Ford F-Series Daily Drivers
 

I'm just wondering how long it will be feasible to drive this pickups as daily drivers. I'm calculating out costs and wondering if it would be better to get it running and spend my fun money on a newer pickup?

My projected expenses are:

35 inch tires and new 8lug rims $1000-1500
New Master Cylinder and Break Booster-$100
New weather strip all around $100-200
Oil change/filter-$20
Coolant flush and fill-$20
New hoses/belts-$50-$100
New brakes disc front, drum rear-$100-$200?
Re grease hubs,bearings,and trans-$30
New suspension bushings-$20-$100
New air filter and plugs-$20
Sem paint interior-$ unknown
New wipers $10?
New washer fluid pump-$10-$20
New tailgate-$20-$100
Rust bullet/rust to primer convertor uncarriage/wheel wells-$50?
Sand, prime and paint the truck ( Hugger orange)-$500
Herculine the floors, bed and rails, undercarriage, wheel wells, lower doors, and lower fender pieces-$100-$200
Seat covers front and rear-$50-$100
New thermostat-$20
Carb rebuild $100
New in tank pumps and sending units-$250


Ideal list depending upon funds:
Rebuild/Rebuild kit for my 460. $500-$1500.
ZF trans swap-$500-$700
4 inch lift kit-$600-$1000(First priority after good running)
New seats/console-$200-$500
White gauge faces-$20
Tach cluster-$20
Winch-$200-$700
New exhaust with cherry bomb duals-$100-$400
Dana 60 solid front swap-$500-$1000( Pry last priority)
Projecter headlight kit-$100-$300( A maybe)
Cab lights/sun visor $200
More kcs for winch bumper,and rack-$100-$500
Inverter $30?
New headunit(Either remove and sell old unit, or simply run an ipod tape connection) $20-$200
New Pioneer Speakers-$30-$100
Double roller tchain-$50?
Rv crankshaft/camshaft?-$200?
Steering stabilzers dual-$200
Electric fan-$30-$100( Maybe depending upon mpg)
LSD in rear-$300?


I figure roughly even with my ideal mods my pickup will cost me $5000 total, including purchase price. All work will be done in house, by myself, friends and mechanic/welder uncle so labor costs are nonexistent.


I see it like this. I can buy a vanillaish newer truck for pry $5000 dollars. Insurance will run higher, and I will still have those set costs including fuel
With the 84 upgraded in this manner, I will save roughly $80 bucks a month in insurance over my present dd. More over new rigs as I can't pay full price in cash. I will have the satisfaction of knowing everything about my pickup, and make it the way I want.

Is it ever feasible that these rigs will cease to be good daily drivers? I'm not meaning in terms of gas mileage but in terms of them being so old they are not feasible in the next 10-20 years? Anyway, just kinda was hoping for some ideas of expertise here.

Some of things you listed could be bought used to save you some money. I'd poke around Craigslist, eBay, and local off road forums to see what is available through private parties (tires, lift, rims, etc). You many also try checking out local JY and seeing what they have. Sometimes you get lucky and find some good stuff.

As far as a newer truck, how much newer? If you go 97+ and want to lift the truck, expect to pay more for a lift. Parts are going to be more expensive (a reman starter for my '00 is $140 vs. $50 for my old girl). Diagnostics will be a little tricker then what you have now. I dunno, I could probably go on and on about why you should keep your old truck.

I don't think these will ever fall out of being a good dd. Aftermarket support is there and with the production numbers I don't think it'll be a problem in the future. Try owning a 1gA (which is 1990-91) Talon/Eclipse/Laser and you'll see a vehicle that isn't a very good future driver... no, a 1987 Nissan Pulsar NX SE DOHC 1.6L, one year motor, and you'll see a VERY unfeasable daily driver. I've owned both and have lived with the PITA issues involved with trying to find parts that are obselet and you can't find to save your life.

And come on... older trucks are cool.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=53464
Neat car, damn near impossible to find parts for it.

Yeah, that is the plan. Get whatever I can used, but in good condition. I honestly hate the look of all the new trucks. I wouldn't go much newer than the 03 powerstroke Fords those are damn nice. Likewise for the other makers, but really I dislike chev trucks the most. Yeah I plan to also check junkyards, as we have a lot in the nw and if I look around pry get a good deal. Appreciate the advice!

this is what ive done to my dd....
 

hey
this is what ive done to my dd


what was fixed on the truck
i dint do it all but damm close!
------------------------------------
wiper pump
stereo speaker left
door locks
truck cap removed and repainted
seafoam in gas
radiator hoses
fan belts
heater hoses
new battery clamps
repaired underhood wiring
fixedcab holes
flushed radiator/replaced coolant
painted front grill
fixed rearview mirror
brake lines/hoses - all
windshield sqiuter
replaced entire parking brake system
rear brake pads,drums,springs,whl. cyl.
replace headlight-right side
right turn signal,not bulb
replaced horn
lic plate lite
bed repaied small holes
welded and painted rear bumper
replace bumber bracket
repaired tailgate lock
welded tailgate/bed-loose
tailgate replaced
hood replaced
battery hold down
made a battery mount
fixed lighter
steering box adjusted
front calipers
frt. wheelbearings replaced
packed hubs with grease
replace frt. brake hoses.
frt.brake pads
turn / replaced rotors
radius arm mount- dr. side
radius arm bushings
replace clutch/pressplate & brg
exhaust manifolds- and pipes
exhaust system -cherry bomb glass packs
steering-tierod and center link
shocks-all
replaced spark plugs motorcraft
installed brush guard with lights
replaced radio antenna
new wheels chrome factory
made air pump bracket-
new stereo
new alt
new voltage regulator
sun pro tach
installed grill guard with lights
8 ball shift knob
installed a 1969 351w
replaced valve stem seals
timing chain
oil pick up tube
new oil pan
rebuilt auto lite 2100 carb
put on manual choke
new freeze plugs
new flywheel
holley by pass regulator (went from efi sd to carb)
water pump
new points cap cond rotor
plug wires
painted engine
pilot brg
welded frame at spring mounts rear
new thermostat
drop in bed liner
new trans mount
replaced fuel lines
new oil pressure sending unit
custom dip stick tube
removed smog equip
deezee aluminum bed box
new rear shock mounts

truck runs real good with the 69 351w 9.5 compression regular gas
amazing that the factory 2v carb is only 356 cfm! 4v someday soon
cold blooded on -5 f starts with manual choke..go figure!
but starts everytime. got the t 18 trans with 4x4 (base model)

got about 4000.00 in it interior need a little work...

There is no real limit on how long you can make these things run. Most of the mechanicals are simple enough to work on, and given the history of volume of sales when new and the parts market, replacements should be fairly well available for quite a while to come (albiet OEM parts will get harder to find). Most of the anoying problems like the balky gauges, weak headlights, etc) can be upgraded with relative ease. The real limiting factor I see for these trucks are rust and metal fatigue, especially with the frames. I've got about $10K into mine, but it's built to run for the next 15-20 years, including an engine rebuild, trans/transfer case rebuild, and essentially a frame off freshening. It was a bit of cash up front, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper than spending $30K for the same capability, plus I had fun doing it.

Was the truck a feasible and reliable DD when it was new? SURE! The problem with older vehicles is that they get...well, old. Even a newer truck gets old. When things get old, problems arise and things need to be fixed. Will you be able to find parts for these trucks in the future? SURE! look how many are around. Granted, it may be hard to find some parts if you are doing a 100% correct restoration, but who's doing that anyway. If you do all you're planned work, take care of it like you will right after you've done all this work, repair problems as they arise...you're truck can last forever. If a part truly does become unavailable, there will be some modification or upgrade that you can do to get it back on the road.

Also, that $80 a month will add up over time and a 'newer' truck will need a few things repaired pretty soon and you'll still want to do some things such as upgrades.

A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush.

A mans' hoss is always gonna need new shoes/feed&water/occasional medical attention/curried/exercised/a comfortable stall/new tack when the old wears out. All that for the express purpose to take you there and back. Eventually he is gonna give out and be retired. Our modern mechanical horses are very similar, except they can go on forever with same TLC given to it's organic forebearers.

My '81 F100 is not old. It has been my faithful companion since the day we drove off the lot waving goodbye forever to the dealership. All it has taken over 30yrs worth of daily driving was a little TLC. Someone is gonna get a hellofa hoss when I......

Some of those things you have listed there are routine maintenance items and will
(eventually) need to be done to ANY vehicle you own.

I do what I do to my truck mostly because it's fun, I spend my working days in
computers & hi-tech and need something mechanical in my life and this truck fulfills that
need, I don't do this cuz it's a classic truck and worth a lot of money or anything.

Much of the stuff I get comes from junk yards and Craig's List and is pretty inexpensive
but availability is hit-or-miss and ya sometimes have to buy things when you weren't
planning simply because the opportunity arose and is "too good to pass up."

As for feasibility & availability of parts, take a look at rockauto.com and see what's
available for '70s & '60s vehicles (particularly vehicles with cult-like followings, e.g.
Mustangs Camaros Corvettes and maybe just for grins see what you can still get for a
1970 AMC Hornet and what the costs are) and use that to help you see into the future.

In any event, remember that the F-series was the #1 selling vehicle for something like 30
years and has got the largest aftermarket in the automobile industry.

Look, someone already gave your truck its first ding or two or even twenty. A new truck depreciates and is still just a tool. The biggest problem I have found is there is a stigma of driving an old truck (especially around here where so people in this area of the country are status driven). Realistically, the only problem I ever had with my last Ford, 1986 F250, was a wire popping off of the coil, an issue that would have not even happened had I left well enough alone and not replaced the perfectly fine coil. If you like it, drive it daily. You can upgrade it along the way and there is less cash outlay.

Spend what feels right to you on it. I'm keeping a eye out for 86 crew cabs and when I can swing a job and a place to park it, it's mine. I figure then I will probably be sinking a butt load of cash into it, and it's MINE.

Can you picture yourself driving it until you keel over and it becomes part of your estate? Then go balls out on whatever you want.

It's worth what you spend on it to you, not what the marketplace/either people say.

I figure if I spent $50k or something restoring the truck i'm after, and it's only worth $2k on a good day, not my problem. I'll love it until my last breath is taken, and that is all that matters!

The way I see it also is that the truck is still at a point where most of the parts it needs can be acquired. better to start a "restoration" at this point and time, rather then waiting another 20 years, just to find out goverment regulations have closed up the ability to restore it, and the aftermarket or even ford has quit making needed parts for it.

Battery cables on a 93 F150 seem to be a perfect example of this. It will reach a point that ford will just quit making them, and you are up ***** creek on OEM replacements if you desire that stock look/need it.

Good luck, I hope your truck brings you much happiness once you decide! Maybe I see you someday at a car/truck show with it

Thanks for the advice everyone! I figure I'll go about doing this as all the costs are small compared to a new one. Really the only way I would afford is a loan like everyone else and I don't want to owe anything to anyone, that I can avoid. A couple quick questions.

A HID/Projector set for my pickup, is reasonable around 80 off of ebay. Would I run into any issues with too much wiring draw, burning out my stock harness? Another alternative is to use sylvania ultra stars or whatever those bright bulbs are, but haven't checked into availability.

Secondly, I plan to run rust bullet or another rust to primer convertor on everything I can. Its not a rust issue presently, but I figure I'd rather do it now before I have to start cutting stuff down the road. On top of this I want to run herculiner with the uv protection. I have heard that this isn't the best option as the coating can get scratched or torn and ripped open, thus allowing water to get trapped. Any validity to this assumption, or better way to do this?

HID....I would not use the OE wiring for any part of it. I'd use complete new system and just fold the OE wiring out of the way. The UlltraStars are very good. I've installed them on both my truck and car. Far and away.....is how the UltraStars help you see stuff.

From my understanding, the HID's do not seem to work as well on a vehicle not originally running them (wiring aside). Some of the aftermarket stuff also does not let you keep high beams. I would run the headlight relay and some Ultra Stars.

Skip the HIDs they are illegal and 90% of the time blind on coming drivers. Look into LMC for their "euro" headlights and H4 bulbs. they make a night and day difference. I would also look into their headlight harness too. I am more than pleased with them on my 86

Have you read this: Whiter Whites, Brighter Brights .: Articles I did that and silverstars (I think thats what I bought anyway)... Very happy with the results.