Next years HRPT ride..... Indy F-150

[RSRXION]

Ok, I know it's an odd ride but hear me out. I really like the 79 Indy 500 edition F-150 trucks. I sat in one when I was a kid and I wanted it terribly. I was 16 and we couldn't afford it. I purchased that very same truck in about 1998 and I still own it now but it's VERY rough. It needs a total restoration.

After 3 HRPT's in the Mach 1, and with the potential to get near Indy in 2014, I started looking for another Indy truck to prepare and take on tour. I found this one in Elizabethton, Tennessee and went to get it labor day weekend. It's a running and driving truck with mostly original paint. Unfortunately the previous owner peeled the decals off so it really doesn't look like much.

I'm posting a few photos of the old girl as she sits and a copy of the original Ford promo sheet from 1979. My research and Marti report have turned up a lot of info and confirmed that it is indeed an Indy F-150. These trucks were just a styling package without any real performance features and they have very little collector value, but I really like them. This is Indy truck number 3 for us not counting a parts truck that I harvested parts off of in a salvage yard years ago.

Paint and decals to come by years end and cold a/c before next years tour. That makes the Mrs. very happy !

[oletrux4evr]

Score!!! Get 'er done, another great truck!

[moparjim71]

Congratulations Dean! Looks like a great project !

[74NovaMan]

Looks nice and solid! Have fun with it.

[70chevyC-10]

Cool truck -

[pintoboy77]

Good start on a cool project truck. I would have never guessed that a Indy truck would have been a long bed,but myself I would'nt have anything less than a long bed I prefer them they are more useful.

[Big Dave]

It's always nice to have another truck on the tour.......even if it's a Ford

[cstmwgn]

.......even if it's a Ford

Yeah, you never know when your going to need someone to chase parts for you!

[70chevyC-10]

Yeah, you never know when your going to need someone to chase parts for you!

Bazinga !!!!

[pintoboy77]

Or drive you to your motel.

[oletrux4evr]

Just kidding, but they are easier to push or tow.......

[RSRXION]

Ford, Since 1903 built WITHOUT your tax dollars !

LMAO

On an unrelated note....
I got my Marti report the other day and it was a great read ! There were 4,225 "Indianapolis Speedway" trucks built in 1979. That's not very many really but it's a lot more than I expected. The report also gave me the dealers name and date of sale. I called the dealer just on a long shot that they might have some info. Believe it or not the dealership is still owned by the same family and when I asked the nice lady on the phone about any old paperwork, she kind of giggled ( I expected that ) and said "sure" (I didn't expect that). She gave me the original purchaser's name and address and emailed me a copy of the original sales invoice.

So........... being the pseudo sleuth that I am I googled his name and sure as heck, he still lives where he did in 1979 and he has a listed phone number. After a couple of phone attempts I got his wife and he called me back today. He thinks he's got some old photos and literature for the truck.Some of the "things" he says he has are the original "Official Truck" stickers that go on the doors, fenders and tailgate. Those stickers were shipped in a box in the seat and the dealers would apply them if the customer wanted them on the truck. MOST of them never got used.

The original owner was forced to part with the truck in 1982 amidst a bitter divorce and he hasn't seen it since ! The guy I bought it from lives just 22 miles from the original owners house ! I don't know the history in between but I'll find it I'm sure.

Again, these trucks really don't have much value as a collectable vehicle. Most people don't even know they existed. This was the first "special edition" truck Ford ever offered. GMC followed it up in 1980 with the Indy truck but Ford laid the groundwork for the trucks at Indy.

I stopped by the local body shop last week and scheduled the truck in for paint. They will start work on it the last week of October and it should take 3-4 weeks. Believe it or not there's a shop that makes the decal set and it's not too bad at 695.00.

Now, if I could only find one of the legendary Indy Pinto's. Yes really, Pinto.

As for power. it's got a 351-W in it right now. There's a Coyote motor in the future though. Either in this one or my original Indy F-150 sitting quietly in the corner of my shop.

I'll keep you posted.

PS... I'll be putting a receiver hitch on the old girl in case y'all need a tug.

[NewEnglandRaceFan]

check with phoenix graphics they may make the decals, if not you could paint the black and get the indy writing decal part made at any sign shop, you'll just need a high mega pixel digital file of the decal.. so if you can find someone with a decal in fair shape, I'd see it they can have someone take a photo of it with a DLCR with 10 megapixels or better in the "raw format" that way any fading/cracking of the decal can be "fixed" in photoshop.
Malc from spain,(haven't seen him post much here lately) was great at photoshop. he is on this board ( http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/ )allot if you need to have someone make the "file" from scratch from a internet pic.

[NewEnglandRaceFan]

Ford, Since 1903 built WITHOUT your tax dollars

describe
tarp funds and grants for me.. then reread your post above ..

[NewEnglandRaceFan]

Any sign shop should be able to handle this..

did they have the "indy" wings badge on those as they are hard to find for the g.m. ones