It’s true, variety is the spice of life. Let’s say you visited your Ford dealer to buy a new pickup in 1974. The order form would greet you with no fewer than five shades of green, by my count. Five. There were five engine choices across the model lines. Three trim variations. Two- or four-wheel-drive, manual or automatic. Myriad individual options to tailor your truck to your needs. It’s no wonder that Marti Reports often say that your car or truck is uncommon – they all are! This Limestone Green Metallic F-250 4×4 was unique, as they all were, and it’s a well-maintained original that shows a small fraction of its 51 years. Located in Tacoma, Washington, it’s being sold on eBay with no reserve.
This F-250 is an interesting combination of heavy-duty off-road equipment and luxurious trim. It has the top-of-the-line Ranger XLT interior package, which includes carpet, woodgrain trim, a headliner, extra insulation, and a variety of other goodies to make your truck seem less truck-like. One might expect that the original owner would therefore choose the Cruise-O-Matic, but no, it has the NP435 four-speed manual transmission under that carpeted tunnel. The interior is in very good original condition, with a few steering wheel cracks and a couple blemishes here and there. It’s not “like new,” but it’s nothing to be embarrassed about.
Ford was kind to the indecisive regarding the F-250 4×4 specifically. You had only two engine choices, a 300-cubic-inch six or this 360-cubic-inch FE. With a Motorcraft two-barrel, it made 148 horsepower and 264 lb.-ft. of torque: pretty bleak, but it was 1974. It appears that someone has done some upgrading to our featured truck’s 360; the pictures show an aluminum intake manifold and a set of headers. There’s no word on the carburetor, but we have to assume it’s a four-barrel of some variety. By the way, the manifold upgrade alone will pluck about 50 pounds off the nose of this big hauler. You haven’t lived until you’ve flat lifted an iron intake off the top of a Ford FE; it weighs about 75 pounds. Last summer, you might have found me standing atop the spring towers of my ’63 Thunderbird doing just that, using a carb plate as a handle. My back still looks askance at me whenever I open the garage.
Back to the truck: It also appears that it has a new power brake booster, master cylinder, coil, and maybe even power steering hoses, so someone has done the work to make it reliable. All F-250s came with a 133-inch wheelbase and 4.10 gears, so we’ll assume this truck has those. Regardless of the extra insulation offered by the Ranger XLT package, this truck will not offer a cocoon-like ride.
The seller says that this is an original paint pickup that is nearly rust-free, and there are a plethora of pictures to show its dings and dents: It’s not perfect, but it’s in great shape for an original truck. If you’re still on the fence, the seller says that the truck has a tape deck and a CB radio, so you can live like it’s either 1975 or 1985, depending on which one you decide to use. The high bid on this F-250 currently sits at $7,857, but even with no reserve, I’d be shocked if it sells for less than $15,000. What do you think about this solid, very green Ford?
Amazing. As if it’s not tough enough, a Warn 8274 on the front bumper. 🙌
@Stan, I know, and if that winch won’t pull the house down, that bumper would go right through it!!!
I like it. Growing up we had two different family friends that had ones a lot like this, the same or similar color too. ( I think a lot of them were green) one I remember with a 4 speed, the other an automatic. One was an Ironworker and litterally wore out the front seat, the springs were sticking up, he called it the Gotcha seat. Every time you hopped in…… It got you…. These were always very solid trucks. And this one looks like its no exception. I’d leave it exactly as is, steel wheels and all.
Serious and cool truck in very good condition. I can feel that rugged clunk-clunk of shifting the four-speed, with its I-mean-business shifter. It’s not hard to understand why this generation of F-Series has picked up steam in the market.
Speaking of paint, from the 1974 brochure: after listing the 16 available colors, “different two-tones are available by using all the standard colors except Chrome Yellow and Raven Black. Wimbledon White can be used as an accent color for any other color.” There were three different two-tone configurations. Think of all the unique combinations one could come up with. And, contrast that with the very limited paint choices today.
@Bob, I’ve driven more than my fair share of Fords with the NP 435 and also many Chevys with the SM 465. ( both creeper gear firsts), and I know its a matter of opinion, but the Ford trans always seemed to shift a little nicer from 2nd thru 4th. The GM trans you’d have to kind of wait for the syncros more to do their thing. At least to me anyways. But at this point in life, I’d be very happy to own either one and run it through the gears on a nice weekend drive in the mountains, with the windows down. ( Not now in winter of course…..)
Well you can get 5 shades of gray today
I thought about that when I was writing; somehow, it’s just not the same. :)
WOW!!! Nice truck!!! If it had been on the east coast it would have been reduced to glass and a few rusty castings, everything else would be reduced to a flakey pile of ironoxide. You’ll never ever see trucks like this again!
We had a similar one growing up. As o remember the transfer case was only a one speed. It didn’t have a high or low. We never needed it with the granny low 4 speed. This truck will pull anything you want.
Then you had a F100 4×4. They had the single speed Dana 21 transfer case.
The truck in the ad definitely has the 4H & 4L transfer case. You can see the pattern on the knob.
Yes, the F250s had 2 speed transfer cases.
Looks like this was posted right after the auction ended.
That’s strange. When I linked it, there were several days left on the auction, and I don’t believe there was a Buy It Now option. Sometimes, the seller retains the right to end the auction at any time. Maybe that’s what happened.
As Aaron and Bob have said the number of color choices fifty years ago addles the mind today. The combination of short attention spans and the quest for anonymity have reduced our color choices to grayscale and maybe a red or blue. *sigh.
I have to believe that the engine choices were based on work durability and component weight on the front axle. As soon as you add a snow plow you’ve reached the front axle weight rating.
I believe 1 yr earlier was when ford introduced the world to this concept (we’re still in today) of up-scale trucks. A car purchase was based on this idea (when wages matched item cost) that choice-offering teased out more purchases @ lill cost to manufacturers. Motors, transmis, trim, etc options (sedan, coup, vert, wagon, FB, notchback, etc in same model-line).
This 6th gen is my fav looking vehicle (but short box, step side, 4WD). This one may even have the under-bed tool box accessed by locking paddle handle on curbside.
Round here, the hilly hay fields, we could put the NP in low, follow the bailer, driver jump out, leave dor open, grab a bail – throw up to stacker and the truck would ‘drive itself’ dwn the hill. Farm kids took chances but “get er done”.
Brings back memories. Bought one in 1973 blue with white top. 360 engine with 4 speed. put a 100 gallon tank across the back of the 8ft bed and winnabego shell topper. built wood plat foram on top of bed and stored my stuff under neath and headed for Alaska to try and get a job on the pipe line.Good times.
Seems like they have hoarding lots of cool old trucks in Washington!