What to do? What to do? $4200 budget

[Ranchero50]

So what do you think I should spend the rest of my money on. I don't want to get too deeply involved with a full on resto because I don't want to start something I won't be able to finish.

I will ask that you do the same thing I ask all my customers before starting on their projects.

1. What do you need (not want) the truck to do?

2. What do you want the truck to do?

I'd say 50% of small work ends up being a full resto and about 80% of them never get finished. Just look at the threads in the projects subforum. You are taking everything apart so plan on pretty much a full resto.

Make a plan, look at every function of the truck and list the condition (be objective), from body rust and seals to the tires with the mechanicals in between. Do a compression check on the engine and a full tune up. Rebuild the carb and get the engine running as good as possible, then check out the tranny. Usually C6's are about bulletproof and you probably won't 'need' to rebuild it unless the fluid os trached and it doesn't shift right. If the engine doesn't smoke and runs decent once tuned up it may not need a full rebuild.

Your $4200 budget sounds good, but double it to be realistic.

Jamie

[mrollings53]

I got the budget to focus primarily on the motor and tranny. The motor has a blown head gasket on the passenger side and exhaust leaks on both sides. The blown head gasket has let oil enter the coolant and that will require a complete dissassembly of the motor to clean out. As it stands now if I sit too long at a stop light the motor will start to overheat because of it. The tranny shifts very poorly, the shift to 2nd doesn't occur until I'm going about 25-30 mph and the shift to 3rd won't happen until I'm going 50. Needless to say they both need work.

I don't need the truck for anything really. I've got a car for my daily driver and if I absolutley had to have a truck I could borrow one of my parents vehicles. I want to be able to carry a decent load or pull a trailer should the need arise. I know its pretty capable as it sits now. Back in June I drove it from SC to WA towing my car and with all my crap in the back. In the end I just want all of the mechanicals worked out so that when I can afford to do a full resto I can just pull them off, clean them up, and put them back on after the body and frame work is done.

The body will need way more work than $4200 can afford, and before I can do anything to the interior the sheet metal needs to be addressed. On top of that with all of the Ranger parts inside the cab being in about the worst condition possible, it's going to be very expensive to have everything rebuilt or replaced.

[fordman]

what i would do is pay off my house early. but for a truck. i would strip it all the way to th ground and start from there. do everything. that is a lot of cash to put into a truck. the engine and trans if your not careful could eat up that entire budget.

[averagef250]

You're in Washington?

Take $3000 of that $4200, look on craigslist and buy the nicest bump you can find already done up. Keep the other $1200 in the bank.

[mrollings53]

You're in Washington?

Take $3000 of that $4200, look on craigslist and buy the nicest bump you can find already done up. Keep the other $1200 in the bank.

That's a nice idea, but bumps in good condition don't exist for that price up here. Too many rusted out bodies. And to find one that already has all of the stock options mine has is going to be hard. We're talking a Ranger Camper Special with buckets, bed side toolbox, the works in still pretty good condition. Besides it only cost $875 back in '04.

[Ranchero50]

I'd leave the truck in one peice, find a running 390 to rebuild. Your tranny sounds like the modulator either lost it's vacuum signal or is bad, pretty common.

Jamie

[averagef250]

You're in Washington?

Take $3000 of that $4200, look on craigslist and buy the nicest bump you can find already done up. Keep the other $1200 in the bank.

That's a nice idea, but bumps in good condition don't exist for that price up here. Too many rusted out bodies. And to find one that already has all of the stock options mine has is going to be hard. We're talking a Ranger Camper Special with buckets, bed side toolbox, the works in still pretty good condition. Besides it only cost $875 back in '04.

These trucks are very often completely rust free in the NW and very easy to find in 8/10 condition. 2wd's cap off around $5K, a lot less with minor issues.

Believe what you will, but $3000 will go a very, very long way purchasing a nice 2wd bump in these parts. F-250 4x4's, especially crewcabs are another story. The 4x4's and crews were usually work and fleet trucks in the 70's. Very hard to find an original in fair shape.