I've been keeping an eye out for an older truck to tinker with, take my time restoring, and learn from. I found a 1963 F-250 Fire Utility Truck, but it's a bit of a long drive to go see it. I was hoping this community could take a look at the photos and let me know if you notice any red flags.

It's a V6, 4 on the floor. Described as "starts, but runs rough".





Thanks!

 

I love it. Buy it and restore it to original. Redo the door signs and name and lettering on the hood and doors. Restore it as it looked when new. Nice find.

 

Same here im jealous.

 

It is a strait 6 not a v-6.
Should run for a long time.
Trucks that run rough are usually cheap.
Look for evidence of a recent engine compartment fire.
Buy fix it and drive it.

 

If that picture of the engine is accurate and reasonably recent then someone just went through the engine. (Very few people will paint an engine that nice except when they are rebuilding.) That reduces the likelihood of a number of issues. I would buy it if the price is right and figure out if the issues are Fuel, Spark or both related, and then attack the potential causes one by one. My engine isn't nearly that nice, and original for 66, and I replaced or rebuilt everything attached to the engine and mine runs great.

Look for rust in the cab corners, floor board and crawl under and look at he cab mounts. The parts to repair these issues are easy to come by but the repairs take some time, or money to get them fixed. Just a warning, my cab supports looked pretty good when I got the truck. 1 yr bouncing around repairing, and 1 year driving, and they caved in.

I agree on the restore the paint scheme, and make it look like it did when it was an active service truck.

 

I agree'' it's a keeper!!..looks cool and you don't see many in ''Fireform''..haha..
Go for it if it's not a rusted out heap! which it don't look like in the pic's..

 

i agree with everything above but would add be prepared for a top speed of about 65mph. don't know your rear ratio but my truck (63, 4sp manual) has a 4:56 in the back and 60mph is pushing it. hopefully taller tires will help.
i still like the truck though and i'm glad i bought it.

 

Make sure if you can raise that floor mat,signs of rust or no rust is a good sign here.

 

Chuggin,

From the photos, there's not much to see really, other than that the interior looks pretty decent and the
roof "appears" to be solid. Ultimately, you have to go and look at it carefully, and look for rust and other
issues in the known areas...roof drip rails, cab supports, floors etc.

I'm guessing most Fire Dept.'s would have a proper protocol on maintenance-ie not using crappy repair
methods...but who knows what's been done since the F.D owned it?? It appears as though some work
has been done...if it runs rough though, consider how you're going to get it home...towing, flatbed??

Best,
Jason

 

Like the man says- restore it to like when it was delivered new to the Fire Department.

It was probably maintained by the station personnel when it was a first line vehicle, maybe as a brush fire truck, but over the years these tend to be replaced by newer vehicles and the older trucks are just parked out back as a stand-by and never really used.

I see a flashing red lite and spots...does it have a si-reen too?

Oh, and you may have to get a larger lot, since you're going to have to stay back 200 ft. once it's in the driveway

 

Looks to have been originally Yellow--- Door, hood and firewall. That would make me wonder if it was always a fire type truck. Count on it needing major engine work before you buy. If you pay full price then find out it needs an engine.... Could be something simple by why take the chance.

Interior seems to be in great looking condition.

 

I hardly think a repainted valve cover is an indication of a rebuilt engine. The rest of it looks appropriately greasy yet.

I wouldn't pay a lot for that truck as it has a lot of negatives going for it. The novelty of it being a fire truck will soon wear off. The utility bed really hurts the value, as does it being an F250 (8 lug wheels, super low rear axle ratio). If you're buying it to put it to work that's all ok. If you want it as a collectible vehicle, then it's a very narrow market of appeal. Ditch the utility bed and find a 'proper' pickup bed and you'll probably double the value. A '63 would normally take the 'wrong' or "fridge" bed used from 1957-1963.

May want to read this article for additional thought: trkvalue The most important thing is the condition of the body parts, which those photos divulge very little.

The yellow paint makes me think it started life as a highway or construction truck.

 

Actually, the yellow 'paint' never entered my mind.

Blackwaterforge had mentioned an engine compartment fire and in my mind I just attributed the yellow to that type of rusting common to vehicles that have experienced a fire. Not the usual dark oxidation found on older parts.

Maybe it is paint, though. I didn't notice it on the doors. Coulda missed it.

 

Post the tag info.

 

The interior appears to have the original Rangoon red paint, which would negate the exterior being yellow.