97 F150 in SC

[Curious Hound]

This will be as a thread to document the used truck I bought Wednesday. Not quite a "build" thread since I don't plan on any major mods. Just a place to gather thoughts and share what happens with it.

The facts as I know them. '97 F150 RWD, 4.6l, auto, super cab, short flare side bed, maroon color, 8.8" with 3.55 limited slip. 112,108 miles when I bought it. If the Wikipedia article is correct, 97 was a transition year. Mine is the later, newer style with IFS, not twin I-beam.

Got home and found out the transmission dipstick tube was broken right above it's support bracket. Put a plastic plug in it temporarily. Got a good tube and extra dipstick out of a 97 Expedition at the junkyard today. That's going to be fun to install. To get it out of the Expedition, I cut away the inner fender, removed an O2 sensor, then removed the transmission pan and tapped the tube out from the bottom using a hammer and a big bolt that had been gouging my back while I was laying under the truck. At least I know a procedure that works.

I also procured parts for one of my favorite mods. I got an electric auto-dimming mirror with compass out of a newer Expedition.

All for less than $20 including my entrance fee to the junkyard.

My wife thinks I bought a vehicle that I won't need to tinker with. Isn't she funny?

 

[adsm08]

Wikipedia is wrong.

Everything in that body style was a 97 MY. They started building them in 1996.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

MY

What does MY stand for?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

What does MY stand for?

"Model Year"

Production of that style trucm started around july of 96 IIRC, with the last of the real ford trucks passing away a month or so before that to allow retooling. My 96 i had was built 5/96

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Thanks.

 

[Curious Hound]

Cool. Thanks for the verification.

 

[adsm08]

"Model Year"

Production of that style trucm started around july of 96 IIRC, with the last of the real ford trucks passing away a month or so before that to allow retooling. My 96 i had was built 5/96

Yup, 6/96 was the start of production.

I once worked on one of those Job1 bastards for a month. Thing should have been sent to the scales instead.

I put a drive shaft, a fuel tank, two steering knuckles, front calipers, and the back half of a frame in it. All for rust, except the drive shaft, that was dented and causing a vibration.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Yup, 6/96 was the start of production.

I once worked on one of those Job1 bastards for a month. Thing should have been sent to the scales instead.

I put a drive shaft, a fuel tank, two steering knuckles, front calipers, and the back half of a frame in it. All for rust, except the drive shaft, that was dented and causing a vibration.

I had a couple expeditions, a 97 and 98, and they seemed to be built pretty decent.

But i knew guys with the 150s of 97-03 whos trucks rusted in ways/spots ive never seen anything rust.

One buddy had one that rotted from the bedrail DOWN, all the way thru.

 

[Ranger850]

Yup, 6/96 was the start of production.

I once worked on one of those Job1 bastards for a month. Thing should have been sent to the scales instead.

I put a drive shaft, a fuel tank, two steering knuckles, front calipers, and the back half of a frame in it. All for rust, except the drive shaft, that was dented and causing a vibration.

Were those the "Heritage" F-150's?

 

[adsm08]

Were those the "Heritage" F-150's?

No, the Heritage was a 97-04 body style built for the 05 model year to burn off excess parts inventory.

 

[Ranger850]

No, the Heritage was a 97-04 body style built for the 05 model year to burn off excess parts inventory.

Ok. I thought it had something to do with the undercarriage, not necessarily the body styles

 

[adsm08]

Ok. I thought it had something to do with the undercarriage, not necessarily the body styles

What does the word "heritage" mean, just in every day conversation?

 

[Ranger850]

You never heard the word "heritage" used in context? That's weird. JK
I am not as well versed in the assembly and manufacturing of FORDs as you are, that is why I asked.
Heritage is when things are passed down from older generations to newer ones. So in that context, I thought some things may have changed, while some things stayed the same.

 

[adsm08]

You never heard the word "heritage" used in context? That's weird. JK
I am not as well versed in the assembly and manufacturing of FORDs as you are, that is why I asked.
Heritage is when things are passed down from older generations to newer ones. So in that context, I thought some things may have changed, while some things stayed the same.

In terms of parts and function "Heritage" editions are just what they sound like, the last generation carried over for one more model year.

In accounting terms it is a less than tacit admission that they miscalculated the number of parts to make and need to build about a half-run of the old style past the cutoff date for starting the new model year.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I've owned a 97, 98, 2004 [heritage] and 2004. 3 had next to no rust, the 98 is bad...really bad, but runs good.