DENTSIDE

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, 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 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

THE SAGA OF FINDING, BUYING, AND THE 600-MILE DRIVE HOME IN A PROJECT 1975 FORD F-100

POINT YOUR PHONE CAMERA AT THIS CODE TO SEE ANOTHER VINTAGE FORD F-100

gear in one bag and 48 pounds of tools in a small ice chest. The ice chest serves as a vessel to move tools through transit then becomes a place to store cold drinks once on the road. Our plan called for traveling down highway 395, which we feel has some of the best camping in California.

We arrived at the owner’s house and saw a very clean F-100. The truck appeared to have very little use and the owners loved it well. In its original paint, the truck only had two tiny rust holes that can be easily fixed in a few hours. The running gear was all original, led by the 360ci FE engine. Behind that was a C6 three-speed automatic transmission coupled to an NP203 full-time transfer case with low range. Under the truck was a front high-pinion Dana 44 axle followed up with a classic Ford 9-inch front loading rearend. The F-100 was known for its radius arm front coil spring suspension. The rear suspension was the classic 1⁄2-ton leaf-spring pack and all the springs had seen better days. Drum brakes resided at all four corners and the system used vacuum assist. The F-100 also had the earliest form of power steering. This was a manual steering box and a hydraulic ram connected to the centerlink. The input was fed to it by a servo connected to the drag link. One of our favorite features was the toolbox on the bedside. We also liked that the gas tank was at the rear of the truck and not behind the seat like in previous years.

The F-100 was everything the seller had said it was and more. A true time capsule of vehicles from that era. But in order for us to make the 600-mile drive home it would need a few things. A week or so earlier we shipped out a set of 265/75R16 Milestar Patagonia X/T tires, a 30-liter gas can, and a set of G2 Axle & Gear locking hubs. This all arrived at Samco Fabrication in Reno. Owner Sam Cothrun allowed us to use his shop to mount the tires and do last-minute adjustments the F-100 would need before takeoff.

The truck came from the factory with full-time four-wheel drive. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue, but the T-case was stuck in high range lock. During the test drive, the truck barked the tires and would hardly make a U-turn, let alone drive into a parking spot in one try. This is where the G2 locking hubs came in. We removed the factory drive flanges and installed the hubs to free up the

front axle and simulate a 2WD truck. It worked perfectly and the driveability instantly changed for the better. Next, we mounted and balanced the Milestar Patagonia X/T tires. These tires would give us the confidence to leave the pavement when we wanted to explore.

Once the fluids were checked and the truck was ready to head south, we made our way toward Bridgeport, California. This would be a great first test. Would the truck run cool? Would the transmission hold strong in each gear? Would the truck burn oil or smoke? We were about to find out. With a gentle press of the gas pedal, we listened carefully for any warning noises as we gathered road miles. The truck seemed to have fresh running gear in it. The 360ci big-block ran strong. We never really needed more than quarter throttle to run 55-60 mph. We made one more stop at the parts store for a few supplies before leaving our safety net, then our next stop was a campsite for the night.

Early the next morning we cleaned up camp and headed south again. Back home, the team at our shop had a grid going on what would leave us stranded. But our confidence was strong, 80 percent that we wouldn’t be left stranded in the desert, so we took our first detour to the Mono Lake tufa formations. The tufas are formed by calcium carbonate crystals. The formations are spectacular along the shoreline. Our next stop nearby would be the Panum Crater. The crater was formed by the remnants of volcanic activity. The hike to the top was windy and smoky so we were cut short. The F-100 was running good so far.

Back on the blacktop we got a full tank of gas and realized we were getting over our “imagined” 10 mpg. That was good news as some gas stops were over $5.50 a gallon. Our next stop would be a favorite of ours. June Lake Loop would take us through the higher elevations and to some classic resort towns that have remained unchanged for decades. We stopped at Silver Lake for breakfast then hit the road.

We soon approached another old favorite of ours, the town of Lone Pine and the nearby Alabama Hills. Made famous by classic western movies and TV shows filmed in the area, Alabama Hills is a great place to camp because the huge rocks provide shade and shelter from the wind. We pointed the F-100 into the Alabama Hills and took a quick tour on the twisty trails though the rocks, but decided we wanted to camp closer to home.

As the day grew longer, we determined our campsite needed to be at a higher elevation but the smoke from nearby forest fires was pushing us farther south. Soon we would be out of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and camping would be in the sparse desert, so we pushed on. It was about this time that we noticed the truck had picked up a previously unknown symptom, engine pre-ignition. This means the fuel in the cylinders was exploding before the spark plugs fire. This can be caused by a few things, but most commonly from excessive engine timing. Pulling into the town of Randsburg, the pinging noise was so bad that we could hardly move in First gear. We dumped our 30 liters of spare super unleaded fuel in the tank hoping we had got bad gas, and this would blend with it and cure the pre-ignition. That was not the case. After a quick walk around the fascinating old town, we fired up the truck and headed to our next gas stop. This was downhill so the pinging had all but gone away.

Kramer Junction was the next stop. Here we would add more super unleaded and take a stab at correcting the timing. In the old days, the timing was set by rotating the distributor to deliver spark at the right time. It could be set perfectly with a timing light that flashed in sequence with the engine’s Number 1 cylinder. Since we didn’t have a timing light, we would be making a crude adjustment by reducing the timing using the reduction of engine rpm as a “meter.” We loosened the distributor clamp, started the truck, and manually rotated the distributor until the idle went down about 500 rpm. As guesses go, this was a pretty good one. Travelling up the next hill we could barely hear the pinging noise, but we knew there was room for improvement. So, we pulled over and took out another 250 rpm. The engine responded even better to the new timing. Not only did the pre-ignition go away, we also gained power, response, and fuel mileage.

Since we were about 3.5 hours from home, we felt compelled to push on. It was now dark and the truck was running its best. Maintaining 65 mph, we were no longer the slowest rig on the road. We had travelled through hot, dry, cold, wind, and smoke. We could now feel the damp beach air for the first time on the trip. We were close to home, but we had one more stop to make, at In-N-Out Burger. In-N-Out has always been our classic car guy celebration location on an epic road trip.

What’s Next?

What’s next for the F-100? Well, we have some upgrades in mind and some repairs to make. Mods include a Skyjacker 2.5-inch suspension lift and larger 35-inch Milestar Patagonia X/T tires. We need to replace the dash cluster lens and all of the truck’s bushings and we want to build a custom battery box for a Group 27 deep-cycle battery. The work has just begun on our project F-100, so stay tuned. FW