So, my aunt has had a 1994 F-150 parked in her back yard for 16 years. It has not been driven in this time and somehow appears to be entirely rust free o_O

It has 40k miles on it and she finally decided she wants rid of it. I'm considering buying it off her and paying someone to fix it(whatever needs doing). Problem is, I don't really know what that would entail. Is this thing destined for the scrap heap, or could it likely be fixed up for less than say, two grand?

I know that without physically inspecting it, it's impossible to say, but just as a matter of pure speculation, do you think this sounds right? I'm no mechanic, but it seems possible to me.

 

Fuel must be drained, plugs must be removed and cylinders lubricated. Hoses should be inspected, as well as any other rubber. What type of surface has this vehicle been sitting on? 2 grand is likely, if you have some handy friends who will allow you to help with the dirty work, assuming the truck hasnt been sitting on top of grass for that long.

 

You can't figure out how much it's going to cost to fix it if you don't know what's wrong with it.

 

Just my opinion, backed up with a bit of experience...........

One of the worst things for a vehicle is being parked for a long time, especially if its not on pavement. Everything underneath is probably quite well rusted including brake lines which might burst soon after putting it back on the road. I'd crawl underneath and look, poke and prod around before going too much further. As mentioned much of the rubber parts could also be in bad condition too.

NotYet's advice about cylinder lubrication is spot on. If a battery is still in place its acid might have leaked out making a mess underhood.

I don't think its ready for the scrap heap but depending on the purchase price it might take a bit of work and money to get it running properly once again. The mileage is attractive but the time sitting would concern me.

Please let us know what you do----photos would be nice too!

 

I would expect to have to at minimum replace the in tank pumps, rear wheel cylinders, and quite likely the front brake calipers. Expect seal and gasket leaks from the motor. Depending upon where you are located, it is possible for humidity to enter the one to two cylinders that had valves open while sitting and stick the motor, so the mentioned lubrication is a good idea. Realistically, expect to replace the tanks along with the pumps.

 

Without a thorough inspection, it would be hard to put a dollar amount on the repairs. That being said, if the price was right it could be well worth the money.
I do have a couple of questions though; Will this be your daily driver? How willing are you to do some of the work that needs to be done. How much time do you have till the work needs to be done? How much time do you have to work on it? How much work do you want to do yourself to save the cost of labor?
These older trucks do require some ongoing maintenance, so plan accordingly.
And, Yes, I think this truck could be well worth having.
Good Luck and Welcome to one of the best forums on the internet. You will find many knowledgeable people here willing to help you with good quality answers.


P.S. You should become a member of the "Georgia Chapter".

 

IMO this truck is well worth saving and well worth the money to repair as needed.

I would plan to replace tires, belt hoses.

Inspect break line paying particular attention to the rubber lines on front.

Break calipers and wheel cylinders may be seized but they are cheap and easy to replace.

You'll need a coolant flush, oil change, transmission fluid change be it auto or M5OD, axle oil replaced, lube cylinder tops, replace plus and wires while they are out and get a new battery.

Replace the gas in the tanks with a small amount to see if the pumps still work. The pumps are easy to replace and fairly cheap for this model truck.

Ball joints and u-joint on the drive shaft are no doubt dried up.

My dad's '89 F-150 sat for over 10 years and was never even turned over. We sold it having done nothing to it and she cranked right up with a gallon or two of fresh gas and a new battery. Still running great too. That was six years ago.

 

I would also completely flush and change the brake fluid.

 

Stuff came up and I forgot about making this post. But I did return!(eventually).

The truck was almost brand new. It was my grandfather's. When he died, my aunt got it and proceeded to park it out in a field and leave it there this whole time. Her husband died last year and she's begun throwing away his stuff and so she's decided to get rid of grandpa's truck as well.

It was in perfect working order 16 years ago. But it's not been parked on pavement. As a matter of fact, it's quite surrounded by grass at all times.
I did crawl under it with a flashlight and I don't see any rust under there. There is no grass underneath it. It has really heavy duty tires and even now they still have air in them. I was shocked when I went back there to look at it. It looks more like it's been sitting out for a year, not 2/3 of my life, lol. It's white, and yet it still doesn't look that bad. I've seen cars on the road that look worse.
I do wonder if my uncle perhaps cleaned it. I know my aunt hasn't touched it all this time.

As for price, my aunt told me I could just have it if I fix it up. So I'm thinking it's probably worth doing. I figured anything with rubber would have to be replaced. My concern was if stuff like wiring generally goes bad. I've heard too many horror stories about rewiring to want to consider a vehicle that needs that.

I'm sure the fuel tank is rusted badly. I know even though the tires still hold air, they need replaced. New battery. New all hoses. Probably gaskets too. And belts. Plus brakes. That was all pretty much a given for me, though I probably should have said so.

The calipers and cylinders were the sort of the thing I was hoping to have pointed out.

And to Grubworm's question, I don't know anyone that's very good with cars. At least not with enough free time to do this much work. And I know a little bit about vehicles, but I have never done more than change a tire I don't even replace my own oil. So it will all be contracted with a shop.

I'm hoping it can become my primary vehicle. My car is getting to that point where a lot of stuff is starting to go bad, and it's probably not long before something major comes up, like bad timing chain.

So, odds are this is worth fixing up? My budget has grown to $3,000

 

Hiring to a regular shop will definitely take a lot of that budget possibly. I would expect a tank, and for preventive rad hoses, fuel system flush at a minimum, brake caliper.cylinders/hoses, tires as noted, and the battery. Wiring doesn't necessarily degrade from sitting alone, but connections at plugs could potentially be issues, but not a guaranteed problem. Your best bet is to talk to the shops, take the list of things tot hem and have them estimate it. Make them sign a written estimate, and be certain they would call you if there to be anything more done, or leave them.

 

If rodents havent nested in it, wiring should not have deteriorated. A couple of minor electrical trouble spots might be corrosion of the alternator slip rings or starter commutator. This can be fixed without a complete replacement if it turns out to be an issue. Since there is no location stated in your profile, I cant even guess the climate. Different things happen in storage, depending upon if you are in Seattle, Phoenix or Miami.

 

Georgia according to the user profile... I went looking to be able to assess that aspect myself. That does explain the general condition of the truck. The last 84 brought to the farm was a Georgia truck, very clean, until run in the Iowa road treatments and gravel roads.

 

Sounds like the price is right. Go for it!