New (to me) Project: 1977 Ford F-150 Ranger

77_F150_Ranger

8:59p, 6/5/23

Hey y'all,

Long-time lurker, and I was a very rare poster long ago (no idea what my user was anymore)
I know I'm a rook so I can't share pictures yet, but hopefully I can very soon!

I just picked up my first project car ever from a coworker that had inherited it.
It is a 1977 Ford F-150 Ranger in white and red two tone. Has the 289 motor I believe.
The body seems to be in great shape and the motor sounds pretty good once I can get it started.
It has a whole in the carb so I'm waiting to get a new one thrown on soon.
Additionally, it must have a parasitic drain somewhere cause the battery zaps itself dead more times than not. I personally haven't ever done more than tune-ups or a brake job so this will be a learning experience for me.

I'm planning to work on it with my two sons (13 and 7) and hopefully they never catch on that I have no idea what I'm doing!

I do hope to post some pics and questions on here as I go.
I do have one question to start- I received a signed (not dated) title and Form 130.
How do I go about transferring title and registering a vehicle that doesn't exactly run at this point?
Would you just pocket the title until such time that it is running?

Thank y'all!

Dill-Ag13

9:44p, 6/5/23

In for pics

77_F150_Ranger

10:07p, 6/5/23

In reply to Dill-Ag13

If I text or email them to you can you post?

Centerpole90

11:06p, 6/5/23

In reply to 77_F150_Ranger

77_F150_Ranger said:
Would you just pocket the title until such time that it is running?

Welcome!

This is exactly what I have done on more than one project truck. It may not be the 'right' way to do it, and if not someone will be kind enough to educate both of us on why - but for a project you plan to have running in a 'reasonable' amount of time I find it easier to just get it running and then jump through all the hoops at once as if if you drove it home.

aggiedata

11:11p, 6/5/23

In reply to 77_F150_Ranger

I will post your pics but you can do it too.

Put pics on Imgur
Hold down pic with finger and select copy post link
On a reply in TexAg mobile or app, paste link. (Ending in .jpg)

Or pay the $5 lowest subscription per month and start posting more. Upload them.

Dill-Ag13

6:13a, 6/6/23

Looks like a fun project!

CanyonAg77

8:15a, 6/6/23

I had a good friend who had that exact color, but he had the 460 motor.

I beat him with my '67 Chevy with modded 327. It was fun.

HumpitPuryear

8:55a, 6/6/23

I doubt you have a 289 unless it was swapped in. Probably a 302. If you are replacing the carb I highly recommend looking at a EFI throttle body system instead of another carb. Holly and FiTech are a couple of options. There's probably some others. It will greatly improve cold start, hot start, and MPG. Looks like a great project and a great choice of something to learn on and improve that won't break the bank. Good luck.

ETA that you should be able to get the title transferred without the registration option. Then go register it when you are ready to drive it. That will save you some money and get the title in your name.

txyaloo

9:16a, 6/6/23

Beautiful truck, OP! I oogled over a similar one on the highway this weekend

As HumpIt mentioned, you can title w/o registering, but I'd just register it as an antique. No inspection needed, tags are good for 5yrs, and you can still drive it while restoring. You can also run original 77 license plates if you find a clean set which is always cool

Dill-Ag13

9:25a, 6/6/23

Also, change your handle to 77f150ranger_lover and e-fight with silverado_lover please

Silvy

9:32a, 6/6/23

FirstOnRaceDayAg

11:11a, 6/6/23

That's a good looking truck you picked up. As said above, it's probably a 302 as the engine options in 77 were the 300 6-cylinder and the 302, 351M, 400 and 460 V-8's. Of course, there is no way to know what a previous owner might have done. Someone at some point did change the grille inserts as those in it are 73-75 inserts.

Centerpole90

11:19a, 6/6/23

In reply to FirstOnRaceDayAg

Username checks out.

IntensivePurposes

5:07p, 6/6/23

In reply to CanyonAg77

Yeah the 460 is slow AF, but I watched one tug a 32ft trailer stacked 5 high with coastal up a gnarly hill to the barn. Dirty 4 speed never even complained

77_F150_Ranger

5:40p, 6/6/23

In reply to Dill-Ag13

I heard he's been saying I should drop an LS in it!

Silvy

6:09p, 6/6/23

I've had a change of heart in those regards. That thing is nice, keeping it close to OE is cooler than a restomod. By no means am I saying to keep 289, but keep it sbf.

77_F150_Ranger

9:54p, 6/18/23

Update****************

When I bought it, it ran, but it had a problem sputtering out a lot due to a leak from the carb.
I'll definitely look at Fuel Injection options in the future, but the old owner gave me a new carb so sticking with that to start for now.

https://i.imgur.com/FiZ82Da.jpg

I haven't had too much time to look at it, and I am not able to keep it at my house currently as I have a very aggressive HOA. It's currently parked at a relative's house about 25-30 minutes away. I went with my boys today and we got a new carb put on (surprisingly easier than I thought)
https://i.imgur.com/MKBYkA0.jpg

and all put together

https://i.imgur.com/gJRTrCz.jpg
[url=https://imgur.com/MKBYkA0]http://i.imgur.com/MKBYkA0.jpg[/url]

I have videos of it purring when idling now and not sure the best way to post those.

I had not previously looked up how to adjust a carburetor as I didn't think we'd even get that far.
I had it running really well and had it idling for about an hour straight with no issues, and we even drove around the circle driveway where it's parked a few times.
Once I put the air filter back on it seemed like it was a bit more sensitive and I'd stall, so I guess the time spent adjusting without the air filter on was kind of a waste.

Oh well! Will have to play around with it more next weekend and can hopefully get it around the block a few times. It seems like the brakes and lights and wipers are all in good shape.

77_F150_Ranger

10:08p, 6/18/23

will.mcg

9:02a, 6/19/23

In reply to 77_F150_Ranger

Now that I look at the pictures I see that is the exact same carb I put on a 1968 IH Scout with a 266 V8 or maybe it's a 304. Either way your adjustment screws are at the front of the carb under the fuel inlet & fuel bowl on each corner(adjust these equally). This is an Amazon carb that was highly rated by Hagerty. My adjustment screws were waaaay out when I opened the box. I haven't tinkered with it much yet but plan to over the next week. If you have extra vacuum ports on your carb plug them.

Your carb should have two adjustment screws. Generally speaking your starting point is to screw them all the way in(not tight, just until they bottom out) then adjust them 1-1/2 turns out. There are many YouTube videos on this & probably some for your specific carb.

77_F150_Ranger

1:51p, 1/20/24

Update-

I had it driving pretty good as of a couple of months ago.

I have a few small issues with it right now.

The biggest is my brake pedal would stick when I first got it.
For whatever reason it seemed like it somehow fixed itself.

It now seems like it is now doing it again and i have to stand on the brakes sometimes to get it to stop.

Do I need a new master cylinder?

Chrundle the Great

10:48p, 1/20/24

In reply to 77_F150_Ranger

Stick how? Like really hard to push?

Maybe brake booster

77_F150_Ranger

1:39p, 1/21/24

In reply to Chrundle the Great

It will go 90% to the floor and then stay in that position until you pull it back up

Chrundle the Great

5:16p, 1/21/24

In reply to 77_F150_Ranger

What does the brake pedal do when the truck is off? Stuff after a few pumps or still falls 90% to the floor?

Some can correct me because I'm not familiar with fords system, but I'm pretty sure that's still likely a booster failure. The booster can either have a hole in the diaphragm where stops working (not you) or a mechanical failure that keeps the diaphragm compressed.

My jeep had a similar problem and I ended up changing the master cylinder too anyways because it has to come off to get the booster off. I'd probably do the same in your situation if you're already on the fence about it.

The return spring could also be on the pedal itself and not in the booster but you'd have to look.

77_F150_Ranger

5:30p, 1/21/24

In reply to Chrundle the Great

When the truck is off it still falls to the floor.
It's from the 90-100% (of the way to the floor) that the brake pedal actually does any braking.

Reminds me of an old Willy's that we had in the family when i was a kid that had no power braking.

Chrundle the Great

5:36p, 1/21/24

In reply to 77_F150_Ranger

Maybe air in the brake lines then

77_F150_Ranger

10:19p, 1/22/24

In reply to Chrundle the Great

I'll have to look at that possibility more this weekend! Thank you!

CrazyMRanch

4:54p, 1/30/24

OP, my 16-yo just bought this. Runs great. Just a few small fun projects to work/learn on.

Buck Turgidson

8:16p, 1/30/24

In reply to CrazyMRanch

CrazyMRanch said:
OP, my 16-yo just bought this. Runs great. Just a few small fun projects to work/learn on.

Bed too short.

CrazyMRanch

8:46p, 1/30/24

Haha. It was the Camper Special.

Buck Turgidson

10:59a, 1/31/24

I have a teenager with a learners permit who likes those 70's trucks. I was mildly surprised that they have made the transition from just "old" to "classic" in the minds of some teenagers. My high school parking lot had lots of them back in the 80's.

BTW, to make the OP truck period correct, I advise one of those rear window gun racks that everybody had in the 70's and early 80's.

77_F150_Ranger

8:15p, 4/15/24

In reply to CrazyMRanch

Sorry for a bit of a late reply-

That is a beautiful truck!!