hershy314

I have an 87 F150 that my parents gave me. Right now it just sits in the backyard and doesn't get driven much (I lost my license and no it's not for the reason your thinking lol). I am working on getting back but in the mean time I'm constantly looking at this truck thinking of what to do to make it look nicer. The body is pretty sound, just pealing paint and a few surface rust issues. The bed however needs to be replaced and finding a new one has been a challenge. It was used previously to haul wood so the bed got dinged up pretty good. The engine is a 300 cid straigt 6, runs great. The truck only has 112k miles on it. For a nearly 30 year old truck that's low miles. Interior is in fair shape, just dirty really. The seat has a couple tears in it but nothing major. Only interior part that really needs help is the gauges, only one of them works right. Gas gauge doesn't move past empty, and the others like to bounce around. I'd like to do some work to it just so I have something to do. I would do most the work myself, only thing I can't do is a new paint job. I'll leave that to Maaco. Would you restore it if you had the chance or leave it as is?

fatcat343

Honestly I wouldn't restore it, unless you have an emotional attachment to it. The money you would save from buying the new parts and the paint job you could use towards a newer truck or one in better shape.

David Young

I know someone who just bought a 1988 4X4, 302 automatic for $800. In better shape than the one you have. I have to agree with fatcat343, sell it and look for a better one

hershy314

Well it was given to me by my parents cause I fell on hard times, part of me wants to restore it cause of the low miles but again part of me wants to sell it and get something a little smaller cause this thing doesn't have the great of gas mileage.

fatcat343

Honestly from what I've seen, at least in the area I live, it's not uncommon for these trucks to have around 115k miles on them. I'm not sure why these old trucks have such low miles and have honestly wondered that myself for a while now. This is just speculation but I think it's because they get such bad gas mileage that people don't drive them much and just use them for occasional hauling or weekend driving. But if the miles is the only thing keeping you attached to this truck I would go ahead and sell it for something more fuel efficient.

hershy314

Yeah I've been looking around and for what I can get out this there isn't too much to choose from in my area. I've seen a few other F150s for sale around the same year as mine but they are all V8s and mine is a straight 6, but theirs have 130k or more on them. They are selling for around 1500 or so, no idea what I could ask for mine. I'd like to get a Ranger but only ones i've seen have been double what I could probably get for my truck. No idea what I would get if I sold it. I just want something to tinker with in my free time.

Turk2k5

If your not going to get alot for selling it, I would just keep it and tinker with it in your spare time.

hershy314

Honestly I may trade it for a car, I don't have any plans of doing any hauling or towing anytime soon. Majority of the roads around here are twisty and hilly and these trucks aren't the best handling things out there. I've driven worse but I've also driven better.

Chris_1

iTrader: (1)

Clean up the paint, put a nice set of factory wheels and some good tires, throw a bedliner in the back and an XLT seat up front - I think you just might have yourself a truck there.

77Ranger460

I would keep it as a beater or sell it. Any money attempting to restore is wasted....Low miles? Last year we sold a 1985 300 six 4WD with 52k miles on it. My grandfather bought it new as a farm truck. We beat the crap out of it from day one. The oil was changed less than half a dozen times. We never put spark plugs in it. We drove it until the brake pad backing plates burned everything up....It was still running when we sold it, though.