of dilema here. Being a LONG time lover of the 79 Ford pick up, I bought one in 1998 to fix up. I only lived one mile from work at that time, so my plan was to make this old truck REAL nice and just drive in to and from work. Gas costs would not have been an issue at time just driving it ten miles a week. Roll the clock forward to 04' and I have put WAY too much money in the truck, I am about to finish it up , and its going to be a sweet truck, indeed. BUT , heres the horn of dilema. I no longer drive ten miles a week, that job place closed. I am now driving 200 miles a week to and from work. I have bought a small gas nibbler pick up to get me to work and back.

SO now I am faced with what to do with the 79. With the rebuilt 351 m converted to a 400 now, I still see it getting no more than 12 miles a gallon, so as a daily driver , its useless. I have to pay 600 bucks a year on it for mandatory liability insurance just to keep the title good. So, I will basically have a "pretty" truck, that would just be functional only to drive up to the feed store and back, or for nice drives on fall days. I have no intention of driving it in the snow or rain , and will be using one of my two garage spaces to keep it in, making one of our 3 vehicles sit out side all the time.

Sounds simple I guess, just sell it right ? Wow, not so, I have spent a mini fortune on it, I have done all the work on it myself , except the engine. I have shed barrels of sweat and a bit of blood working on this old truck for 6 years now. Needless to say, I have a REAL attachment to it, but I am torn between that attachment and fondness for it, and the reality of life, money, and common sense and how I should do what is sensible financialy. But, I just cant sell it so easily. Sorry for the long boring post, but what would YOU do ????? thanks

 

If I wanted to keep the truck, but I was borderline on being able to do so financially, I would examine my budget carefully to see if there were things I could trim in other areas before making a decision. I would also talk to my insurance company to see if there was a way to carry the vehicle on the policy more cheaply, perhaps as an occasional use or classic vehicle. It is 25 years old, after all.

 

Sounds like a difficult decision for sure!!!

I made an equally tough decision about a month or so ago...I had two "garage queens" - a 93 Mustang Cobra and a 78 F150 Ranger/Explorer 4x4. The Cobra had been my "affordable dream car" for years and I finally happened to be in the right place at the right time to acquire it. That was in Aug 01. The 78 I had just bought the day after Christmas last year...to restore. It was identical to the one my grandfather bought new back in 78.

My wife had fussed about the 78 since I bought it, saying that I'd end up (like you) pouring tons of money into it that I'd never be able to recover...and the Cobra just sat in the basement - I'd take it out for occasional romps down the road or the seasonal car shows back home. A GREAT car but it wasn't perfect and I didn't want to invest any more money into it either, and being so collectible, I didn't want to do anything to it to alter its value.

The decision to get rid of them both was kinda made for me when I saw my 98 Expedition on a car lot back home - I'd wanted one since they came out in 97 but could never justify the expense. This one was priced RIGHT...but my lack of cash flow forced me to give my Cobra AND 78 for it...

All this background info is for me to tell you ...do what's in your heart - if you sell it (after the HUGE monetary/personal investment) you might regret it for a long time! However, if the $600/yr insurance and the fact that it sits most of time is weighing heavy on you and you think you'd be better off without it, then let her go...at least you can recover some of that cash you invested and put it to more vital/useful needs

It's a tough decision either way...just do the one that you think you'd regret less...I do have regrets about letting mine go (both of them), but when I see and drive my Expedition, I kinda forget about the others. It's one I drive every day when I'm home, so I'm getting some use out of it and enjoying it.

The sharpest or fastest vehicle in the (your) world does nobody any good just sitting there. Kinda like all the Cobra R models that have been produced starting in 93, that have only double digit miles on them...WHAT A WASTE!!!

Just my .02 cents

Scott

 

Thanks Pik and Scott for your reply. What you both said makes all the sense in the world , and I see a need to look at my finances more closely on the matter. As you guys say, money is the prime motivator , for us keeping or letting go of our toys. My wife has been very understanding throughout this whole 6 year truck project. But, we are both getting toward our senior years now, and money is getting a lot dearer to us each day. As our potential for getting out in the world and earning more of it for ourselves diminishes each day, we will have to make hard decisions about what will be the dearest to us. thanks

 

I have rebuilt and/or customized a number of cars/trucks over the years and I don't think I actually made money on the sale of most, but if you factor in the fun and sheer enjoyment I had doing the work then they were a good deal. Sell the truck and move on to the next .... there will be a next. Good luck.
Dono

 

It is not that the truck is going to be such a money burden from now on , that part is history . It is just rationalizing it to myself , and my wife , the fact I am keeping a "pretty" non -working truck in storage , just to get out and drive once or twice a month for fun. It kind of doesn't make a lot of good common sense, when one thinks about it, (it does for the rich tho)

I concur with the enjoyment part of the restoration process, IN the first year or two of it... I found as I hit the 50 year old mark , and starting seeing the cash outlay it was digesting, and acknowledging the fact I was still only half done with it, somehow that made the "enjoy" part of it, become hard, begrudging "work". If I sell this one, there will not be anymore, I can promise that. I have some physical ailments that have set in on me now, that makes it impossible, EVEN if I did want to restore another one. And also, looking at the state of the economy and its future, and factoring in my age of 52 and not being very marketable in today's employment field, it makes my concern of keeping a job, and not squandering my hard earned money on any more old pick up trucks, my top priority. thanks all ! and all jmo,

 

Greg,

I agree totally! I'm about to turn 44 next month, and see the world and the economy in much the same light as you.

The thing about restoring old trucks, cars, etc...is you have to:

1. be willing to invest money with no hopes of return (personal satisfaction with the completed project must sustain you).

OR

2. be able to do the restoration "on the cheap" in order to be able to recover your fundage at the point you decide to sell it. (this only works if there's someone out there who REALLY wants to pay for the fruits of your labors).

 

Great advice and a 100 % dead on Scott, ,

 

I've learned these lessons the hard way - $$$$ lighter in my wallet ...and a 68 Mustang coupe sitting in my basement with WAY MORE $$ invested than I could EVER hope to get back out of it. But it's the wife's and she enjoys it - "a happy wife is a happy life!"

 

I know the feeling about being "car poor", check into antique vehicle insurance, it might help. Good luck, George

 

Definitely look into getting classic tags and insurance. The insuance is much, MUCH cheaper. My other half just bought a '73 Volvo and registered it as an "Historic" car. Insurance through an online antique-car insurance company is less than $100/year.

 

Get antique or classic plates and insurance and drive it less then 5,000 miles a year. That can be a big difference on your insurance if you only drive it 5,000 miles or less per year.

> I have no intention of driving it in the snow or rain , and will be using one of
> my two garage spaces to keep it in ...But, I just cant sell it so easily.
> Sorry for the long boring post, but what would YOU do

I would drive the wheels off it, leave it outside, scratch the paint working it, and enjoy it if you sold it to me. I suggest you do the same before it gets sold to someone like me ;-D

Enjoy the fruits of your work. If you die next month, will having stored it inside a garage not driving it do you any good when someone dumps it off at a salvage yard or used car dealer?

 

I called the country clerk today about the antique plates , because I thought that was a good tip from you guys. The clerk on the phone said if I go with the antique plates , I can only drive it in parades, or to and from, car/truck shows , and with a 5k max annual mileage at that...
I guess she knew my thoughts, because the very next words out of here mouth was, " "Our policeman here watch for these antique tag violations, and they do give citations for not obeying the rules for the antique tag useage." I live in a rural town where I pass the same cops twice a day, so sneakin' by on a " I am going to a truck show today guys," might not last long with these 3 cops "

 

Surely you jest ? I already have a small pick up and trailer to work out of, that I scratch up all the time. You are proposing that I take my 79 Ford, that took me a year and $$$$$$ !! to prep and paint, and almost 6 years to restore , that now looks almost like it just rolled off of the factory floor, and WORK out of it ?? I dont think so, Reb. And now, after reading this post I am going to put in my will, that the truck must be taken to a crusher at the time of my demise. I would rather it be crushed , than handed over to someone that would not appreciate for what it is, and just take it out and abuse it like it was just an old chavy truck .

 

I would appreciate it for what it is, a truck designed for working and hard playing that did not come with cup holders, tissue box holders, or leather six way power seats and the heater, mirrors, power steering, and radio were options or delete options.

I do not know the whole history of my truck, since it is pretty much a pieced together work, but, I know for many of the 33 years people enjoyed it for what it is, a truck. Because I found a lot of different types of .22 LR in the heater controls and box from all the people that used it for hunting over the years.

> abuse it like it was just an old chavy truck

Who said I was going to lower it two inches off the ground, color it purple, put chrome exhaust tips on it, 22 inch rims with one inch tall tires, and neon lighted wiper arms?



Now that is abuse.