Bullnose pickups have always been my favorite Ford pickups, aesthetically and for the motor choices available (though the '73-79 Chevy Squarebodies are at the top of that list too, just love how they look!).

I've never owned a pickup of my own, and haven't been fortunate enough to have one in the family to get passed down to me.

With all that I do, I could use a truck to make my life much easier, but can't justify spending $60,000 or more for a new truck with fancy electronics and all that jazz.

So I figured I'd set myself a nice budget of $15,000 and look for a well-maintained classic that I've always desired since I was a kid.

The problem I've come by is that while I live in Texas, the selection of GOOD bullnose pickups is slim to none. There are a few projects in need of saving, but I'm not looking for a project at the moment. While I don't expect a garage queen either, I'd like something mechanically sound and cosmetically decent (I can fix any flaws myself).

I'd love a crew cab with a long bed, but those seem to be unicorns, or dualies that are only 2WD. Single rear-wheel is what I'd prefer.

4WD is a must, but motor and transmission options are immaterial as I can get the parts locally for a manual swap down the road.

For those who live and breathe these trucks, where am I best looking around for one? I'd have preferred local and not having to deal with shipping, but it seems that's my only option; I REALLY don't want anything newer. Not even a 1st gen Super Duty with the 7.3.

Thanks!

 

California would be my first choice. Although mine came from New Mexico. My next truck will be a California truck though.

 

New Mexico and Arizona have good rust free metal but I don't know what's out there as far as availability. The body for mine came out of a junkyard in Albuquerque and it looks as clean as the day it left the factory. You might try searching different cities on craigslist.

 

Another place to look is Oregon and Washington. I know a guy who is into these trucks that goes up there on business and he says the selection is plentiful and, therefore, prices are cheap.

As for CA, I would think it is a good place to buy since their extra complex emissions stuff is required to be operating but is getting harder and harder to do. But, that also means that you'll almost certainly have to either repair or remove it.

 

California trucks would be less likely to have been hacked up. Because of the emissions inspections, you will probably find more trucks in original condition.

 

I'd imagine the southwest, anywhere from TX to CA would be ideal. Biggest thing for anyone who doesn't do body work or hates doing body work is minimal rust. Mechanicals are the quick and easy part. These are all $10k trucks no matter how much you pay or the condition when you get it, so with a $15k budget you can probably find one mostly done if you're patient and persistent, or pay someone to do it if you can find anyone who does quality work with attention to detail.

You may be looking for a unicorn. 80-86 SRW Crew Cabs are not common. Presumably you'll want a 460 or diesel so that narrows the field a bit more. 4WD, not as common, and if you want a factory D60 that'll be an '86 SRW 4x4 crew cab with 460 or IDI... Though a D60 is a easy bolt in swap if it's a 2wd leaf sprung F-350. It took me 9 months of checking Craigslist several times a week before I found one within 1000 miles of me (though I was only looking for diesel, to be emissions exempt here). $4k got me an '86 SRW 4x4 Crew Cab 6.9 IDI turbo with C6 trans, and a bonus of fresh paint, over a crapload of bondo stuffed in holes on the bed. At least it looks presentable until I find a bed or take the time to fix this one proper. Fixed and upgraded a bunch of wiring, swapped in a ZF5, better turbo, new fuel system, restored dash and added tach, pillar gauges, etc... It'll be a $10k truck with countless hours into it when it's "done", but like I said, they're all $10k trucks. The key is to find a decent base you can work with, and do the needful.

 

California is where I sourced my European-spec 190E from a seller who came highly recommended by the online Mercedes community; was a smooth process. We split shipping costs so it was just under $300 out of my pocket to get it transported here and picked up at a walmart parking lot.

I don't mind doing body work, or any work for that matter; that's why I enjoy owning older vehicles. I just want to start off with the best I can get!

Crew cabs is my ideal choice so I can move people with me (especially if I need a helping hand with whatever I'm doing), but for right now I'd be happy with anything, from a single cab to a super cab, just to get me going. I'm in the "NEED" a truck phase and don't wish to rent one, borrow one, or buy something I don't want.

I'm looking at it as an excuse to eventually own two, heh.

I appreciate the feedback so far! I've seen a few nice ones drive by around here, so I know they're around, just not being sold. Or they're owned by elderly folks looking to sell who don't use the Internet, but I've no way of knowing just where such a person might be.

 

So I've been doing some looking around, and it seems that one could swap the bullnose clip to either a bricknose or OBS truck with just a few small things that need to be addressed.

That would be one way for me to get my crew cab... but I wouldn't have the nice original bullnose dash, which I love.

I read some concerns about body lines not matching, with the exception of the wheel arches on OBS trucks being more rounded versus the more squared arches of the bullnose, I can't see any other major differences.

I'd rather not have to deal with the complexities of electronics and all that jazz on a post-86 Ford, but that may be my only choice!

I'm not sure if I should just hold out, or go for a '90+ and do the front clip swap. I've no issues doing some fabrication to get it to work.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/122413388205

Just look hard and be crafty, what you are looking for will turn up eventually.

 

I've discovered I have a habit for looking for things when they've either already become super rare, or the value has begun to shoot up exponentially!

I've gotten serious recently about my wood working and learning that trade, that I've already been asked to build several pieces of furniture. Right now I do all of my lumber hauling in my Wrangler or either of my two Mercedes!

I'm also in the process (it's been five years already, and no progress!!) of restoring a 1951 Mercedes-Benz 170S, so being able to haul parts from the yard is going to be much easier once I've got my hands on a solid truck.

 

https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/cto/6023668348.html

https://corpuschristi.craigslist.org...044929024.html

https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/cto/6042509436.html