Well, I bought my truck about 5 months ago and finally got the tags on it over the christmas holiday (my wife finally agreed to let me have some fun). It has just been a lot of headaches since then. I decided to drive it to town on christmas which is about 15 miles. The truck made it all but 2 miles and broke down. Just the standard water in the tank and gas line froze. I went ahead and replaced the coil and the ignition module as a precaution, and those are some things that are just good to replace after a while. As it sits, it needs both rocker panels, a cab corner, which I have, a new dash, a new bed, or someone that can do body work and paint for cheap for under a $1000. Is it worth fixing the old bucket of rust, or is it time to sell it as parts? The truck runs great and the four wheel drive is still as strong as can be. I think it need a new transmission input shaft bearing, it has a nice metal rattling noise every now and then but all the U joints are nice and tight. The question is when to get rid of the project and just get another truck. I have to wonder if it is even worth the $1000?

 

Well, it is all up to you. Depends on how much time and money you want to spend. If it runs good then you could always do the body work later. It's up to YOU if it is worth it or not.

-Matt

 

I'm in the same situation, my 85 probaby wasnt worth anything the day i drove it home. The bed was beyond the point of all repair, both gas tanks leaked, the truck had bad back wheel bearings, the front clunks and clanks around, cab corners are rusted out, rocker panels are getting there, both power windows are shot, dash top is all cracked. So far i've built a NICE wooden flatbed, with plenty of lights, replaced both fuel tanks with good ones from a junkyard, put plugs, wires, pcv, air filter, alternator, regulator, played with bondo a little bit, fixed the cab corners, going to buy used power window motors from the junkyard on wednesday, i've replaced both wheelbearings, oil seals, and the pinion oil seal. The truck runs like a top, 4x4 works good, it will need a new left hub, and new rotors soon. But there is nothing i love more than working on my truck, If i had one that was in perfect condition i woudl be board out of my mind. Also, this F150 with the flatbed, which has 3 big running lights on each side, 2 tailights, ID marker light, looks like a xmas tree driving around at night, it definantly turns some heads.

 

Bought my '84 F-150 for $150 in 1990. Dropped $900 on the 300 six, and did lots of standard maintenance on the rest of the truck. Almost 15 years later, this truck is still going strong with over 300,000 miles on it. I'm the only one to work on it.

Got an '83 F-150 for free in September. Dropped almost $800 on it. Its going the headers / dual exhaust route. It has decided that it is not ready to run on $800 yet. I'm rebuilding the carb as I write this (01/05) and this MIGHT be the last of the problems. It is a loaded version of my '84, and the kind of truck I have always wanted.

 

I don't junk my old trucks, just retire them to use as parts on other models. I am finishing up work on an 83/85/86 model truck now that I am putting together from three retired trucks. Use the best body/frame parts from each and rebuild all the moving parts. When finished I will end up with a mechanically new truck that should last 100000 miles or more for $4000. Thats a lot cheaper than a new $30000 truck. I'm no professional body man but I do my own painting and body work. Not hard to learn and you can do a decient painting job with a lot of practice.

 

I have a 1980 F350 and my neighbors 1984 F250 blew up and he's not going to fix it so I said I'd give him $300 for it. I'm going to take some body parts off of it. Probably both bumpers, the mirrors, one fender, the hood, the wheels, and maybe the bed. So if you're looking for some parts or something don't give up because stuff will eventually turn up and you'll find something good like I did.

 

If there's anyone who doesn't know when it's time to junk a truck it's me! I bought a 1980 F-250 for $300 to fix up and drive, well one thing lead to another and I've got so many parts all over that it's not funny. First I've got the '80 which is a 2WD longbox w/ a "3 on the tree" and 300 6 cylinder, very good drivetrain and engine. Then I had a '84 F-150 that I kept for parts and finnally a few months ago I stripped it down for the bumpers, gas tanks, glass, NP-435 transmission, etc... I bought a good used cab for the '80 project, an '87 cab and got all the interior free, so that will either go in or be sold off to finance my project. I bought another truck for the aluminum 8 lug rims and tires but will most likely put "stock" wheels on it and re sell. Now I'm also looking at a stepside box and a '80 F-150 shortbox also. The shortbox is a 4WD so I might be looking into a 4WD conversion also.
Right now I figure I have less into my project than if I were to have just bought a stepside in the firstplace although probably not by the time I'm done but I would lose out on the fun and experience of building a truck if I had done just that.
As far as when to junk a vehical, if you got the space to store it or at least the parts from it, KEEP IT! I can't tell you how many times I've needed that one part or that one clip, etc that a parts truck would have saved so much time and money rather than haveing to make a run to the junkyard or parts supplier.

FORDS_FORLIFE

 

I almost sent my 82 F100 to the junkyard in 2000 after I bought my 95 F150. But it was my first truck which I drove for a year and a half and it was my dad's truck for 7 years. The truck had alot of attachment to me. I couldn't part with it, so I put it in storage for almost 4 years. I've had it home since july 20, 2004 and its my slow restoration project. If a truck is way beyond repair I would at least take all the useable parts to help build another truck. Alot of people told me that my 82 F100 was junk and that it could never be restored. Fred

 

Never junk them! Traded a 80 something VW rabbit for a 78 F100 w/300 converted from tree to floor....had to reassemble truck from about 80 or so different pieces. Got the VW free, so technically a free truck, am still proud owner 6 years later, only power accesory is the key, new carb, shocks, tie rods, starts every time has never let me down. Runs good, leaks oil, and is as ugly as sin, but I drive her daily! You couldn't pay me enough to sell or junk it, am working on a 85 F-150 I got from trading a $300 very tired 84 ranger, its got a blown engine, part of the trade was a replacment engine, 302 needs a little work, am swapping them this weekend.

 

Eh i will never get rid of my 80 f-100 i only paid 250 for the truck, and the body is soild and the frame was recently coated by previous owner (the guy threatened his son he was gonna take it to the junkyard so he sold it cheap) So far i've put like 700 into and it is running great, i put a 400 w/ c6 for bigblock, i got those for free then i had to put a carb,alternator,regulator,battery,new wood in bed,starter, welded new sheet metal in floor, put new dash in, and since then all i have done is drive this beast around, she doesnt get the best gas milage or look the prettiest but i like her,