Best old & inexpensive truck?

[extraspecialman]

318 is a good motor,never heard of 308.Dodge has always had some fine engines,but thats about where it ends.The rest of the truck is junk.Ive seen brand new Dodge trucks roll off the line with body lines that didnt even match up.Newer model auto trannys absolutely suck ass.Expect 80,000 if your lucky.

 

[046]

if your going to get a dodge truck ... go with a first gen cummins 88-93. there's was an excellent one that went for $3500 last week.

I asked my mechanic to check out both of the highboys. The prognosis wasn't good. He said with the multiple issues each had, that I'd need to immediately expect to spend as much on repairs as I would pay for either truck.

So, the search goes on...

Now I've got my eye on this one:

"1976 Dodge Pickup with canopy, 2 gas tanks, leather interior, sliding glass rear window, 4 speed with rebuilt 308 engine. Motor has less than 70,000 miles on it. The tires still have really good tread."

I've emailed the owner to ask more about the truck and will see what I find out. Anyone know anything about Dodge's 308 engine?

 

[beerman6]

I read that has the REBUILT motor has less than 70k?

Them old Dodges are great work horses and are fairly easy to work on.

 

[InTheFlow]

I read that has the REBUILT motor has less than 70k?

That is my assumption as well, however I'll clarify with the owner when I speak to or get an email from them.

Thanks for the help all!

 

[ropensaddle]

I would strongly suggest saving more dollars to invest in a truck.
1000.00 would buy a good truck in the early eighties but we are
in 2007 a better price would be around 3500 for a gaser and 9000.
for a decent diesel. It is worth extra spent at purchase to get quality
used vehicle! I am not trying to discourage you merely suggesting
a more realistic price. The sort of deal you are trying to get would
be family to family, like father to son in my opinion.

 

[nytreeman]

I asked my mechanic to check out both of the highboys. The prognosis wasn't good. He said with the multiple issues each had, that I'd need to immediately expect to spend as much on repairs as I would pay for either truck.

So, the search goes on...

Now I've got my eye on this one:

"1976 Dodge Pickup with canopy, 2 gas tanks, leather interior, sliding glass rear window, 4 speed with rebuilt 308 engine. Motor has less than 70,000 miles on it. The tires still have really good tread."

I've emailed the owner to ask more about the truck and will see what I find out. Anyone know anything about Dodge's 308 engine?

well all I can say is if you think a little brake work is beyond your capacity and you think a grand or 2 is too much then you sure don't want a used truck

 

[arlen]

That is my assumption as well, however I'll clarify with the owner when I speak to or get an email from them.

Thanks for the help all!

I went to Craigs List San Diego today and looked up pickup trucks. I saw a 1981 Chevy duly crew cab that the owner was trying to sell for $ 350.- dollars he said if no one bought it he was going to a salvage yard. I called up the number and the truck was sold. I was just surprised to see a one ton truck for sale for $350.- dollars. :monkey:

 

[gink595]

well all I can say is if you think a little brake work is beyond your capacity and you think a grand or 2 is too much then you sure don't want a used truck

Hahahaha! Thats very true.

 

[046]

dead on!

that's why the first gen 3/4 ton dodge diesel I posted about earlier for $3,500 was such a bargain. it had 150k miles or just getting started for a cummins. new tires etc and needed nothing. 3/4 ton cummins will pull 20k+ lbs with no sweat....

folks that cannot handle maintenance items like brakes, clutch, tuneup, tires, wheel bearings, etc ... should not be getting a used vehicle with high miles.

if you had to pay a mechanic at say $75 an hour + parts to fix above maintenance list. you'd been better off buying a lower mile truck.

facts are... folks that are mechanically inclined have an advantage in life

I would strongly suggest saving more dollars to invest in a truck.
1000.00 would buy a good truck in the early eighties but we are
in 2007 a better price would be around 3500 for a gaser and 9000.
for a decent diesel. It is worth extra spent at purchase to get quality
used vehicle! I am not trying to discourage you merely suggesting
a more realistic price. The sort of deal you are trying to get would
be family to family, like father to son in my opinion.

 

[ropensaddle]

dead on!

that's why the first gen 3/4 ton dodge diesel I posted about earlier for $3,500 was such a bargain. it had 150k miles or just getting started for a cummins. new tires etc and needed nothing. 3/4 ton cummins will pull 20k+ lbs with no sweat....

folks that cannot handle maintenance items like brakes, clutch, tuneup, tires, wheel bearings, etc ... should not be getting a used vehicle with high miles.

if you had to pay a mechanic at say $75 an hour + parts to fix above maintenance list. you'd been better off buying a lower mile truck.

facts are... folks that are mechanically inclined have an advantage in life

I used to feel advantaged for mechanical skills but the truth is;
folks that get into politics are truly advantaged

 

[gink595]

facts are... folks that are mechanically inclined have an advantage in life

Yes, sometimes until you have to fix something for someone else. I grew up in a body shop my dad had his own shop, and my dad raised, me so come summers I had to spend most of my time in a shop! So I have never paid anyone to work on anything until late, I had some medical issues which made me really sick and I had to have someone repair my brakes on my car, WTF I can't believe what they charge, I said F! that and continued to fix it myself sick as a dog. Now I realize what people charge and I know people have to make a living and have overhead costs but feel they don't need to recoop all their costs off me at once!!! The moral of the story is don't be afraid to work on stuff, I wouldn't do a brake job for your first project but maybe have someone guide you through, if you buy a older truck you will get many of chances to hone your mechanical skills, I cut many of teeth on them old dudes, and did nothing but make me more self sufficent.

 

[InTheFlow]

well all I can say is if you think a little brake work is beyond your capacity and you think a grand or 2 is too much then you sure don't want a used truck

I'm quite capable of doing a break job and all of the other related maintenance issues mentioned later in the thread. However, when my mechanic looked at the trucks he found other things wrong that would have been expensive to fix. That is the reason I passed on them, not because I was afraid or incapable of doing the work myself.

 

[Patrick62]

Oh?

318 is a good motor,never heard of 308.Dodge has always had some fine engines,but thats about where it ends.The rest of the truck is junk.Ive seen brand new Dodge trucks roll off the line with body lines that didnt even match up.Newer model auto trannys absolutely suck ass.Expect 80,000 if your lucky.

They ain't that bad. For a wood hauler it matters little if the body lines match up. Newer computer operated transmissions don't belong in a wood hauler IMHO.

The truck he is looking at has a "never say die" 318, and a 4 speed. What else is needed? That interior made from dead cow will hold up nicely with a chainsaw sitting on it. The operable rear window makes it a 3/60 air conditioning system.

3 windows open, and 60 miles per hour.

-pat

 

[ropensaddle]

Well I put in one ton springs on my old high boy today
one side done will do the other tomorrow was lots better
with just one side Those rear springs were the worst
I have seen in many years saggy misaligned etc. I had to
put the overloads under primary springs to get height right!
Anyone else ever put one ton springs in a 3/4 ton?
I guess it will be stiff but payload will be better?

 

[clearance]

Well I put in one ton springs on my old high boy today
one side done will do the other tomorrow was lots better
with just one side Those rear springs were the worst
I have seen in many years saggy misaligned etc. I had to
put the overloads under primary springs to get height right!
Anyone else ever put one ton springs in a 3/4 ton?
I guess it will be stiff but payload will be better?

I had the springs on one of my 3/4 ton GMs re-arched and two extra leaves added to each rear and one at each front. It rode stiffer than before but not by much. I could load it beyond it legal limit (8600# gvw) and it wouldn't show.

 

[ropensaddle]

I had the springs on one of my 3/4 ton GMs re-arched and two extra leaves added to each rear and one at each front. It rode stiffer than before but not by much. I could load it beyond it legal limit (8600# gvw) and it wouldn't show.

Yeah I took these of an 85 f350 today, truck ran but is rough
figured I would just part it. I had to temporary the overloads
and put them under primary springs to get right height as the
truck has a five inch block forest service truck! I may leave it
that way but would rather get longer u bolts and a two inch
block and put overloads back on top then drill out the overload
stops on the f350 riveted! Mount them in place for a more factory
like set up. May not really be necessary as the overloads if ever
are used would still flex against primary springs is my thinking
but anyone that knows better chime in!

 

[ropensaddle]

Other side finished wow the differance is night and day feels
twice as solid, it had axle wrap before when ya gassed it; before
not now! It does ride stiffer but I will take that over worrying
about springs breaking! I noticed the shackle bushings in the front
need attention so will repair them next! I have around 1200.00
in it now with the new lockouts truck has a great rebuilt 390
reworked axles new tires, new ujoints , and will need new mufflers
so prolly another 200.00 I am thinking of repairing a little cancer
under the cab and repainting it what do ya'll think?

 

[046]

rope, what kind of camera did you use?
very nice quality for a low resolution shot!

 

[ropensaddle]

rope, what kind of camera did you use?
very nice quality for a low resolution shot!

Its a sonny cyber shot and thanks it does pretty well indeed!
It will do high res too!

 

[country boy]

Other side finished wow the differance is night and day feels
twice as solid, it had axle wrap before when ya gassed it; before
not now! It does ride stiffer but I will take that over worrying
about springs breaking! I noticed the shackle bushings in the front
need attention so will repair them next! I have around 1200.00
in it now with the new lockouts truck has a great rebuilt 390
reworked axles new tires, new ujoints , and will need new mufflers
so prolly another 200.00 I am thinking of repairing a little cancer
under the cab and repainting it what do ya'll think?

Sweet ole truck my first set of wheels was a 66 ford pickup . Dont sound like you got much money into the truck id say fix er up put a quick paint job on er and be proud of it. Id love to have another of those ole trucks you just dont see em around these parts much anymore.