Ok so my younger brother whom is 16 currently has our 89 F350 460 and that had plans to become his truck. But the 4x4 conversion, getting it running and such has been put on hold and between my brother, me and my dad that a F350 crew cab is a lot of truck for something to be a driver for him. So originally we were going to buy a F150 4x4 for a replacement for a replacement for my dad's 86 F150 which he traded in but now that we have our 89 F250 351 going my dad has fallen in love with it.
So my question is we have found numerous trucks decently priced on craigslist and from a buddy but not sure which one to choose.
We aren't in a hurry currently but these are some of the options.

So the options are and he is not partial to any of them:
86 F150 4x4 302 AOD reg cab long bed XLT lariat which is for $600 but needs a timing chain cover and transmission along with paint. The paint I am not worried about nor finding an AOD trans but a timing chain does worry me.

next is a 89 F150 4x4 auto trans (not sure which one) 351W reg cab long bed for $700 but needs paint body work interior work and probably more This is also a reg cab long bed.
The two above would cost $150-300 in gas to get also.

The next 3 are a bit more then we were planning on paying but aren't to the point we are over looking them.

This one is from a buddy it is a 87-91 not sure of the exact year Ford f250 4x4 extended cab long bed 460 Zf-5 transmission. This one kinda defeats the purpose of getting something better on gas but my brother likes this one. This one has red interior (which sucks in our opinion but so does my brothers 89 F350) has a bad engine and needs a bit of body work not to bad though. My buddy wants $1k for it but we may be able to talk him down in price.

next is a 88 F150 4x4 302 reg cab long bed AOD trans (it is like my personal truck minus the aod trans which my brother loves my 88) gray interior XLT lariat 300+ miles but runs great. Needs paint but has newer tires (again not worried about paint) He wants $1k for it runs and drives too.

Last is a 89 F150 4x4 351W C6 transmission extended cab long bed with a rebuilt trans with shift kit like my personal 88 has, it has a small lift (leveling to 4inch with 33s) runs and drives but needs a little bit of body work. No idea on the interior. He wants $1500

These are just the trucks so far we have seen an again not in a hurry to buy. I will add and take off ones that sell or we find.
So which one would you guys choose?
I figured I would ask y'all since a lot of you guys are a lot like my younger brother.
Trav

 

I'd go with the 87-91 f250. Its already 4x4 so you could if you wanted to part out the 350 and just use that as a parts truck for the 250 when it needs something.

 

Thanks for your idea but the 350 isn't going to be parted out being it is a crew cab long bed which is hard to find in my area.

We also found an 91 Explorer cheap needs a head gasket though.
Trav

 

Well the 88 F150 for 1k sold.
The 89 F150 for $700 is now $600 obo so really thinking about this one.
The F250 I think we have now ruled out to much gas for my brother although it is a cool truck.


So all there is now is these:
91 explorer $375 blown headgasket and no idea if it has a tittle or not.
86 F150 4x4 for $600 bad trans and no timing cover
89 F150 4x4 for $600 obo been sitting so could be an easy fix.
and lastly 89 F150 4x4 $1500 running and driving but needs body work and is a bit more then we wanted to pay.
Trav

 

well guess I never updated this thread.
We ended up getting the 91 F250 my buddy had. It is going to need some work but that's ok. Also ended up being an auto so that is part of the reason we got it (driving up and down these roads with a standard uses a lot of gas up shifting and down shifting). Unless of course you have a flying carpet.
Trav