Chad Lowe is the proud owner of a well-restored 1978 Ford F-250 crew cab that is an instant attention-getter whenever he takes it on the road.
Chad told MyStarCollectorCar that he has always wanted one and bought his truck about three years ago.
Jim Sutherland
Chad comes from a multi-generational farm family that always leaned toward Ford products so it’s no surprise he is a Blue Oval guy. Even better, his Ford crew cab was built during the same month and year as Chad, so he shares that time frame with his F-250.
The 48-year-old truck was repainted about 31 years ago and shows no signs of wear and tear over the ensuing years. Consequently, Chad was able to concentrate on mechanical improvements to the ’78 F-250 and began the process at the chassis level.
He stuck with the stock brake system and added a hydro boost assist to the master cylinder as well as the clutch for superior efficiency. The net result is “gobs of stopping power” (in Chad’s words), regarding the brake system.
Perhaps the biggest improvement in the truck was under the hood because Chad chose to boost the horsepower in his Ford’ s stock 300 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine rather than swap it out for a muscular V-8 replacement engine.
The six-banger was bored out to a 306 and given an EFI fuel system as a replacement for its stock carburetor fuel system, along with livelier innards to boost its power. Chad also added a turbo boost to the engine because he wanted maximum efficiency for maximum horsepower.
The result is a formerly modest six-cylinder engine that now delivers “just around 400 horsepower” with torque output in the mid-600 range”, according to Chad. The new configuration confused one young onlooker at a summer show because he thought Chad’s engine modifications were simply a diesel swap, given the turbo boost on the six-banger. He clearly missed the spark plugs on the engine.
Chad also upgraded the transmission to an NV-4500 five-speed manual transmission to drop the RPMs at higher speeds. The result is a big crew cab pickup that can easily handle the faster pace on modern highways with its powerful factory six-banger coupled to a newer transmission.
The truck is quiet at 70 mph (roughly 115 km/h) with the windows up, according to Chad. The windows can be closed at any speed because the ’78 Ford F-250 crew cab has a functioning air conditioning system that keeps its occupants cool during hot weather.
Chad added a digital gauge package to replace the Ford’s original gauges and give more accurate readings on its mechanical condition. The new instrument cluster resembles the factory cluster but can handle the newer functions (such as EFI) added to the engine.
The front seats are also aftermarket products and provide a comfortable fit for any trip in the truck.
Chad’s 1978 Ford F-250 crew cab is now more than ready for the road and attracts plenty of attention whenever he climbs behind the wheel.
His future plans include enjoying his stylish truck and perhaps a return to its Wimbledon White paint color. We at MyStarCollectorCar like both ideas.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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