need advice on possible purchase
 

so ive always been a fan of the older ford trucks. I currently have a 77 150 4x4 that I enjoy tinkering on. but a mechanic friend of mine has a few 48-52 f1s with a ton of parts for sale. no engines or transmission. the trucks are pretty straight and solid with very little rust. altogether you could probably get two pretty nice trucks out of the parts. the deal contains, two complete f1 minus the engines and transmissions. nice patina, very few rust through spots, floor pans and fender area. another frame that's been converted to hold a small block ford. a trailer load of parts and another cab. hes asking for 3500 and hell throw in a 302 out of a later model ford car. its an efi with a throttle body. all the trucks have the bar grille on the front, personally its my favorite grille. but I don't know if they have any titles to these trucks. im limited in my knowledge of body work but can pretty much do anything if ive got a little bit of direction. what do yall think of the price. ive seen trucks that were falling apart going for 4000+ but ive also seen runners and drivers for 9000 to 12000. im just afraid im going to bite off more than I can chew.

oh all the running boards on these trucks are in excellent condition. no cancer, small dents.

To me it honestly sounds a little high. But that may be just me.

One thing to consider though: How much free time do you have on your hands? I bought my truck in running condition, and it's taking a lot of my free time just making some basic repairs. And as soon as I fix one thing, I find something else that I wasn't expecting to need to fix. I can't imagine building a basket case.

The very first question should be...Does he have valid titles for either or both of the 'complete' trucks? Do the serial numbers stamped into the frames match those titles? Without at least one valid title, you basically are buying a bunch of parts, value probably no more than $1000. If he has a valid title for one (that is capable of being completed) maybe $1500, if he has two valid titles, about $2000 tops.

Pictures and an inventory of the extra parts will help determine the value.

I agree with Joe. No transferable title, no deal. A "little" rust showing usually turns into a LOT of rust hidden. Putting together two rough trucks into one good one is usually a pipe dream since they typically all have the same problems in the same areas. There are far fewer patch panels made for the F1. Body work is the most labor intensive and expensive part of one of these builds. If the 302 is one of the early EFI engines, it isn't worth it's weight in scrap, especially if the ECU and wiring harness isn't included. Realistically you are looking at a minimum of a $15K and 5 - 10 year investment if you do all the work yourself. Is those particular truck(s) worth that to you? Truth is the most expensive and frustrating builds are the ones that start with "I can get it cheap...".

As I've gotten older my desire to start with something rough has almost completely gone. I totally understand not having lots of funds or wanting to start out on the low end but in the end the total investment is the total no matter how you approach it. The best thing I've learned on this topic is this....Buy the absolute most complete vehicle you can afford. You can't build it for what you can get it for after someone loses interest. Then go from there.

Thanks for the input guys. I think I'll pass and maybe just buy a few parts as needed when I find a good starter truck. That being said anyone got any leads on a running f1 near Oklahoma?

Craig's List is your best bet. There are a steady stream of trucks that come out of OK and Kansas. Those that are running tend to have been hot rodded. Project trucks look like this one: 1949 FORD F 100

The lack of titles is the biggest concern after vehicle condition, of course. Good luck on your quest.

DW

i found this craigslist add today. I was wondering if you guys would give me a first impression of it. spoke to the guy. hes had for 15 years. said theres some rust in the bed and has the original motor and transmission. overall from pictures it looks like it may be merely cosmetic pieces. the engine has never been overhauled or anything. the carb needs to be rebuilt but it does have a good title.

*1949 FORD F1 PICKUP*

Couple of comments:
Check the condition of the frame and cab corners. This truck has had multiple paint experiences from the pics. Need to make sure nothing is lurking underneath.
The running boards are not stock and maybe homemade. Look to confirm workmanship.
The bed needs a look. Not sure what the rust comment means. The tailgate has some sort of trim that I've not seen before.
Price isn't way out of line. Might be ~$1500 high depending on the condition of the parts mentioned.

DW

I agree on all of DW's comments and I'd add...check the dash and make sure it wasn't butchered when they put the giant speaker on the FRONT! I hate a messed up dash. The truck has its positives. I also think when compared to others I've seen it may be a bit high. It's all different in person though.

that's good catch on the speaker. I didn't even notice it until you said something. are these dashes removeable or are they welded in? I haven't taken any of these trucks apart really to have a look so I don't know. thanks again for the help guys!!!

Dashboards were welded in place.

Hey Justice,
I paid $6700 for my 1950 F1 - It was barely running/driving & definitely not stopping. So I don't think that price is far off - if it runs, drives, stops, & has current title, registration, & inspection.

That said - It's all about what you expect from this truck. If you want a daily driver you've got some work & expense in front of you. If you are just knocking around on the weekends it might be good.

Some Thoughts:
o That truck has an older Flathead in it. Those are nice - a lot of members on here have them but they are expensive to fix as you have to find the parts & someone with expertise to work on it. Honestly if you want a daily driver I'd get one with a more modern drivetrain.

o Cab - The most expensive and time consuming part about restoring these old trucks is messing with an old rusty cab. I'd pull up that carpet & take a look at the floor & slide under there & look at it from underneath. You may also want to take a hard look at the cab corners & lower door areas with a magnet to check for extensive bondo.

These old cabs are very fixable - but if it has some pretty extensive rust it's 4 to 6 months of grinding & welding to get it all patched up.

o Highway driving - The original transmissions & rear end gearing
wasn't intended for todays highways. To go more than 50 mph you will need to spend some time upgrading.

Hey Justice - That's a nice looking truck - use it for weekend projects. If you want to go motoring around OKC on the highways just make sure you budget some time & effort to get it ready for traffic & highway speeds.

Good luck over there. If you want a more "ready to go truck"- I'd think you can find a nicely restored one from $12k to $15K. If you want a more true to stock truck - this one might be the one for you.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1