Country Truck Suggestions

"rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S" (rb1971)
06/27/2014 at 13:39 • Filed to: None

Oppo - I just bought a house out in the country (well, ok, Napa), and I'm considering buying an older truck, preferably mechanically relatively sound and easy to work on but condition of exterior and interior not really important. I'm a sports and performance car guy, so I don't know much about trucks.

Any suggestions? Any ideas what I should expect to pay? Normally I like things that are unusual, but in this case I think the idea would be to have something as "usual" as possible. And I'd like to keep it pre-1975 due to CA smog requirements, and under $5k - which seems like a lot, since when I was growing up I feel like you could buy these all day long for $1k.

Is something like this a bad idea?

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DISCUSSION (17)

mr_gofast > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/27/2014 at 13:41

pre 1990 pickup - guzzles gas - yes

- jalop level - elite

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/27/2014 at 13:42

Cali means you're going to have a lot of choices some other regions are denied age-wise. In that sense, go nuts with your pre-'75 trucks, as they're not going to have terminal bed cancer, probably. That being said - something you can get parts for, which means something like that Chevy is ideal. Anything in/on the car is at a junkyard, the local parts store, or LMC Truck waiting for you at $not-too-pricey and the same more or less applies to a similar Ford.

crowmolly > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/27/2014 at 13:43

Pre 1975 with a small block chevy, manual trans, Holley 600 with an HEI swap.

Thing may not get the best economy or set any land speed records but you can damn near rebuild it bare handed. Very cheap to maintain, very forgiving.

Just keep in mind ZDDP and unleaded fuel requirements.

For Sweden > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/27/2014 at 13:43

Napa, California, huh? You're either going to need a fully-optioned out King Ranch or Range Rover, or a classic truck that costs just as much. Otherwise the locals will sneer at you.

mcseanerson > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/27/2014 at 13:46

C/K 10. Get a column shifter. Chicks like column shifters.

Nibbles > crowmolly
06/27/2014 at 13:56

My replies are not going to the right spots today...

Nibbles > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/27/2014 at 14:00

You could go unusually usual and go with a pre- '75 Dodge D-series. Nobody remembers they exist, but they shared parts with trucks well into the 90s so parts aren't a problem lol

ly2v8-Brian > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/27/2014 at 14:02

Chevrolet all the way.

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > mcseanerson
06/27/2014 at 14:04

Sort of like this? I kind of like this even tho I really don't need it.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/453765…

lameofdog > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/27/2014 at 14:05

Loved my '79 F-150 Ranger until I got rid of it.

mcseanerson > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/27/2014 at 14:15

My ideal is a stock, decent maintained, two toned c/k 10 that looks like it's actually driven. If this was just a tad dirtier it would be perfect.

Kinja'd!!!

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > mcseanerson
06/27/2014 at 14:17

Sort of like this (although I would prefer a bit more patina - I guess if I just park it outside I'll have some eventually).

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/451974…

mcseanerson > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/27/2014 at 14:18

I don't care for patina, but a truck should be a little beat up, keep it honest.

Also needs moar column shifter. Chicks dig column shifters.

BJohnson11 > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/27/2014 at 20:49

Pre '75 for Cali, and if you want to get the best condition car for the cheapest, look into a square body C10. They were made '73-'87 in a bunch of different engine/trans combinations. You can find a solid, clean, running version for a few grand all day every day.

This is mine. Despite some of its flaws, I love it. Sure, the '67-'72s are arguably nicer and prettier, but they're more collectible and are significantly more expensive.

Kinja'd!!!

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > BJohnson11
06/28/2014 at 13:50

I saw some of these with a 6 which appeals to me since I don't do any towing - anything to watch out for on those? Or is the smart move to get the ubiquitous 350 due to ease of maintenance?

BJohnson11 > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/28/2014 at 14:39

The 6s are cool and there are plenty of people out there that love them, but if it were me, I'd just go small block. My truck has a 454, but a 350 is a much more versatile motor. Parts are cheaper and more plentiful, maintenance is straightforward, if you do want to build performance, that's very easy to do.

Real benefit of the 6 is that the commonly mated it to a 4 speed or a 3 on the tree. That said, as much as everyone wants a manual (I'm no exception), old truck manuals are garbage. The turbo 350 or turbo 400 were relatively good and robust transmissions for their day.

quarterlifecrisis > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
06/28/2014 at 14:59

I feel like I may be a little late to the party, but, realistically, anything in that price range will likely be a truck that has been used as a truck and will continue to be used as a truck. That being said, its always great to see an old truck that still is cared for, and put to good use. Anything you buy out in that part of the country, in that price range will, by default, be a pretty honest truck. Seeing as you already own a classic vehicle, I'm going to assume you're reasonably competent with a wrench as far as basic maintenance and that type of thing go. You can probably rebuild an early 70s truck with 2 wrenches and a little time, and they'll just keep on ticking.

TL:DR - you can't go wrong with virtually anything you'll come across in that price range in decent shape. Make sure to post pics!