Photo: Hemmings
Of all the pickup truck makes out there, Ford’s F-Series is probably the one that stands out the most. But even within its ranks, there are special breeds that have a certain dose of extra pizzazz to make them stand out even more.
One such breed is the Super Camper Special for the F-350. Introduced back in the 1970s as longer-wheelbase machines (140 inches/355 cm), these trucks were much more imposing than the rest of the range. With the rear wheels further back than usual and coming in at 10,000 pounds (4.5 tons) gross vehicle weight, they were something to really look out for.
There weren’t all that many of them made, so you’d think when one pops up on the open market, the owner would be flooded with offers. Yet this one here, coming from 1973, doesn’t seem to make such a big impression. With just 12 hours to go at an auction on Hemmings, the highest bid is just $3,500 at the time of writing.
We’re not sure why this is so, but perhaps the culprit hides under the hood. Originally, the truck was built with a 390-ci (6.4-liter) V8 and an automatic transmission, but for reasons unknown, sometime during its life, the drivetrain was swapped for a 460-ci (7.5-liter) working with a four-speed manual.
The new unit, topped by an Edelbrock four-barrel carburetor, was rated at 212 horsepower and 342 pound-feet (463 Nm) of torque back in the days when it was the top offering for the F-350.
Aside from the visibly longer wheelbase, there’s not much hinting this is a Super Camper Special, as all the emblems are missing. Also, the truck is far from being in perfect condition, but that rarely is a problem for collectors.
To make sure people understand what kind of this truck is, the seller throws in a report “detailing its original production at Ford's San Jose, California plant in November 1972 as a Super Camper Special with the Ranger package.”
There weren’t all that many of them made, so you’d think when one pops up on the open market, the owner would be flooded with offers. Yet this one here, coming from 1973, doesn’t seem to make such a big impression. With just 12 hours to go at an auction on Hemmings, the highest bid is just $3,500 at the time of writing.
We’re not sure why this is so, but perhaps the culprit hides under the hood. Originally, the truck was built with a 390-ci (6.4-liter) V8 and an automatic transmission, but for reasons unknown, sometime during its life, the drivetrain was swapped for a 460-ci (7.5-liter) working with a four-speed manual.
The new unit, topped by an Edelbrock four-barrel carburetor, was rated at 212 horsepower and 342 pound-feet (463 Nm) of torque back in the days when it was the top offering for the F-350.
Aside from the visibly longer wheelbase, there’s not much hinting this is a Super Camper Special, as all the emblems are missing. Also, the truck is far from being in perfect condition, but that rarely is a problem for collectors.
To make sure people understand what kind of this truck is, the seller throws in a report “detailing its original production at Ford's San Jose, California plant in November 1972 as a Super Camper Special with the Ranger package.”
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