Alright, I will "Richard Rawlings" this man, and if he does not budge then off to a new truck most likely. Any tips on getting him down in price?

 

Yup
Take all the notes off this thread and hit him with it.
Even the other nicer trucks for sale.
Throw 5K at him and see what he does. Be prepared to walk away.
As said before, at that price it will still be there.

 

Cash in hand. Like $5000 in one pocket, maybe $1000 in another. Some more money "hidden" in wallet, etc. Make sure you have the exact amount that you are willing to spend. As turbo said, be prepared to walk away.

 

Perfect, I appreciate all of this! I'll keep you all posted

 

The 10k red one is a way better looking deal IMO.

New truck buying excitement….First relax, do not show your enthusiasm to the seller! Act as if it is easy come, easy go. Here are some basics for checking out one of these rigs. Lots of mental notes to take! A written checklist is also OK to bring with you if needed. BE READY TO START MAKING A LIST TO DISCUSS WITH THE OWNER.
Basic Visual Inspection: TITLE TITLE TITLE 1st CHECK THE VI# ON THE PAPER TITLE, THEN AGAINST THE DVRS DOOR (WARRANTY PLATE) AND THEN THE (SAFETY STANDARDS CERTIFICATION LABEL) THIS IS NOT, I SAY AGAIN NOT THE VIN PLATE! THE ACTUAL VIN IS STAMPED ON THE FRAME! AND IT IS NOT ON THE DASH EITHER.
Do a bumper to bumper visual inspection; this is also time to go on “Visual Hack Patrol” – All those so-called “repairs” made by previous owners. Look for duct tape, household wire nuts, electrical tape, wood screws, wires that go to nowhere.
Any leaks on the ground? What about the drum backing plates (wheel cylinder) or the pinion seal(s).
Look for loose, missing, or broken hardware like lugs, lug nuts, fender and bumper bolts, and bell housing to engine bolts. Feel around for soft or cracked hoses – radiator hoses degrade from the inside. Crimp it with your hand and it should have the same firmness all the way around.
How do the radius arm bushings look? Rock the truck back and forth..any squeaks??? 4x4, ck the trac bar bushings. And ck the 4x4 operation. 4Hi and 4low.
Are the tires evenly worn? Any leaf springs broken? All the glass good? Bed liner in it, lift up the end and look under it for rust. Tailgate work?
Fluid Check.
Engine oil check, is it full and relatively clean. Or does it smell musty and old?
Coolant, is there an oily sheen? Does it look like milkshake?
Check level of auto trans, power steering, and brake fluid.
Ask if there is anything on the engine that has been heli-coiled.
Note any newish parts. Any “it’s been rebuilt” stories, show me a receipt.
Pre-Operation
Check for brake pressure, pedal low? Pedal sinks to floor? Comes back up slowly? Park brake work, if it’s a standard trans, that’s a biggie. Ask the owner BEFORE you put it on. It might NOT release. Check when truck is running and in gear it it’s an auto. The brake light on the dash will NOT COME ON WHEN YOU SET THE PARK BRAKE….
Ask owner battery condition then, turn on the (key) ignition system to the 1st position (no engine start). Turn on everything - exterior and interior lights, dash lights (rheostat to the left to brighten), turn signals, hazards, heater controls, blower fan, wipers, horn, a/c radio. Does everything work? What about the gas gauge?
Turn it all off, then Start Engine. See if elec choke works.
Fire it up and let it idle and just listen to it. Ck oil pressure. Get out of the cab and get your head under the hood. Any leaks? Ticking sounds? Exhaust leaks/tail pipe blue smoke? Knocks, thumps or rattle? Hand blip the throttle and listen, ck oil pressure again after a few minutes of idle time.
Squeeze the radiator hoses... they should not be pressurized. Hard hoses may mean a blown head gasket. Now get back in and turn all that pre operation stuff again. Does it all still work?
Let the owner drive it first and ride shotgun and just look, listen (have the stereo OFF) and get a feel for the truck, see how it drives. Does the owner chase the steering wheel all over the road, does it pull or any grinding noise, when he brakes? Does the transmission shift ok? Take over on the return drive and note how it tracks, turns, accelerates, and stops. Note the temp gauge and oil pressure reading....and is the heater working (hot air)?
CAREFULLY, do a aggressive stop with your hands lightly on the wheel...does it track straight without assistance? Does it pull to one side or the other, any grinding noises? Park it and let it idle for about five minutes to check if it overheats. What does the temp gauge read?
Shut it off for 10 minutes and then restart it. Hopefully it starts right up. If not, then it can be a vapor lock, a carb that needs to be rebuilt, or defective ignition components like an ICU or coil.
Odd but… take note how clean or unkept the sellers property is or even their own vehicles. That's a sign on how detail-oriented they are. Ask every question about the truck, has it been wrecked, maint history, previous owner’s ?
Cash talks, and BS walks or at least leaves without the truck, be serious about the ALL the issues found and what you might OR WILL need to address as soon as you buy it. Mention that to the owner, he might understand or maybe not care at all. Have your 1st CASH offer in one pocket and the rest of what you are willing pay in the other. Flash the cash, in a stack of 20’s, 50’s or 100’s, that always make it harder for the owner to say no.
Have fun, but remember it’s not the only truck for sale, and try not get caught up in the moment (yea right it’s a Ford truck man!)

 

I think that 10k truck is much better than the 11700 one for sure, but has the same issues of no ac (has the box, but can't see the compressor), standard, and the engine bay looks neglected.

With that said, if I really liked the truck after a physical inspection, I'd be willing to pay $8-9k as someone suggested already....I'd offer him $7, then work my way up to the 9k....going Richard Rawlings on the guy sometimes insults them, but if it's of no consequence, meaning you don't mind him not wanting to deal with you after, then go for it on the $5k offer.

Like most have said, there are damn near perfect show truck quality dents out there for the $13-15k price tag if you keep looking and are willing to travel. When I bought my first dent, I flew out and drove it home cross country.

Excellent post here....wish I had started a thread when I bought my first dent, but it turned out to be a great buy the longer I see others for sale.

 

Thanks, but the "excellent post" is right off the FTE pages, I just added a little here and there.

 

if you really want one of these old trucks just keep looking,that one is way to much,nice looking but so are many. I gave $3500 for mine back in march,took me 8 months to find the right one. GOOD LUCK

 

heres one in mich that may take less
1976 Ford F-250 Highboy

 

In NY, that orange one for the OP looks like a 8-9k truck, depending on body condition and paint quality.

start adding up the cost in parts alone and you will see why.