Decision Time For Yuma...

[Jonnyuma]

Just me putting a current dilemma in writing... sometimes it helps to clarify things so please bear w me.

My other "old car" is a 76 F150 4x4. It's unique in that it's a fairly rare and all original Flareside (step side). It's been parked at my buddy's place for a year while I've had the engine out and in that time a LOT of people have commented on it. My bud runs a business so he has a lot of good ol boys coming through pretty much every day.
The other day he called and told me that this one particular guy is serious... he wants to buy it, I talked to him on the phone the other day.

On one hand, I love that truck and the likelihood of finding a replacement that's as original is pretty small: Factory paint, good floors, solid rockers, very little rust... just a small bit on the rear fenders, and patch panels are available for that. Fact is, it was an impulse buy: I saw it for sale (I was actually looking for a Dodge), and I felt like I had to have it... I've loved the 70s Ford trucks since I was a kid watching them tearassing around in the Baja 1000.

OTOH, it's costing me money to keep it insured and tagged, even while I can't drive it. When I think about what I need/want to do to get it back on the road (not even "restored") I see dollar signs: headers and exhaust will need replacement (eventually). Brakes are beyond due. Original brass radiator has a crack or two. Bushings, body mounts, bed wood, carpet, headliner... blah blah blah.

He's willing to give me a fair price... slightly more than I paid, in fact. I'm into it for an extra $1000 for wheels and tires (I had to get rid of the stupid 80s aluminum wheels that were on it... I replaced em w steelies and OEM caps. Also 33" BFGs). But considering the engine is out and now it's in "project" status I can't be too demanding on price. I also just found out that, at some point since my last visit, something happened and now one of my 42 yr old rear fenders is wrecked. I asked, "How bad is it?"
My buddy says, "I'll have to get you a new one".
Yeah... good luck. They kinda don't make those anymore.
I assumed a level of risk parking it out there at his shop so I guess I take the instant depreciation hit. No hard feelings, old buddy but... dam.
I've been holding off working on the Lebaron in order to sock money away for the truck, but if the truck goes away it would free up some funds for the M... maybe some new wheels and suspension mods. Maybe even a roller 5.9 Magnum, trans, and rear end swap.

I think I know what I'm gonna do... what do you think?

 

[Oldiron440]

Hit him up for a few dollars more and the question answers itself.

For a few dollars more are usually expensive words on my end.

 

[Duke5A]

Sounds like you're in a similar place I am. I've got my Fifth and my grandfather's old F150 that holds a great deal of sentimental value. I've got a garage to store it in while it waits for me though that costs me nothing. If I were in your predicament I would have to sell it. Pick one project and roll with it. It sounds like splitting yourself across the two is preventing yourself from making any headway on either of them.

 

[Poly]

There are not many of the flaresides around in comparison. 4X4 no less.
Does it have the 360 FE ? or the small block ? Lots of nostalgia with those old highboys.

 

[Oldiron440]

Sounds like you're in a similar place I am. I've got my Fifth and my grandfather's old F150 that holds a great deal of sentimental value. I've got a garage to store it in while it waits for me though that costs me nothing. If I were in your predicament I would have to sell it. Pick one project and roll with it. It sounds like splitting yourself across the two is preventing yourself from making any headway on either of them.

Nope just an old fart, ben there done that.

 

[Jonnyuma]

There are not many of the flaresides around in comparison. 4X4 no less.
Does it have the 360 FE ? or the small block ? Lots of nostalgia with those old highboys.

It came w a FE 360.2bbl.
Over the last couple of years I've gathered up the parts to make it a 390 4bbl. It's at the machine shop now.

 

[Poly]

It came w a FE 360.2bbl.
Over the last couple of years I've gathered up the parts to make it a 390 4bbl. It's at the machine shop now.

I think I'd sell it if I could get back everything I've spent on it, including the engine work. Free beer tomorrow kind of thing. It is the rare model in all equipment and will only experience appreciation over the years. Circumstances sometimes dictate that it is more reasonable to let something go if it looks like a futile enterprise. Your labor is seldom recovered in full. And with no space to get it out of the elements...

 

[Oldiron440]

Im lucky to get paid for the parts.

 

[Jonnyuma]

It is the rare model in all equipment and will only experience appreciation over the years.

It was kind of a "brass ring" moment for me when I took ownership... something I've wanted since I was a kid and these trucks were new.
I'm not happy about the thought of letting it go, but I know this guy would do right by it... he's got a 390 on a stand just waiting for a host. He'd have it back on the road within a couple of weeks if not sooner.
I'll be stuck w the motor, I think. He knows someone who knows someone who had a bad experience w the machine shop I'm using... something about a botched cylinder sleeve on a flathead, so I doubt he'll want it. I may have to just sell it on it's own.

I'm gonna head out there tomorrow and get a look at it... that'll maybe push me in one direction or the other.

 

[Oldiron440]

Selling a 360 Ford?
I'd rather see it in the truck, hard sell.

 

[Poly]

The 360 has extra vertical webbing cast into the block at the oil pan mounting rail. That's about the only difference I can recall about the 360. You can nearly walk around the engine compartment however the same basic stock exhaust log design used throughout the FE series.

Headers installed and then the starter may or may not be an issue. A mini starter might solve that.

...I'll be stuck w the motor, I think. He knows someone who knows someone who had a bad experience w the machine shop I'm using... something about a botched cylinder sleeve on a flathead, so I doubt he'll want it. I may have to just sell it on it's own.

Devil's Advocate:
I don't know, it's, of course, your truck to do with as you wish. I'm not gonna tear the garage off the house because a possible buyer wants to put a patio. I hope it works out for the best. Maybe you can get us some photographs of this jewel while your surveying the situation tomorrow.

 

[Jonnyuma]

Selling a 360 Ford?
I'd rather see it in the truck, hard sell.

It'll be a 390 when it comes out of the shop... I supplied the 2U crank and "short" rods, they're doing the machine work and assembling the bottom end. With the 4 bbl and stock-ish heads it oughtta be good for 300+ hp w good torque numbers (I'm still researching tourque-centric cams).

You're right tho. An old FE 360 is a tough sell for anything other than a core for a 390-428 build.

Maybe you can get us some photographs of this jewel while your surveying the situation tomorrow.

I didn't make it out to visit... my buddy was busy and I didn't want to interrupt what he was doing... every time I show up, within an hour beers are cracked and work tends to cease for the day. I didn’t want to do that to him.

Here's a couple pics from last summer when I was driving it daily...

The inop KCs came off pretty quick w a Sawzall... they were "vintage". I covered em up w those coool yellow covers for a year or so before I chopped em.

I hope I don't break the internet by posting Ford pics on a Mopar forum...

 

[Poly]

I wasn't overstating by using the word jewel. That pickup is one terrific looking vehicle. The poverty caps are perfect in my opinion. I don't think I'd be exaggerating by throwing around the numbers $10-12K for starters.

 

[4speedjim]

Sounds like you'll regret selling it once its gone. FOREVER. Been there, done that. Still kicking myself 30 years ater the fact. If you can afford to sit on it, for sentimental reasons you should keep it and finish it up. You'll get the looong dollar if you can part with it finished. And finished I see $15,000. You'll be very proud motoring around in it all shiny and new. It was a lifetime desire/dream. I dont know how, or think you should part with it if you can hold onto it. But things in life change evry day. If you gotta cash it in, you gotta, and move along from there. My 2 cents

 

[Jonnyuma]

I finally did make it out to visit last week. Just like my buddy said... the L/R fender is bashed-in pretty good. Even tho he said he'd get me a replacement, it's still a bummer cuz, well... it's ALL ONE COLOR, the factory-applied "Dark Ginger Metallic" (IIRC). I call it "Beer Bottle Brown" and my sweetie calls it "Root Beer Brown", it's all in the eye of the beholder I guess. Original paint (or anything else) is only original once. I can probably un-bash the fender but there will be much bashing, heating, shrinking, etc, so it'll never wear it's +/- 100% original paint again and that's kind of sad.
Yeah, it was going to get some metal work (eventually, typical stuff like cab corners) but it's in atypical condition considering it's Montana origins... still has the Missoula dealer sticker on the tailgate. It would be cool to have it replicated, no real way to save it in tact though, it's much too old and brittle.
Ever since I bought this truck, friends have been full of helpful suggestions... most think I should lift it, put D60s at both ends and run stupid-sized tires. Paint it red, paint it black, paint it red and black...

No, no, no, and, uhhh... no.

I've already put the wheels and tires I'm gonna stick with on it. I searched high and low for those 1st gen All Terrain T/As. BFG disco'd them in favor of a newer tread and sidewall pattern... very modern and also very much not what I wanted. I made the effort to find old pattern because I like the way the shoulder resembles the old pie-crust bias-ply tires (without having to resort to actual bias-ply tires). In it's final form, the white letters will likely be turned inboard. Believe it or not, I actually struggled w that decision for a couple of weeks. Details are everything, but in the last minute I went w "letters-out". I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. Vanity is a b*tch.
Paint will probably be Mandarin Maroon, a 1940 Ford color without sparkles, sprinkles, or glitter. In other words, it's a solid basecoat, no metallic. A fantastic historical color that tends towards the brown vs the more "purple-ish" burgandys.
Restore the (spartan) tan interior, new bed wood (stained to appropriately compliment the interior), the 390-4bbl/4-sp combo suits it just fine as far as I'm concerned, although I may look into a bolt-on OD unit for the NP 435... that granny-low 1st gear really makes it a 3-sp. I also think some 2" lift coils up front would help w the stance. You can't really see it in the pics I posted, but the tail is pretty high... just about 2.5-3" higher than the front as measured from hub-to-fender.

I think I may have, with a little help from my friends at FFMJBO, just talked myself into keeping El Toro Marrón in the family.

And BTW, @4speedjim and @Poly, thank you for the nice words about my truck. I'm a Mopar-guy, but I tend to believe that even brand-loyal dudes can appreciate other makes. I mean, who doesn't dig a badass '55 Chrysler 300 or a Boss Mustang, AAR 'Cuda or a Hemi-Anything? LS6 Chevelles, the "Aero Wars" cars, a '32 Ford or '62 bubbletop Catalina? For a car-guy, even a brand-loyal car-guy, ya gotta admit that none of the Big Three had a lock on style and speed*.


*Unless we're talkin' 2G Hemi... then niceties get thrown right out the window.

And if you actually read this far into my self-indulgent stream-of-consciousness rambling... I think I owe you a beverage of your choice.

 

[Oldiron440]

Diet Dew for me, thanks

 

[old yellow 78]

Sounds like you gotten a second wind of enthusiasm for your truck! Glad you are keeping it.

 

[BudW]

I have respect for any vehicle that is 42 years old and still intact.
That said, even though there was a ton of these trucks made – I don’t see many still drivable.

I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but if you do toss out an unrealistically high (ie: stupid high) number, it will either squash others about asking for it OR will net you a lot of extra $ for that vacation you been wanting (or whatever). I have a lot of people wanting to purchase my wagon (which is in nice shape) – but if someone wants to give me 10 or 15k more than I paid for it, then I’ll go start on another project.
BudW