Hi!
I was hoping to get some opinions on this 1977 F-350 crew cab I found on craigslist. I just delivered my car to my husband across the country & now that I'm back home I realize that the place I volunteer every weekend is inaccessible via public transportation, since the particular bus lines apparently don't run on saturday and sunday anymore.

Here is the link to the listing lifted 77ford $1000 f350

I would be using the truck to drive under 30 miles a week for an indefinite period of time - it could be a month, it could be 6 months, it depends on what happens with my job. I don't know if I would try to sell the truck again or if I would try to keep it. My husband and I are buying a house near the city he works in later this year, and it might be useful for hauling things around. My job will pay to ship the truck & I plan to do some serious backyard gardening when I finally break out of apartment living.

My husband thinks it would be ok for me, since the seller says he has been driving it and that it operates in 2wd just fine. My father thinks it could be a money pit since a new transfer case would be another thousand dollars or so, and probably only gets a few miles to the gallon, and since it's built for off-road use it might not be useful for hauling.

I think that it might be ok, and I am going to check it out in person next week. Since I don't know how much longer I will be living in this area, I don't want to spend more than $1000 on a vehicle but every other car or truck at that price is missing an engine or transmission or various other parts or has been parked in a lot for 5+ years.

All you seem to have much more experience with this particular vehicle than I do, but I remember my uncle's old 70's bronco very fondly and have always wanted to have a truck like it :] I appreciate any advice you could give me!

thanks! -kat

 

Ok,,, Welcome to FTE,, source of all kinds of knowledge and opinions,,,
for $1000,,, buy it use it,, when your done call me and I will give ya 900!
For what it is worth,,, if it runs and drives decent, and is habitable and not overly trashed,, for 1 G you got a truck,, just my 2 cents...

Joe

 

If it is in good working order and has up to date maintenance it might be OK... but the seller says it needs "TLC" and its cheap so maybe it hasn't had such good care and isn't in such good shape. The 4wd conversion can be trickey. I wonder how it was done? It sounds like a part finished project. If you wanted a project and had a place and the desire to work on it maybe a decent deal. For daily driver transportation, a money pit I'd guess.

 

Thank you! I was having difficulty finding someone to bring me out to where the seller lives anyway. I appreciate your help !

 

To answer your question Is this truck an investment or a money pit? the honest answer is it could probably be both...

If you're in dire need of reliable, dependable, economical transportation and this will be your sole vehicle i'd probably shy away, but if you're at all mechanically inclined and interested in an on going project that you can drive during the week and wrench on during the weekends this rig may fit the bill...

Transfer cases can be had for less than $150 in most any junkyard, so my big question is why did the seller not complete the 4x4 conversion which could of easily doubled the asking price of it's current 2WD status, for 1K it looks like it at least deserves a look see, but as always caveat emptor!

 

My two cents here ~ Although the body looks good, it would really depend on what you or your husband could do regarding the work that needs to be done. Being able to do it yourself versus trying to find a place that would do the work right is often a big $ difference. Plus, with the lift and the tires, I wouldn't exactly say it would work well as a daily driver.

Although, for a grand, you could always get it and see and if it didn't work out...there's a lot of guys that would give you at least as much as you paid!

 

I'd probably pick it up for a grand if it was local. I'd guess that it's probably going to be a money pit since it's still a project truck. If it runs well and drives decently it should work for a DD. Personally, I wouldn't want something that large for a DD though.

I also agree with that.

 

For a daily driver it would be expensive on gas so I would not buy it for that. I think for $1000.00 it might be a good price but ya would have to check it out. If this is a california truck it might easily be worth the $1000.00. Heck if you did not want it and I did not have an injured shoulder right now I'd probably pick it up for parts.

 

It looks like a hobby truck and hobbys can get expensive. If you need transportation I would advise buying something else, if you want a hobby, it looks like a good one for that.

 

Check to see if it is currently registered and on the road. If not, it may be a clue it needs big work. Like a smog system. Like brakes. Find out if "new" items listed mean brand new or just different than before items. See it has a 4X4 as a front bumper. Will that pass vehicle inspection? It's a gamble................

 

maybe i'm all wet here, but isnt any car/truck/trailer of this vintage going to be a money pit by nature?

they are all 30+ years old, and will require some TLC. Some stuff can be ignored, some cannot.

If the mechanicals are in good shape, fluids kept up, then its a driver and a possible keeper. but even then it is likely to be a money pit, just the nature of the beast.

I will say this, i'd rather spend some money, and turn some wrenches to keep one of these on the road than any thing built in the late 80's or newer .. these are MUCH easier to work on.

IDK ... i LOVE *my* money pit!