You wouldn’t know by looking at it, but this is a modified truck. The eBay seller in Griffin, Georgia, says that it started out life as a two-wheel-drive 1972 Ford F-250 with 16,000 miles on it; he then swapped the entire frame and running gear (except for the engine) from a 1976 F-250 with four-wheel-drive. The frame was disassembled, cleaned, and blasted, so the truck looks like a barely-used original on top, and it looks better than new underneath. Considering its condition and interesting modifications, you’d expect bidding to be brisk, and the top bid so far is $15,500 with three days to go on the auction. Will it meet its reserve, whatever it is?

Before we praise this truck too highly, I have to point out a discrepancy that someone in the comments may be able to explain. The engine is said to be original to the body, so it should be a 1972 240-cubic-inch six. My materials, however, say that the 240 was only available in the F-100, and the F-250 came standard with the big 300. As you all know, midyear changes sometimes resulted in printed materials becoming obsolete, so if there are any Bumpside Ford experts in the crowd, please fill us in if you can explain why the 240 might have found its way underhood.

The undercarriage is spectacular. I’ll let the seller speak for the work that’s been done:

The ’76 Highboy frame was selected because of the open knuckle Dana 44HD front end with disc brakes. The frame was disassembled, cleaned, blasted, and powder coated. Everything looks new and detailed to be factory appearing. All new hardware, brake lines, brake components (front & rear), working parking brake, shocks, rear springs, drive shaft, u-joints, all fluids, upgraded lock out hubs, still have the originals, 5 brand new tires with zero miles, everything is very nicely detailed. The Dana 60 rear and dana 44 front with 4.10 ratio axles, 205 transfer case, New Process 4 speed transmission are all matching from the ’76 F250.

The interior certainly supports the 16,000-mile claim. It has those ubiquitous plastic seat covers over a white(ish) bench seat and Candyapple Red accents, the same color as the truck’s exterior. This F-250 has the base “Custom” interior trim package, so a bench and a rubber mat is about all you get; it’s a work truck, after all.

The seller says that the bed looks as if it’s never been used, although they think the truck had a topper on it at some point.

Personally, I would have been fine leaving the truck as a two-wheel-drive model, but the “highboy” look is just right, so I understand the appeal of making the swap, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a nicer truck from this final year of Ford’s “bumpside” styling. With those 4.10s, you’ll want to stick to the backroads, but everything works, and you certainly won’t be able to stop at the gas station without drawing a crowd. What do you think is a fair price for this big Ford?