1978 Ford F-150 Ranger Explorer Short Bed 4x4 New Interior

1978 F150 Ranger 4x4

Explorer Short Bed

351 AT PS PB Tilt

New Interior!

Please. bid only if you can afford to pay within 3 days of auction's end. No zero- or low-feedback buyers without contacting me first. You may call me directly at 360-936-9257 with any questions you may have.

1978 Ford F-150 Ranger 4x4 short bed pickup truck featuring the Explorer option; not one I've seen before on an SWB.   The truck has just undergone a fresh new interior restoration. including a new fitted carpet kit. new door panels. restored arm rests. repainted dash. restored uncracked dash pad. restored fancy Lariat headliner. brand-new premium seat upholstery in factory Ford sew pattern. tilt steering column upgrade. weather strip. restored sill plates. and more.

The factory paint code is “Q. which is Tangerine; an unusual orange color that I find very appealing. Were I to keep the truck. I would personally restore the finish back to the original paint color.   There's lots of headroom left in the budget to do just that if you so choose.   The previous owner had the truck repainted in Ford code “A” Raven Black; a great color.  If the buyer wishes. I will paint the balance of the interior Tangerine paint in Raven Black at no cost.  

While I would not refer to the paint as high-end. it was obviously well-applied. very shiny. and durable. it is now two years old and still shines like new.   There were minor pinholes and small dents left unaddressed which are detailed the pictures below.   Again. I would personally have done all these repairs prior to paint. but as a practical matter the truck looks great from five feet away.   The bed was treated with a spray-in bed liner when the truck was painted.   There is some rust presenting near the front bulkhead. right over a bed crossmember. not visible from below.   It does not show from below.   Also. there are small holes from a roll bar in the bed and on the wheel houses.  I feel I'm nit-picking here; the truck is beautiful. The floors. cab mounts. etc. are perfect.  I've taken pictures of the pinholes from less than one foot away; you don't see them at five feet.

The door jambs and the insides of the doors were painted with the exterior.   The balance of the interior cabin (the roof. A-pillars. rear panel. etc. ) were left in original Tangerine.   If you so choose. I can paint these panels in black prior to delivery at no cost.

The truck came with the 351 2v engine option; it runs well and looks unmolested.   The engine has lots of power. no funky noises. smoke. or other overt indicators of problems.   The exhaust system is newer large diameter tubing into a single big Vortex muffler. and then a single large diameter tailpipe out. it sounds great.   Power steering. power brakes. tilt steering column. automatic transmission. factory dual front shocks (only used in 1978 and 1979 on F150's and Broncos) and more make the truck special and nice to drive.  

She is in turnkey sound mechanical daily driver condition. The truck drives nicely. and the 4-wheel drive system works as it should.   I'd plan on a new  or newer set of tires at some point in the near future.

The transfer case operates as it should. as do the locking hubs.   The transmission shifts well and smoothly. and the truck has had recent brake work.  It is very easy to drive with the genuine power steering. not the old “power assist” found on older Fords. anyone can drive this truck.   Newer battery. serviced cooling and charging systems. belts. filters. fluids. oil. etc.   The axles decode as 3. 50 ratio front and rear; a great highway and performance balance.

The body is quite straight despite the few minor dings and pinholes left unrepaired; I've tried to take pictures showing how straight it is and detail the pinhole areas. very minor in my opinion.   It has had the lower rear quarters professionally replaced at some point; an all-metal job done right.   It also has the fancy Ranger rear tailgate trim. and Ranger XLT chrome leading-edge grill and headlamp surrounds.   It IS missing the Explorer hood ornament; apparently the body shop that painted the truck kept it as a souvenir.   It has a new chrome front Sport bumper with no rear bumper currently mounted. A brand-new chrome rear Sport bumper comes with the truck. you'll need to find the proper brackets to mount it.  It also has very nice stainless steel wheel lip moldings that tie the front and rear chrome together nicely.

While not a fully restored truck. she is beautiful and very affordable. You don't have far to go if you want to restore back to factory original and have a $25k truck.

Title is ~4 weeks out as I just transferred it into my name; there are no brands on the title.   I'll send it Priority Mail as soon as it arrives.

While every effort has been made to describe the vehicle as accurately as possible. it is in fact a 39-year-old classic truck. and therefore being sold as-is. without warranty or guarantee expressed. written. or implied.  

Please be ready to make payment in full within 3 days of auction's end via cash. deposit into my Bank of America account. or bank wire transfer.

Shipping is the full responsibility of the buyer; I own a classic car restoration shop and can recommend a reliable and affordable broker who I have used many times. ultimately the choice must be yours alone.

While not the fully-restored trucks our shop is known for. this is an excellent opportunity for someone to get into a rare and special Ford at a price that won't break the bank. and still go down the road in style.  

Feel free to call me directly at 360-936-9257 with any questions you may have.    ~Tim

On May-23-17 at 14:57:37 PDT. seller added the following information:

I forgot to mention that while the truck came with the 351M 2v engine option. it now has a 1973 460 4v low mile engine with an RV cam and fresh tune.  Tons of power. runs great.  Obviously a tremendous upgrade over the 351.  
Tim 360-936-9257

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