Just got my first F150 last month. I could not pass up the deal...I got a 1996 F150 XLT w/5.0 V8. It only had 74k miles on it and looked very clean. I think I found the one that was actually driven by an old man only on weekends for 9 years.

I plan to drive it for ~1 year to shake out any problems and probably share it with my son (who turns 16 next year).

I really like the older style classic F150 lines. It is in great shape and I am really enjoying just driving it for now. I just checked my mileage yesterday and was really excited to calcuate 16+mpg. I am just starting to look at possible mods to make it "mine". I am thinking, Exhaust, Intake maybe bucket seats vice the bench. Any experiences anyone wants to share or horror stories would be appreciated.

Thanks, JD

 

Keep an eye on the cab corners and the fender wells in the bed, these are some common places for rust to form from behind. Mechanically you probably won't find a more reliable truck.

 

Thanks, I'll make a point to look at those areas this weekend.

So far I have not found any evidence of rust. The truck also came with an ARE fiberglass bed shell and bed mat. The bed under the mat looks like it was never used for much hauling. I have considered taking the shell off and putting in a spray-in bed liner. I like the idea of using the truck as a truck (bed and all) and the cover somewhat limits what I can haul. But on the other hand, I can stow all my soccer team stuff in the back between practices and games. That is really handy.

 

i agree on the lines..i love my 92. they have that stout look to them. i'd ditch the camper shell. i bought mine with one as well..they they to weigh quite a bit and always get in the way if you want to use the truck to haul. took mine off and have not looked back.

 

I think I will probably take it off once to see how hard it is to do. I may store it in the garage for a while before I decide to get rid of it totally. It is color matched to the truck and looks good (Toreador Red w/silver). But I am starting to hate not being able to clean the rear window.

 

Congratulations on the new truck, and welcome to FTE.

As far as shells go, I like them yet hate them. For carrying sheet rock, plywood, and other home center stuff its great because it protects the material on the way home during inclimate weather. But, most of my hauling is junkyard stuff, often loaded by forklift, which the shell would just be in the way. And taking it on and off by yourself is a PITA for sure. Though you have a 16 y/o son, I'm sure he's up on his wheaties consumption, right?

One truck that might work for you, I did this years ago on an old 78 bronco with a removable fiberglass back/cap/shell. I removed from a Ford Explorer the entire roof rack assembly, screws and all. Then attached that roof rack to the Bronco's fiberglass shell, which gave me two things. First, roof storage for the odd thing that didn't fit like ladders. Second, the explorer rack had four eyelets that flipped up, which I'd attach to overhead hooks and pulleys in the garage, and I could hoist it up off the truck by pulling one rope. Only had to lift it off about 6 inches or so, then drive out of the garage with the fiberglass shell hanging from the ceiling. Maybe you could rig something like that to make removing your shell that much easier. Just an idea.

Spray in bed liners are a good thing... I've owned several trucks over the years, some without bedliners and some with the plastic shell liner. The ones without (like my 93 F350 crewcab I have no) the bed gets beat up fairly quickly if you use it as a truck. Also, the drain slots at the head of the bed (by the cab) often clog up and you can get rust there fairly quickly if you don't shopvac that out. I pick pine needles out of there all the time. Rust often forms under the plastic shell type bedliners. A lot of guys here swear by them and thats great, I've always had rotten luck with those. I like the spray on bedliners, and have been considering the same thing actually. Tough wear surface that you can abuse the snot out of. I sprayed one truck myself, and within a year it started flaking off. But this was easily 8 years ago, and I'm sure the application kits are much better than they used to be. The key to application is a rough surface for it to stick to, and really cleaning up after all the scuffing of the paint. I'm sure I was a little lax in that area as I hate that kind of work and probably had 20 interruptions along the way. This spring I'm getting someone to spray in a bedliner... my bed is in great shape and rust free, dispite quite a few dings and scrapes inside. But its inside, who cares

 

Congrat's on the Truck, You will enjoy it and just think in the near future you have your son to argue with about who forgot to fill the gas tank.

Welcome to FTE

 

Congrats! I can't think of a better vehicle to put a new driver in. My 17 yr old and I battle for the keys to our '93 (I usually let him win), so that sounds pretty familiar. He's the reason I held onto it for so long, and I'm glad I did.

We've got a GemTop and a bed mat in ours, and it works great with our dogs in the soggy Pacific Nwst. Rust isn't an issue here, fortunately, and the bed's held up pretty well considering we've actually used it as a truck. Our's has been the most reliable and durable vehicle we've ever owned. I actually dreading the day i have to hand over the keys permanently.

 

On my 95'F-250 xlt supercab I have a Leer campershell, Also I have a Plastic bedlinner, I'm thinking about doing away with the bed liner and putting in a carpet kit, But $399.00 is a little pricey.

 

hey, good luck! some easy and quick mods are a new intake like a k&n work well and u will notice a differance in power, and i allways like a shift controller like B&M it'sa plug and go thing about 20 min. install. mudguy33.