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Should I buy this truck?

3K views 21 replies 11 participants last post by  SeanAA 
#1 · (Edited)
I just joined this forum because I know I will own a 460 soon, but would like your educated advice on the following truck. I can't afford to spend much on this and want to know if this is a good deal before it is gone. Let me know if you think the truck is worth this. I've not done any restoration work at all, and don't want to do much; this will be a learning experience for me.

The following info is from the owner, through text and one phone call; I haven't been able to see it yet. The truck in question for $4500 (firm) is a

1974 f250 "highboy" 460
freshly rebuilt C6 (needs mounting bracket fabricated)
Divorced transfer case (needs some hookup)
Dana 60 front and back
New tires, I think about 35" on steel "farm" wheels
Clear coat peeling on what he says is good 10yr old paint
No rust issues, straight body
Comes with moldings, emblems, seatbelts and bumpers that need to be put back on
ignition module needs to be wired in

He says he thinks the motor puts out about 475-500hp with gobs of torque with;
Stock carbs, which he assures me are more than enough
Stock exhaust
"c9ve or 69 model heads" (does that mean its a c9ve equivalent?)
71 block and 460 crank (what does that mean?)
Bored 60 over (so it's a 472ci)
Truck rods (what's this?)
11.5 compression
Competition brand towing cam
He explained more than I could understand over the phone; I think he was explaining a procedure done to grind down and flatten the pistons? I'm sure that's important, but I'm still reading to learn more about these beastly engines.
 
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#5 ·
Dang, sorry to hear that. Since the last post, I've been searching and have found a handful of owners of other engines with 11.5 that said they ran fine on pump gas. I also read that it needs to be built and tuned just right. But definitely mixed reviews.

"problem truck" that's an interesting thought I hadn't entertained yet; thanks. In your opinion, what's a monster deal and what would you advise I look for on a truck that I can't even hear the motor run, let alone drive?
 
#7 ·
10.5 cr is pushing it on pump gas. You could run pump gas on 11.5 cr 40 years ago but you won't find that quality of gas any more. Where do you live? Altitude has an effect too.
 
#9 ·
I just joined this forum because I know I will own a 460 soon, but would like your educated advice on the following truck. I can't afford to spend much on this and want to know if this is a good deal before it is gone. Let me know if you think the truck is worth this. I've not done any restoration work at all, and don't want to do much; this will be a learning experience for me.

The following info is from the owner, through text and one phone call; I haven't been able to see it yet. The truck in question for $4500 (firm) is a

1974 f250 "highboy" 460
freshly rebuilt C6 (needs mounting bracket fabricated)
Divorced transfer case (needs some hookup)
Dana 60 front and back
New tires, I think about 35" on steel "farm" wheels
Clear coat peeling on what he says is good 10yr old paint
No rust issues, straight body
Comes with moldings, emblems, seatbelts and bumpers that need to be put back on

He says he thinks the motor puts out about 475-500hp with gobs of torque with;
Stock carbs, which he assures me are more than enough
Stock exhaust
"c9ve or 69 model heads" (does that mean its a c9ve equivalent?)
71 block and 460 crank (what does that mean?)
Bored 60 over (so it's a 472ci)
Truck rods (what's this?)
11.5 compression
Competition brand towing cam
He explained more than I could understand over the phone; I think he was explaining a procedure done to grind down and flatten the pistons? I'm sure that's important, but I'm still reading to learn more about these beastly engines.
I don't know you, or the seller or the truck in question. Without seeing the truck all I will say is ,"Believe none of what you are told or think and dam little of what you see or know". Otherwise you might get disappointed. Not being a smart azz here, as I said I don't know you the truck or seller but my pasted experience has taught me when buying a used engine or vehicle, if one cannot hear it run (does it run or drive?) and perhaps drive it then one should assume it is junk and only value it for the worth of the usable parts you can see on it (body, tires, wheels, axels, buildable or core parts and so on). That way if it is good you make a homerun, if it isn't good you got what you paid for. Because to me $4500. isn't chump change. That's a lot of dough for a basketcase that MIGHT be awesome!
 
#11 ·
When I hear the words "towing cam" and "stock exhaust" mixed with "475-500hp" I think it is bs already.

$4500 is a lot for a 74 truck that needs a transfer case hooked up, can't run on pump gas, needs a paint job, and needs a trans mount fabricated.
Without the engine, I'd offer $1000 or less.

As far as the engine, could you perhaps toss on D3 heads to get compression in a usable level? (maybe the experts here will chime in). Lets also notice the engine block is .060 over, this could be the end of the line for the engine.

When I start sinking money into a vehicle, especially for stuff that cannot be seen, I keep a folder with every dollar I spent on that vehicle. If this buyer hasn't done that, you have no way to believe anything he says.

Just understand if you go look at this truck, that you very well may need to sink another $3-$4k in it for it to become a reliable daily driver, not to mention the cost of a paintjob.

good luck!
 
#15 ·
I think so; I haven't done quite the same things, but I always learn how to fix my stuff and buy the tools necessary and sometimes make the tool necessary. I pretty much replaced the entire fuel system and ECU on my f150 recently and am putting it up on jacks now to replace the clutch and some other things.
 
#16 ·
The other thing is ,you're gonna need a lot of room to spread that stuff out just to see what you have there. Lots of little parts. I'm working on a 2 wd car and my shop is full of a lot of small items that I had to pull from it and find a place to store it until I go back together with it. Sometimes it seems like it would be a snap to just roll it up too the shop and try to fire it up, but I'm never that lucky. I always find myself tearing something all the way down to get it right. Cause I don't want to have to do it all over again 2 months down the road. But, just reading your description of the truck it doesn't seem like something you would want to make a road trip in. Maybe straight to the mud and back.
 
#18 ·
In my opinion you could spend a ton less money on a non running/driving truck. Like was mentioned earlier, you could get a decent truck that doesn't run for less than a grand. I'm not sure where you're located, or what the local trucks go for, but I picked up a '67 F100 with no motor, but otherwise a great truck for $400. If you could get one for less than a grand, you'd have $3500 to spend building a motor that you'd know what's in it, and could trust it to drive and be at least on par with this truck that you don't know for sure will run and drive even after you finish assembling it.

Good luck to you.
 
#19 ·
like previously mentioned where do you live? it costs 10 grand to get a decent used truck in Minnesota. any of those so called deals on craigs list always mention stuff like no time or upgraded which is slang for 8 miles to the gallon or wont start below zero.
,,,,,if you are not a body man and it is straight, the tittle is decent, its worth it. compression is readily fixed with d3 heads and a 50 dollar torque wrench.
.....how ever around here you can buy a brand new truck with no money down not even tax or license with your signature if your credit score is 650 plus.
....once again, location, location, location......bobn
 
#20 ·
without seeing it its hard to estimate but for what you described and if its a running straight pickup id offer 2500 maybe even 3000. At least i think thats what one would go for in my neck of the woods. even if you have to finish some things on it, it still already has the 460 in it, its probably more like a 300hp motor though, dana 60 front, 35's, and a straight body. those are some good things to start with. so if you sink a couple more grand into it to get it how you want it you got a pretty solid 74 F250 4x4 for 5k or so. this is assuming that it runs and drives and is straight like you said. Go drive it
 
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