Shared by @Mitch_at_mule. The timeline and plans reflect the owner’s original account.
Mitch grew up with his dad’s two-wheel-drive 1969 F-250, driving it even before he had a license. After building a Jeep, he wanted the four-wheel-drive version. Truck Trader and his dad helped him find it, rust included. By the time he shared the story, he had owned it for 26 years.
An early set of 35-inch tires on wide wheels earned a ticket. Mitch argued with the officer until his dad told him to stop, then fitted mud flaps and went to the station to clear it. The Ford later received a built 410 FE, a lift and 38-inch tires. It still hauled firewood, pulled a loaded trailer, carried a camper and went out for recovery and play. Rust had not changed how he felt about it. Axle upgrades and a bed-mounted tent were among the plans ahead.
Read the owner’s original account and build details
Truck year:
1969
Ownership when this account was shared:
26 years
How the truck came home
A 69 F250 4x4. My dad owned a really nice 69 F250 2wd when I was a kid, and I drove it a-lot once I got my driver's license... And quite a bit before that. I loved the truck, but I hated that it was limited by being 2wd. Once I finished rebuilding my Jeep, I started looking for a 69 Ford 4x4. I knew I wanted an F250, and it had to be a 4x4. This one popped up in the truck trader, my dad and I went and looked at it, and I ended up buying it. It had some rust then, it has even more now. Lol
The memories behind the truck
One of the first things I did was put new tires and wheels on it when I bought it. Some 35x12.50-15 on 15x10 8 lug wheels. And then I got pulled over for the truck being too tall. I argued with the cop that it was a stock truck and had come this height from the factory for what seemed like an eternity. The whole time my dad sitting it the passenger seat telling me to shut up or that cop was gonna write me a ticket. He wrote me a fix it ticket and I had to put the mud flaps on it and then drive to the station to have them sign off on it. Lol
Build details, in the owner’s words
The truck is powered by a 410 FE with a set of 390 GT heads, balanced rotating assembly, NP435 trans, NP205 tcase, and stock diffs. 4" Skyjacker lift, 38" Milestar Patagonia M/T's on Method race wheels. Added power assist steering. ARB twin compressor under the hood. Warn style classic front bumper with an 8274 winch and front hitch.
Plans at the time of the story
A 76 rear axle with 30 spline shafts and Air Locker. 79 High pinion disc brake 44 front axle also with an Air Locker, bed mounted roof top tent.
More from the owner
Despite its rust issues, I have always loved this truck. It does pretty much anything I ask of it, whether hauling a full load of firewood plus a loaded trailer, hauling a camper, to off road recovery and play, to daily driver status. It does it all.
Keep the old Ford story going
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