Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Locked thread
Blaise
Sep 10, 2003
Anybody else here got love for cheap trucks??

I've been shopping for an '89-'95 toyota truck for a while. The plan was to find the right one (3.0, 4x4, 5spd, ext cab) with a blown motor and swap a 5VZ-FE into it, as the 3.0 sucks anyway. Well, after months of searching, I had found none that were even remotely reasonably priced: Even beat to hell trucks with 300k miles and a bad motor are fetching $3k!! drat you, Pacific North West and your love for toyotas.

Out of frustration, I looked elsewhere. What other truck could I possibly want?

Surely, not this one:

quote:



Not going to lie. I really had no intention of buying this. But it was really cheap, I needed something to haul my motorcycles in, and it happened to be less than 5 minutes out of my way driving home. Plus a 25 year old F150 that had sat on CL for 3 weeks for $700 HAD to be a total POS.

Met up with the guy. Holy crap, that is a LOT of moss growing on the paint:



But this is a pleasant surprise:



Truck really does have new tires and drove great. It did misfire on occasion like the guy said, so we negotiated:

Blaise: "What are you asking for this?"
Guy: "$750"
Blaise: "And how much do you really want?"
Guy: "$600"

And like that, I became a truck owner for the first time in my life. The list of things I could find wrong were:

code:
1. Really mossy on the outside, plus that stupid sticker
2. The misfire
3. Really Ugly
4. Shifter has tons of play
5. Left speaker doesn't work
Let's get to it:



I washed the exterior with a goddamn scotch brite pad. I can't believe I'd voluntarily do this to a vehicle, but the moss was SO thick. I used a safety razor blade to get that sticker off. The entire misfire issue was a (edit) bad ECU, $40 on ebay. Wow PO, you sure were too lazy to figure that one out. Spent $80 on a new headunit and speakers, $22 on a shifter rebuild kit, and another $150 on an air filter, plugs, fuel filter, oil, axle oil, trans oil, rear shocks etc. So for under $900 total, I have a very ugly but completely functional truck.

:q: Dear Previous Owner, thanks for dropping this kind of cash and then giving up on her. :q:



:dance: Maybe you guys get it, it's kinda cool to cruse down the road at 30mph getting 12mpg and making big v8 noises. :dance:



:D :D :D :D

Blaise fucked around with this message at 19:21 on Feb 20, 2015

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

meatpimp
May 15, 2004

Psst -- Wanna buy

:) EVERYWHERE :)
some high-quality thread's DESTROYED!

:kheldragar:

Beater trucks are some of the best vehicles. V8 and manual? Oh yeah.

Seizure Meat
Jul 23, 2008

by Smythe
yup that's a steal, sweet score man

Mental Hospitality
Jan 5, 2011

Ugly? That thing is a beaut.

On my phone anyways. Any sweet engine shots?

Blaise
Sep 10, 2003

meatpimp posted:

Beater trucks are some of the best vehicles. V8 and manual? Oh yeah.

I just love throwing poo poo in the bed and not caring. My buddy bought a ninja 650r yesterday and naturally used it to haul it home in the pouring rain.

Later this week I'm gonna haul a ton of trash from the house to the dump. Yeah! Truck! :D

Fender Anarchist
May 20, 2009

Fender Anarchist

Man, that's a way better deal than my POS Blazer, and I got ripped off compared to you ($800).

Does the A/C work? The ad says no but I noticed you didn't list it. Either way, that'll be an R12 system, so it'll be plenty cold, especially for a single cab.

Terrible Robot
Jul 2, 2010

FRIED CHICKEN
Slippery Tilde
AI understands.

Sweet deal, other than the paint that truck seems pretty well cared for, and being a manual will probably run forever. Dents in a pickup just mean it was used for its intended purpose, and should be worn proudly like battle scars.

One of my friends drove one just like that (but in considerably worse shape) with the automatic for a bit. We could not kill that thing no matter how hard we tried. Eventually he sold it to some farmer who converted it to 4x4 and a manual, and I still see that old bastard around the county every now and then.

Blaise
Sep 10, 2003

Terrible Robot posted:

AI understands.

My roomates and coworker sure don't.

I have to say, for somebody who lived in the rust belt his entire life, it's MIND BLOWING to climb under a 25 year old truck and use a plain old 3/8th ratchet to replace shocks.

By hand.

In 10 minutes.

Without a torch or PB blast or a sawzall.

:monocle: :monocle: :monocle: :monocle:

Parts Kit
Jun 9, 2006

durr
i have a hole in my head
durr
I like old rear end trucks as well, though I prefer them to be 4-bangers. :buddy:

Blaise
Sep 10, 2003

Fucknag posted:

Man, that's a way better deal than my POS Blazer, and I got ripped off compared to you ($800).

Does the A/C work? The ad says no but I noticed you didn't list it. Either way, that'll be an R12 system, so it'll be plenty cold, especially for a single cab.

AC doesn't work, but honestly, you don't need it up here (Seattle). It never gets over 75 or so. I recharged the system in my WRX last year but only when I took a long trip down to portland.

DrPain
Apr 29, 2004

Purrfectly priceless
items here.
I understand completely. I bought a lovely and broken '96 ranger and fixed it up on the cheap. Before that I was the proud owner of a '90 4runner 4x4, and had the same 5vz swap ideas you had before someone made me a ridiculous offer on it. Awesome truck you got there, and anyone whose opinion differs is categorically wrong. I will be paying close attention to this thread.

DrPain fucked around with this message at 02:42 on Apr 7, 2014

CommieGIR
Aug 22, 2006

The blue glow is a feature, not a bug


Pillbug
I have a beater Dodge 1500.

gently caress my life. But your beater truck looks AWESOME

Militant Lesbian
Oct 3, 2002

Blaise posted:

I have to say, for somebody who lived in the rust belt his entire life, it's MIND BLOWING to climb under a 25 year old truck and use a plain old 3/8th ratchet to replace shocks.


It's why anyone who's even remotely interested in cars and wrenching needs to GTFO the east/midwest ASAP and get to the west coast. I cringe every time I see someone describe some cancer ridden 10 year old shitheap as 'not too badly rusted'. There should be a law passed mandating every reasonably interesting fun car has to be sent out west before it turns into a pile of flakes.

Blaise
Sep 10, 2003

HotCanadianChick posted:

It's why anyone who's even remotely interested in cars and wrenching needs to GTFO the east/midwest ASAP and get to the west coast. I cringe every time I see someone describe some cancer ridden 10 year old shitheap as 'not too badly rusted'. There should be a law passed mandating every reasonably interesting fun car has to be sent out west before it turns into a pile of flakes.

Oh my god. This.

My 2002 WRX has more rust on it than this truck. My brothers '98 XJ needed literally 30-40 minutes of torching before anything would ever come loose, and even then we would end up cutting stuff. I never understood the threads with people cutting sheetmetal and welding in new panels when there are so many clean cars all over the country. :sigh:



Oh yeah. The PO put a brand new complete exhaust on it too before selling it. :wtf:

Slow is Fast
Dec 25, 2006

That truck is the loving tits.

I'm probably the guy cutting sheet metal and welding new panels in poorly in question.

Blaise
Sep 10, 2003


You know, because they hadn't figured out how to put in cupholders yet. :q:

Also it blows my mind that this truck, manufactured in '89, has ABS standard. It may be rear only, but I still really approve.

DrPain
Apr 29, 2004

Purrfectly priceless
items here.
Did you bury the 85mph speedo needle yet? :lol:

Blaise
Sep 10, 2003

DrPain posted:

Did you bury the 85mph speedo needle yet? :lol:

YUP. And it reads low. So it was probably closer to 95mph. Scary.

angryhampster
Oct 21, 2005

Blaise posted:

I just love throwing poo poo in the bed and not caring. My buddy bought a ninja 650r yesterday and naturally used it to haul it home in the pouring rain.

Later this week I'm gonna haul a ton of trash from the house to the dump. Yeah! Truck! :D

I don't understand how someone can buy a motorcycle and withstand from riding it home.

Blaise
Sep 10, 2003

angryhampster posted:

I don't understand how someone can buy a motorcycle and withstand from riding it home.

Guy is a new rider, doesn't own full gear yet, was pouring rain, and the bike needs a new chain. Good enough? :)

Seat Safety Switch
May 27, 2008

MY RELIGION IS THE SMALL BLOCK V8 AND COMMANDMENTS ONE THROUGH TEN ARE NEVER LIFT.

Pillbug
Oh my god I love brick nose F150s. I need one and I don't even know why.

edit: That stereo is giving me warm childhood memories

Seat Safety Switch fucked around with this message at 04:53 on Apr 7, 2014

Naked Bear
Apr 15, 2007

Boners was recorded before a studio audience that was alive!
That truck rules. If I had room for a truck, I'd love to own one like that.

dpidz0r
Jul 29, 2012
Beater trucks are the best. I went half in with my dad on a 2009 tachoma so that we wouldn't need to keep borrowing the neighbors truck for stuff, and it's just not the same :(

PadreScout
Mar 14, 2008
When I was growing up my dad had a truck really similar to that one. Our might have been a 92 or something, it's been 20 years, but basically the same job. It was promised to me for my ride when I turned 16 at the tender age of 12. I still remember the day he brought it home with flowmasters on it "because they were the same price."

As a wee-lad that vehicle was my definition of amazing. The old man would used to blast the back-end loose in parking lots and snake it around a little because me and my brother would squeal with delight. loving thing would just roar, it'd slide for a second or two and then he'd back out of it and grin at us.

I was 14 (not too far off from my learners, a few months as I recall) and it got stolen, driven down the interstate about 4 hours, then crashed into a drainage ditch and set on fire. Bent frame, melted everything. Complete loss. I was gutted.

Even now, 20 years later I still love the unholy gently caress out of those old F-150s. loving great find, dude. I'm pretty jelly.

fingerling
Mar 7, 2010
Looks like a great deal on a pretty neat truck man.

Not meaning to poo poo up your thread, and I'm not 100% it was you that this happened to.. but didn't you buy a Super Duke R? What ever happened to it? Still in love with those things :saddowns:

Blaise
Sep 10, 2003

fingerling posted:

Looks like a great deal on a pretty neat truck man.

Not meaning to poo poo up your thread, and I'm not 100% it was you that this happened to.. but didn't you buy a Super Duke R? What ever happened to it? Still in love with those things :saddowns:

Yep that's me!

I bought a non-R last year. Put 14000 miles on her last year, including a cross country trip!









I really like my toys :D

Galler
Jan 28, 2008


Simple cheap old trucks are the best. Once I buy a house I want to find a cheap late 90's F250/350 with a 7.3 and manual transmission :allears:

Terrible Robot
Jul 2, 2010

FRIED CHICKEN
Slippery Tilde
You have no idea how jealous I am of that brand new exhaust right now. So shiny...

Holdbrooks
Jan 1, 2005

NEAI 2015
RIDE ETERNAL SHINY AND CHROME
ONWARD TO THE HALLS OF RUSTHALLA
Be careful mine started as a $600 truck too. :getin:

Blaise
Sep 10, 2003

Terrible Robot posted:

You have no idea how jealous I am of that brand new exhaust right now. So shiny...

Heh. I just looked under it again. New cat, new resonator, muffler, and piping.

AND THEN I NOTICED THE BRAND NEW DRIVESHAFT. Yep, still has a sticker on it from the vendor.

What the hell isn't new on this truck??!?!?!

Applebees Appetizer
Jan 23, 2006

You could flip that thing for probably 3k or more easy. Nice score.

Blaise
Sep 10, 2003

leica posted:

You could flip that thing for probably 3k or more easy. Nice score.

Doubt it. The paint is reaaaaaaaaalllly bad. The best call is to drive this thing for 5-6 years then sell it while everything is still marginally not worn out (tires, brakes, etc) for $1k, and come out even. Heh.

Applebees Appetizer
Jan 23, 2006

I dunno, paint condition doesn't matter much as long as the truck is in good running order and isn't rusted to poo poo, with all that work done along with receipts it's a drat good work truck. Around here a truck like that would go for 3k all day long.

Blaise
Sep 10, 2003

leica posted:

I dunno, paint condition doesn't matter much as long as the truck is in good running order and isn't rusted to poo poo, with all that work done along with receipts it's a drat good work truck. Around here a truck like that would go for 3k all day long.

Yeah but here you can find these F150s for $1500 all day long as well. There's no rust in the PNW, so vehicles last forever.

Plus, not trying to flip it. Needed a truck! :D

BLARGHLE
Oct 2, 2013

But I want something good
to die for
To make it beautiful to live.
Yams Fan
poo poo, last time I bought a cheap ford pickup I got totally hosed. I ended up spending about twice as much fixing it as I paid for it- $2500 in repairs for a $1400 f250- and then sold it for a quarter of that amount.

I was fooled by a rust free frame and body and enough rtv to float a leaky transmission just long enough to get it home...

As opposed to my other old rear end pickup that was totally mechanically sound, but had a rotted out everything, and started to fall apart just in time to not be able to sue the poo poo out of the dealer for selling me a painted-up rust bucket.

Basically, just be more diligent than me about checking old pickups for problems...

Rhyno
Mar 22, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 10 years!

Holdbrooks posted:

Be careful mine started as a $600 truck too. :getin:

True. But you crazy.

Turbo Fondant
Oct 25, 2010

I have the exact same truck (different exterior color, slushbox and 2wd but otherwise identical), but it's been sitting 2 years and it's in legitimately terrible shape (rust, real engine problems, etc). It's waiting for a spring part-out and then it's going to the crusher. :(
Seeing your pictures makes me miss sitting in that cab already. It wasn't the most comfortable thing around but being on that bench seat behind that beautifully plain dash was just the nicest feeling :3:. It's also the only blue interior I've owned that I like.
I'm glad yours is already headed down a better path than mine. They're truly great trucks.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





Holdbrooks posted:

Be careful mine started as a $600 truck too. :getin:

Mine was free. :hellyeah:

The one truck I think I would have bought instead of a Ranger, would've been a '96 F150 with a 4.9L and a stick. OBD2 emissions are much easier here than pre-OBD2, and for beater-truck purposes I'd rather have an unkillable inline engine. But as you can imagine, that's rare as hell.

Oh well, instead right now I'm using my 4cyl Ranger to haul gravel. Surprisingly the acceleration and braking isn't much worse, but I stopped loading it after about six wheelbarrows (enough to just fill the bed past the wheel wells) left it with a serious rear end-dragging stance. Much more and I might've actually lost all of my rear suspension travel. I'd almost be tempted to test it at that point but I don't trust the 7.5" rear end to hold up to that kind of abuse.

And I have at least three or four more truckloads to go!

Fender Anarchist
May 20, 2009

Fender Anarchist

Blaise posted:

Yeah but here you can find these F150s for $1500 all day long as well. There's no rust in the PNW, so vehicles last forever.

leica lives in Florida (as do I). :ssh:

That said, around here clean older trucks are rare as most of them are thrashed by rednecks until the engine dies, then swapped to a carbureted motor with 40" tires and a big lift (usually a body lift) and used for mudding. The few unmolested examples fetch a premium.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

TWSS
Jun 19, 2008
I love the giant mirrors on these early 90s fords. Nice find!

  • Locked thread