Thoughts on this 67 ranger?

[dtcohen]

Hi,

I am going to go look at this 1967 f100 ranger this weekend.

https://greenville.craigslist.org/cto/d ... 89851.html

It looks like a fairly straight and original truck, but it has been sitting for 10+ years. The truck is 3.5 hours away, so I am already committing a whole day to go check it out. My biggest concern is rust, but from the pictures it doesn't look too bad. What would be a reasonable offer assuming it isn't completely rusted out?

[lamogo33]

I'm not too familiar with these trucks, but I wouldn't think an original F100 would come with such a large engine, but I could be wrong.

The truck is pretty rough shape from what I can tell. Sitting in a field like that I'd check rockers, lower doors, lower fender area, and chassis for pitting/rusting. If it ran and could be driven out of there, I'd offer somewhere in the $5-800 range. Considering it is missing too much and cannot verify engine runs, transmission shifts, etc... I personally wouldn't be comfortable spending $3-400. My money is too hard to come by to spend anything more on such a gamble. HTH.

Lastly, I'd try to have an engine lined up before you buy it, just in case that one needs replaced.

[Ohiotinkerer]

This post is gonna get a WIDE range of range of opinions so be ready.....

The good - it looks to be all there and straight.......other than having the wrong steering wheel for a 67......

The bad - setting in a field for 10 years you're gonna have a TON of things that are rotted, stuck, etc...... if the frame, floors, cab corners, etc are decent and you can turn the engine with a breaker bar on the crank I personally would be all in at $1200.....deduct money from there......but that's just my ........ If your from where I'm from you don't see many and usually if you do its so far gone from setting like that it falls apart when you try to move it.......

Also wonder if that's the original engine and he doesn't know what it is or if its been replaced because the biggest V8 in 67 was a 352........

Also check the wiring to see if its been butchered or if mice have been chewing on it........if it hasn't had house guests I would be shocked........

[dtcohen]

Thanks for the insight. I hadn't thought about mice knawing at the wiring harness. My guess is that the engine is a 352. The owner said it had never been replaced or rebuilt. He also said that the engine was not stuck. My biggest concern is rust. I have been down that road before. It is located in SC though, so not as much snow, ice, and salt to cause rust.

[Ohiotinkerer]

My biggest concern is rust. I have been down that road before. It is located in SC though, so not as much snow, ice, and salt to cause rust.

That's the good part - your location - my only worry on it would be how damp the ground it sat on has been over the years.......wet ground and humidity can be almost as bad......

Let us know how it goes........

[Ranchero50]

To the OP, if you've been paying attention to prices you'll know if it's a decent deal or not. Overall it looks really good. Killer rust areas are the bed seam on the side, the cab drip rail and around the cowl area. Water stains by the e-brake are a sign the windshield is leaking (mine does too). Take a screw driver along and poke the floor in that area as well as knock the snakes and grass out of the way to give it a good look underneath. Body lines are straight so I suspect the cab mounts are OK. Hopefully the cab passes the smell test, it won't smell like mouse pee. Clean out the bed looking for excessive dents and rust.

Per the engine a little TLC should be able to get it to fire. If it doesn't fire, the price goes much lower much quicker. Take a good battery and some jumper wires along with some fresh fuel and a cup to pour it down the carb. If the factory wiring won't power up the coil, jump it out and get it turning over. Check the brakes and see where in the pedal travel the clutch disengages.

I wouldn't be scared of a truck that's set for ten years, just expect it'll need some love.

[XABN82]

Take you a weed eater, a thick half sheet of plywood, a floor jack and the other half sheet of plywood to lie on once you jack the truck up and can carefully crawl under it and check it out. I agree with the $1200 ish starting point if in descent shape. Good luck, keep us posted

[farmallmta]

The parts are worth $2,000 from what I can see of the truck. That much said, count on spending north of $10-15K on this truck to restore, somewhat cheaper if you do the patina approach. Engine, radiator, clutch, u-joints, rear-end, entire brake system, tires, wiring harness, grill, interior and more... all have to be gone through. Lots of hours, lots of cash. Make sure this doesn't become yet another project that gets half torn apart then the magnitude of the expense and labor hits you. For this reason, ask the guy over the phone if he'll consider $800-1,000 cash if the truck is 95% complete and unmolested. If he says yes, take a trailer and the cash with you and if it checks out, buy it if you can sell parts off it or can realistically restore it. If he says no, don't bother investing basically a whole day into it unless your wife is PMSing and you just want to get gone for a day

Go into this thing with eyes wide open.

[jzjames]

When checking out the rust check the front cab mounts.

[dtcohen]

Great advice from all. This isn't my first go round with old vehicle projects. I bought a rust bucket 1966 mustang when I was 15 and spend 7 years restoring it. I am not looking for another one of those projects. This truck caught my eye because of the patina look it has. I have no problem doing mechanical work. I am actually planning on swapping a 3spd OD trans into whatever truck I end up with. I plan on using the truck as a truck. That is why I am not really looking for a restored truck. I am going to call the guy tomorrow and be blunt with him about where I am at price wise. I was thinking $1200 before I started this thread. Now I am thinking 8-900.

This seems to be a great forum with a lot of knowledge. Thanks for all the help so far!

DC

[Ohiotinkerer]

Great advice from all. This isn't my first go round with old vehicle projects. I bought a rust bucket 1966 mustang when I was 15 and spend 7 years restoring it. I am not looking for another one of those projects. This truck caught my eye because of the patina look it has. I have no problem doing mechanical work. I am actually planning on swapping a 3spd OD trans into whatever truck I end up with. I plan on using the truck as a truck. That is why I am not really looking for a restored truck. I am going to call the guy tomorrow and be blunt with him about where I am at price wise. I was thinking $1200 before I started this thread. Now I am thinking 8-900.

This seems to be a great forum with a lot of knowledge. Thanks for all the help so far!

DC

You're going the same route I did - nice old truck with patina to use.... when I got mine it was a running drivable truck but being 49 years old it was naturally gonna need stuff and I have about $5500 in mine purchase price, shipping, and all the parts I replaced ($1000 of it was a wheel and tire change) just because I plan on driving it back and forth to do work on my retirement property in Tennessee (1100 mile round trip) so I replaced anything that I thought could give me a problem - u joints, brake hoses, etc and with some smart shopping I got a lot for not a pile of money. I don't know how you feel about eBay but that's where I got alot of stuff really cheap - brand name parts - a good example was the front wheel bearings for less than half what our part stores wanted - $62 vs $27 and free shipping - and they were the exact same parts - National A3 and A5, a Timken carrier bearing for $18 and so on. Something else to think about when you go look at it.....hopefully you can do a deal and get the old girl back on the road!......

[dtcohen]

I spoke to the owners husband on the phone. He said the truck has been sitting out in a field since 2004. Normally I would never even discuss price before seeing a vehicle, but this truck was 3.5 hours away. I didn't want to waste a whole day and a lot of fuel. I told the owners husband that I was thinking the truck was in the $8-900 range. He said he would talk it over with his wife and call me back.

I haven't heard anything back. I kind of doubt I will.

[lamogo33]

You might still hear from them. Older people operate on a different time table than others. You can always call them back, if the answer is already "no" then it can't be anymore of a no anyways...

[Ranchero50]

Yeah, never try to set a lower price on the phone, for shame. I ignore folks that do that. It's discourteous and just pisses me off. So what, it's a day trip to go get it. The worst you'll pay is $2k and if you show them what's wrong with it as you find out they should modify the price. That truck is an easy $2k just for a straight unmolested body around here.

I'd walk away. You've already pissed them off without reason and I doubt you'll be able to sweet talk them into seeing it. That deal has been poisoned...

[dtcohen]

Like I said, it is not my usual practice to even make an offer over the phone, especially without seeing the truck. Just because they should lower the price when I show them that everything underneath is rusted out doesn't mean they will. Then I am out 400 miles of driving and close to $100 in fuel.

Ultimately I think I handled it the best way I could. Maybe I missed out on a great truck, but I kind of doubt it. I appreciate all the input on the truck. There will be another one.