Hunter is one lucky young man to not only have a truck that has so much history but to also get to work with his father on such a cool project, He may not realise it just now but in years to come he will look back with fond memories on all these projects and fun days he spent with his very knowledgable father . Respect guys.
I've been turning wrenches on cars, trucks, motorcycles since I was in the Navy in the early '70s. That includes years spent as a flipper, before that was a thing, and over 20 years as a professional mechanic, at independent shops, 3 different Ford dealers, and a Toyota dealer, to name a few. I've never understood the whole burnout thing. At 67, I still don't understand it. Oh, sure, I've chirped my tires on occasion, but not rubber-flinging, smoke-billowing burnouts like what you and so many people show on their channels. Maybe it's because I was brought up poor, and it took me decades to finally "make it." I still have a poverty mindset; that shit isn't easy to let go of. Tires were expensive. Most of the tires I ever bought were used or recapped. Hell, I remember desperately needed a single tire, and on more than one occasion, trying to talk a tire shop or a junk yard into letting me go through their discards for a decent tire to replace the may- or has-popped tire on my car or truck. I was in my 30s before I became an automotive mechanic, which is when I began to be able to do routine and preventative maintenance for the first time in my life, and not just broke-down, emergency repairs. So yeah, that's probably why I don't get it.
Kudos to Hunter for respecting the condition of the truck and keeping it as original as possible but reliable as well. Most young people (and older ones) would want to put all the fancy bells and whistles on it and take away the respect of such a good original truck. I'm looking forward to more videos on it. Hopefully this the start of a passion of saving older vehicles for Hunter.
Adrian - I also was glad to hear that Hunter wants to keep it looking stock. A Highboy Ford has a badass look all its own with no need to mess with it. The fact that this particular truck is a unicorn for us in the Rust Belt is another example of how young Hunter has some wisdom and a head on his shoulders that all too many kids his age use only for a hat rack!
If the engine is original rebuild it and keep the numbers matching is what I'd do. I bought a cali original 62 chevy 1/2 ton on a 3/4 ton frame with it's original 283 engine in it and 16 & 1/2 inch tires while stationed at Coast Guard Airstation Miami where I was in charge of the ground support shop. I bought it in one weekend and did a complete overhaul on the engine. Ran like a champ. Got me back up to Michigan when my enlistment was up with a homemade topper on it packe with my 2 Triumph motorcycles, parts and household crap. Wife flew up with our daughter. That was 1980. Ended up selling it for twice what I had in it. Then bought a 78 Ford F150 ij mint condition. That was 1983.
I don’t think “most” people would want to put all the fancy bells and whistles on it but unfortunately a lot would. Mostly for the same reasons Hunter and Clinton are putting the 460 in it instead of rebuilding the 351M. Parts availability and reliability.
Millennial Anti Theft Device? Love it and so true. So stupid to have a person learn to drive an automatic rather than Standard? Your family is so lucky to have a Father like you Clint. Not enough Family time unless with Cell phone anymore in my opinion. Glad you and Hunter is taking us along again. Thank you
Really good looking truck, and in pretty good shape, not abused. The 460 is a perfect choice and will look original because the 460 was an option. Very nice truck. For a new cab floor covering, use some dynamat or a roll on sound and heat covering and then a 1/2" Jute felt under the rubber mat or carpet.
Clinton and Hunter you two are so fortunate to be able to work together! Hunter you have more experience than kids your age and you’re one heck of a mechanic already! Thanks for sharing! Kevin
So nice to see a father pass on knowledge & wisdom to his son’s. Clint, I commend you on all the time you spend teaching everyone, especially your boys! I’m not a motor head or mechanic by any means but I enjoy watching all your videos. I did have a good friend several years ago that loved the 78 & 79 Ford Broncos. I helped him swap motors & stuff quit a bit. He always talked up the 460 motors. Thanks for the memories!
Fun facts: Grave Digger became the most poplar truck following its first ever win against Bigfoot in Minnesota. Also there are 7 active Grave Digger trucks to be able to appear at every Monster Jam events. Fun Facts over… Great job Hunter on learning how to work on your own stuff… Keep learning from your dad he definitely knows his stuff…
It’s deserves to have that engine either fully built or the 460 you mentioned as well as some paint less dent repair unless y’all plan to repaint it then proper dent repair. It’ll be a really cool truck to keep. I restored a 1976 with the 360 and a 1979 ranger with the 390 when I was younger with my grandfather. We restored a lot more than that but they were all great memories as he is no longer with us. Thanks for taking me back down memory lane with this video. Glad y’all are keeping the engine stored so I could still be returned to numbers matching if need be. Really glad to see you as a father getting to work on a project like this with your son especially these days when most of the younger generation would rather be playing video games and/or on social media.
The compression ratio for that motor in 1977 was 8.3. That translates to 14.5 PSI/Atm * 8.3 = 120PSI. 120PSI is what you should expect from that motor. Those numbers were not bad at all.
Very clean truck Hunter, I'm jealous. Definitely well maintained. She's a KEEPER! Love the color scheme and seat covers. Definitely keep it original. Looking forward to more content on this truck.
I have GOT to say that I have never heard a more informed mechanic than Clint. Hunter is a lucky man to have one so knowledgeable supervising him. Not to mention his contacts for bigger engines!! LOL
What a great pick up. Do they still call them "pick up" trucks today? Your unwavering confidence to restore ; truly great. God bless you Clint and sons and Kevin and Uncle Scott.
depends on compression ratio. If it was factory smog era motor, the compression ratio was only around 8.5 which translates to ~123PSI theoretical compression. (14.5 PSIA * 8.5)
I had a 76 service high boy truck that we pulled a 3 axle 5th wheel trailer. It had a 3sickly engine that would not get past 70 mph. We turned the lower timing gear around, put in a mild Crane pulling cam, dual exhaust, and the truck came alive. Made one trip from South Bend IN to Princeton, IN scaling 38,000 lbs. Had an articulated tractor with duals, an unassembled 7 bottom plow, and a 28' unassembled disc. We machined the clutch pistons so we could get another steel and a fiber disc in the clutch packs. Had 12.00 x 16" tires on American mag wheels. Was a great truck after we woke it up.
Nice My first new vehicle was a 1976 Ford F-250 4x4 360 4speed with 410 gears! I paid 5600.00 for it! Same rugged front end that that has! I put headers and dual exhaust with 1200x 16.5 tires with white steel rims! Push bar and roll bar! With Dick Cepec lights! Lots of great memories in that truck! Great job guys!
77.5 went to wide frame with offset engine to be able to run a in frame midship fuel tank and a rear tank. Early 77 and on down used the narrow frame that was only used in the highboys. The 351m and the 400 are a completely different block than the 385 series. The 351m and 400 are a 335 series block but they do share the same bellhousing as the 385 series. I have a 460 from 1971 (385 hp nearly 500-foot pounds torque) stuffed in my 76 highboy not an easy task because there are no motor mounts available for the high boy so good luck with the 460 swap.
As you explained what a highboy is, and looking at this truck, I realized the truck I had back in about 1990 or 1991 was the same truck as this. Pretty much exactly like this, same color and everything. Unfortunately, i was being an idiot and wrecked it about two weeks after I bought it. I was going a little to fast on a wraparound bend, hit a patch of ice and started sliding and before i knew it, the back tires caught and sent me sliding again, out of control forward straight into a bollard guarding a fire hydrant. Hit it hard enough to knock the bollard to about a 60 degree angle, and put a deep V in the front of my truck. The truck started having a lot of issues after that. I loved driving that truck for the short time I had it. Enjoy your truck Hunter! I’m thinking you’re probably a better driver now, than I was then But, be careful and remember, four-wheel drive will do nothing to help stop on ice. Engage brain before engaging truck! Lol
A trick I used on a 351 Cleveland was cross two plug wires and backfired the engine several times then I would get a pop bottle of water then rev the engine up to 3,000 to 4,000 RPM and dribble the water down the carb which pealed the carbon out of the combustion chamber. You could hear the carbon raddled out the exhaust pipe. Then I would drive it down the interstate full throttle then down shift through 4 th to 1st and more carbon came out making noise. The farmer would get in the truck and said it never had that much power or ran that good. A old ford trick we used on the 351 Cleveland and the 460. It was so important to backfire the 460 to flush the air jets on that monster auto light cab. I had a state patrolman bring his 460 LTD to me to make it run down speeders. I’ll never admit to making changes on his car😂
Clinton save yourself some future headaches pull the inspection panel on the front cab mounts and check the inside for rust, if they collapse you'll think your clutch went out and they are a pain to replace with the truck assembled.
I once owned a 1979 Bronco Ranger XLT with the optional 400 engine and a Dana 44 up front. Man I miss that truck! Reliable, great gas mileage for such a beast, it got 17 mpg no matter how you drove it. I once pulled my 21 ft boat, with the whole family and all our camping gear down Interstate 90 from Spokane Washington to a mountain lake south of Bozeman Montana and you couldn't even feel the boat behind it and it still got 17 mpg. Did I mention I missed that truck? Like so many other vehicles I've owned over the years and wish I'd never sold, that one was my absolute favorite!
With all the weird & wonderful stuff you guys bring into the shop and rebuild....I'm waiting for the day that a flatbed semi pulls up with an army Abrams tank on it!! Not if....but when!! Hopefully your rebuild goes as easy as the teardown! Stay safe Mr. Hunter!! Thumbs up! Jim
No doubt the engine is lacking enough compression to be healthy but as already mentioned throttle needs to be full open and all 8 plugs pulled when testing each cylinder. I have an 81 F350 with the 400 and 4speed granny trans in it. The 400 actually has more torque than the 460. I would love to fuel inject it but the only way I know of to do that is to bolt in a later model 460. Seeing the work, you and the boys doing the shop I am sure whatever you do will be Top Shelf. Thanks for filming this for us.
It makes my heart fill good when dads and sons can enjoy working together and having quality time together. P.S. I do not get notifications from you, I have to search for your new videos
It's good to see Hunter take some time with Clint and let him feel he is the boss 🤪. Seriously though, it made me smile to see the two working together.
Fun project, that truck is a beauty, tell that young man to get done right and take care of it. Looking forward to some updates on it, don’t leave us hanging. Thanks for the tag along video.
8/12/23; ..Great to see Father & son enjoying each other's company & doing 'interesting' mechanical work... that is complete front end removal: fenders & engine w/tranny as prep for bigger engine (tranny?) swap. Son Hunter has father with incredible knowledge.. & absolutely fantastic shop & tools! Great to watch 'best case' example of father&son in 'up-scale' practical truck re-build. Stay safe & carry on!🛠⚙️🔧⛓️💪👍👏🍺
Probably my favorite year range of ford trucks to modify. 77-79. Best decision we’ve made was to convert the front clip to open like a semi hood. 77 f250 with a 7.3 powerstroke, 77 highboy with a 6v73 detroit and 79 250 camper special with a heavily modified 460 built for the tractor pulls. Hell of a lot easier to work on the engine when you dont have to lean in through the hood, just lift the front clip and super easy access all around
What a beautiful truck that brings back childhood memories. We had a 73, 390, 4 speed that was our firewood hauler. Wasn’t in half as good of shape but it kept our house warm. Looking back as an adult, I miss cutting firewood with my dad…
Great video. Nice to have a spare motor hiding in the rafters. Back in the early 1990's I imported a 65 289 Mustang to the UK. After a couple of years it started making bad valve train noises and I saw that the valve stems had worn to the extent that the rocker rails were hitting the valve spring plates. It proved so expensive to get the heads rebuilt in the UK that I bought new heads from the USA. The motor has since done over 225,000 miles and is still going like a bat out of hell. I love the American V8's - totally bullet proof.
I’m kinda grey ish brown now but I was a red head and a step child. I was also beat by the man. All true. Also true is I love this channel. Keep up the great work guys.
What a great truck to do a few upgrades on! Can’t wait to see what all you do to the 460 and the Holley Sniper fuel injection is what I want to put on my 76 Chevy 4x4!
Great video, Hunter is diving in with great anticipation and with the best backup plan in the world, his Dad! So good to see you both together and working on a project that will teach him much. Thanks for sharing, be well, be safe!
