'85 F150 Issues
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
'85 F150 Issues
I just bought this truck (pics to follow) for $800. I thought it was worth the gamble.
Just took it to get inspected for MD, and the shop says it needs $3-4K in repairs. Some of the biggies are body work because it has rust around the well wells, doors and floorpans. Couldn't even give me a quote on that. Wanted a lot to do diagnostics to see why it stalls, why blinkers don't work and why it leaks tranny fluid. Also say it may need U joints and tie rods, but needs to do more work to find out, including greasing rods to see if that will fix them.
So, do I start messing with it? I don't mind some of the mechanical work, but I'm concerned with the rust. I'd like to avoid the body shop, anyone know an inexpensive welder!!!!!
Any input is appreciated. I want to use this as a work truck to haul motorcycles, it is a 6cyl, 2wd, automatic C6.
Thanks
Just took it to get inspected for MD, and the shop says it needs $3-4K in repairs. Some of the biggies are body work because it has rust around the well wells, doors and floorpans. Couldn't even give me a quote on that. Wanted a lot to do diagnostics to see why it stalls, why blinkers don't work and why it leaks tranny fluid. Also say it may need U joints and tie rods, but needs to do more work to find out, including greasing rods to see if that will fix them.
So, do I start messing with it? I don't mind some of the mechanical work, but I'm concerned with the rust. I'd like to avoid the body shop, anyone know an inexpensive welder!!!!!
Any input is appreciated. I want to use this as a work truck to haul motorcycles, it is a 6cyl, 2wd, automatic C6.
Thanks
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,966
Likes: 2,728
From: Virginia
You can buy all the body parts, and pop rivet them in place if you don't want to weld them. Do you have to fix all the rust in the whole body to pass inspection? In my state it's just the floor pans, and anything that is considered unsafe. I can have holes in my doors, but the door can't be getting ready to fall off. Wheel well rust is just usually cosmetic.
Are they doing a sniffer test? Where I am at, they need it to run just so they can test the exhaust for leaks, and to pull it in and out of the inspection bay. I didn't think stalling had anything to do with it passing or not.
The blinkers do need to work. All lights need to function correctly. This could be as easy as a bad connection from the bulbs to the sockets, to serious wiring problems.
Only you know if you can tackle this. It's going to be a long road if it's your first project vehicle. Getting in a hurry is going to be the worst thing that can happen though.
Are they doing a sniffer test? Where I am at, they need it to run just so they can test the exhaust for leaks, and to pull it in and out of the inspection bay. I didn't think stalling had anything to do with it passing or not.
The blinkers do need to work. All lights need to function correctly. This could be as easy as a bad connection from the bulbs to the sockets, to serious wiring problems.
Only you know if you can tackle this. It's going to be a long road if it's your first project vehicle. Getting in a hurry is going to be the worst thing that can happen though.
