Hello, new member chiming in. Looking at an unmolested 90' Lariat, 4 wheel manual hubs with 302. 174k standard cab long bed. Always liked this body style best! Been off of the road as a farm truck since it failed inspection but still largely intact and solid mechanical wise. Figure it's a great project to save an old Lariat from the scrapyard.

Motor is solid with no leaks but the AOD needs work. It's the only thing I won't be able to take care of myself but I know a buddy from my dealer days who now runs a shop and can do me a favor. Need to do both windows as they are inop. A/C said to be inop but summer is over now so I have time to diag/fix. 4x4 works as intended. Tires are okay. Will surely need some front end work but nothing I can't do myself. Interior is in good shape with all the Lariat goodies.

Key concern is underneath. Yeah, there's the typical fender well rust, the paint sucks and there's a small dent but owner states there is quite a bit of rust on underbody. Have not yet seen truck and am waiting on owner to tell me the extent as I can't see from the pictures given. If it's not rotten through the floors and the frame isn't bad I figure I will just sandblast and POR 15.

300 bucks. Yay or nay? Only considering because it's a Lariat.

 

You don't say if it's a F150 or F250. Since you're talking about something that may or may not be rusted badly, you gotta look at scrap weight...what you'll get out of it if you buy it, and decide to not work on it. F150 4X2 weighs less than the F250 4X4.

AOD...look at about $1000 or more to replace, if it can't be repaired, unless you can find a trusted used transmission, then it will be slightly less.

Frame rust can be patched and welded. Wheel arches for the bed are inexpensive to replace, if you're doing the work on your own, as is most of the sheet metal work.

You say the engine runs well, and doesn't leak. A well maintained 1990 era 302 can easily reach over 200k miles. I had a '92 302 that went over 300K miles before I sold the car, and it was still running great. Do you personally know the seller? Have they properly maintained the engine? You say it won't pass inspection...is that because of emissions or the rust on the truck? Is your plan to continue using it as a farm/off road only vehicle, or are you wanting to license it for road use?

At this point, I'm looking at this as a salvage purchase, because of how vague your post is, due to what you admittedly don't know about the underbody or why it failed inspection. With that in mind, do you have the ability to strip it, sell the good parts and scrap the bad parts? If so, $300 is a great deal!! If not, check your local scrap car pricing per ton. This is because these two options show you how much you can get out of it if it becomes a project that you can't handle.

In 2009, I paid $600 for a '89 F250 4X4 XLT Lariat w/manual doors because it was a Utah truck with a very clean frame. In those days, scrap prices were very good compared to today's scrap car price per ton.

I am now 7 years since, and a total investment, counting purchase price, of just over $2500 into it...and still have wheel wells to replace, and prep for a redneck paint job. I had to replace the engine (blew rear main seal when I moved), replaced the transmission (vibrations from bad drive shaft broke bellhousing), and rebuilt and balanced the drive shaft. Most parts, minus the M5OD-R2, were sourced from bone yards, with the tranny being professionally rebuilt with a 5 year warranty. Do I still feel I got a good deal? Yup...The truck towed my DD from Utah to Pennsylvania in 2010, with the bed loaded up with household and garage items. I now live in Western PA with a 27 year old truck that still has a solid frame...a rarity in this portion of the states.

There is much to consider when buying these old trucks...with trim package being the least important.

 

Some updates.

Do not know the seller personally, local Clist post. No maintenence records. I'd thought I'd mentioned it was a F150, whoops! 302 motor. Me and uncle know our way around them especially him. Used to build em back in the day! Eventually we will end up rebuilding but it looks like she will get us through until then.

Heard back from the seller, underneath is just SURFACE rust so me and the boys can sandblast and undercoat. Pictures looked good, no frame or spring rot! Just the fender arches and surface rust on frame. Needs a coat of paint. Interior is complet with little wear for the age

Inspection failed for the inoperative windows, rust was not an issue. Seller states noise from windows when power applied but no movement so looking at window regs. Does not know how AC went out. I can source a AC kit for cheap as I can most parts being a employee at a parts house. Plan on doing the front end anyways since they are a dime a dozen from work.

As for the AOD as previously mentioned, I have a former coworker from the Ford dealership I was at who ended up opening his own shop. He is going to do me a big favor and do a full rebuild should I pull the trans myself at little cost to me. Saves me a ton of money.

A bit of background, I do have experience working on cars as a tech and have plenty of tools. My uncle has a shop in the backyard and whatever else I don't have, along with complete knowledge of older F-Series. I have access to Alldata and parts at cost. We plan on doing everything ourselves minus transmission rebuild. This will be a daily commuter for me to and from work and possibly a vehicle to work mobile work with in the future. We do easily have capabilites to strip truck as well if needbe.

300 still fair? Plan to see her tomorrow on my day off.

 

With that knowledge, $300 is fair.