californiaflyer

Hi all,

I own a 1978 Ford F-150 that's in fairly good condition (the engine runs well, but it could use some new paint and attention to some dings). I'm finding that I am not using it nearly as much as I thought I would, and it's time to sell it. Does anyone have suggestions on the best place to list it so I can get a fair price for it? I live in a rather remote location (in the foothills of the Sierra, near Yosemite national park) and short of parking it on Highway 120 with a sign, there aren't many options unless I drive 30 miles. Craigslist isn't relevant up here.

I thought about posting on a collectors/antique site as one option, thinking that someone might want to pick up this vehicle as a project car.

I'm also having a bit of trouble determining what a fair price would be. Looking online at the various sale sites (eBay Motors, Carmax, etc.) prices are all over the map.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Chris_1

iTrader: (1)

Pricing varies as much as vehicle condition. If you can post a few good pictures and specs (driveline, mileage, options, any history you know of previous owners etc, work done fairly recently, etc.) we can maybe help you figure out a reasonable price and maybe advise you on the best way to advertise it.

californiaflyer

I can do that!

Here's a link to some photos I took this afternoon:
http://s1203.photobucket.com/user/sw...20Ford%20F-150

The close-up of the rust damage on the passenger side area just behind the door is the worst of the rust that I can see. The bed has several small rust spots and lots of scratches from nearly 40 years of being used. There are a couple of dents, one on each side behind the door. The paint job is old. The truck has 163K miles and I've had it for about 2 years. It passed its last California smog test when I bought it (my county doesn't require the test after you pass it once).

I believe it spent much of its life in Southern California before I bought it from my cousin, who bought it from a neighbor. The neighbor carried a truck camper I think. I have only used it to haul wood and debris.

I will take a photo of the engine tomorrow when there's a little more light. It's got a locking hood and also locking gas caps for both fuel tanks.

GhostriderI

Nice looking truck

Chris_1

iTrader: (1)

Well that is a pretty classic body style and the truck looks to be in really good shape for it's age. It's too bad about the big rust spot, that takes it out of the "mint original" market but it can definitely be fixed and there are plenty of people who would be more than willing to repair that and consider it minor compared to the rust repairs usually required on a truck from that era.
I'd suggest advertising it as a classic body style truck in original condition with lots of potential or something like that.
The paint looks like it might even be original which would be a huge bonus (nothing hiding underneath.
Definitely it belongs on a classic truck website, I believe that if you can reach that market there are people that would be more than willing to pay several thousand and pay whatever it takes to ship it to wherever they are.
Lot of scammers out there, just make sure you've got your money before it goes anywhere, don't release any personal banking info or contribute any of your own funds, etc.
Basically it looks like it has real good bones to build a classic mint truck out of.
Trying to sell it off the side of the highway though, I don't think you'd get very much.
It's real value is to someone who wants to do a restoration on a vintage truck.

GhostriderI

^^ Chris is correct

californiaflyer

Thanks for the advice, folks! Much appreciated. By the way, I just asked a mechanic friend who knows the car and he thought it definitely was original paint.

If I list it for something like $4000 USD, would it sell pretty quickly? I don't want to make a lot on it so much as to get it out from under my airplane hangar

burnthelight88

I think 4k is a fair asking price, but I'd see it go for more like 2.5-3k around me I'd bet. Even though craigslist might be irrelevant around your neighborhood, a lot of people search outside of their area when looking for a truck as old as this. I searched my entire state and part of a neighboring one when looking for mine. I'd still put it on craigslist for 4k...it doesn't cost you a dime and if no one calls, who cares.

californiaflyer

Thanks for that validation! I now have it listed on four "classic car" sites, listed at $4000 OBO. I'll see if anyone bites at that price, or drop it later if it doesn't sell. On other sites, most of the similarly priced trucks don't run, or have other issues, so my running, working vehicle seems to be an advantage

Thanks again for the help!

burnthelight88

In a classic listing it could go better or worse than craigslist, hard to tell. You get more serious buyers, but they might be more picky than the 18 year old from Craigslist who just got his tax return and just wants something that runs. Hopefully you score the 4K though.