tires and the lift kit that has been installed by a previous owner. After sitting for years, the seller has managed to revive this old Ford. He says that it runs and drives well, and this appears to be supported by this YouTube video. We get a chance to hear that 460 in action, and it sounds as clean as you could ever hope to find. The owner does sound one note of caution. He says that the tires are pretty old and that he wouldn’t trust them at highway speed. He suggests replacing them before any extended journeys are attempted, and that sounds like wise counsel to me.

I would class this Ford’s interior as being serviceable, but it will need some work to look factory fresh once again. It is trimmed in Jade vinyl, and it is this trim and the Raven Black exterior that helps cement this F-150 as a genuine 1-of-11 vehicle. The owner holds documentation to verify this claim, including a deluxe Marti Report. It looks like someone has installed an aftermarket seat cover, and it isn’t clear what hides beneath. The buyer will probably choose to replace some of the plastic and trim pieces, including the cracked dash pad. However, I would be thoroughly cleaning everything first, because it might be possible to salvage quite a few parts that look beyond help at first glance. The interior doesn’t come loaded with optional extras, although a previous owner has slotted in a CB radio and an Alpine radio/cassette player.

There’s no doubt that there is plenty of potential locked away in this 1979 Ford F-150 4×4 Flareside, but it is another one of those projects where the buyer will have to consider its financial viability. My instincts tell me that if any of our readers are seriously interested in this classic, they should probably roll the dice and bid before considering hitting the BIN button. It is possible to buy some extremely tidy examples today for around $20,000, and there are some absolute gems for under $30,000. That makes the BIN look a bit ambitious unless the buyer can perform most of the restoration work themselves. Do you agree, or is the BIN almost too tempting to resist?

Comments

  1. Bob_in_TN Bob_in_TN Member

    Again, let’s get the proper information from the Marti Report. This is 1 of 11 1979 4×4 “Regular” F-150’s in this paint/trim. There could be 4×2’s in this paint/trim combination, and for whatever non-“Regular” pickups there might be (I’m not sure what that would be).

    Speaking of proper, thanks Adam for the proper model designation: Flareside.

    Like 1
    • CCFisher

      “Regular” probably refers to the regular cab configuration, as opposed to the extended SuperCab.

      While we’re on the subject of the Marti report, allow me to ask, “who cares?” It’s an F-150. There were so many paint and trim variations that I would expect most of them to be one of eleven, or even less.

      Like 7
  2. FordGuy1972 FordGuy1972 Member

    I could care less about the 1-of-11 because of the trim and paint. I’d care more if the low production numbers referred to a rare engine and transmission or convenience options. It’s a neat rig but the sunroof kills it for me, especially a non-factory one. I guess you could replace the whole roof but considering the high BIN, a reserve probably near that and what it will take to bring this one up to snuff, I’d pass on it and look for a better one.

    Like 4
  3. Bhowe Member

    The author states that this pickup has a 400 v8, yet later in the text refers to a 460. Looking at the photos, this is a 400. The 460 was not available in 4X4 f150s.

    Like 2
  4. Steve R

    Flare sides and stepside pickups were the popular body style in the 1970’s for people looking for trucks that weren’t going to be used for work, especially 4×4’s. Remember Rocky, the dad in the Rockford Files had a 4×4 stepside, same with one of the main characters in CHiPs, lowered and customized Ford and Chevy stepsides were everywhere, now they are rarely seen. Having been replaced in popularity by short bed fleetsides. It’s nice to see these when one of these pops up, it would be even nicer to see a 70’s style build featured on this site. Even though many would be considered gaudy now, they represent a certain point in time, much like the late-70’s party vans, which are generally popular on this site.

    Steve R

    Like 2
  5. Woody

    Last of the round fender step-sides,nice classic.

    Like 1
  6. mike kuhn

    stepside!

    Like 0

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