Ike wanted an old Ford like his grandpa’s: a three-quarter-ton, four-wheel drive, with a manual transmission. After searching more than five junkyards, he found his ’78 and a Lariat parts truck for $1,000.
The story
He bought it in October 2025 without knowing how much history came with it. The original owner told him that, sometime in the 1980s, the Ford was parked on a frozen lake beside two other vehicles. After heavy snow had been plowed into a mound nearby, the ice cracked during the night.
According to that account, the Ford ended up partly submerged. Recovering the vehicles took three days and a tow truck. In a borrowed heated shop, they dried the ’78, changed its fluids and fitted another seat. The 300 inline-six fired up again.
Ike says the bent bumper in his photos came from the recovery winch cable. The truck also worked across Alaska on contracting and framing jobs, hauled a camper and was stolen once.
The truck
Its equipment includes overload springs, a trailer controller, manual choke, dual batteries and cab lights.
What comes next
Ike wants to add a winch and engine breathing upgrades, keep the truck working and eventually restore it. He plans to keep it as a family heirloom.
Owner: Ike | 1978 Ford
Follow the owner: @Alaskaoldtrucks
Keep the old Ford story going
Find your kind of truck in our Shop gear for 1978 Dentside trucks, or choose a year’s front end from the Grille Series.
Visit Highboy University for truck guides. Read Bumpside vs. Dentside: Ford Truck Generations Explained, then meet the people behind Big Red’s 1971 Ford: Grandpa’s Truck, Dents and All.
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