Before the Ford Explorer SUV, there was the Ford F-Series Explorer pickup truck. The Explorer was an appearance package offered across the F-Series line back in the day, from the F-100 through the F-350. That includes this particular pickup, a 1977 F-250 Custom single cab with a nice red exterior with white stripes. You wouldn’t know it with all the dirt on there, though.
That’s where the WD Detailing crew comes in. After 35 years parked in a barn, the owner is finally giving it some attention. But before any of that can happen, it needs to be freed from a prison of barrels, pallets, and equipment blocking the exit. To make matters worse, the tires are flat and the dirt floor of the barn is slick with mud. The old truck eventually rolls into the light, where we get a clearer picture of the challenge ahead. Dirt is literally caked onto the exterior, and a brief look inside shows a disgusting amount of mouse excrement.
It’s during the extraction we also learn the truck has just 17,000 miles on the clock. Provided there aren’t any mortal wounds to this Ford, it could be worth a pretty penny once it’s all cleaned up. We see a big dent in the driver-side door, reportedly caused by a cow during its tenure in the barn, and there’s quite a bit of pitting in the paint on the passenger side. There isn’t any notable rust to speak of, however, so the initial prognosis for the F-250 is good.
And it gets better as the layers of crud are power-washed away. The white stripes of the Explorer package contrast nicely with the red finish, and the interior also cleans up remarkably well, despite the mouse nest occupying the glove box. As for the low mileage on the odometer, a quick look at the bottom of the bench seat shows very little wear. All indications point to the mileage being legit.
The detailing team doesn’t attempt to start the pickup. It has a 400 cubic-inch V-8 under the hood that likely needs some in-depth maintenance before turning over. But a machine polish puts a delicious shine on the paint, and it looks ready for some off-road fun.
Time has been very kind to American trucks from the 1970s and 1980s. A quick internet search reveals all kinds of late 1970s F-250 pickups selling anywhere from $20,000 to $60,000. A similar single-cab truck without the Explorer package sold on Bring a Trailer late last year for $38,000, and it had twice the mileage. Whether this one goes to the trails or an auction house, it’s just nice to see it all cleaned up.