A device has yet to be invented that can measure my desire for this 1972 Ford F-250 4×4 pickup, to misquote Captain Benjamin Pierce (Hawkeye – Alan Alda) from MASH. A Candyapple Red F-250 4×4 with mostly original paint in great shape? Yes, please. The seller has this gorgeous modified Highboy listed here on eBay in Cambridge, Minnesota; there is no reserve, and the current bid is just $6,850.
I’m not a fan of jacked-up pickups unless they’re factory correct or factory original. In the case of this “Highboy”, this is an unusual one as the seller says the body was swapped from a 2WD pickup, but they have both titles. I don’t know what it would be like to register this, but it’s wearing collector plates, so maybe it isn’t an issue. I have collector plates on my little orange Dodge D-50 Sport pickup, but I always renew the tabs every year, so maybe that’s the case here? We don’t know, but it’s worth a question to the DMV in your state.
I thought this truck was orange at first, and I was putting on my shoes as I looked at the photos, but then I saw it was Candyapple Red and… Just kidding, I don’t care if it’s paisley, I would love to have this beauty. The Fifth-Generation F-Series was made from 1966 for the 1967 model year, until the end of 1972, and the memories of our 1969 F-250, the only vehicle my parents bought new, are overwhelming whenever I see a fifth-gen truck, especially in anything resembling the “orange” color that ours was. Speaking of paisley, dig that custom spare tire cover that my parents had made in 1970!
The velour seat inserts have to be more comfortable than our all-vinyl black seats were, as the four of us were crammed into the cab of our truck, with a big Winnebago camper on the back. The first thing I looked for here was a floor shift, but alas, this one has an automatic transmission. This body decodes to being an F-250 2WD (F25) as the seller says, and it appears to be in nice shape inside and out from what we can see, with a few dings and some paint wear on spots. The bed also looks solid.
The clean engine is Ford’s 360-cu.in. OHV V8, which had just under 200 horsepower. It sends power through that three-speed automatic and transfer case to all four wheels as needed. This looks like a great truck, would the body swap hold you back on this one? Hagerty is at $35,400 for a #3 good truck, so something is holding down the bids on this beauty.
Scotty, my positive sentiment towards this generation of Ford pickups is similar, and for similar reasons. In my case, it is because my dad had one, his being a stripper 1970 short wheelbase Flareside. Given that going with him to work the local oil fields was a favorite childhood activity, these bring back good memories.
This looks like a good example. I’ll be curious to follow the bidding.
Groovy tire cover, by the way. I’m assuming it’s long gone, but otherwise it would be a great item to hang on your garage wall.
Scotty, this is a terrific write up. My sentiments are exactly the same as you. Except for one difference. My Dads trucks were all Chevys from the same period. HOWEVER, my Dads good friend had Fords from this era as well. We used to go on family vacations, both families had slide in campers. So seeing this generation of Fords brings back great memories growing up as well. The grill and the hubcaps especially. Johns was green and an automatic, and 2WD. ( not sure how they squeezed their 3 kids in the cab) oh wait, none of us did we all rode in the campers. We’d all line up on the top bed and look out at the road thru the window. Dad would say to sit back a bit in case he had to hit the brakes hard. Sometimes We’d sit at the dinette too. Ahh the 70’s such safety measures in place. Great memories Scotty and love that spare cover too.
Ahhh…the tall skinny tires on the heavy chasis Ford 4wd.👍 I Remember so many in the 80s , 90s like that too.
the size then I believe was 235/85/16.
Yeah, we used to call them pizza cutters Stan lol. But you know what? When plowing snow they work better than the fatter tires, those kind of float.
Or, the ever popular split rims…lol
I am not man enough to drive this, according to my stepson. I suspect that he is trying to get me to prove him wrong by getting it.
This truck with a 390 and the 70 Chevy 3/4 ton 350 4 barrel 4 speed 4wd. This is how it was done, until the Cummins.
These trucks where built to last. Had a neighbor give me his 72 F 250, and said, See if you can kill this truck. I was about 13 in 78, and got together with some buddies and tried to kill the truck in the Adirondack Mountains. That thing would not die. We felt so bad after that we washed it, changed the oils, and gave it back to him. Truck is probably still sitting in a barn up there as a farm truck. One day I want to get one. When people up there got a new vehicle, the old one became a farm truck. Seen everything from a 1950 Caddy with a flatbed installed, to a 1928 Ford tractor/flatbed thingy up there. Check the old barns up there…
I had one, 72 F250 4X4 rare Explorer package. Bought new in So Cal and had it for 32 years. Bought it for off road and put many miles on it in the dirt, mud and snow. Memories, Memories! Sold it for more than I paid for it and sorry every day since. Good news is it found a loving home and it’s being well cared for. The new owner brought it by one day and I drove it for old times sake. I had a 428 custom built engine put in it in early 80’s. To this day, it still runs strong.
Looks good, but I’ve never seen a dealer with worse feedback . was ready to bid then the cold feet happened .
After the last 15 feedbacks 10 of them are negative on $ big dollar items gotta be careful and body swap vehicles gotta make sure all vins match and can be licensed in your state . Buyer beware here . Or byob before purchase
Auction update: this truck just sold for $24,150!