Hi guys. i've been toying w/ the idea of buying this truck on craigslist i found. other than it not having a title, i'm just kinda curious of what i should be cautious of w/ a truck like this... i kno ur basic tire kicking skills, but past that i don't know much more about this era of Ford...are there any words of wisdom of what i should look for when i go check this truck out?

o yea, here's the link to the truck btw:

1976 F-100 Mud Truck (no title)

thanks for any and all advise!

-Kenny

 

1. 351W's didn't come in 73-79 trucks.

2. why does it not have a title? was it used for drug smuggling?

that's about all I got to say about it.

 

1. i didn't think those came w/ 351w's...typically they came w/ 360's if i'm not mistaken

2. idk y it doesn't have a title, tho i will press the issue when i meet the guy selling it. if i even think something is fishy w/ it, i won't mess w/ it. plus, idk how i'll get a title for the sucker, i've been told that here in NE u've basically got to hunt down the previous owner that has it...i'll talk to the DMV and figure that part out if i get serious on buying it.

 

you're right.....either a 300 or a 360. it probably had a 300 since the 300 and the 302/351W share the same small block bolt pattern.

as for the title, I'm pretty sure that in Texas you can apply for a lost title.

 

hhmmm i'll have to look into those things, thanks for your help Kevin!

 

no problem. good luck!

 

33 years old....piece of paper...yeah, it can get lost, especially if it's changed hands a few times. States with lax title laws don't help, either.

If it still has the warranty plate and the certification label, chances are they will match. Decoding its VIN will tell you if the truck is what the VIN described it as. If the door has been changed, then who knows? One way to check the VIN is to find the frame stamped VIN on the passenger side frame rail. Bring a wire brush and a rag.

 

so i went and looked at the old bird yesterday. it didn't seem like so bad of a truck, all things considered. the P/O said that he's replaced the front and rear drive lines, new seals and bearings on both axles, u-joints, damn good tires and rims on it yet, tranny seemed good and tight yet and the motor (which is a stock 351w swapped for the blown 390) ran pretty good. now for the bad...while it is true that the body really didn't have any rust that i could see, it was all pretty banged up from the P/O's mud dragging days w/ her...one of the rear tail lights was missing, the front grille was busted out like he hit a deer or something, and the instrument cluster was tore out of the dash b/c the old one was apparently shot. other than the dash, the rest of the interior looked ok, all the glass was in good shape too. the power steering pump was locked up on her too, but other than that, that was all i could really see that was wrong w/ it, mechanically. the suspension was all newer and tight yet.

and then there was the title issue...he tried to explain to me what happened to it, but somewhere along the line of P/O's, someone lost it. i guess he tracked it down to the dealer that sold it last b4 it was privately sold over and over and over. the bad news is that the guy who runs the dealership was in Georgia (i'm in Nebraska)...and apparently dead...but he had the papers all in line and w/ him, all that would have needed to be done was the late dealer needed to sign on the line and then she would have been road legal again.

anywho, i didn't have time today, but tomorrow i think i'll go talk to someone at the DMV and see wat a guy could do about this title issue...or lack thereof. i got the guy talked down to 750 for it, but for the effort i'm thinkin i'll have to go thru to license it, i don't think i'll buy it for that. i think i'll let him sweat it out for a couple weeks or so, then go see if he won't take 500 for it if i can get a title.

 

You could just buy vin's and a title from an junk old truck. Or buy a cheap parts truck with a title and vin's and swap them.

 

is that legal?

 

I highly doubt its legal to do but with these older cars its a pretty simple and sure fix. Your other option is to file for a lost title, which is kind of fishy. Because what happens if you buy the truck and you file for lost title but it comes up the truck belongs to the state due to a will, or what ever, or divorse, or what ever. Something where it wasn't that guys truck to sell. You can end up getting screwed your self. I tried to get a title for a truck once but it was a real PITA. I got no where and ended up not buying the truck.

I'd find out whats the deal on the title, call the DMV see whats up, car fax it, etc.

 

sounds like a plan, thanks for your input!