This truck has a nice step-in height for me, but I’m a bit on the tall and lanky side. Ford didn’t officially use the term Highboy for its F-250 4x4s built between 1967 and 1977 or so, but it’s a name that has stuck, and this 1977 Ford F-250 XLT Ranger 4×4 is one. The seller has it listed here on eBay in Tacoma, Washington, there is no reserve, and the bid price is $2,850 with just three days left on the auction.
I’d get rid of the shin-shaver (I just made up that term, but it fits) step on the driver’s side. I don’t need it, and it would just add to the nightmare of knocking my shins on things. They look like a woodpecker has been after them, as it is, I don’t need to slip on that steel step and add another scar to the mix. This truck has some cosmetic issues that you can see in all of the photos. They say the rear bumper has been pushed in a bit, and there’s a crease on the right rear side. They say the “paint is older”, which must mean that it’s been repainted?
I hope by saying this truck has “no visible rust”, that doesn’t mean that there is rust, but it isn’t visible. It’ll have normal surface rust underneath, as most vehicles do. The bed has been coated with a bedliner material and shows a few dings because it’s a truck; it should have a few dings in it. The sixth-generation Ford F-Series was made for model years 1973 through 1979 here, and the Highboy designation came about due to the divorced transfer case needing an extra drive shaft, so the truck had to be raised a bit to get that to work.
The perfectly matching blanket seat cover is a nice touch, and you can see the fancy touches buyers got when they checked the box for a Ranger XLT edition. There’s almost more woodgrain inside than there is outside on the actual trees where this truck is parked. I love the strip of woodgrain on the tailgate, classy. Is that some sort of trailer braking system under the dash on the left side of the steering wheel? They say a sunroof was professionally installed in the 2000s, and there is no headliner.
The engine is Ford’s 390-cu.in. OHV V8, according to the seller, which wasn’t available in 1977. For V8s, Ford F-250s had the 351, 400, and 460, so I’m not sure if this is a replacement or not. The 390 was available in two-wheel drive pickups until 1976. Whatever the story is, the 390 from this era had about 160 horsepower. It’s backed by an automatic in this case and sends power through a transfer case to all four wheels when needed. They say it runs and drives great and this truck could end up being a bargain. How much would you pay for this F-250 Highboy?
Thanks Scotty, always good to see a 73-79 F-Series truck. The “highboy” fits right in with today’s truck themes. This one isn’t perfect but isn’t terrible. The door panels look almost perfect. I like the green/white two-tone– I wish new trucks came with the old-school-style two-tone paint schemes. Fresh paint, and some other upgrades, would make for a nice result.
Its on its way to my house! I will keep y’all posted.
Looks like a 77-1/2 loboy to me. High-pinion front diff and mated transfer case.
Agreed. Rear tank is an indicator and that transfer case looks as hitched as can be. A side view would confirm what we already know.
More woodgrain inside than outside. Heyyyyy! Come for the cars, stay for the quips!
Same seller as the lime 73 4×4, btw. How curious.
Not a 77-model year grill. Must have been changed out to an earlier model. 73-75?
Schwab,
Is there a difference in the 73-77 grill? My dad had a 77. I had a 78 bronco. I know 78-79 wasn’t split and had ford on the hood (80 too) instead of the grill. What was the original 77 grill?
Also 390 not available in ’77. Something fishy here or a lot of parts swapping
Had a 1978 had a 390 from the factory.
I had one it had a 390 and it was a very sorry motor. Replaced heads twice.
That’s a 1973 – 75 grill and the engine is NOT a 390, the VIN codes it to a 400M and that is what it appears to be.
Oh boy, I messed up this one, not catching the 1973-’75 grille and the 400 V8 on the VIN. My apologies, guys. The door tag says 5-77, and as Oldiebgoodie and Nick mention, is it even a “Highboy”? No excuses, sorry about that. I was so excited by the low price, but maybe that’s why it’s low, it’s got a different engine, different grille, and who knows what else.
I will find out in a couple days, lol.
The engine is a 460, bolts right up where the 351-400 was