Bringing outdoor vehicle out of disuse

1980-F100Ford w/ lots of miles left on it (only 220K) has sat outside thru several (dry)WY winters… what is critical to do re fluids, carb etc before starting up this 300 six cyl? (tires assumed, but that can wait)

The tires might be OK unless they have been allowed to go flat… It’s the fuel system you need to be concerned with. Gasoline can and WILL degrade into a nasty varnish-like fluid that can destroy any engine. I would empty the tank, install 5 gallons of fresh fuel, remove the fuel line at the fuel pump and clear the fuel line. Prime the carb with a squrit of gasoline and fire it up. If it wont run smoothly, the carb jets are probably plugged up with the old gas residue and the carb will need to be opened up and cleaned out. Nothing you can pour in the tank will do it.

An oil, filter, and coolant change is probably a good idea too…Don’t bet your life on the brakes until they have been inspected, especially the flex-lines…

Caddyman: Thanks. Im assuming a carb rebuild could be needed if only from dried/ cracked gaskets as well as residual lacquer-varnish, and all fluids/ lines check (like brakes). Any initial driving would be local and attentive. I want to head off as best we can any misses that might cause problems from starting it up for that initial eval/ road test. A great vehicle.