Newbie just bought a 1969 F250 camper special

[airjetmech]

Needed a truck to pull my 5th wheel and just bought one in California a little south of Sacramento. Live in British Columbia Canada and its a 18 hour drive and plan on heading out in a couple of weeks. It`s a 1969 F250 Camper Special. Owner claimed no rust or dents and completely stock but pictures showed some problems. He failed to mention the multitude of holes drilled in the cowls between the hood and windshield, one of the doors has a dent from a tractor trailer tire renmant and some of the trim needs replacing. The air conditioning needs belt and recharge but everything else appears to be in order including the 390 motor. Not sure what I have got myself into or if the $1300.00 was overpriced. How hard are parts to get for these trucks and where are some aftermarket sources? Thanks, Airjetmech

[lazyj70]

I just can't stand it when your trying to buy over the phone or the net and someone is not shooting it straight to you. There are several places to get after market parts for your truck. LMC Trucks, Chucks Trucks, Dennis Carpenter Reproductions, Mac's Antique Trucks and several more. Look around on this forum and you will learn a lot. I know I did. There is a wealth of info here and lots of very knowlegable people eager to help.

[flyboy2610]

Welcome aboard!
Here's a link to some excellent places to get parts for your truck:
http://www.fordification.com/links.htm
Get a catalog from the first 6 or 7 places on the list. We have a lot of members up in the Seatle area, so if you need some thing you can't find in one of the catalogs, someone up there may have it.
I think you did OK for $1300. Just from the tailgate, I'm guessing it has the Ranger package, which was top of the line in 1969. I have a '69 F250CS myself. I like it.

[CJ,s 67 F100]

Welcome aboard, Most of those cowling holes are probably for the cowl to hood lacing that is gone. The price sounds fair according to the pictures and would have been better if he had been honest on his description of the truck. jmo

[Big D's 69]

Welcome aboard.

[cathynkeith]

Nice and welcome.

[airjetmech]

Thanks for the links and info. Here are the cowling holes Airjetmech

[kknip]

Welcome from North Carolina!OOPS,looks like someone had a cell phone tower bolted to your cowl. That should not be hard to fix if you know a little about welding.The truck is very nice otherwise.

[71 LONG BED]

I guess someone had dents to pull Dosen't look like a bad truck, you did OK. This is the place for you to learn a lot about your "new" truck.

[FORDification]

Actually, those holes are for the cab-over camper support brackets. Here's a picture of two different setups. In the first one you can see the basic support style, though this style was mounted a little lower. The second shot is a closeup of the exact same bracket setup that mounted on 'airjetmech's truck's cowl.



Looks like the bracket on 'airjetmech's' truck was literally ripped from the cowl, like maybe the camper slid off and took the support bracket with it.

[airjetmech]

Thanks for the explanation and pictures. Still hate the fact that they were put there ... ruined a good truck . Would it be better to buy replacement cowl panels or have them welded up in situe? Airjetmech

[FORDification]

Well, you can't buy 'replacement' cowl panels....considering how it's a very simple gradual curve, I'd just cut it out and bend a new piece of steel to match and weld it in. You'd probably have less time involved doing that than trying to patch up what you've got.

[airjetmech]

Thanks once again for the info. I plan on making the drive from the frozen north on the first of November to California and bring it back a couple of days later. I will post some more pictures shortly thereafter. Airjetmech

[Brett6269]

Welcome fellow ford man!! brett

[foghorn]

and from okla also don't forget that


foggy