You guys will get sick of me I'm sure until I actually end up buying a dang truck
The culprit this time is a 97 F350 XLT crew, 4x4, PSD, E4OD, 110K miles, newer tires, alloy wheels, spray in liner, KC off road lights, 2 new batteries, new starter, new alternator, new exhaust with downpipe, and probably a few other things I've forgot. Here's the bad news:



The guy is asking $6K for the truck. Frame will need to be replaced I'm sure- car-parts.com has them for as much as $1000, most of them are less though. Is $6K too much for this truck? I haven't actually laid eyes on it yet, it's 4 hours away and I'm trying to do as much leg work as I can before I commit.

 

to need a frame, yes its too much imo.

 

Personally I think you can do A LOT better than that...

6k - 8k you should be able to find something that at least still has paint on it...

On this one, my personal statement would be "I DON'T THINK SO TIM"

 

I wouldn't pay 6K for it! I would have a hard time paying 4K for it.

 

??? Paint is fine, other than the trim piece under the grille (those spots you're seeing on the hood are frost). The rest of the truck is actually in really good shape from what I can tell. I'll have to admit I'm a little surprised by the responses here, I figured even at 5K with another grand and about a month's work I'd have a pretty decent truck at a fair price... I'm glad I asked now!

 

Doesnt mater. If it was reported and it has front end FRAME DAMAGE, which it obvioulsly does, the insurance company should have made it a salvage. That KILLS your resale value if you ever plan to sell. Looks like its sittting on level ground (from just the pic) and leans from left to right pretty good. I would say 2500 to 3k would be THE MOST I would spend on this vehicle. Atleast that way when you get done with it, you can get your money back out of it if you HAD too.

 

Hey... that's a military owner on that truck!

 

It is a salvage title (guess I forgot that in my first post). I could care less about that, once I get a crew cab I don't plan on selling it for at least 5 years. It's not on perfectly level ground, you just can't tell by that one photo.

 

Need more pictures of it but the way the frame is bent it took the springs and the core support with it. so more than likely to springs are bent and core support is tweaked. And possibly the fender supports and firewall.

 

Ditto what TJ said. Thats what I was getting at. How many lap daces would it take to buy that truck TJ....LOL. Sorry, couldnt help myself. I promise I wont mention it again. LOL

Salvage vehicles around here = cannot GIVE them away. So if you spent a total of
7k on it rebuilding it, paint and such, you may get 3 to 3.5k back out of it. But one around here with clean title = Spend 9 k, and in 4 years sell for 8k, and you never have to turn a wrench to get it ready for the road. There are a few places here where they sell trucks at a REDICULOUS low price to me, just because he is my uncle though.

 

I think this would be a great truck to fix I just think that they are asking too much for it. I would really want to look very closely at the block. Its very possible depending where that frame stopped bending that it moved the cross mmber far enough to break motor mount bosses off the block. I doubt it i this case but it does happen. But none the less it will take more than a frame, bumper and fill panel to fix this truck.

 

Do you have more pics,,,

Like how the hood lines up to the fenders & the Cowl...& fenders to the doors ?

I doesnt' look like it needs a frame ,, is it rust free ?...

 

looks like a good DONOR truck to me for other projects, other than that, too much money

 

I have more pics, but can't post them until this evening (filter on the work computer). Fenders/doors line up, the photos I have the hood is open so unsure of that one. Stay tuned, I can post photos tonight.

 

Tim sent me a few more picks ,,, sheet metal alignment is an issue..Not beyond repair ,,,The box being out of alignment means the frame is worse than I originally thought L 1/4 damage & cab ,, RF fender has a good bit of pressure on it

Rad saddle looks a bit tweeked ,,Might be some damage to the rad also


If it was an Insurance co salvage ,, they looked it ever well.. may not be bad if you are looking for a truck & are handy

A good frame shop should be able to straighten it ,maybe 6-8 hrs