I have a friend who is a mechanic. He had an 82 F150 come in with a seized 351. Seems that owner was driving across the country, originated in Mexico, he thinks. Anyway, he thinks the truck has been abandoned at his shop and is going to try to get the title. He knows I like old Ford trucks and asked me to take a look at it.

The body on this truck looks like it just came off the dealer's lot.
There is not a speck of rust on this thing. The mechanic says the underside looks like the outside. This is a guy I have done business with for several years and I trust his word. It's a very straight truck. Like I said, the engine is siezed, but everything alse seems to be ok.

If I were to get it from him, I would be selling it, I just bought a project truck, a 68 F100. Anyway, what would a truck like this be worth?

Thanks.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 05-Dec-02 AT 01:26 AM (EST)]Its worth is hard to say. Tell us what he is wanting for it.

I understand a cherry bodied 82 is enough to make a Ford Truck freak salivate.

There are a couple of factors here. Are you planning on re-selling it as is? Or are you going to make it drivable?

You will have to realize most people are not going to pay alot for something that won't run. So making much or any profit from this purchase probably won't happen if you don't at least get it in running condition.

Could be a deal or a peel.

 

I was planning on re-selling it as-is. Probably to someone with a motor looking for a truck to put it in I realize that a non-running truck is a lower dollar item. The other option would be to part it out, but that seems a shame when the only thing this thing needs is a block and the engine internals. I looked at the engine bay and this thing is CLEAN! Don't know about price, I'm guessing I could get it for $600 to $800.

I'll wait to see if he can get the title, as I understand it, that process can take a while.

Thanks

 

I might be interested in it. My wife has an '81 F100, and I'd like to get one similiar to hers (stepside standard cab with a 351W (0.030 over)and a 5-speed).

A coupla questions:

What body style is it (SWB, Lariat, Supercab. etc.)?
Is it the stepside or styleside?
Is it an auto or standard (if standard, what tranny?)?
It would also be nice to know what color it is?

Last, but of importance, what part of the country are you in?
I really don't want to travel to the east coast with a car trailer.

Thanks,

OldFords bad attitudes

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 05-Dec-02 AT 01:35 PM (EST)]It's a styleside, standard cab, with an auto tranny. If I remember correctly it is the longer wheelbase. It also has a topper on it. The color is light green or aquamarine (I'm lousy with colors), I will stop on my way home tonight and get the info off the door panel for you.

I'm in Des Moines, Iowa. Only half way across the country from either coast! Where are you located?

Pat

 

Ok, in addition to the previous info:
the VIN is 1FTDF15GBCPA80316 (near as I can read the faded door tag)
the trans code is K and the axle code is 16.

The mechanic is not sure how long it will take to get the title from New Mexico. In Iowa, they have to send registered mail to the owner, give them 30 days to respond, then they can go to the courthouse and file a mechanics lein and get the title. He said he will get on it.

Pat

 

I'm in New Mexico. Please bring "my" truck back... Hee..Hee.

I was hoping to find a short styleside, but let me know if you get a title.

We went through the process of getting a title for a 1970 Mustang that had been abandoned on our property. It is a bit of a drawn-out process for the private person. It took us almost 6 months. I don't know if a commercial businessowner can speed the process.

Some of the things you have to do (as I remember):

Check with the state MVD and the state police to see if they have a record of the vehicle (in our case, they didn't).

The state police dept. has to verify the VIN before they will do anything. Usually, they will send an officer out to your place to visually read the number off the car. I don't think that will work in your case.

If the prior owner is named, and an address is available, you have to send him/her a registerd letter in which you provide a statement of the storage fees, mechanic's charges, etc., and provide them the location of the car. You also have wait a certain time period to allow the owner an opportunity to pay you and reclaim the vehicle (my poor memory says two weeks).

Then you have to post a flier in several public locations throughout the local area, such as laundermats, banks (if they allow it), and other similar establishments. The flier is a notice that the vehicle will be available for auction on a certain date at a certain time. If someone is willing to pay what you are asking, you must sell them the vehicle. We set ours at 7:00am on a weekday, and got no takers.

There are several other things you must do, but I don't remember them all. I may still have the paperwork and the forms around my office somewhere. I can look if you would like; I may even have the state's instructions of what must be done.

We found it to be worht the time. The mustang had a 440M "junkyard" engine and auto tranny in it, which kept to overhaul and put in my E350 vAn which has been converted to a really big supercab flatbed.

I plan on going through the process again for a 1955 Mercury 2dr Montego I have.

Let me know if you want the info.

OldFords bad attitudes

 

Wow, what a process! I hope it's not as complicated for a business. I'll let them handle it, they will let me know when they get the title, assuming they do, and I will let you know. Amazing that a truck from New Mexico, abandoned in Iowa, may go back to NM. The web makes the world so small...

 

It's much easier for a mechanic. People leave their junk to get worked on, and then never show up to pay the bill. The only thing the mechanics got is the vehicle for compensation, so they cruise through the process so they can get their money. That's why he called it a "mechanics lien".

 

I just noticed I typed in 440M instead of 400M. I must have been thinking of a 440 wedge head. It's too a typ) doesn't automatically make it true, huh?

Franklin2, are you talking specifically about New Mexico?

I know several shop owners and mechanics, and they hate going through the process. They would much rather sell the vehicle to someone else at (a small loss if necessary) and not have to mess with it. That's how I have gotten several vehicles.

OldFords bad attitudes