Looked at this 97 F250 HD today.

"Nibby" (nibby68)
02/27/2020 at 15:40 • Filed to: None

It’s in northern NJ, about 70-80 miles from me, depending on route.

The sidesteps rusted off and there are some small rust spots like the ones you see above.

There’s a similar rust spot in the passenger doorwell but it is worse and has a bit of a hole in it. Here are some undercarriage pics

not terrible but not ideal. and here are the interior shots

i contributed to a few of those miles

4WD shifter, radio, and heat work well. would need a proper cleaning

I checked the fluids and they’re alright... the transmission fluid is fine. would change the oil. When I drove it, it started right up and shifts perfectly but the engine runs a bit rough. Drivable but idk. Both tanks work but when switching to the rear one the needle goes past F

good news is the brakes were fine and they recently did some work to them

the asking price is $3800 plow included but since i don’t need the plow i was able to negotiate down to $2,000 without plow... but didn’t buy it. I’m kinda thinking it might not be a bad price at $1500 if they accept it but I would need to tow it home and fix it up, register it, get it inspected, etc.

would replace the mirrors, bumpers, remove the bedcap and add a tailgate, fix up the rusty spots and replace the shackles

what do you guys think? not planning on using it for DD purposes obviously but I would be using it to tow/move around an ATV and side by side with a plow (so total weight would be under 3,500 pounds including trailer [which i don’t have] easily) for a 160 mile trip every few months

DISCUSSION (49)

MonkeePuzzle > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 15:42

fire floor mats, SOLD!

shop-teacher > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 15:43

At $2k, that seems like a good buy to me.

2Fast2Furious: Rotary Powered > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 15:48

Woul d’ve probably taken the 2k deal honestly, but everyone is different, hope you find the f150 that your looking for

Nibby > shop-teacher
02/27/2020 at 15:50

i would have to rent a uhaul and pick it up... definitely wouldn’t trust driving it home

Nibby > 2Fast2Furious: Rotary Powered
02/27/2020 at 15:51

i could still snag it

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 16:01

$2k is a NP. Get-er-done.

Chariotoflove > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 16:08

You know better than I how much that rust will be a problem, but $2k doesn’t sound too bad. I didn’t get why you would have to tow it.

Is he trying to off load the plow? If you can’t deal it down because he want it gone, you might flip it yourself, if you care to deal with it.

In the end though, it’s kind of a gut feeling situation. If you’re not feeling it, you probably shouldn’t do it.

MUSASHI66 > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 16:13

I see a plow, I don’t even consider the truck. You know it didn’t lead an easy life.

atfsgeoff > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 16:14

I think $2k for it is a good deal, even with the rust spots. Nothing looks dangerous or structural.

2Fast2Furious: Rotary Powered > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 16:20

That is the truth

Jetstreamer > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 16:31

Where is your sense of adventure... :)

Nibby > Jetstreamer
02/27/2020 at 16:32

it needs new spark plugs

shop-teacher > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 16:36

Eh, just get a buddy to follow you home.

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 16:40

The infamous 7 lug F-250’s.

Nibby > Chariotoflove
02/27/2020 at 17:35

he wants the plow gone with it too but i made it pretty clear i have zero interest in the plow

Nibby > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
02/27/2020 at 17:36

ya think?

Nibby > MUSASHI66
02/27/2020 at 17:36

he told me he only used it for a few years occasionally and doesn’t need it. it seemed to be owned by an indian grocery store owner

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 18:02

Occasionally .

fintail > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 18:22

At least they didn’t over-detail it to maybe hide issues, looks honest this way anyway. I think you could risk driving it home. At $1500, no harm done. $1500 is probably close to the shipping charge to bring a west coast truck to you.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 18:41

Unless your gunna plow with it run away. Plows put lots of wear on front end components and transmissions.

Urambo Tauro > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 19:35

I can’t unsee the looped brake line on the axle. But i f it works, it works!

Nibby > Urambo Tauro
02/27/2020 at 19:41

Yo that's sketchy

Nibby > shop-teacher
02/27/2020 at 19:41

Don’t know anyone who would spend a day to do that lol

Nibby > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time
02/27/2020 at 19:42

Yeah probably the best thing to do here

Nibby > fintail
02/27/2020 at 19:43

I’m really conflicted on this but for the price it's hard to say no

Urambo Tauro > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 19:49

Eh, it just means that they bought a pre-flared section from t he parts store that was a few inches too long, and apparently didn’t feel like cutting and re-flaring it to fit better. Should be fine thou g h , a s long as it doesn’t hit the bed when t he suspension is compressed .

fintail > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 20:10

Yeah, $1500 is worth a gamble. If you end up hating it, you should have no issues getting your money back, providing that it runs and drives. Maybe even flip it for a few hundred profit after a detail.

Nibby > Urambo Tauro
02/27/2020 at 20:18

Thanks. It has a bed cap in it right now so I figured that's about a few dozen Pounds right there

Nibby > fintail
02/27/2020 at 20:23

It does run and drive. Just would be a hassle to get it here

fintail > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 20:31

It’d be an adventure! Just get AAA and roll the dice, stay in the right lane or on secondary roads. I bet you’d make it.

Nibby > fintail
02/27/2020 at 21:23

I’ll talk to parental units (more for the driveway space than anything else) and take it from there

MUSASHI66 > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 21:28

It wasn’t his grandma's, used on Sundays only?

Nibby > fintail
02/27/2020 at 23:11

well i still feel iffy about it so that means it’s not going to happen. i figure the usual work will need to be done which is fine but redoing the front end (needs an alignment) and dealing with rust, etc. makes it not worth it imo, eve n for the cheap price

fintail > Nibby
02/27/2020 at 23:25

Maybe just pony up, pay the transport fee, and import a low mileage west coast grandpa’s baby truck. Then the work is done, and will probably cost less than repairing a heap. Also, very likely to have no rust.

Nibby > fintail
02/28/2020 at 08:42

hm also if i were able to get it for $1500 and spend another 1-1.5k on it involving alignment, new spark plugs + wires + rotor, replace the mirrors, bumpers, add a tailgate, fluid flush... it might run much better

but then there’s still the pain working with the rust

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Nibby
02/28/2020 at 09:02

Now if u wanted to plow with it thats a heck of a deal for a working plow truck.

Nibby > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time
02/28/2020 at 09:20

just want the truck tbh

Nibby > fintail
02/28/2020 at 12:15

Kinja'd!!!

friend noticed this little leaky boi

fintail > Nibby
02/28/2020 at 12:26

If you’re not looking for a potential project, maybe best to walk away.

I am impatient and not insanely handy, so I’d be willing to pay more for one with less needs.

Nibby > fintail
02/28/2020 at 12:31

geoff has been talking a lot to me over the months... a lot of the stuff i mentioned seems pretty doable, based on youtube. the differential just requires unbolting and fluid flush, resealing and new fluid. the biggest thing it needs would be spark plugs... obviously the front alignment is not something i can do but a lot of the other stuf f would be fun to learn

fintail > Nibby
02/28/2020 at 16:23

That’s a good way to look at it, maybe a way to learn some stuff. Really, I think for $1500, that truck is worth a gamble.

I’d also be hesitant to go to the expense of importing a rust-free truck to a rust area, where it will eventually get rust.

Nibby > fintail
02/28/2020 at 16:57

If I'm so inclined could always get the frame coated

fintail > Nibby
02/28/2020 at 17:24

Or find a wire brush, a paintbrush, and some POR-15.

Popped into marketplace for a 5 minute browse, found a few :

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2337160893062987/

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3473812929327822/

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3077205042398304/

Nibby > fintail
02/28/2020 at 20:21

Hmm yeah the f350 is too big. The first one I like more than the others but the 460 scares me

fintail > Nibby
03/06/2020 at 14:30

Just found this on CL - if I had room, I’d look at it for myself, something appealing about it:

https://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/cto/d/auburn-1987-ford-150-xlt-lariat-4x4/7088311810.html

Nibby > fintail
03/06/2020 at 16:56

deleted

fintail > Nibby
03/06/2020 at 17:03

Damn it, probably sold.

87 F150 longbed 4x4, ~110K miles, two tone brown on brown, high options, fairly immaculate, $4500.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Nibby
03/10/2020 at 09:15

If you haven’t bought something yet, you should really consider a weekend road trip to warmer climes to avoid serious rust.

These are obviously too far away, but I’m sure you could find cheaper ones further north that would dramatically increase in value the closer to the rust belt you go.

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/d/marietta-1987-ford-150/7089917277.html

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/d/atlanta-1995-ford-150-low-miles/7089911921.html

Nibby > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
03/10/2020 at 10:03

Yeah I haven’t bought anything yet. Waiting to move in a few months first