Ford pickup - what to look for?

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Nate Nagel - 02 Mar 2007 01:48 GMT

I've been offered an early 90's extended cab, 2wd Ford pickup for what I
think is an excellent price. It's an F-150, 300 straight six, automatic
(not nuts about the last, but whatever.) Current owner is not a car
guy. I haven't seen the truck yet, are there any typical "issues" with
these trucks that I should be specifically looking for, or just check
for general condition/function and if it seems OK, buy it?

I'm just looking for something for a backup vehicle and occasional
haulage of lumber and/or bulky car parts. Maybe towing a trailer
occasionally but I certainly wouldn't make a practice of it.

Is this combo sufficient to tow a car trailer for short trips? I'm
guessing no, but if it could, that would be a bonus.

thanks,

nate

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pakeha@not.a.real.address.com - 02 Mar 2007 03:01 GMT

>I've been offered an early 90's extended cab, 2wd Ford pickup for what I
>think is an excellent price. It's an F-150, 300 straight six, automatic
>(not nuts about the last, but whatever.) Current owner is not a car
>guy. I haven't seen the truck yet, are there any typical "issues" with
>these trucks that I should be specifically looking for, or just check
>for general condition/function and if it seems OK, buy it?

I'd buy it for the engine, but then I'm a Ford guy from way back,
the 300-I6 is one of Fords best engines. The tranny could be one
of the downfalls, but if it's an E4OD, there isn't much outside of the
torque converter that goes wrong with them...

>I'm just looking for something for a backup vehicle and occasional
>haulage of lumber and/or bulky car parts. Maybe towing a trailer
>occasionally but I certainly wouldn't make a practice of it.

I haul about 1100lbs of tools and equipment with mine, doesn't
complain too much, I just keep it out of OD most for the time...

>Is this combo sufficient to tow a car trailer for short trips? I'm
>guessing no, but if it could, that would be a bonus.

If it's properly geared, the 300 will pull a house around the country
without too much trouble, you won't be going too fast, but you'll
get there... I had an old F350 with the 300, 4 speed, anformer Bell
telephone service truck. I bought it at 200K miles, drove it for 12
years, and only put 2 clutches and a valve job into it, it was running
poorly when I sold it for $500.00

SteveL

SteveL

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lugnut - 02 Mar 2007 03:15 GMT

>I've been offered an early 90's extended cab, 2wd Ford pickup for what I
>think is an excellent price. It's an F-150, 300 straight six, automatic
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
>nate

The 300 six is more capable than you may think. I have had
several but, like the 5.0L better. The 300 will tow a car
trailer "OK" for short distances. It's biggest problem is
that it does not accelerate quickly but, it can pull hard
all day with no problem. IIRC, all of the '90s 300's came
with either a 5 speed manual or the E4OD auto trans. In
either case, do not tow in OD. The manuals were iffy when
pulling hard in 5th - they tend to eat the input shaft
bearings this way. The E4OD will simply hunt back and
forth. If the price is right and the truck is in good
condition, it should do the job you describe just fine. BTW,
the 300 is not a fuel miser - it is more of a work horse
even if it is a bit slow.

Lugnut

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Nate Nagel - 02 Mar 2007 09:13 GMT

>>I've been offered an early 90's extended cab, 2wd Ford pickup for what I
>>think is an excellent price. It's an F-150, 300 straight six, automatic
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>
> Lugnut

Thanks guys. I could care less about gas mileage, this will probably
see only very irregular duty anyway. I'll have a look at it sometime
next week.

nate

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cuhulin@webtv.net - 02 Mar 2007 16:40 GMT

I have owned a few pickup trucks before.One of them was a 1967 Ford V8
half ton long wheel base pickup truck I had traded another vehicle in
on.I drove it around for about three years and then I traded it in at a
local Ford dealership on a big 1954 one ton Ford ex farm truck,it had a
V8 engine in it too.A few days after that,a guy at the dealership phoned
me.He said the 1967 Ford pickup truck had two cracked pistons.Honestly,I
didn't know it had two cracked pistons.
cuhulin

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Comboverfish - 02 Mar 2007 17:48 GMT

On Mar 2, 10:40 am, cuhu...@webtv.net wrote:

> I have owned a few pickup trucks before.One of them was a 1967 Ford V8
> half ton long wheel base pickup truck I had traded another vehicle in
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> didn't know it had two cracked pistons.
> cuhulin

Do you ever post on-topic?

Toyota MDT in MO

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