F-600 I'm thinking of getting one. Any thoughts?

[zoso]

I'm looking to get an F-600/700 or an old C-60/70. What would you say is the better buy? Any of you have experience with older medium duty trucks? What are they worth?

[fordman]

what are its uses for you? why do you want or need it? ford all the way anyway.

[Mancar1]

If you want one, and can afford it go for it. Like fordman said, which one depends on what you want it to do. Really don't know about the value.

[Ranchero50]

Again, I would say 'why ?'

Those truck ride horrible, the brakes suck and they steer like a freight train. You shift every five seconds (in third by the time you get through a light) and the engine only revs to 4k, makes power to 3500rpm. Split rear is fun for the first five minutes, the seat is only so good for the first half hour and honestly, the men who drove them back in the day had the bark on if you know what I mean...

I had the privledge of running a '72 F600 wrecker and there was no suspension, even with a school bus on the back it rode solid. Speed topped out around 50mph but if it could lift it, it could move it. The brakes are vacuum assist under the cab and treacherous when they are out of whack and very expensive to buy parts for.

So, you are leaving a light in traffic, shifting into third low at the other side of the light doing almost 20mph, watching your mirrors, fighting the steering slop to keep the old bias ply tires out of the ruts, bouncing up and down on the seat at each ripple in the road. Hit the brakes because some dingbat with a cell phone just cut you off, guarenteed the brakes will pull the opposite way you expect them to so double chutch downshift off the seat on the brake pedal chasing the steering wheel.

You always feel about three second behind the truck.

Jamie

[zoso]

I need a flatbed or low-side dump. I'm a general contractor who is sick of paying subs to do dump runs and sick of his suppliers short changing or rescheduling deliveries. I'm also tired of abusing a light duty. New engines scare me, and new trucks are too much money. I need something I can work on myself and buy cash. I'm not looking for a super coolness factor, I just need something old-reliable. I love grinding gears!

Jamie, this truck would be driving in Washington DC!:(

[fordman]

this is close to you and the price is right so far. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1986-FOR ... 27b7502af1

and here is a chuvy stake bed close to you. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1989-CHV ... 41552fbc25

[Ranchero50]

For DC, a mid 90's 650 or 750 should have a Cummins 6BT and be a good truck to run. There are tons of them out there on eBay and CL much less the local shopper papers.

A bump or even a dent F650 isn't a good choice for that rat race.

Jamie

[zoso]

Thanks Fordman! I asked the seller what the deal was with the rims on the Ford. He says they are not roadworthy...a bit bizarre.

Jamie, we are talking a bit too much money aren't we? You are correct though. Even my 70 250 in town can be a pain. I hate slamming on the brakes as a cab cuts me off and I hit the 20th red light all at once.

[Ranchero50]

What's the budget? $10-15k can buy you a good bit of reliable mid sized truck. You can dump more than that into a Dodge 3500 dump with a Cummins setup and do less. Mid sized trucks are better priced per value, will haul more safer, etc. I would avoid any of the newer Powerstrokes, they are very expensive to repair and the used prices are reflecting it.

Jamie

[zoso]

Well, don't laugh.... uh.....well....$2500 (I am ashamed) . Hoping for a detroit...will take a 366... any clean Ford. $15K would go toward a machine in a perfect world.

[Ranchero50]

$2500, go buy a dump trailer that you can tow behind one of your trucks...

Jamie

[flyboy71]

Paying more for a newer better decent truck might be worth it if you can amortize it over time. Its all about what you pay someone else now, how often you pay them and what else you can be using it for. Cheaper isnt always better if youre sinking all your contracting dollars into keeping it on the road.

[zoso]

You should see what dump trailers run. Astounding. They must be gold plated.

Yeah, I'm cool up to about 1990. No need to get a '47... well that would be cool. Total budget after repairs/upgrades is approaching $6000k anyway, so we are all on kind of on the same page.

[70_F100]

Depending upon the condition, a C60 (Chevy) / 6500 (GMC) is a good truck. I spent MANY hours working on them at the GMC dealer where I worked in the 70's. The 366 is a good engine, as is the truck version of the 427.

Ford F600/700 is also a good choice.

The "shifting through 3 gears to get through an intersection" thing depends upon the transmission/rear axle combination.

When you get to the C60/6500 GM's and the F600/700 class, most of them were equipped with air brakes, so stopping isn't even a problem, no more so than with a later-model truck.

Since they had conventional ignition up through '74. they're easy to work on, and the old Bostrom seats are really not all that bad.

I think you've got the right idea in mind, based on your usage and budget.

Just my

Keep in mind, though, that you can get a Cat 225 or 3208 in them (Ford from about 72, and GM from 75). Good engines (especially the 3208), easy to work on and relatively inexpensive to operate. You can probably find the 3208 more easily in a Ford L8000, and those have one helluva cab.