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Many of these ’70s-era trucks are quickly becoming a thing of the past, as buyers are turning up their noses and begrudging the smog-ified drivetrains that did nothing but suck wind and churn out disappointment. But guys like Craig Montague are looking past the downsides and making these pickups great again.
Case in point is his 1979 Ford F-150, dubbed Project Blackhawk 4×4. History is one of the many interesting aspects of this vehicle, as Craig explained: “Around 2006, my good friend was moving and had an old Ford truck he wanted out of his driveway. He offered it to me if I could come pick it up. I came over, took a look at it, and was immediately in love.”
With some quick tinkering, Craig was able to get the truck in working order that day; a week later, it was 1,000 miles away in Idaho for a camping trip, from which it returned in one piece. It wasn’t long before the mods started stacking up.
The biggest thing to happen to the F-150 so far has been a rollover, for which Craig swapped a 1974 body. The motor, a 351ci V8, was changed for a “mildly built 400, which I am currently building into a 444 stroker.” The lift setup is a 4.5-inch Wild Horses “Rock Crawler” kit with progressive rate coils and flex springs, and strengthened Wild Horses Super Shackles and Extreme Duty coil cups.
The truck suffered a rollover while out wheeling, but Craig made the fix by swapping out the 1979 body for one from 1974.
Buttressing the suspension has been a set of Energy Suspension bushings, which have been a worthwhile addition to the vehicle, as Craig noted. “Energy Suspension has always provided me with the best product for the price,” he said. “I had experience with their products in the past, both as a mechanic and as a crewmember at SCCA races. I’ve always been impressed with their quality and how well the bushings perform. I honestly haven’t used anything else since being exposed to their products.”
With its ARB rear locker, Mark Williams 9-inch Daytona rearend, Trick Flow 195 heads, Edelbrock intake manifold, MSD ignition, and more, you might think that Craig has the ultimate ’70s ‘froader. But Craig is not slowing down just yet.
Craig said the winches and carriers are original Warn units from the 1980s. They (and the ARB air lockers) are powered thanks to the dual-battery setup of Craig's own design.
“I’m possibly going to adapt a splitter case for a compound low gear transfer case,” he said. “I might also do another ARB locker for the front. My intent is to move more from a daily driver and weekend trail rig into a weekend driver and general off-road truck.”
Certainly, the ambition is there, and we can tell from Craig’s Instagram that he has the know-how to get things done. All that remains is the question of “When will it be finished?” Only time will tell. In the meantime, check out Energy Suspension’s website and Facebook page for more information on how to improve the ride and stability of your rig.
