When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I think you might be on to something here. LOL Just because I was bored, I decided to check Craigslist yesterday for that Dodge Dakota I wanted to buy in Livermore. It is still there, and they still want $3995 for it. They also say 10 percent discount for cash. Yet they refused to finance it for me. I didn't even bother to fill out an app this time as I don't have the 50% they would ask for. So, I looked for 2005-2008 Ford
F-150's. Found one for $880 that had been burned in a fire when the car next to it caught on fire. Then I saw one the exact color of mine for $3,000 IIRC that needed a transmission and an intake manifold. Two items that work great on my truck. Problem is that is in San Jose. The tow bill would be too high. There was a white one cheap also, like $1,000 but it sounded like it has the same problem as mine. Oh well, guess I'll just have to wait. I joined more veteran's groups on Facebook so maybe I can get more donations to my Go Fund Me account.
Jim
Let me know if I can help with the towing, just like the Bronco I gave ya
Hank
Found one for $880 that had been burned in a fire when the car next to it caught on fire. Then I saw one the exact color of mine for $3,000 IIRC that needed a transmission and an intake manifold. Two items that work great on my truck. Problem is that is in San Jose. The tow bill would be too high. There was a white one cheap also, like $1,000 but it sounded like it has the same problem as mine.
If you are thinking of getting one of those as a donor vehicle, there's a lot of homework that you need to do.
When you start swapping engines and transmission packages, sometimes they're not always compatible. There's a lot of work that goes into reprogramming those computers to make them work together and play nice. From the factory, the trucks came with a 4.2 liter, 4.6 liter, or 5.4 liter engine. The transmissions were either a 4R70 or 4R75. Apparently, most of the parts will line up and bolt up. But getting them to work correctly is mechanical and electronic.
From what I recall, there's a powertrain control module, an engine control module, and a body control module. And when those major parts get swapped, a new batch of Gremlins appear. Other weird things start happening.
Although it would be ideal if you could simply take the engine, transmission, and computers from the burned truck. Or take the engine from the truck with a bad transmission.
One thing that concerns me is that the donor truck is 2wd and mine is 4wd. That shouldn't make a difference because the transfer case is mounted to the back of the transmission not the front. And I would guess the intake manifold is the same for all 5.4 three valve engines. I wish I could swap in an eco-boost engine, but that would require computer and wiring harness changes as well as motor mount and exhaust changes. Too much expense for me.
We had a pile of left-over rebar, T-posts, and other miscellaneous metal parts in a pile in the back yard. I loaded them up in the truck and hauled it all down to Alco in San Jose. Turns out it was about 700 lbs in all, and they gave me almost $100 for the lot. I get the crap out of the back yard, and get paid to do it. Score!
Looks like he lowered the price, used to say $880. Now it is $680. Just sent him a text. Will see what happens.
The owner just called me. Says he just wants to get rid of it. it is sticking out too far in his driveway. LOL. Hank when can you set up a tow for it? I can get the money to him via PayPal, but I want to know when you can have it towed first. Thanks in advance for your help.
Last edited by Nighteyez; Sep 19, 2023 at 05:19 PM.
Reason: add photo
Okay, I will see if he can hold it until then. However, he is trying to get it out of his driveway by tomorrow. He says it is too long for his driveway, and the city is putting up a stink. I am told he bought it just for the camper and doesn't want the truck. It has a rebuilt engine and new torque converter. Just no transmission or intake manifold. I called him back and told him I would go to the bank tomorrow to transfer money to my checking account which is linked to my PayPal. I want to buy it before someone else does. A rebuilt engine for $680? Not to mention the tires/wheels look better than mine. And I can get the front license plate bracket, and that piece of plastic below the front bumper too. I have roadside assistance with USAA, I will call them tomorrow and see if they have a mileage limit. If not, I will buy it, get the VIN and give it to them to tow down here. If they do, then I will ask the guy if he can possibly keep it there until this weekend.
When I called him, he was willing to show me a video of the engine. Said it had rebuilt heads, new oil pump and new torque converter. If the truck is in as good a condition as he claims, maybe it would be easier to just put my intake and trans in it. But then I would need to register it and go through that hassle again. Not to mention pay to have the scooter lift installed. Just sent a text to the mechanic who worked on mine last time, but he may be in bed already since he gets up early for work tomorrow. Judging by the photos it looks to be in the same condition as mine. I wish I owned a home. I could have both vehicles in my driveway and just make one good vehicle out of the two, then call Pick N Pull to take away what is left. LOL
We had a pile of left-over rebar, T-posts, and other miscellaneous metal parts in a pile in the back yard. I loaded them up in the truck and hauled it all down to Alco in San Jose. Turns out it was about 700 lbs in all, and they gave me almost $100 for the lot. I get the crap out of the back yard, and get paid to do it. Score!
With the price of gas, you almost broke even. I can't believe how high it is, and that it is going up some more - in California. Refineries have to shut down to retool so that we can switch from "Summer Gas" to "Winter Gas". There will be less refined fuel available until they all get back online with the winter formula. Law of supply and demand says that we have to pay more.
Originally Posted by Nighteyez
It has a rebuilt engine and new torque converter. Just no transmission or intake manifold.
Not to mention the tires/wheels look better than mine. And I can get the front license plate bracket, and that piece of plastic below the front bumper too.
That truck will be a lot of donor parts. If you had the resources, I would say strip it for all that it's worth. You never know when extra seats, doors, crossmembers, wiper fluid reservoirs, etc will come in handy. Right now, I wish I had one of those 4 screws that hold the radio in the dashboard. I lost 1. And I want an OEM antenna. I got tired of that huge whip antenna getting in the way when you go through a car wash. So I bought one of the short antennas. The big whip antenna gets better reception with AM stations. Now I want it back, but I lost it. Technically, it's somewhere in my garage, or maybe in my ex's garage, or my brother in law's garage, or my dad's garage........ or it fell off the back of my truck.
That front license plate bracket is not cheap. When the truck was new, I took it off because I thought that it looked better without a front plate. Several years ago, I needed it for security access. One of the places that I went to required a mounted front plate on the vehicle, in the bumper area, for it's license plate reader. The computer had to read the plate, and it had to match to the vehicle description on file and the scan of your drivers license, before they let you in.
You may need to rent a public storage space to store all of those spare parts.
I would love to keep the donor truck, but that is not possible. There is no way the manager of the apartments would let it stay. And a storage place would want it registered. I'm not going to register it just to store it at Derrel's. The only way I would register it is if it is in much better shape than mine. If it has leather seats I will try and get those, but the main thing is the engine, license holder, and that bottom bumper strip. And of course, the tires. This could all be a moot point if the seller won't wait until the weekend to have it towed away. I'll call him today before I send him the money via PayPal.
