My Jade Beauty

Over 3 years ago I had some engine trouble, the camshaft gear stripped out in the original 400m in my 78 Ford F-150 4×4 Shortbed.
My plan was to simply get it running again but then my son found another 78 Ford, same color scheme and everything, and cheap too. I couldn’t pass it up, so I ended up with a long bed F-250 2wd Camper Special that ran great, so now that I had a daily driver my son and I started working on the Shortbed.
Totally stripped it down to nothing, a true nut and bolt restoration, I felt like a kid again when I worked for a Shelby restoration shop in my 20s.
9 months into the project I suffered a stroke at work, it was a rough time for all of us, my family supported my recovery while my project sat on jack stands in the garage for a over a year.
Slowly I was able to get back into it with my son at my side and my wife’s willing support.
It was still another year and a half and countless orders from LMC but she finally came together.
I kept the 400 but made some great strides in its performance with the help of our local machine shop.
Along with the custom engine build at the shop I had the C6, Transfer Case and both Front and Rear axles serviced professionally.
Everything thing else was done by my family and I in my normal sized garage at home, and I mean everything, the truck never left the house.
I changed a couple things, I’ve always been fond of the 76/77 front end so I went with that, I also put some cab lights on it, I know that’ll throw some people off but the family agreed (let’s face it, it’ll be my son’s truck someday, if he likes it it’s a win).
Complete restoration, the undercarriage, engine bay and interior are just as nice as the body & paint, she sounds like a true muscle car with a loud deep rumble that roars to life when I put my foot in it.
On Sunday June 21st of this year it made its debut outside in the sunshine for the 1st time, I drove my restored beauty with a huge grin on my face and tears flowing at the same time.
I live in Northern Nevada and I had registered for Hot August Night’s a month before it was cancelled due to COVID-19, that was upsetting but we’re looking forward to next year.
Many thanks to my family for their continued support and help as well as LMC for many great parts – yeah, many parts went into this, my wife said the used removed parts on the side of the house made it look like Sanford & Son lived here but the end result was worth it.