So checked it out- backstory: its been at this auction place (mostly ag stuff) for a few monthis. Seller started at $10,500 and then dropped price to $8k recently - but isnt in a rush to sell. I asked the auction co. rep to buzz him just on the offchance he had the bows and steelies, doors, mirrors squirreled away......but no luck. Everything he has is there.
Based on the green mold/fungus growing on the top- it looks to have been sitting a while but the reg. was good thru dec. so im guessing it was a second vehicle possibly intermittently driven or a farm truck given the connection to an Ag place vs car place. My guess is that the girl likely knows the seller fairly well- probably does some Ag business with him and is helping out with the sale. Underhood looks to be orig engine albeit buried in a very leaky valvecover. Probably a half inch of caked all around and down the head almost burying plug holes. Underneath is the same. Engine looks to have a fairly bad rear main leak, tranny and tcase leaks. Pretty soaked. Body pics were fairly accurate albeit in person its 10% rougher looking than the pics which soften the patina somewhat. similar condition underneath rust wise. Lots of surface rust but nothing that would point to flaking or rot. Frame looked solid. Underbody crossmembers about the same condition as exterior pics would imply. Interior wise is a different story. Water definitely caked in mud and mats were pretty dry brittle in corners. Underneath mats felt solid but theres definitley rust. I took a screwdriver to scrape into the floorboards and was gougeing up a layer or two of mud/rust/paint in the footwells which look to be the worst area. I would imagine below gas tank would be the worst but could only see so far under. orig tools were under drivers seat but case looks to be rotting and soaked....leading me to believe this has been getting wet during rainy season and drying out in the dry Chico hot summers for quite a few seasons. If i had to guess id say the front floorbords would likely have some extensive pitting after all cleaned and dried out and could probably keep or replace depending on how you wanted to restore. Possibly not enough pitting to warrant replacing if you were restoring to keep a "patina truck" ...but possibly enough to warrant replacing if you are restoring to sell down the road. rear corners and sill looked solid and the cargo floor looked solid. Started up after priming the pump on a weak battery and idled well. water temp and oil press guages not working - fuel guage working. Typical F.5 sewing machine sound. Clutch felt okay. Front axle was fairly buried in goo-grease-mud /same as engine and likely will need a full rebuild. Top is dried out cracked-zippers wasted- broken so im guessing its been on since 80s- 90s and is 'remove and toss in trash' vs sellable. rear jumps look dry but not ripped yet but holddown straps were brittle/broken- seats are cloth pulsar nx seats as picd and had some frames welded with a touch of lift. it sounds as if it was this guys daily for first 10years and maybe 2cnd or 3rd runner /ranch truck.
Price wise she said theyve been getting lots of lowball offers and people asking about a hardtop ( so likely non-cruiserhead FST officionados.) Same day she got a $5500 sight unseen craigs offer but says seller is holding out at $7500 since they only recently dropped price to $8k from 10k and dont seem to be in a rush to sell. It looks like it might be a month or two before the next leg down which might only be down to $7k if i had to guess.
