Tucson Gold In California! 1968 Ford F-100 Survivor
Here’s a nice 1969 Ford F-100 to compare with the 1968 one we featured the other day. This one isn’t quite as pristine, but it’s starting at a lot lower price as well. This truck was originally sold in Montana, but is now in Anderson, California and is up for auction here on eBay. The opening bid is only $1,000, but of course there is a reserve higher than that.
The sides look great on this truck and apart from where the paint is slightly chipped and some surface rust in the bed, I’m struggling to find many cosmetic flaws with this truck. I do prefer the center caps and steel wheels of the 1968, but I’m quite impressed that these original wheel covers have stayed with the truck this long (or that someone cared enough to find a set)! I don’t mind the painted bumpers, but I admit I would prefer a “standard” bumper in the rear.
Here’s a picture of the mild wear and tear in the pickup bed. Nothing at all unexpected for what is in essence a work vehicle. What looks like a snow tire to me as the spare had me wondering a little about the underside of the truck, as that screamed salty roads to me. That is, by the way, the original Tucson Gold paint according to the seller!
Thankfully, as you can see from this picture, the underside looks pretty darned solid (although I’d plan on replacing a differential seal or two). I appreciate the seller including many under truck pictures for long-distance evaluation purposes.
If you were expecting to be let down by the interior, you’d be wrong. Apart from some cracking on the edges of the vinyl bench (I’ll bet a good upholstery shop could match and replace just that portion of the seat) the interior is really nice. I love the practicality of rubber mats in a pickup, and I’m reminded of that every time I vacuum the mud out of my modern one.
Some of that engine paint has to be new, particularly the air cleaner and valve covers, but boy, this sure looks nice. The seller tells us it’s a 360 V8 with a two-barrel carburetor and that the 69,895 actual miles haven’t hurt it. We’re also told that the Warner T-18 4-speed manual transmission operates smoothly in all gears. I really can’t see any reason why someone in the market wouldn’t be interested in this survivor truck! Let us know if you are!
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Comments
If the party selling it isn’t the party that bought it new it’s not a one owner.
The ONLY Ford Pickup that my Grandfather bought was a 69, but he only had it for 2 years like all other Pickups for the farm. I remember telling me that he had trouble keeping tires on the front end, he had the truck aligned 3 times in the 2 years, he had it. Even the guy that bought it after him had the same trouble. Ford even put an entire front under it tie rods, wheel cylinders everything.
Right about the front end on Ford trucks of this era. Twin-I Beam was touted as a major feature then, and all of them have issues with wandering and tirre wear. Still, I’d love to have this truck for about $2,500.00. Heh heh… Anderson is in Northen Ca up by Redding. No worry about salted roads with vehicles from that neck of the woods. Out here we use sand on ice, not salt.
Camper Special?
For sure, because of the 4 speed and the side compartments. Why they didn’t at least put these out as 3/4 ton is a real mystery. I’d love to have this one.
Tucson, not Tuscon.
Fixed, Todd. Apologies to all Tucsonites!
Under the Tuscon Sun? (Drat, Tuscan…)
nice old truck. looks like a dual master cyl. for the brakes. a little too nice for me but if the reserve is not to much higher it would work. sure makes the BF dodge truck look like an even greater deal. great find.
Dual master cylinder probably started in ’67 for these trucks.
What shows it’s a camper special? Don’t those usually have a badge on the b pillar?
You are correct on both counts. All American vehicles to my knowledge had dual master cylinders starting in ’67, mandated by the Feds.
I had a ’67 F-250 Camper Special(same body style) with the badge where you said. I can’t imagine a F-100 CS? That’s weaker than a F-150 half ton. I guess you could put a “camper shell” on it and go camping. Trying to be funny.
By the way, where does it say “Camper Special” in the ad? It say’s “Explorer Package”.
My friend worked at Ford as a designer for 31 years, starting in the mid ’60’s. That tool compartment on the side of the bed was one of his ideas that was submitted and accepted.
I wonder if that was a response to the cool (and useful) compartments on VW trucks of the early 60’s?
bumpers were not standard on Dodge trucks of that vintage, same probably applies for Ford
Hell, I bought an F-150 new in ’91, and the rear bumper was extra. I said “WHAT”. And that was a XLT Lariat. I said I didn’t need a new rear bumper then, since I’d be keeping my bumper off of the ’89 I was trading in. And we had already agreed on my trade-in value. They weren’t happy about that, but I didn’t care.
The fastest truck in my hometown in the late 70’s was a ’68 running a heavily modified 360. Maybe it was just an anomaly; one of those engines that runs stronger, or pulls harder than it should be able to, or maybe the kid that had it just knew how to drive it…..but it was the proverbial bat out of hell!
Maybe he transplanted a bigger eng. (390-428), because even the Ford guy’s said the 360 sucked performance wise and gas wise, a 352ci was even better than a 360.
I traded trucks with a man, and I asked him if it had a 390, and he said 360. When I pulled the tranny, I noticed it had a weight on the flywheel. Then I notice it had a Fred Jones ID plate on the block that said 428ci. He just forgot. So you never know.
Nice old ford, I am a sucker for originality. The reserve is off but I think Ill let someone else have this one. I am currently restoring my 77 f150 short bed with a 429cj. Here is some info about the allusive Explorer Package, “When you think of luxurious pickups in the ’67-’72 era, the first thing that normally comes to mind is the Ranger and Ranger XLT. These option packages outfitted a truck with enough gear and creature-comforts to rival almost any full-size car. However, many people are not aware of another trim option package that could be had on the ’68-’69 Custom Cab and the ’70-’72 Custom and Sport Custom models which would give you almost all the same options as the Ranger and Ranger XLT models, but at a lower price to the buyer. Ford called this ‘economy’ setup the ‘Explorer Special’.