Hi All,
I am new to this Posting thing," you can't teach an old dog new tricks", but here goes.
I have a 1987 F150 XL Lariat 4x4 four on the floor with a 3inch lift kit. I purchased the truck from the original owner in 2019.
The truck is awesome, going strong, and very dependable. I have a couple of questions, any advice would be appreciated.
I have been told that keeping it original, ie: paint, trim, etc., is the best way to preserve its value. I have had the front suspension, tie rods,
rocker arms, steering gear box, firewall, windshield, and everything that needed repairing or replacing. The only things that the truck needs
are cosmetic, such as painting, replacing the rubber around windows, and new carpet and bench seat. Sorry, she is so dirty, did not get a chance to wash her before the pictures were taken. She is beautiful anyway.




Any suggestions as to how to do these things without affecting the value of the truck?

 

Welcome to the site.
Looks in great shape.
Those wheels are not stock?

For the seat and carpet, if you redo the seat and add carpet anything you do should increase the value.......and looks.
Paint, is that a white or tan? Original do you know? Just repaint it?

I say, continue fixing it up and don't worry about it.

 

Original White with blue pinstripes, Just dirty. We live on the lake and have been driving around in the mud this weekend. It still has the original trim and I was kinda
worried about removing the trim to paint. The wheels were on the truck when I bought it. It has locking hubs for the 4-wheel drive. I am working on getting it all cleaned
up. Still looking for headlight replacements and rubber for around the electric windows. They are not leaking but starting to crack. Pretty sure the bench seat is original,
It is still in great shape except for a small tear in the fabric on the driver's side. I have a cover over the seat to protect it from any further damage.

 

If you are thinking of selling it, slab a for sale sign in it or post an ad.

You can put a bunch of money in it but it won't gain or lose value, depending what you do of course.

I wouldn't replace the carpet or seat.
I definitely would not paint it.

Me as a buyer knowing the vehicle is painted makes me wonder what you are hiding. You can tell me it was to make it look cleaner but then I have to believe you.
If you get a bargain paint job it will look like it then I'll be stuck with a truck that has a lousy paint job. If you spend the multi-thousands to have it properly painted, you are in no way recovering that money.
Paint it right or don't paint it at all, no in-between paint job of junk.
If you don't want to drive around a bargain point job, why do I? Again, you won't recover the money you pay for proper paint prep.

The truck is 37 years old, sell it as it sits, no need to waste money.

Ask yourself if you found yourself a nice cadillac that has new paint and seats that are not ripped but that have been replaced by aftermarket -is that more likely or less likely to make you buy it. I'd prefer a worn out stock seat so I can fix it the way I want.

 

There were a crap load of these trucks made and still a lot on the road. I love my truck and to me it's priceless. To most anyone else, maybe worth a couple of thousand. If you're buying a vehicle to make money on it, then this is not the one. Enjoy the truck as long as you have it. It's only worth what someone would pay for it.

 

I agree. To me this truck is priceless. I love this truck. It is one of the best trucks that I have ever owned. We purchased it for our youngest son to learn to drive in high school.
It was perfect, you can not do anything else ( like talk on the phone) except drive. He is in college now and is into BMW's. We are trying to preserve the truck so that when he
comes to his senses one day he will appreciate this awesome Truck. We drive it around town and use it to launch our boat. You guys are great. Thanks for all the advice.
I definitely will be asking for more information as I continue to look make this truck perfect.

 

I'd like to have a 70's truck for nostalgia purposes.
The first truck I purchased was an 88 ranger. That ended up getting totaled and a year or 2 later I got my first F150, a 1993.
I am okay going through life without getting back into a 1993 truck.
Sure it was nice - at the time. They are still nice but it's not a truck I'd go back to unless I needed transportation and there was a 1993 available. I stand by that comment 5 years in the future. ha

I know some people hang on to things for life.
I kept the '93 for 14 years and when I stepped into the used 2003 in 2008 I told myself I have no reason to keep a vehicle to the point of it not having value and worn out. I took great care of mine. Interior has normal wear and tear for 200,000 miles but nothing was torn, just worn. Dash and interior perfect. No major exterior paint scratches. Sprayed bed line and a self-installed 4" Rancho lift.
Still.... it was 14 years old.

 

If all those parts have been changed, then by definition, it is NOT "all-original". And that's fine - no vehicle is, after its first oil change. Originality is not what matters - the quality of maintenance is. New parts are NOT always GOOD parts - brand/source/country of origin matter, and so does making sure that the replacement part 1) is the correct replacement, and 2) actually fixes whatever problem caused it to be replaced.

Value only matters if you plan to sell it. If you're never gonna sell it, it has NO cash value. In that case, it only has intrinsic value if it serves a purpose that benefits you, like towing your boat. If that's its main purpose, then you should focus your upgrades on accomplishing that, which would include going back to original-size tires (because they handle towing better than tall tires). The aftermarket wheels are a matter of taste - they don't suit me, but if you like them... Same for the tool box - if you need it, keep it, even though it's not original, either.

If you don't already have a Haynes, follow the links on this page:

(click this text)


You should put ALL the truck's details & history (as much as you know) into your signature so it shows with each post, as this page explains:

(click this text)


Phone apps don't always show signatures, so you may need to switch to a real browser in desktop mode on your phone, or just use a desktop/laptop computer. The more pics you post of the truck, engine, wiring, labels, & undercarriage, the more likely we can help you. Not all its details are relevant to these issues, but you don't necessarily know which ones are relevant, so just put everything in now.

 

Nice truck!! Looks like my Dad's 91 F150. Check the oil & transmission Fluid often and top off when needed Change oil on time are close to milage as you can I do mine at 5000 miles I try to use MOTORCRAFT parts when I can but Not required. Also wash the Truck as often as you can, If were you live uses Salt on the roads?? WASH Under the truck as well!!! Get that dirt, salt & mud from under the truck Asap dirt + water = rust. Also use some sort of protectant on the Rubber & plastic like 303 (Blue bottle) or Aramerall or something like that. I use it on the Weatherstripping and Under the Hood to protect the Rubber and plastic from All that Heat from under the hood. Just take care of It and It will take care of You.

 

I think you are over estimating your truck's value. They are not worth much. They are worth more to a person who works them to perform a task that a truck typically is used for.