I guess I'm a little weird in that I bought my '77 new. It was neither special decor nor a ranger. The color scheme was as my '73. Argent grill and body color core support. I guess it could be called base level appearance. I figured I could do some of the special things but only those I liked. So my grill is now black as is the core support. The roof is tan and the dash is body color, like the door panels.
It's hard to find a restoration shop that knows what restoration means. I just went through back surgery leaving me a paraplegic for 6 mos. So I had to turn the EB over to a shop. They did great paint and body work but are clueless on mechanical restoration. The Autolite carb was pulled because they said it leaked. No thought of simply repairing it. So they got a new universal Holley. My restored Duraspark ignition was replaced with Pertronics, and the OE Kelsey-Hayes metering and proportioning valve was replaced with a no name brass one. Again; it supposedly leaked, tho it nor the carb ever leaked before. Is this what the restoration hobby has come to? I stopped this insanity before they tried to install EFI, headers, and a lift kit.
I blame TV shows that have no concept of restorations. The 2020 Broncos are closer to the EB concept than these Frankenstein trucks. I've restored the '77 mechanically before, so I can do it again. The current "restoration" shops don't know their mods are not improvements. I do. They never saw a nice running EB and they don't even seem curious what that means. I will prove the OE way was better if not as shiny. Too bad a lot of time and money was wasted. Now the '77 is legally a '68 with no emissions crap. So it will become what Ford could have built with no government interference.
I have to add that some east coast shops do real restorations. Unfortunately I live too close to California to find one of those.
