How to Buy a Used Ford Pickup

Engine Options

Only two inline six-cylinders were offered, but five different V-8s were available at different times. The 240 six was a thrifty base engine, but the more popular 300 saw duty from 1967 and beyond. Providing gobs of torque at the low end, the 300 six is a time-proven design. For those that desired the V-8 punch, 1967 was the only year of the Y-block 352, which replaced the newer design 360 used until 1977. The 302 powered many light-duty pickups, but emissions constraints finally caused a switch to the 351M engine in the F-150, with the slightly modified 400M as the standard for the heavier pickups.

Common Problems

The extra stress of large tires loads the frame where the steering box mounts. Like the GM trucks, the Ford's frame will crack, but unlike the GM, no one we know of makes a patch kit. In a steering-related problem, the ram-style power-assist units have long been a sore spot for most Fords. The hoses and ram unit leak and are expensive to rebuild, so converting to later-style integral power steering is advised.

Rusted inner fenderwells and tailgate support structures are common, but improvements in rust prevention in the late-'70s helped stem the red plague. The plastic door panel introduced in 1973 is a wrecking yard best-seller, and the hood hinges can stiffen to the point where the hood will bow outward when closed. But the common thought is that there's not much that will go wrong on a Ford pickup.