I'm considering buying a 65 Ford F-100 short bed flareside pickup truck this guy has for sale. He wants $1000.00 for it and would like to know if it's a good deal or not. It's has an exceptional straight body with minimal rust, most being just light surface rust, however the floor boards on both sides have rust issues also. It's a 6 cylinder either 240 or 300 (how do you tell the difference?) with a three in the tree and overdrive, the Dana rear axle rather than a 9". According to the owner it runs and drives fine but the brakes are out so it can't be driven until the brakes are repaired. The body it surprisingly solid and the doors close like new and the tailgate is darn near perfect with no dents or dings and it closes properly. Any help would be appreciated. I usually hang out at the 48 through 60 forum as I have two 52 F-1s. Thanks!

 

I would climb under it and REALLY check out the rust... cab mounts, bed corners, core support. These are normal rust prone spots and it would be good to see what your're really getting.

It'll probably need a little bit of everything to get it road worthy, but if you're willing to put some time and money into it... sounds like a fair deal to me.

 

First I would get under the truck and poke around those floor pans where you're feet would normally be. Next look under the fenders, particularly under the passenger side where the battery would be. You can be rusted out under the battery pan and not see it from above. If rusted then look at the radiator support where that acid would have dripped. Look around the mounting points for the radiator support and wiggle your fingers in the small access holes on the bottom. Heck I would even remove the access covers for the front cab mounts and poke around with my fingers in there. Just because the body is straight you can't count on it being straight. I thought mine was until I had the body soda blasted. There was filler work in several places from bad bodywork. Needless to say I have gotten pretty good at hammer/dolly work and shrinking metal to smooth out the dents. No brakes means what? A new master cylinder at $70. Drums, shoes and hardware at even more and you're now past $200 at least to get the brakes working. You can't drive it so you know nothing about the transmission, steering, rear bearings and so forth. Given that I would say the 1K is high based on the '65 long bed I bought several years ago. Too many UNKNOWN variables and so you are making a bet on the seller...

 

From what you have described and if the rust check turns out Ok, I might try to haggle with him for the fun of it, but sounds like a keeper to me.



John

 

The seller seems like a pretty good guy not a B.S.er and hasn't misrepresented the truck at all. He now has a child on the way and won't have time to do what he wanted to it. He bought it 3 years ago with the intention of fixing it up but about a year and a half ago the brakes "went out" so he parked it and hasn't done anything to it since. He did repair the exhaust manifold, fixed the clutch linkage and the shift linkage and just drove it and fixed little things here and there. The body has the original paint on it so I know the body is straight with the exception of some minor damage to the right front fender. I will check out those noted areas more thoroughly for rust. I do know that the floorboard on the drivers side does have rust through in a few spots as the owner pointed out. Thanks for the input I appreciate it, I'm not all that familiar with these 60's Ford trucks so I thought I would ask.

 

Several useful links on my site: Ford
You can't buy a truck like that around here for that kind of money. Read my "What's my truck worth?" page for more perspective. The brakes 'going out' as he describes most likely point to a master cylinder, though a bad wheel cylinder could also cause a failure. Sounds like a good time to go to discs.

 

If the area's mention, are minor in rust, and not rust rotten out, I try the e-brake and if it works ; I'm crazy enough to put in on the road in a not-so high traffic area and test the motor & trans, prior to buying. (Be safe)
$ 1k is a good offer in my area if not rust rotten in those area mention.
Post the engine numbers (number stamp above starter on passenger side of block below intake) and we can determine if 240 or 300 (atleast the year casting) . In my option doesn't matter basic parts are interchangable on those engine; also post vin and we'll determine the entire ride from there, axle, factory installed engine, color etc.

Mitch

 

Good point. It's not like the truck is being sold with a warranty.

 

That won't work Mitch.

The 240/300 share the same bare block (1965 thru 1974), so the casting numbers will be same-o same-o.

Measuring the stroke will tell the tale:

240: 3.18" / 300: 3.98"

The engine code is the 4th digit of the VIN.

As original 1965: J = 240 I-6 / B = 300 I-6.