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while trucks with metal dashes survive the test of time event after event), aftermarket support (some vehicles have little to no support), and a V-8 engine (eight-cylinder vehicles usually have robust running gear like bigger transmissions, transfer cases, and axles. Once we determined our parameters, we had to dig deep to find that perfect build. We didn’t want something too perfect that the purists will mock our aftermarket accessories, but not too rusty that it adds weeks of extra labor in repairs. Between online searches, friends, and sometimes just plain old driving around knocking on doors, we found what we wanted in the form of a ’75 Ford F-100 4x4 Custom longbed pickup, commonly known as a “dentside,” on Facebook Marketplace. The trick in
By Ryan Kennelly editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Ryan Kennelly o some, modern trucks are boring. They lack style and character. Details washed away in aerodynamic wind tunnels and robust features removed in crash testing. These are some of the reasons why we wanted an older truck for our next project 4x4. Finding the right project vehicle is never easy. You need to know what you want for your next build. We knew what we wanted for our California-based project 4x4: Smog exempt, 1975 or older (opens up so many options for engine upgrades), coil spring front suspension (leaf springs are simple and strong but ride terrible in most cases, coil springs have no friction and promote a better ride quality), cab on chassis (a solid steel frame is the only way to go when you need to carry gear for extended periods of time, unibody vehicles are light and fast but can suffer a slow death as they get overloaded and peel apart at the seams), a metal dash (this is a funny need that only a veteran offroader would want because plastic dash frames of later trucks can cave in when you get to thrashing your vehicle at speed,
58 AUGUST 2022 FOUR WHEELER
finding this truck was to expand our search to places that would have sold more of the vehicle we were looking for. Reno, Nevada, had just the rig for this build. Reno is 600 miles away from our SoCal location. Do we slog through the night pulling a trailer to pick this thing up? Or maybe have a shipper pick up the truck sight unseen? Or do we trust our mechanical skills, the photos, and vids the seller sent and just drive it back? Yep, you guessed it. We decided to fly out, inspect the vehicle, make a few adjustments, and drive it home knowing there may be a few adventures along the way. On a Friday at 7 a.m., we headed to the airport for the 90-minute flight to Reno. We wouldn’t be checking ordinary bags; our checked items were camping
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