Now, this is a camper-hauler! A one-ton pickup with the biggest V8 available defines this 1978 Ford F-350 Ranger Camper Special with a 460 V8. Other than the 8 mpg that it most likely gets while hauling a camper, I love this thing. The seller has it listed here on eBay in Oakland, California and the current bid price is $9,200 and there is no reserve. Thanks to T.J. for sending in this tip!
This truck would have been much better for hauling our big Winnebago camper than our 3/4-ton Ford Ranger with a 360 V8. Check out the seller’s photos, there are many more of them than usual, dozens and dozens. The dent-side sixth-generation F-Series trucks were made for the US market from 1972 for the 1973 model year until the 1979 model year. Hagerty is at $15,800 for a #3 good condition truck as a general reference.
What better truck to show on St. Patrick’s Day, which is when I’m writing this one. This Jade Green F-350 is a California truck from day one, having been built there and stayed there its whole life. The paint is showing some weathering but at least it doesn’t appear to be open surface rust, just thin and faded paint. The inside of the bed looks good and the seller has included several underside photos, nice work! Sadly, there is no rear bumper or tailgate with this one so you’ll have to find those somewhere.
One of my favorite parts of this truck is the spare tire compartment on the right side of the bed, that’s great. This is a long-bed truck and you can see that parts of the interior have aged from the sun a bit and the radio is missing. Also, the driver’s side of the bench seat could use some help. The factory AC is nice but there’s no mention if it works or not.
This giant engine is Ford’s 460 cubic-inch V8 which would have had around 240 horsepower and it runs great but the exhaust is cut so it’ll need that, and also new tires and the usual routine for a vehicle that’s been sitting for a while. Any thoughts on this good-looking F-350?
Nice choice, Scotty, but from my own recent experiences if you get 8 MPG hauling ANYTHING, count your blessings. We’ve a ‘79 F150 351M C6 4×4 and 3.55 gears and AFTER the new air filter, gas filter, plugs,wires, cap, and “rotorbug” we’re lucky to get 9 MPG on the highway @ 60MPH…
Very nice truck. This makes me want to go after the well worn ‘78 F250 460ci 4spd 2×4 I found nearby with the broken (original) engine, slightly pranged body…$500?
BTW-great photos, especially with the Hornet in the background.👍🏻
Cool pics. Cool truck too.
Needs a garage shot with a good old TV box in it.
Ha!
Man; I love this thing, Scotty. I have almost no reason on Earth to buy it, but if it were parked next door with a For Sale sign I’d probably be “doing the math,” and considering owning it for a year or two. I used to borrow a similar ’79 F250 from my Aunt’s horse farm, and I have a soft spot for these. The 140″ wheelbase is ideal for towing, but not for the local drive-through. I used to terrorize my home town in a buddy’s ’78? C20 454 Trailering Special, and I’m sure this 460 would be similarly entertaining. Thanks for another great write-up and some memories of a simpler time when you had to pay extra to get a rear bumper. :)
Thanks, Todd! It sure seems like a pickup that could do almost anything, I could see you owning it for sure.
These were designed for slide-in campers. The spare tire compartment in the bed was there to make the spare accessible with a camper installed. The long wheelbase, offset to the rear, was to distribute the load from the camper more evenly between the front and rear axles. These trucks are also great for fifth-wheel trailers and tow-behind trailers, but I think it’s really cool that Ford went to such lengths to accommodate the big, slide-in campers that were popular in the 70s.
So I’m a little confused on the headlight configuration, always thought the 78’s had round headlamps & square headlamps were a 79 only. Anybody know?
Having recently found and bought a very well used ‘79 F150 4WD Nevada ranch truck a search on the Web for replacement parts revealed a number of oddities. Seems the ‘79 could be had with round OR square headlights..
Shortly thereafter I found a better looking ‘78 F250 2WD minus the grill but wearing square headlights.
Bean counter antics, Maybe?
Definitely an excellent value by todays standards; I don’t even want to know what a new F350 Camper Special goes for these days!
$86,689.33 at the local Ford dealer-& that’s NOT the King Ranch!!!
What’s cool about this to me is that not only is it the F350, it’s the one with the extra long wheelbase, with the rear axle moved back by what looks to be 6 to 8 inches. I’ve owned several of these Ford pickups with the 460, and depending on the gears, mileage doesn’t have to be horrible. Fix the carburetion, install a non smogger cam straight up, as to the 4 degrees retarded that Ford did from the factory and they’ll really wake up. Of course then you might as will do a set of TFS street heads, and on and on. Anyway, cool pickup and I always liked the Jade Green. When I was a kid my dad ordered a new 76 F250 Supercab Long box with a 460 in Medium Green Glow metallic, so I’m partial to the Ford greens in the later 70s.
Price doesn’t seem insane on this one either so hopefully it goes to somewhere it’s preserved.
The USN aircraft carrier is U.S.S. Hornet, CV-12, Essex-class launched in 1943, now serving as a museum at NAS Alameda, second carrier named Hornet, the first was sunk in battle with the Japanese.
10 years or so ago i was looking at a 79 ford F350 that a guy had priced for a 1000 bucks. The bed was rot free with a few dings and i was thinking the bed alone was well worth what he was asking for the whole truck but something looked off about it, thats when I finally figured out it was a camper special with the longer wheelbase and passed on it
1 of my fav looking vehicles (well – SB, step side, F250, 4WD). ANY 6th gen (including the 2 yr 2nd gen Bronco) f-series is great !
Good color (altho I like that briliant stang blue), wishin for the under-bed tool box, as rd truck may B dually rear & in-bed (the hidden) 5th wheel. Glad, as a rd truck it has the long bed & C6. Fair sales price. A money maker right there~
Check out the song 8miles to a gallon, Scott Miller and the Commonwealth
does the AC work? how many miles? power steering work? 4 wheel disc brakes?
valves & seats been changed for unleaded? 79 was first year for unleaded
spare tire? I don’t see one.
Auction update: this truck sold for $12,100.
At that price someone got a GREAT truck!!!