Junk it, or sell two lungs to keep it going?
 

So after some very agonizing trouble shooting I was able to get my 87 E-150 cargo van up and running with the help of subford and 87 XLT, only for it to kick me in the ass. Alternator died while on the opposite side of town, had my brother come out and give me jump. In the process of rolling out of the driveway before the jump, the door got caught on a bush and folded it in half. So now I need a new door too.

So I’m pondering junking it. The local salvage will give 200 if you can drive it in. I paid 350, and probably have around 550 total into it (including cost of vehicle). Local paper has an 84 chebbie 4x4 diesel with 4” lift I was looking at…

Really love it, 124" wb Cargo van, my dream car sadly. Had ambition to slap a dually axle on it, just spent a buch of cash on it trying to get that going then all this hits the fan. The body is shot, body mounts are rusting through, holes in the floor.


Just out of high school, no real job (mow lawns), own parents and friends money already… Any advice?

junk it, cut your losses

Look on Govliquidation for a nice truck. you'll see older GM CUCV's with 6.2s and 4x4 along with Dodges all the time goin for fairly cheap.

oh yeah and some other REALLY REALLY cool stuff you couldnt imagine wanting till you see it.

So I’m pondering junking it. The local salvage will give 200 if you can drive it in. I paid 350, and probably have around 550 total into it (including cost of vehicle). Local paper has an 84 chebbie 4x4 diesel with 4” lift I was looking at…

chebby? what the heck man. id drive that van day after day before id get a chebby.
Mitch
drive it the way it is, dont spend money in it.

I'm not brand oriented, ford just happens to run in the family. My opinion is if it runs alright, drive it, but the van is slowly dieing.

It needs a new alternator, and now a door. If I were to replace both I will have spent more on fixing it up then I paid for it. Really the only reason I got it was to put the dually axle on it. Until that were to happen, it’s just another piece.

I don’t know, I guess it’s a moral battle. Getting rid of the prized first vehicle because of mechanical in adequacy, or dump money at it till it falls apart.

Surely you can get more than that out of it by parting it out? Like just selling the motor and tranny ect separtly and then taking the rest to the crusher, thats what i would look into, dont take just 200 for it........

Yeah 200 was kind of taking it in the butt, but I'm just getting frustrated with it. I don't have the facilities to pull the motor/tranny.

Are you a weakling? No offense but, this is pathetic. Your whining about what, an alternator, a door? When I was a 14 I began restoring my 66 F100, and there was hell of a lot more wrong with it then a bad alternator. Engine needed to be rebuilt, so I rebuilt it, needed new u-joints, brakes, master cylinder, clutch, front and rear wheel bearings, and more, so I replaced what needed to be replaced and repaired what needed to be repaired. Also had a wood bed that was rotted away, so I fixed it.

Then came the bodywork. Both front fenders were smashed in, found new ones and put them on. Same with the front bumper. Also replaced my passenger door which was severly damaged. There were dings and dents everywhere, I pulled what I could, and hired a proffesional to do what I couldnt practially do.


I did all this with my own money, while working a job as well. Its sounds to me like you are just complaining because everything isnt perfect and just so.

What can I say, thats life.


BTW, I have over $5000 into my truck, thats just parts.

Wasn't really looking for a lecture buddy. A 66 is a hell of a lot more worth it than an 87. And when you make around $100 a week, it's hard to afford insurance and gas, let alone rebuild a motor.

Maybe I was whining a bit, that's what happens when you're down. There's a lot more wrong with it than just a door and the alternator, those were just recent incidences.

I like to think of my self as a realist. 5 gs into your truck and I bet it still doesn't look factory. 5gs into my van and it would just run a little bit smoother, and still look like crap. Going to be starting college here in the fall and I know I won't be able to afford nickel and dime for the next couple years.

It was a hasty post, and probably a little inappropriate. Guess I was just looking for moral support, which I got from some of the other guys. You just as easily used the story of your truck to encourage me, not put me down.

Well,
If I were you at this point while you dont have the $$ in it just junk the poor thing and put it out of its misery, not to sound harsh. Its like that good ole song goes " You gotta know when to hold em, know when to fold em". If you really miss it that much after you get rid of it, it shouldnt be too hard to pick another one up for bout the same price. BTW not everyone can affoard to build and maintain vehicles like that most of us I think are just trying to keep what we've got goin down the road good enough with out going broke while doing it.
-Chris :-X22

agreed - take the money and run!

Agreed, get the money and go for the Chevy. I'll probably get flamed for saying that but I've got a Chevy family and don't see problems with them, despite what people on these forums tend to say.

RP
Zach

I agree. About the only thing that's really better on a Ford is the fact that distributor work doesn't involve advil for back pain.

So What'd ya do?

Part it out, you will get at least 4x what the junkyard will give you for it, and you know that's exaclty what they're gonna do to it.

Trevor