How to trade a 4' long piece of I-beam, for a running driving pickup truck

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
05/22/2020 at 17:40 • Filed to: FreeFerd

Honestly, I have no idea how that happened, and certainly won’t be able to pull that off twice, but that is precisely what happened.

This ‘99 F-150 2wd extended cab long bed, with a 5.4 liter V8, was originally purchased new by my friend and coworker. The truck now has 196kish miles (the odometer only displays when it feels like it), leaks oil and power steering fluid, and has lots of body rot. That said, it tracks straight, doesn’t have any play in the steering, the brake pedal is kinda soft, but the brakes don’t pull and the truck stops without drama. There is a hellacious exhaust leak, thanks to rust, but the engine still pulls well and doesn’t smoke. The cruise control even works, and it has pretty new (off brand) tires.

I get why he decided to mo ve on from this truck. I wouldn’t want to depend on it for a daily, and the body is rougher than it looks in the pictures, but this truck is by no means on death’s door either.

What are we going to do with it? We’re definitely going to rallycross it. We were considering gambling it to a glorious death. But honestly, cruising the 30 miles to my buddy’s house in it, with a scooter and a riding mower in the bed (with lots of room to spare) ... I can’t kill this thing. It’s too good to kill. My buddy who is letting my store it at his house agrees. This truck has plenty left to give.

I think this is going to be kept around for an extra scooter hauler/camper tower, in addition to its rallycrossing duties. Am I going to put a bunch of money into it to keep it going? Hell no. That will prompt its send off to Valhalla. But I think this one will be around at least as long as the RallyMetro was.

DISCUSSION (29)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > shop-teacher
05/22/2020 at 17:45

There are precisely NONE of these left in Nova Scotia. I’ve see lots of F150s of other generations, but like...1 of this gen maybe once every few months...they all were killed off by rust, compared to o ther gens...

shop-teacher > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/22/2020 at 17:53

I don’t see them particularly often around here either.

Captain of the Enterprise > shop-teacher
05/22/2020 at 17:58

Nice!! I drove the family 01 Expedition in high school and loved it. So I have a soft spot for this gen.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/22/2020 at 18:00

Really? Mechanically these were one of the most robust based on street sightings. I see more of the jelly beans than the previous generation and are about not far behind their replacement. I have a friend with a very high mileage Lariat and he can’t kill it I guess rustproofing is the only weakness.

I also just saw my second ever tuk tuk in the same intersection as the last one FY I .

thatsmr > shop-teacher
05/22/2020 at 18:07

Had a little free datsun truck for a while. Just was not a sexy enough project so passed it on... regret not having a nice take to dump/get stuff vehicle. You have a great thing, at least hang on to for those uses

Future next gen S2000 owner > shop-teacher
05/22/2020 at 18:09

You could do a lot worse for a piece of I-beam.

shop-teacher > Future next gen S2000 owner
05/22/2020 at 18:10

I think so.

shop-teacher > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/22/2020 at 18:24

The rust monst er really had a taste for these.

Urambo Tauro > shop-teacher
05/22/2020 at 18:40

Yo dawg I herd you like I-beams...

Kinja'd!!!

shop-teacher > Urambo Tauro
05/22/2020 at 18:42

If only it had the classic twin I-beam suspension!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > shop-teacher
05/22/2020 at 18:57

Skimping on the undercoating, eh?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/22/2020 at 19:14

Things like to rust in Atlantic Canada...a lot :(

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/22/2020 at 19:18

I am quite fortunate to live in such a temperate climate. I’m sure there are upsides to snow but I’ve never experienced them.

My friend just got a 4runner for $200 and says it is "very rusty," so I'm curious to see what that means. There was a bit of surface rust on the wheels to warrant plastidipping but I didn't see any bubbling in photos. Georgia rust.

Wacko > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/22/2020 at 19:18

Like here in Quebec, just like any car older than 10-15 years

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > shop-teacher
05/22/2020 at 19:39

It’s simple, photoshop a picture of Anna Kendrick making out with it. Boom instantly worth at least a few grand. This works with most household objects

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/22/2020 at 19:46

Oh, I like snow, I just h ate the salt they put on the roads in the winter...

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Urambo Tauro
05/22/2020 at 20:04

too new. I beams died with the OBS body style

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/22/2020 at 20:31

I’ m not cut out for cold weather, what with having about the same body fat percentage as my whippet. Snownuts sound fun though. . .

BTW the jellybeans really are on every corner and will be for quite some time. They are mechanically bulletproof from what I understand.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/22/2020 at 21:00

Forgive me as I am tired from a busy day...Jellybeans? I apologize but I can’t remember what you are referring to!

I wish I had less body fat, lol....I’m 5 foot 7" or so and always weighed 120lbs even into uni and beyond but in the last year or two I’ve put on weight and weigh around 150lbs now and am starting to get a bit of a beer gut....and I don’t even drink beer! :/ :(

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/22/2020 at 21:23

Oh just the “jelly bean ” F150 mentioned above that you said you never see. No worries.

Not being able to gain weight may be less desirable than you think. I've tried everything and I'm still dangerously thin. There is a happy medium and I'm not it.

MM54 > shop-teacher
05/22/2020 at 22:11

This is in a lot better shape that the very few that are still around here. Most have rotted out beyond repair and have about one exhaust manifold stud left

shop-teacher > MM54
05/22/2020 at 22:40

That’s true around here too. He cared about his truck very much. That’s why he was willing to give it to me so it could have some sort of second life, rather than junk it. He didn’t feel that it was in good enough shape to sell to anybody. Honestly, I could post this thing for sale for a grand tomorrow, and have a line of dudes waiting to throw money at me, but that would not feel right to me.

The reason it doesn't have a tailgate, is he kept it so he could make a bench out of it. Which I think is a brilliant idea!

shop-teacher > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
05/22/2020 at 22:40

Hmmmmm ....