I came across a '79 F150 Custom 2-by, LWB at a local body shop that was towed in a couple of months ago. According to the shop owner, the original owner (older gentleman) thought he had a timing chain issue; it wouldn't start. When the shop tore into the engine, they discovered fuel in the cc and a busted camshaft. The owner didn't want to pay to rebuild/replace the engine and decided he didn't want to pay the shop for the time they had put into it. He gave them the truck.
This truck has a C6 with AC and ALL is original. Dude still had the original wheels and hubcaps on it. Of course there is rust just above the doors, but that appears to be the only place.
I'm picking it up this weekend for $400. My first thought was how great this would be to have a parts truck so I can replace that parts I need on my '79 F150 SWB, C6, 4x4. I need a hood, the grill shell, interior parts, etc...I just feel really guilty because I know of a 351M sitting in a garage that belongs to a guy I know that told me he would sell it for $200. It was running when he took it out of his '79 Bronco and installed a I6---He didn't want his son to have the speed. I could make this truck run for under $400. Anyone ever had a similar situation? I'm not needing to seek counciling, but it just seems wrong to disassemble a rig that could easily be made to run. I'll get over it, I'm sure. If anyone needs a specific part that I am not already needing, feel free to inquire.

 

It very hard to part out a truck that could be easily made to run. Why not fix up both trucks...?

 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

Fix the truck...these things are getting rarer every day. I wouldn't trash one that has good potential. If you don't want to fix it yourself then sell it to someone who does.

jmho

Tracy

 

They won't all stay running forever...I've got one that needs "fixin" up right now. I recognize how rare these trucks are becoming. How do you fix one up without parts? How do you get parts without one being parted out? It's certainly a viscious cycle. I could spend thousands getting it all one piece at a time, or $400 getting almost all the pieces. Dollars and cents; dollars and sense.

 

You don't really want to part out this other truck - or do you?

 

farmnaggie....where are you located in tx? I'm in houston...seabrook actually my wife's family lives in Bryan....we're always going to Bryan or Caldwell area.

Tracy

 

Look at it like this. A 4x4 truck will 99.99% of the time will be worth more/sell for more than a 2wd truck in equal shape. If it were me I would buy the truck and the motor and build the 4x4 truck as nice as possible with what you have. Then sell what is left off the 2wd truck. You could easily make the $600 back if you sell the left overs. Decent cabs are worth $400 and beds about the same.

 

I feel yer pain, which is why I have so many trucks/parts laying around my backyard. I just hate to see good metal go to scrap. Many a man worked his tail off back in the day to get that piece of metal to where it is today.

 

i've bought trucks just to part them out. if you're looking for justification look at it in this way... you buy the truck, part it out and save a wad of cash- and have a truck that you thoroughly enjoy. if you don't buy it, the odds are in favor of it going to a junkyard cause no one really wants a 30 year old truck anymore- so the junkyard parts it and charges 100 bucks for a tail light. after about a year in the junkyards inventory, they crush it to make coors light beer cans because no one wants to pay their high prices for some old ford parts and would rather get them off ebay. if you wish to ease your mind, keep this real world scenario in the back of your head, and then when somebody needs a part or two that you still have- or the rest of this particular truck if the case may be- and give it to them no charge and smile because you got a great deal one time that really helped you out and now you can really help another guy out... i've given thousands of dollars of parts away to people i know, and at the same time have been given plenty of pieces, and gotten smoking deals on parts trucks for various projects i've had..

 

I have a hood, Interior parts & a grill insert here... if you decide to drive that new one to Alberta