'89 F-250 Custom (Straight 6/4.9L/300ci)

Always wanted one of the older ones... Small time dealer posted it local, drove it home 60mi with only a power steering prob thats being handled. Soft, suttle backfiring started coming at idle and sometimes during shifting gears when the clutch is pressed. One day it runs hot quickly then I notice the lower radiator hose somehow slipped off. Next time I got 3 miles down the road and Almost back, I notice a significant decrease in power till she stalls out, overheated and smoking from the head/intake manifold. Charged oil and adjusted some hoses. This time I let it idle for a while, which gradually got so rough to where it started hesitating and backfiring obnoxiously like popcorn with flame exiting exhaust.
Plugs, wires, starter and solenoid, alt, batt, all fine. Radiator looks new. I'm changing vacuum lines on intake manifold and the clean air housing hoses next but it started this practically overnight. For some reason the radiator doesn't want to come off But when it runs hot, the radiator face is ok to touch immediately. What am I missing??? I'm over thinking it all now! Hit me...

 

Since we have ti start someplace, suggest you get hold of a fuel pressure gauge and see just what kind of fuel pressure you have.
Usually when a radiator hose comes off, there is a motor mount problem, check them.

Backfiring could be caused by lean fuel condition, possible moisture under the dist cap. do the timing marks (TDC) on the crank pulley line up with the dist rotor pointing to #1 cyl plug wire?
Best way to do that is to remove #1 plug and make sure the piston is coming up on the compression stroke.
Also, check if the thermostat is functioning correctly..