getting the title to my 'new 1968 F250 (390) today!

[Kat777]

so this is the official start of my project.
first objective is to get the hood to stay up so i can replace the belts!
ill post pictures soon, im honestly not sure how much work she's going to 'need'. body is solid, some scratches/surface rust and dings (it IS a truck after all!) and so far as i can tell, this truck was one owner till a year ago, when the owner died and his wife sold it to the family im geting it from now. they had the engine rebuilt (dad said it 'seized up' but didnt seem to know why, or even where in the truck the 'seizing' took place, haha)

i do need to see about somehow getting the locking cap off the second tank so i can check it for leaks (the last family never had a key for it, so its been sitting empty, or full, for a year+)

project starts tommorow!

[Kat777]

also, to you other 68 f250 owners (seems like this site has a few) any particulars i should check out first? regular problems you've encountered? also, my husband keeps hassleing me about MPG, im guessing 8, but anyone have a solid number so far as what they get?
thanks!

[fbomb100]

i do need to see about somehow getting the locking cap off the second tank so i can check it for leaks (the last family never had a key for it, so its been sitting empty, or full, for a year+)

project starts tommorow!

just drill out the lock on the cap and u be good to go,,,just remove the hose frist from the tank to the filler so that no metal gets in the tank

[ScreaminZ]

also, to you other 68 f250 owners (seems like this site has a few) any particulars i should check out first? regular problems you've encountered? also, my husband keeps hassleing me about MPG, im guessing 8, but anyone have a solid number so far as what they get?
thanks!

I'm just getting started on my '68 F250, so can't give too much information on what to check out. I just got mine running decent and on the road again. I checked my mileage on my round trip to work today. My speedometer/odometer isn't real accurate, so I figured up miles on Google Maps. On my 66 mile round trip, which is mostly highway with a couple short patches of city, I managed right about 9.5 mpg. My truck's got a 390, C6 auto tranny and 3.73 gears. Did some more tuning up tonight and got half of the spark plugs replaced. I'll do some more later this week and hope to improve it a little more.

[Kat777]

thanks fbomb, thats probably what ill end up doing, unless i find out that one of the many old keys i have laying sround happens to work on it!

and screamin, 9.5 to start is a bit better than i expected, getting plates for mine today, then i plan to do a little cruising, so well see how it goes!
got the right side spring back on so the hood will stay up, they are pretty loose though, so im gonna look for new ones. ill be putting new belts on tommorow.
also, looking at the VIN, i realised that it had a 360 stock, gonna have to crawl around under the hood a bit and see if they upgraded the whole engine, or just the damn air filter housing (its got the 390 marking on it)
all i know is that right now, i want to get it legal so i can drive it, ive been stuck in a beat up old 94 taurus for years!

[Kat777]

so far soe good, except the idiot at the DMV being difficult, and im haveing a problem with rough idleing/dying at idle, hmmm

[hazelnut]

That could be a lot of things. Check the choke when it warm to see if its open, Todays gas dont last long so if the gas is old i would replace it and put new filters in to.

[Kat777]

seems to have worked itself out mostly, choke is fine, and iver got a new fuel filter on her. still having a little trouble when the engine is cold though. will updat more soon with pictures!

[Kat777]

after some number crunching, looks like i was getting about 8 MPG when i first got her, now, with some basic cleaning and a new fuel cap that fits, its more like 9

[390Nut]

I've got a nicely built 390 in my truck, with a 4spd and 3.50:1 gears in the rear axle and I get 10mpg, whether running empty or with a load it doesn't seem to matter.

One of the worst spots on these trucks has to be the fender apron under the battery. They are notorious for rotting out there from battery leakage. Also the rear cab corners and floor boards, but being in N.M. you shouldn't have too much problem with rust in those spots.

Also you'll want to grease up the front suspension and the driveline before you put to many miles on it, and check the brake fluid. If it is discolored, it is old, and flushing the brake lines not only keeps your brakes working better, but also helps the master and wheel cylinders last longer (moisture in the lines corrodes and can damage the seals).

Oh, and with the gas cap, I know a lot of people do it, but even old gas can go BOOM. Don't drill it out, because one spark could end your life. Just my FWIW.

[Kat777]

sorta what i was thinking im not in urgent need of getting it off, but from what i can tell its been empty for a while (sure sounds empty when i bang on it )im really hoping to get it off without drilling though. a good lube job is however pretty high on my list, and i have three days off in a row next week!

funny enough, the ONLY major rust on the whole truck is under the battery, but it hasn't gone far enough to damage the fender, luckily, because at one point they switched the side the battery was on:D

[TNIceWolf]

I dont know for sure but it seems like it might be pretty easy to remove the gas cap and filler neck as an assembly and carry them to a locksmith where it can be opened and a replacement key possibly made. Just a thought. That or just replace the neck and cap.

[Kat777]

haha, see i was thinking i would remove the filler neck hose, then drill the cap, but your idea sounds much smarter

[Kat777]

and here are some much belated pictures.
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[basketcase0302]

Kat777 on Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:08 pm
also, to you other 68 f250 owners (seems like this site has a few) any particulars i should check out first?

Yes, the "curse of the 68's" or was that 67's?
Maybe someone else on here will "bring you up to speed" or search curse of 68?

Very nice truck! Sure wish our trucks over here faired the elements like that one.

If our buddy Alan were still with us, he'd tell ya':
68's Rock!