Should I Buy or Keep Looking? (1 Viewer)

[Thechief86]

If it drives awesome, I'd probably say get it. It's solid enough to fix up. The frame needs to be brushed and painted or fluid filmed or both, but the body rust is stuff you can clean up or cut and weld a little at a time. It can be done cheap if you don't mind learning the process and doing the work and spending time with your rig. I have been driving my $1000 land cruiser for a couple of years now and tens of thousands of miles of family road trips and off road adventures all over the country, and now have about $10k in the rig after replacing or rebuilding nearly every single mechanical part, fixing chewed wiring, and a little less rust repair than you need. It has totally been worth it to have this thing as a hobby to fix up and drive up to being able to use it as a daily commuter car that gets driven 80 miles a day, and sometimes 4,000 miles exploring across the continent for a week or two.

The one you posted is in better shape than mine was if it already runs and drives, and the interior isn't trashed.

 

[Elbert]

if someone else did not say...look up on the roof, if it ever had or has one of the stupid OEM type racks up there....problems, look all round mounting holes or whatever is up there....the best solution if no rack ever installed.

 

[magnato1]

Thanks, all, for weighing in. Seems like there are two approaches here, 1) drive it and don’t worry about the rust, or 2) wait and buy something with less rust.

I feel like I fall more into the 2nd category. At this point, our office lost an employee this week and we’re all picking up the slack, so I won’t have time to see the truck before the seller moves out of state. I’m guessing he’ll either sell it for cheap to someone else. If I’m lucky, he’ll leave it in CA and I’ll get a chance to see it in a week or two.

 

[LimuEmu]

It all depends on what you want out of the truck. If you want a show truck this is definitely not the one. If you want to put a little work in the body and are prepared to fix any structural issues with the frame then drive it like you stole it, then this is your truck. I drove 5 hours with a rented Ford F350 and Dad's trailer to pick up Maxine only seeing pictures from afar. The seller wanted $10k for her but after crawling up under her I realized there would be some Frame work and body work as well. I told him the best I could do was $6k and he was hesitant but I flashed the cash and he accepted. I have Reinforced the frame where it needed it and am slowly working on the body. I drive it as much as I can and love every minute of it. I do not plan to sell her but there may be a time that will change. The bottom line is that I knew what I was getting into when I bought her and am happy with my decision. No one else can decide that for you. Good luck with your decision, Owning one of these relics is a joy and a pain at the same time.

 

[bentonrover]

Don't lose that $6k rig asking silly questions lol. That's a steal here in CT. Probably 15k all day around my way. Get it and drive it. Good luck