Been thinking. I currently have about 7k in my truck. I still have a wore out transmission, suspension and an old engine.. But the body is great, and so is the frame.
If I would replace / rebuild everything to new spec, I believe I would put at least another 10 k into the truck. What do you guys usually spend on your truck ?
My final goal would be to make the truck reliable to take it anywhere on long distance..

 

I bought mine for 6K and put over 15K into it. The trans was 5K of that and NO rebuild on the motor but it's reliable. Just depends on what you want.

 

Exactly. It just depend on what you want. I love the looks, sounds, and feel of my old truck. That's why I keep it. I also am not worried about it letting me down. Though my father in law has a 2012 powerstroke with 40000 miles that he wants to replace because he is worried about problems with it.

 

I think once you put money into anything to the amount that you have, it's a loss to get rid of it sooner than later. Truth be told, I love my OBS, but I would also love to have a newer truck not so dependent on sensors to keep it running. But, as of now, my tally is as follows:

Front End rebuild- $1200
E-Fuel- $650
Edge CTS-- $350
EGT Probe-- $100
Trans line fix-- $400
New tires-- $1200

Not to mention all of the little fixes, hours of my time, and sweat to make it the way I want it. It just seems more prudent to at least put miles on it and get use out of the money and time that you have spent up to this point. For me, that's another 2 years of driving and owning this truck.

Not sure if this helps. It always seems cheaper in the long run to fix what you have rather than buy new. I think it's also fun to see just how far you can push it. I sold a Dodge Ram 3500 some years back that I had put 320,000 miles on hauling horses, ranching, etc... There was NOTHING wrong with the truck. I just got the "need a new truck" fever when my buddy got his. I traded mine in and I had really put work into it to make it just right. I still regret that decision to this day and that was over 10 years ago. Just my .02...

 

Um, wouldn't any newer truck be MORE dependent on sensors to keep it running? If you're really looking to go simple/mechanical (ie a SHTF vehicle), wouldn't you want to go BACK in time, like to an old manual-tranny IDI?

Q for the OP - How many miles on that "old engine"? They're good for a million miles, properly serviced. Suspension/steering are _relatively_ cheap and mostly bolt-on service parts. Transmission - either get it built or swap to a ZF5 and you're good for a long time. If you're starting with a clean body and frame, you're well ahead of the game. Everything else can be maintained in a manner that will keep the truck as reliable as anything newer. We just backed into the driveway yesterday with 5,150 miles on the GPS trip odometer, Madison to San Diego, grand tour of the Southwest and back, everything from mountain switchbacks to desert monsoons to So-Cal rush-hour madness. Grand tally of truck "events": added 1.5 qt of oil during the trip (most prob. due to the drain plug leaking...) and had to tighten down the topper clamps. After an oil change and maybe a tire rotation, I'd turn around and do it again tomorrow.

 

I have done too much stuff to my truck in the 2 years of owning it I don't really want to list it. Lol. But I bought my CCLB Srw zf5 for 7400.
The other day I was bored and rounded up my receipts. Added me up. And I was at about 11.500 roughly into it

 

And still have a lot more I wanna do to it to like e fuel. Sd hpop. Interior work. Lift springs etc

 

You have to put money into all vehicles not just these. If something of mine breaks, I fix it and everything around it. I think that will save time down the road. I have alot in my truck and feel it is dependable. Just keep up on maintenance and replace a sensor now and then when you can.

 

Correction...DIFFERENT truck

 

True story.

 

I will say when I first purchased my truck I was very shellshocked at my first diesel shop bill that almost eclipsed the purchase price of the truck just to get it home reliably in the dead of winter. I paid 4k for mine with 112,000 miles on it. The first 8,000 miles I was probably paying a 1.20 a mile to maintain the damn thing. Everything that could break, did break... I knew it was going to be a basket case of a truck at first, but the last 40,000 miles have been problem free reliable miles, only costs associated were oil and fuel. The rest of the money was put into things that were not necessary(paintjob, fabbing bumpers, wheels, bedlining, etc.)

That being said, do I want to drive a new 2015 f350? Absolutely! They ride like a Cadilac compared to my brick, and my lower back is effed from sports. If I had 70,000 + for one and pockets to pay $100 an hour everytime the EPA gizmos squawked then maybe I'd consider it.... just maybe, but I'd still keep ol black n blue! Thereality is I will never be able to afford a newer truck and quite frankly they have so much new age crap on them its nearly impossible to diagnose one without software and a computer that cost more than my POS truck did!

My only gripe with the 7.3 are all the electronics monitoring the motor... granted there are very few and far between by today's standards, but I feel as time goes on its going to be hard to find quality sensors that will no longer be produced by FORD. In ten years when the day comes to pull the motor and rebuild it, I sure hope there still is the support on the market for the electronics that go with these trucks...good cps, ipr, etc... I sure hope so :-) Been trying to stock up on spares :-)

 

I have over 25k into my 97 I have done 99% of all the work myself

Truck 97 CCSB 7.3 stick 4wd
$8600
VARIOUS chassis things(d60, sling hangers, springs, RSK, shocks etc..)
$5000
Trans rebuild(sent out)
$450
Clutch
$900
Rims/tires
$1600
Interior pieces(dash pad, radio, trim pieces, seat)
$1000
Body work(new bed sides,tailgate, door, fenders, hood, rad support, paint, prime, tape, etc)
$6000
Performance parts(chip, gauges, exhaust, Turbo, etc)
$1500

 

Well, it appears I'm in my truck not too bad, considering all the repairs I have done so far.
I agree that purchasing a new truck might be nice, but the maintenance and repairs , besides the note, would be more I'm willing to do..

As for my truck, I don't think I have too much more to do.. Here some things I still need to waist money on:
- air over spring front and some type of air ride for the rear suspension,
- suspension and driveline rebuilt, incl driveshaft balancing,
- rebuilt the zf and new clutch,
- air ride seat console ( for my back)
- replacing on board air system with new one.
- some interior work, incl carpet
- rims and tires ..
- and one day a new engine
Thats all I can think of right now. ..

 

I also forgot Up-Pipes---$650, Intake---$100. I don't have near what some others have (ahem, Brad.. Cough) but mine didn't have body issues. I am sure I will be closer to some of these guys when my awesome E4OD decides it's done, but until then, only about $10k including the truck ($6500) when it's all said and done. That's at least $40k less than a nice new one.

 

Cost of maintaining has most to do with how it has been maintained in the past.

Upgrading is not maintaining..

I've probably got too much in mine, but its my truck, and its what I want. I've owned it since 2000 so I paid a lot more than most to start with.