4x4 + Automatic interaction?

[jjones2]

I can't seem to find any f100 or f250 4x4s that are automatics from 67 to about 74 (the years I prefer). The couple I've seen have been conversions. Did Ford just not make an automatic + 4x4 combination at that time or are they just so rare I can't seem to find one?

All the 4x4s I find are manuals and all the automatics I find are 2wd. Also curious if power steering was dependent upon 4x4 or automatic options as well. I've read through all the forum strings here on 4x4s and can't find anything on the subject.

What I'm trying to find: 1967-72 (maybe '73 or '74) f100 longbed or f250 with automatic, 4x4, and power steering. Prefer a Ranger or Ranger XLT and since I'm asking for the moon you might as well throw in factory a/c. Was such a beast ever made by Ford???

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Jon

[FORDification]

Ford began offering a Cruise-o-matic in the 1969 F250s as a special order option. See the links below for the factory brochure talking about these trucks:

http://www.fordification.com/lit/images ... tic-p1.jpg
http://www.fordification.com/lit/images ... tic-p2.jpg

However, I think most folks back then who wanted a 4x4 weren't interested in an automatic, thus there are few available today.

The bumpside-era ('67-'72) 4x4s never came with power steering. You could get power assist steering starting in '73 but most people tend to dislike that setup since it's prone to leakage and requires more maintenance.

They finally did away with that setup and went with a standard power steering box setup starting in the middle of the '77 model year. Most power steering conversions are done using the '77-1/2 thru '79 steering box. Some minor mods are required, but it's not hard.

[jjones2]

Thanks for the quick reply and detailed response.

It sounds like an f250 4x4 with cruise-o-matic would do once I grabbed a 78-79 power steering box and did the mod.

Any thoughts on that versus mod'ing an automatic into a 4x4 and also doing the power steering mod? I guess this boils down to how the cruise-o-matic performs versus the standard auto tranny. If I'm going to end up ditching the cruise-o-matic because they had issues or there's a significant difference in performance/maintenance over the standard automatic I should probably do the 4x4 mod on the automatic.

It should be fun either way...

Jon

[averagef250]

You have another factor to consider here... Not only did virtually nobody order a bumpside highboy with an auto, but even in the dentside years where auto 4x4's are more common, the auto trucks that are still out there are beat down junkers.

The guys that actually want an old Ford auto 4x4 are few and far between. I've sent more than my share of them to scrap.

I can get an easy $100 or so for a 435 4 speed. I had several of the pretty hard to find C-6 short shaft 4x4 transmissions at one time. They got scrapped as nobody wanted them.

The swap from manual to auto is not that hard, but there are a lot of parts to make it complete.

[FORDification]

The NP-203 was a married setup thru '79 on F100s. It was a divorced setup on F250s through mid-'77 and then became married thru '79.

The NP-205 was only offered as a married setup on F100s. It was a 'divorced' setup on F250s through mid-'77 and then became married up to '79.