Hey, AK!- glad to see you, man!- i thought you went into hibernation!- hope your doing well!-
A Merry Christmas to you and yours as well as a blessed holiday season!!

That is for all the thinkers around here too!- Have a Merry Christmas!!- and a Blessed New Year!!

 

I was hopping around Craigslist a couple weeks ago and saw an ad in the parts section for an 06 F150 Lariat 4x4 4dr for $4000 with 124k miles. It said that shop said the engine needed replacement and it had low/no compression in the 2 and 3 cylinders. It was really cold out, but for the money, I at least had to check it out for S & G's. I went over and was blown away at the condition. I bought it for $3550.

I drove it about 60 miles to a buddies and left it for him to check out that afternoon. It bucked badly under acceleration had a CEL set when he got it. I got a call, a week ago Tuesday morning from him. He pulled the plugs and ran a comp test and low and behold 2 and 3 were dead as was told to me. He looked in the cylinders with his borescope and found no scaring or such. I asked him to pull the valve cover and he found that the exhaust follower and adjuster were off both cylinders. ?????. I called the old owner and he said he had some VCT work done a few months before he sold it to me.

Anyways, to make this short. My buddy replaced both followers and adjusters with new. I had a full set of 2300 mile Mustang take off 3v COPs and fuel injectors, so he installed those, and a new set of MC plugs also. He fired it off and has put over 200 miles on it so far and it is perfect he says. I had him do the injectors, considering the condition of the two plugs that came out of 2 and 3 that were dead. Why not. I bought them off an eBay auction for $12 (set of 8 inj's) and $32 for the 8 MC COP's, plus postage, 3 years ago. I have newer Mustang parts laying on the shelves everywhere, luckily that interchange. lol The oil had a gas mix in it, I'm sure from the dead cylinders, so that got changed at the same time. He'll drop it off to me on Christmas eve, and I'll throw a couple pictures up before it goes away.

Current NADA book is $10,800 low, and $16,775 high. I have a buyer already. My ex SIL wants it really bad. I told her she could have it for $8500. I got a call today from her CU and she has a loan ready for signature, and will pick it up from me on Wednesday. I have to take the truck and title down that day. Not bad for a quickie. lol

 

Tonight on CL there is an 04 Lariat with a bad motor for $3500. When Sue picks up my truck on Wednesday, I may have to go check this out if it is still available. Of course $3500 is too much, but 2800 might be a fair price.

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/cto/5929591376.html

Here is an identical picture of the truck I bought 2 weeks ago on CL. I haven't taken any of my own pictures yet, but will post them when it gets here.

 

You are a wheeler dealer AK. Lol

That is pretty dang cool you were able to flip it like that.

 

I certainly didn't mean to. Especially for 8500. Sue begged me to help her out, so I did. She was my wife's sister, and she's flaky as hell, but still family I guess.

 

Dang, AK,- Another barrel of pigs ears!!- good Lord man!!- that is so cool-
I hope your feeling well and good- Christmas time is upon us-( i still need to pick up a few gifts!)- i switched maintenance shops last week, still working up a new routine- shop lay out is ALL different!-
Knee surgery next Thursday!! Then 6 wks recovery- the mrs. will be ready to kill me by then!! lol !
If we get busy today, i want to wish all you thinkers- and especially AK, ( 'cause he started this thread, and brought a lot of good fellers to share ideas and good times) A very merry, and blessed Christmas and happy holidays!!

 

Merry Christmas to everyone! I have some last minute shopping to finish up too so hopefully I can take off work early.

 

Merry Christ-mas! (Yeah I'll be that guy, lol)


Have a great holiday and the inner Marine in me hopes you all have a Merry Festivus.

 

Bear. I hope your surgery goes well, and you survive the 6 weeks with the wife. lol. Love only goes so far......don't blow it. lol.

I only buy these vehicles and fix them, if the cost is right, and I have an out if I buy one. I don't have anything else to do, being retired and damaged, so I make a few bucks here and there. I buy and sell about 3 vehicles a year and it usually gives me a few thousand extra on each, so I have a bit of disposable money, once in a while, to do this.

I actually make more money finding things for people who can't or won't. I'm sort of an expediter for people out of town, on the side. I can usually find things, a lot of people can't and get a small finders fee. It seems to work well for the people I know and myself. On one deal, I made 300 for 5 minutes work, and another took me 3 days of looking for $8.00. It's just something I do, and usually well. I even found a Japanese cylinder head for a trawler refrigeration unit. It was located in Laos. My neighbor, did the communications, and I gave him some money for being so helpful. Sometimes it takes a village.....lol.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, and Happy Ford driving. All good Holiday wishes. Be safe.

 

I'll keep you posted during my recovery- you fellers aint gonna git rid of me that easy! lol!