1978 Ford F250 – Victor G.
“The Family Truckster”
My dad Ray Garcia bought his brand-new raven black and apple cherry red 1978 Ford Ranger F-250 XLT 4X4 on May 14, 1978. He purchased the 78 at Fuller Ford located on 760 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 92010. Our family’s ’78 was used for camping and his job as a carpenter. My dad purchased an aluminum red and black camper for the ’78 immediately to keep all of his tools secure on the job site. I remember as a kid running out to the ’78 to help him unload his saws, extension cords and other tools for the night, then if I was awake, I would help him load them in the morning.
The ’78 was necessary for my dad’s profession as a carpenter. Rainy days were considered a day off and he would always show up at my elementary school to pick me up in the ’78. I knew immediately as I saw the rain outside my classroom window that I would see my dad’s beast of a truck pull in to the parking lot, along with all the other tiny cars to pick their children. My Dad eventually was hired with the government and bought a car for work and the ’78 was used for camping and carrying large items. Our favorite camping spots were a place in San Diego California called Pala Indian Reservation and Silver Strand in Imperial Beach, CA. Our family of five would all sleep in the ’78, one in the cab and four in the bed. My dad eventually bought a cab over camper that replaced the red and black camper.
As a kid I would ride on the bed over the cab while my dad driving, it felt like I was flying over the rode. To be a kid that high on the rode was awesome. I remember at the camping site drying my swim trunks on the 78’s over sized tires. My dad’s ’78 has been an obsession of mine since I was five years old. The earliest memories are the over sized tires, the red and black paint and riding in the red and black cab. I recall looking out the windows and seeing over the vehicles. The rear view mirror had a rosary and a boxing glove hanging above a red blanket that would protect the red wood grain dashboard from a sun damage. I remember two bandannas covering the equalizer and the 8 track player that were cleanly installed under the dash. Oldie music and Spanish music would always be playing while driving in the ’78.
A plastic cover would protect the red bench seat, complimented with a Mexican blanket. On March 5, 2019 after decades of on and off offers to purchase the ’78, I was finally victorious. The raven black and apple cherry red paint was faded, the slot rims were oxidized, the emblems were cracked and the chrome was dull. In other words the ’78 was perfect! My wife, Ranya, thought I was crazy because I had commented that I wanted to sleep in the ’78 that first night, second night and every night since. Unfortunately, the ’78 had all the original mechanical parts. Fortunately, LMC had all the parts I needed and more to restore the ’78 mechanically and cosmetically. I also was able to keep the 70’s equalizer, however was forced to uninstall the 8 track player because I didn’t have any 8 track tapes.
As soon as I brought the ’78 to my house I took note that the truck only had 84k original miles. I quickly began the restoration process, going every aspect of the ’78. I saved every original part and trim that was original to ’78 that I could. Everything else was restored and installed on the ’78. Now my own kids are able to ride in the truck along with me and I am now able to make memories similar like the ones I have with my dad as a kid. The ’78 will never leave my family as long as I am alive.[lmc_story_gallery]
