Hey all,

I've started to search around for an old pickup and was wondering if I could get some advice. My grandpa had a 1969 F100 that was given away the year before I got my drivers license, so that is kind of my number 1 choice. Im looking to not spend a ton of money, yet still get a truck I like. This is currently the one I am looking at 1969 Ford F100 If I went to go check it out what are things I should check for? Are certain places more prone to rust than others? Also what do you think that truck is worth.

Thanks

 

Bed is usually rusted and tailgate is usually dented up pretty good. Being a 4wd it's worth more with the offset being its more expensive to keep in good running order (just because there's more driveline to have things go wrong with, etc). I think in my part of the country that is a fair price for it, if everything is what he says it is (ie, if it really does "rund goood").

 

Alright, my current car will sell for a lot more than that truck so I'm not horribly worried about price. Also what are the most common things to die on trucks this age? Transmission? Engine? I don't mind doing work myself, and my area craigslist is filled with this generation trucks being parted out.

 

The main issue on any vehicle this age is everything. Go over it with a fine tooth comb & don't be afraid to offer something down around $1200 & go from there. That is providing you don't find anything majorly wrong with it.

 

Rust prone areas: Bed surface, rear quarters under the tail lights (look up there from underneath), cowl sides, roof rails, trailing corners of the hood, floor pans, cab corners, and door corners. Ford didn't exactly use a whole heckuvalot of seam sealer nor rustproofing on these rigs.

Hmm.. no PS on 35s. Get ready for a workout!

IMO, that's a decent price for a 4x4 if it is as represented. Then again, I'm in CA where we pay up the wazoo for most everything.

 

OP omitted the fact in the thread title that the truck has 4WD

P/S was not available in F100/250 4WD's until 1973. This truck has the 1969 Ranger only grille, is missing the Ranger grille emblem. The right/left headlamp doors are not correct for a 1969 Ranger.

Has been lifted, has the wrong front bumper and probably has rust considering it's in the rainy PNW.

 

You live in an area where there are more of these old trucks than anywhere I've ever been. It doesn't look too bad but a couple red flags indicate it was owned by another kid or amateur. First is the big tires, no old guy would want to muscle those around without power steering and the lift kit, check it over good. If they lifted it that much and didn't put the dropped track bar and pitman arm, it will be a bump steering death trap.The second is the underhood area. Red paint and chrome valve covers seemed more important than keeping things tidy and professional looking. I generally shy away from vehicles that have been through the hands of the young and inexperienced. If the price is right though it still might be worth it but not $1800. Just like the Corvette guys say, treat a modified vehicle just like a damaged one, figure what it would take to put it back stock (whether that's what you want to do or not)
Another word of advice for the young and inexperienced, make sure the title is clear and in the guys name whose selling the truck and get a bill of sale too. Also make sure that the truck has the serial number that's on the title. That tag is on the door and if the door was changed out, you could have some serious issues later on. Just walk away from any deal that doesn't have everything in order with the title.

 

I bet if you run the numbers, you may find out the body was originally a 2 wheel drive

 

So this will be your only transportation? Have you considered the cost of gas? It will get 12mpg at best.

 

if its a 1969 its 2wd but the rust spots are going to all depend if it was drove in the winter or not i have the same truck that was not drove in the winter the inner fenders are starting to rust, cab corners, rocker panels and by the wheel wells in the box. if it has the 300 straight 6 thats a very good motor if you can deal with the three on tree. i think it would be a great truck if you could get it for 1100 to 1300 they are a very comfortable truck .

 

Where did you come up with this conclusion? Click on the link in post #1 and you will see: "1969 Ford F100 longbed 4X4"

Factory installed 4WD introduced in 1959 F100/250's, 1979 F350's.

 

Anybody else notice the floor shifter and the column shifter? Also with the block on the engine painted red sometime in the past that means someones stripped it down to that and could have possibly messed something up on assembly but who knows.

And id listen to what willowbilly's saying. He knows what hes talking about. My 71 has a 360 and i'm getting 8-10mpg and i drive really carefully.

Good luck buddy...... and welcome to FTE

 

The good news is: You could pull a trailer with an FE and still get 8-10

 

Update: So it sold the day before I texted him for 1400 which seems pretty decent. But these trucks are popping up every day so I think I'm going to wait until its just right. It probably wont be a daily driver since I bike to work every day, and when I'm at school I never drive. Its more just to have an old pickup which I have always wanted. Thanks for the advice, I hope I can find one I like soon.

 

Thats a good outlook, and this way you can wait for one that is exactly what you want, or closer to what you want, and snap it up then. Ever since I was a kid I wanted one of these 67-72 body style pickups with long wheelbase styleside. Everybody else of course wants the shortbed stepside. There was one sitting in a field with weeds growing up all thru, baking out in the sun, rusting away, and every time I would see it I would imagine being old enough to go buy it, tow it home, and fix it up. Of course by the time I got to be a teen it had been pulled away and crushed. I had a couple of the 73-79 pickups which I also loved, but happier now that I finally have the type of truck I always wanted.