Justin Schlosser of Beaverton, Oregon, was flipping through 4-Wheel & Off-Road one day when he spotted a '59 or '60 Ford that looked just like one that was for sale two blocks down the street. Naturally, he had to have it.
The vintage rig probably looked like a simple project at first, especially since Justin is an automotive painter by trade, but he quickly learned that most of the modifications on his newfound '60 F-250 would require some fabrication. The aftermarket isn't exactly brimming with goodies for ancient 4x4s. However, there is a ton of restoration parts available for older trucks, and we've included a list of a few Ford specialists in case you don't believe us.
But a back-to-stock restoration won't cut the mud at an event such as Oregon's Foster Lakes Mud races, where we spotted Justin's pickup. So here's a look at how a 37-year-old 4x4 can be made to stand on huge meats, spin 'em through the goo, and look good doing it.
The stock T-case is a Dana 24 with a 1.86:1 low range and a PTO port. It's in the stock crossmember, but Justin custom welded all the crossmembers that were originally just riveted in place. The 390 blows through a pair of Flowmasters. | 
Justin likes the interior because it's all steel, a novelty in today's airbag era. He spruced it up with blue and white upholstery to match the paint, then added a Grant 14-inch wooden wheel to replace the stock 18-inch rudder. An Auto Meter Sport Comp tach counts revs, and all the wiring was put in order by Sparky's Electrical Service. | 
The stock engine was either a 139hp, 223ci inline-six or a 172hp, 292ci V-8. Neither had the required Wheaties, so Justin's F-250 uses a '75 390 with a Competition Cams 270H cam, an Edelbrock Performer intake, and a Holley 750 double-pumper. Power steering wasn't available, so a GM box and Ford pump were used for the upgrade. The tranny is a creeper T18. |