Buy then swap, is it worth it?
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,799
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From: Ashland City, TN
Buy then swap, is it worth it?
Alright guys. Been missin ya all!
so there is a shot out to ya!
found a truck in the nighborhood here for 600 dollars
its a 90 or a 91. The body is pretty rough, but better then mine. haha.
But i can swap my bed out, casue their bed is about gone, tail gate messed up and such.
The question is, Would it be worth it, to buy this 600 dollar truck to do engine and tranny swap, so it has a good engine tranny rear axle what not, and bed or whatever other parts it needs my old 91 nite has left that are good.
Would it be better to have a shop swap the engine?
Granted if it had a 302 in it like my nite, i could swap without doing a full computer swap.
Or if it had a 351 would i still want to put the known good engine in instead, or drive it till it dies.
So many questions here. But i'm missing my ford.
Pluss being on a job sight the other week when the cement guys came out to pour our floor, they all had fords, my boss has a ford, and i was stuck in the picture with the chebby s10.
Just to note the awsome ford power used on the job sight to pull the burried cement truck out too! hooked 2 nice new 2002+ fords up and pulled er right out. HOOOORA!
so there is a shot out to ya!
found a truck in the nighborhood here for 600 dollars
its a 90 or a 91. The body is pretty rough, but better then mine. haha.
But i can swap my bed out, casue their bed is about gone, tail gate messed up and such.
The question is, Would it be worth it, to buy this 600 dollar truck to do engine and tranny swap, so it has a good engine tranny rear axle what not, and bed or whatever other parts it needs my old 91 nite has left that are good.
Would it be better to have a shop swap the engine?
Granted if it had a 302 in it like my nite, i could swap without doing a full computer swap.
Or if it had a 351 would i still want to put the known good engine in instead, or drive it till it dies.
So many questions here. But i'm missing my ford.
Pluss being on a job sight the other week when the cement guys came out to pour our floor, they all had fords, my boss has a ford, and i was stuck in the picture with the chebby s10.
Just to note the awsome ford power used on the job sight to pull the burried cement truck out too! hooked 2 nice new 2002+ fords up and pulled er right out. HOOOORA!
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,799
Likes: 104
From: Ashland City, TN
I'm not sure yet, I havn't called.
I'm guessing its a high milage truck because they only want 600 for it and its in rough shape.
I doubt its much good by looking at the exterior of the vehicle.
I'm guessing its a high milage truck because they only want 600 for it and its in rough shape.
I doubt its much good by looking at the exterior of the vehicle.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
IMO it's easy to swap motors and transmissions so to me it would be worth it. It's really whether or not you think you can easily do the job. There are lots of little crap that go on (missing bolts, wrong parts, etc etc) when swapping stuff like this. It doesn't sound like you've got a bad deal going on.
I just got an F-250 so I can swap transmissions and axles w/ my F-150. But the F-250 is still driveable so I'll still be using it
I just got an F-250 so I can swap transmissions and axles w/ my F-150. But the F-250 is still driveable so I'll still be using it
Temporarily Deactivated
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,859
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by MustangGT221
There are lots of little crap that go on (missing bolts, wrong parts, etc etc) when swapping stuff like this. It doesn't sound like you've got a bad deal going on.
Having the two vehicles side by side for the swap is the way to go if you do it.
Depending on how much you use a truck and how much you can work on it, it is almost always better to buy one in good shape and drive it for a while and resell it before you have to do major repairs. I kept my last one 15 years and sold it for what I paid for it. I did a lot of work on it over the years and would have kept it except for the rust.
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Ashland City, TN
The whole reason i'm asking about the swap is because the truck has such a low price. and for some reason it hasn't sold.
Obviuosly it runs, beacuse they moved it in the yard.
However, i dont know how well it runs, or if it needs a new clutch.
I know that my nite has a good working 302, if nothing got broke in the wreck, a brand new clutch and a good working m5od.
Thats why i'm really leery about it, because i'll probably pay somebody to do the swap. Its lil to cold out for me to be wrenchign up here in michigan, My hands get cold way to easy and the project would never get done. I'll pull the motor no problem, and fix the oil problem. but i'll stick it in the back of the truck and drive it to the swap place.
So if the 600 dollar truck is decently driveable, it should be something worth doing?
Obviuosly it runs, beacuse they moved it in the yard.
However, i dont know how well it runs, or if it needs a new clutch.
I know that my nite has a good working 302, if nothing got broke in the wreck, a brand new clutch and a good working m5od.
Thats why i'm really leery about it, because i'll probably pay somebody to do the swap. Its lil to cold out for me to be wrenchign up here in michigan, My hands get cold way to easy and the project would never get done. I'll pull the motor no problem, and fix the oil problem. but i'll stick it in the back of the truck and drive it to the swap place.
So if the 600 dollar truck is decently driveable, it should be something worth doing?
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Elder User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 530
Likes: 1
From: Harrisonburg, VA
to me it sounds like a good deal. Call and find out what engine it has. They might gave just bought another vehicle to replace that one and want to get rid of it. I'd do it if I had a busted up truck and $600
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Ashland City, TN
The issue is how rough of shape the other truck is in.
I dont know if my ball joints are salvageable and such like that either.
it could need new ball joints. shocks. leaf springs all that junk, thats a big expence.
my only other option is a nice 86 or 85 bronco with 4 speed and 4wd, but he wants a lot for it. He fixed the body up, but i think he didn't do the rear tailgate right. and he did a shoddy job painting it. I'd love to have that though, he wants 3500 for the bronco. I'm gonna go post about it in the bronco forums.
I dont know if my ball joints are salvageable and such like that either.
it could need new ball joints. shocks. leaf springs all that junk, thats a big expence.
my only other option is a nice 86 or 85 bronco with 4 speed and 4wd, but he wants a lot for it. He fixed the body up, but i think he didn't do the rear tailgate right. and he did a shoddy job painting it. I'd love to have that though, he wants 3500 for the bronco. I'm gonna go post about it in the bronco forums.