1973-1979 Ford F-100 Dentside Guide

The 1973-1979 Ford F-100 is commonly called the Dentside because of the concave character line pressed into its body sides. “Dentside” is an enthusiast nickname, not Ford’s formal model name.

This sixth generation introduced longer regular-cab pickup wheelbases, added the SuperCab for 1974, and overlapped with the F-150 from 1975 onward. Its engine history must be read by year and series: not every engine shown in a combined F-Series brochure was available in the F-100.

Dentside F-100 at a Glance

Item	F-100 detail
Model years	1973-1979
Generation	Sixth
Short Styleside	117-inch wheelbase, 6¾-foot box
Long Styleside	133-inch wheelbase, 8-foot box
SuperCab	Introduced for 1974
F-150 overlap	1975-1979 within this generation
Predecessor	1967-1972 Bumpside F-100
Successor	1980-1983 Bullnose F-100

Ford described the F-100’s ride in car-like terms, but cab, box, wheelbase, GVW, suspension, and tire choices still affect how an individual truck drives.

Body Styles and SuperCab

Regular-cab F-100 Stylesides used a 117-inch wheelbase with the 6¾-foot box or a 133-inch wheelbase with the 8-foot box. Flareside and other configurations require their own dimension checks rather than borrowing the Styleside measurements.

The 1974 SuperCab added protected passenger or cargo space behind the front seat. Later Dentside literature describes 44 cubic feet of protected in-cab cargo space and shows optional rear seating arrangements.

Do not describe the SuperCab only as “18 inches longer.” Cab length, wheelbase, and overall length are different measurements, and the result changes with the selected box and chassis.

1973-1979 F-100 Engine Chart

This matrix is limited to F-100 brochure applications. An option may still depend on 2WD or 4WD, regular cab or SuperCab, transmission, GVW, California or high-altitude calibration, and ordering restrictions.

Engine	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	Application notes
240 inline-six	Standard	Standard	No	No	No	No	No	F-100 standard engine for 1973-1974
300 / 4.9L inline-six	No in F-100 table	Optional*	Standard	Standard	Standard	Standard	Standard	1974 application is F-100 4x2
302 / 5.0L Windsor V8	Yes*	Yes*	Yes*	Yes*	Yes*	Yes*	Yes*	Generally regular-cab 4x2; the 1978 brochure shows a California restriction
360 FE V8	Yes*	Yes*	Yes*	Yes*	No	No	No	Standard on some 4WD configurations; optional elsewhere
390 FE V8	Yes*	Yes*	Yes*	Yes*	No	No	No	4x2 and other application qualifications vary by year
351M / 5.8L V8	No	No	No	No	Yes*	Yes*	Yes*	Verify cab, drivetrain, transmission, GVW, and emissions footnotes
400 / 6.6L V8	No	No	No	No	Yes*	Yes*	No in F-100 table	F-100 option for 1977-1978 only, with application qualifications
460 / 7.5L V8	No	F-100 4x2 only	No	No	No	No	No	Exceptional 1974 F-100 offering, not a generation-wide option

The 351M Is Not a 351W

The documented 351-cubic-inch F-100 application for 1977-1979 is the 351M. It is not interchangeable with the 351 Windsor merely because both displace 351 cubic inches. A broad VIN-code table proves that an engine code existed in the F-Series, not that Ford offered it in every series and configuration.

The 351M belongs with the Modified/400 engine family and uses different transmission, mount, oil-pan, intake, and parts considerations from a 351W. Verify the engine by casting features, bellhousing pattern, and the truck’s original documentation instead of relying on an air-cleaner decal.

The 1974 F-100 460 Exception

Ford’s 1974 brochure explicitly lists it for the F-100 4x2. That exceptional 460 V8 offering makes the common claim that the 400 was the largest Dentside F-100 engine incorrect.

The opposite generalization is also wrong: the 460 was not a normal F-100 choice throughout 1973-1979. For other Dentside F-100 years, treat a 460 as a likely swap unless year-specific factory documentation proves otherwise.

The 1979 F-100 Engine Range

The 1979 F-100 specification lists the 300 Six as standard and the 302 and 351 as optional choices. The 400 appears in higher-series applications, not the F-100 column.

Transmissions and Four-Wheel Drive

Dentside brochures list three-speed, four-speed, overdrive, and SelectShift automatic choices, but the combinations and footnotes change by year, engine, cab, GVW, and drivetrain.

Avoid three generation-wide shortcuts:

• the 300 did not have one unchanging standard transmission for all seven years;
• sales data does not establish the C6 as the “most popular” choice across every configuration;
• a four-wheel-drive badge does not prove that every Dentside used the same transfer case.

Before ordering parts, record the transmission and axle codes, inspect the actual case and tag, and verify whether the truck retains its original drivetrain. The data plate decoder is the best starting point.

Grille and Headlamp Identification

The Dentside grille changed throughout the run:

• 1973-1977 brochures predominantly show round headlamps with year- and trim-specific grille treatments;
• the 1978 brochure promotes rectangular headlamps as part of the revised front end;
• 1978-1979 trim, equipment, and market differences can affect the visible headlamp and grille arrangement.

Headlamp shape alone is not a reliable model-year decoder. Replacement front clips, trim swaps, and market-specific equipment can create combinations that did not leave the factory together.

Emissions and Fuel Requirements

Catalytic converters and unleaded-fuel requirements entered Ford’s light-truck line during the Dentside years, but not every 1975-and-later F-100 used the same equipment.

Actual requirements depend on model year, series or GVW, engine, calibration, and federal or California configuration. For a particular truck, use the underhood emissions label, calibration identifiers, and exact-year service information.

Do not remove or disable emissions equipment based on the truck’s age alone. Before changing the engine, fuel, exhaust, or controls, check the current rules where the truck will be titled and driven.

F-100, F-150, and the 1977 Sales Milestone

Ford introduced the F-150 for 1975 between the F-100 and F-250. The advertised 1975 GVW ratings were 5,500 pounds for the F-100 and 6,050 pounds for the F-150.

Both series remained available. Shared sheet metal does not make them mechanically identical: springs, axles, brakes, tires, engines, and other equipment can vary by rating and configuration. Our F-100 vs. F-150 comparison covers the overlap in more detail.

F-Series became America’s best-selling truck line in 1977, during the Dentside run. It did not hold that position for every Dentside year, and the best-selling-vehicle milestone did not arrive until 1982.

Buying and Inspection Checklist

1. Confirm that the VIN and warranty tag identify an F-100, not an F-150 with similar sheet metal.
2. Match the cab and box to the wheelbase before ordering body, frame, exhaust, or driveshaft parts.
3. Verify the engine family physically, especially a claimed 351 or 460.
4. Inspect the cab mounts, floors, lower body panels, bed structure, spring hangers, and crossmembers for corrosion or previous repair.
5. Identify the actual transmission, transfer case, front axle, and rear axle; do not infer them from the engine or 4x4 badge.
6. Check the underhood emissions label before changing the carburetor, fuel system, exhaust, or ignition.
7. Authenticate Ranger, Ranger XLT, or other trim with the tag, documentation, and year-correct equipment rather than badges alone.
8. Compare value with recent sold examples matching year, cab, box, drivetrain, trim, condition, documentation, and location.

Buyers comparing period rivals can also read our Ford F-100 vs. Chevy C10 comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

What years are Dentside Ford F-100s?

Dentside Ford F-100s are the 1973 through 1979 model years. The nickname refers to the concave body-side character line.

What engines came in a 1973-1979 Ford F-100?

The range included the 240 and 300 sixes, 302 Windsor, 360 and 390 FE, 351M, and year-specific 400 applications. The 460 was an exceptional 1974 F-100 4x2 option. Availability depends on model year and configuration.

Did a Dentside F-100 come with a 351W?

The documented 1977-1979 F-100 351 application is the 351M, not the 351 Windsor. Because swaps and misidentified engines are common, confirm the block and bellhousing family before buying parts.

Did Ford offer a 460 in the F-100?

Yes, but only as a specific Dentside exception in the factory pickup evidence: the 1974 F-100 4x2. A 460 in another Dentside F-100 year is likely a swap unless documentation proves a factory configuration.

What is a Ford SuperCab?

The SuperCab is an extended-cab F-Series body introduced for 1974. It added protected cargo or optional seating space behind the front seat and was offered with multiple box and wheelbase combinations.

When did the F-Series become the best-selling truck?

F-Series began its run as America’s best-selling truck line in 1977. It became America’s best-selling vehicle later, in 1982.