autoevolution
 

1978 Ford F-350 Was Rebuilt for Rock-Crawling With Dana Axles and F-250 Frame

Trucks are extremely versatile tools for both work and fun. But there are some extreme use scenarios where you’ll also need an all-wheel-drive setup – such as taking the kids to school through three-foot snow or going to a tailgate party right next to a mountain peak. In such instances, your average 2WD pickup truck might get overwhelmed. Not this custom 1978 Ford F-350, though.
Custom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a Trailer 49 photos
Photo: Bring a Trailer
Custom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a TrailerCustom 1978 Ford F-350 for sale on Bring a Trailer
First and foremost, it’s because this “Built Not Boughtcustom project (as per the notice from under the front bumper) saw the Crew Cab Blue Oval converted to a 4x4 rock-crawling life using a modified F-250 chassis. By the way, pictures of the transformation are included in the gallery, and it’s pretty mesmerizing to see this truck slowly coming together as a pickup that’s ready for just about anything you throw at it (or in that never-ending bed).

As such, the ‘78 now comes with a two-speed transfer case, Dana axles front and back (44 and 60, respectively), and power is rooted to all four wheels through a manly four-speed manual transmission. Just because sporting those beefy American Racing 17-inch wheels clad in meaty tires wasn’t probably enough to make sure it will stand out in a crowd, the truck has also been completely repainted to a catchy shade of Autumn Sunburst Metallic.

There’s an entire treasure trove of exterior details, as well – including a hood scoop, a visor with integrated lights, towing mirrors, aftermarket running boards, a two-stage bed tonneau cover, as well as polished exhaust tips coming out each side. By the way, the five-spoke alloys are wrapped in newly purchased Pro Comp Xtreme MT2 tires, while the manually locking front axle is equipped with power-assisted discs and powered steering.

Moving inside, the F-350 sports a clean look with a matching-color dashboard and contrasting gray cloth/vinyl-trimmed seats, as well as black door panels. As far as the mileage is concerned, the odometer currently shows around 26,000 miles (almost 42,000 km), but TMU is actually unknown – as the seller only added around 8,000 of them on the vehicle.

According to the listing (the current bid for the truck is exactly $20k), the future owner can at least rest assured the replacement 460ci (7.5-liter) V8 is in great condition. That's because it was installed by the seller and includes features such as a Carter AFB four-barrel carburetor, aluminum radiator, as well as ceramic-coated manifolds feeding into the custom 2.5-inch (63-mm) stainless steel muffled exhaust system.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Aurel Niculescu
Aurel Niculescu profile photo

Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories