1979 was the final year of the 6th-generation F-series trucks, and this is an especially clean, well-kept example of the top-of-the-line Ranger Lariat. A one-owner truck until just a couple of years ago, this original Ford with 65k original miles is currently up for sale here on eBay in Springtown Texas, with bidding over $10,000 and no reserve.
While most new trucks today are filled with luxury and convenience items, that wasn’t always the case. Even though the end of the 1970s, trucks were used primarily as workhorses. However, there was an increasing desire to have more creature comforts and cosmetic upgrades, and this 1979 F-150 is a perfect example of that. The top trim line offered that year, this truck has 2-tone brown paint accented with plenty of brightwork and chrome bumpers. The paint has been buffed and now it shines, with very few marks or damage. All the common trouble spots for rust such as cab corners, rockers, and around-the-wheel wells look to be solid. The underside looks to be rust-free as well. One interesting feature here is the integrated tool/storage compartment on the side of the bed.
The upgrades continue inside to the excellent interior. Woodgrain trim, new carpet, soft seating (plus a jump seat in the back), and working A/C that has been converted to R134 all make this interior welcoming and comfortable. The headliner seems to be in great shape, the door panels look perfect, and the seats only appear to have minor discoloring that would probably be resolved with a good cleaning. The only flaw I could find is a couple of cracks on the top of the dash pad. Interestingly, it appears this truck comes with a manual choke below the dash, visible in a few of the listing photos.
This F-150 is equipped with a 460 inch V8 that puts out 220 horsepower. Ford literature specified that it could carry a 2,320 lb payload, and haul up to 6,000 lbs. The engine bay is not perfect but overall is clean and tidy with only minor corrosion in a few spots. You’ll even notice the original jack is still present. The seller says the engine starts right up and runs well. This is a great opportunity to buy an older truck that should be trouble-free, comfortable to drive, and where you can actually use it as a truck without worrying about damage.
Looks like a nice truck which has had very good care. A few scrapes and some wear but overall nothing severe. The ebay ad is quite complete with tons of high-quality pics.
Nick has done a good job putting this 1979 in context. It is an example of a “luxury” truck of its day, about the time that this concept was getting legs. And if you like this theme as opposed to the lifted, rock-crawler theme, this is a good specimen from a popular generation of the F-Series.
6000 lb max tow load. That seems really lightbfor a 460 ci engine. Maybe lack of braking is factored in.
I was told once that not only braking and suspension limited tow capacity on a half ton truck, but tires were the weakest link. In those days they were car tires.
My used car manager had one, this same color combo, except it was a regular cab. It was in Arizona, so it was rust free and was well taken care. We all bought trades that were too old to sell retail, it was one of the perks of the job. My car was having work done on it, so he let me drive for a week. It got single digit mileage, and it wasn’t a 4×4, or extended cab, and I wasn’t towing anything. It had plenty of power, but the fuel consumption was amazing. Very nice truck, but get your gas card ready.