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Feb 6, 2007 | 06:43 AM

1ole4d

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Jul 2001

Posts: 849

Likes: 14

From: Fayetteville, NC

Opinion Wanted

I wanted to run this by you folks. I've had my eye on a 77 F150 4x4 for the last year and a half. It has a 351M with the NP435 4 spd and all that. The body is multicolored (i.e. the cab is lime green, bed is burgandy, fenders are brown). It has a few extra parts in the bed (don't remember what though). They guy bought it from the state as a repo (was repo'ed from some people who used it moonshining several years back). He wants $400 for it. Reasonable yes but here's the catch. The third time I went and looked at it I found a good sized crack in the front of the passenger side frame where it looks like it was used to try and push something. That immediately turned me off and I let it go. Now I'm seriously considering buying it and just finding another frame or just welding the crack up. What do you people think? Should I go for it? Decisions decisions...

Feb 6, 2007 | 06:49 AM

cujo8

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Joined: Mar 2006

Posts: 1,118

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From: Williamson, NY

Where exactly is the crack in the frame? and are sure that this is the only damage?

Feb 6, 2007 | 12:23 PM

monckywrench

Cargo Master

Joined: Apr 2001

Posts: 2,220

Likes: 26

The drivetrain will part out for more than that, so if it ran and drove I'd buy it, then evaluate it at leisure.
A frame donor shouldn't be hard to find if you want to make one out of two.

Feb 7, 2007 | 06:42 AM

1ole4d

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Jul 2001

Posts: 849

Likes: 14

From: Fayetteville, NC

Quote:

Originally Posted by cujo8

Where exactly is the crack in the frame? and are sure that this is the only damage?

The crack is on the top ledge of the frame about 3 +- inches infront of the first cross member. Aside from a rough body that appears to be the only damage to the frame.

Feb 7, 2007 | 08:01 AM

cujo8

Posting Guru

Joined: Mar 2006

Posts: 1,118

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From: Williamson, NY

That being the case I would just weld it up and call it good then.

Feb 7, 2007 | 11:02 AM

ezryder13

Senior User

Joined: Jan 2007

Posts: 112

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by monckywrench

The drivetrain will part out for more than that, so if it ran and drove I'd buy it, then evaluate it at leisure.
A frame donor shouldn't be hard to find if you want to make one out of two.

i would have to agree with that! you could get more money in parts alone. and if you can weld and the truck is salvagable fix her up

Feb 7, 2007 | 04:25 PM

Dave Severson

Posting Guru

Joined: Nov 2005

Posts: 1,302

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From: Madison, SD

Seeing as how the crack is in front of the crossmember, I'd just weld it up and make sure the front of the rails weren't tweaked. If they are, plenty easy to push them back straight with a Porta-Power.....