1978 dodge 1/2 ton 2X4 truck

[Lawn Masters]

I'm looking at a 1978 Dodge pickup truck, what I need to know is are there any problems or things I should look at before I buy it?


it does have good tires, no rust, no spare tire, no oil/tranny fluid leaks, or anything I couold see leaking. overall its pretty clean. it could use a little duct tape on the seats, and some good cleaning on the body but its in great looking shape. The odometer shows 68,791 miles on it. all the vin code numbers even match.
It probably doesnt matter much, but its got a regular cab with an 8' bed, and no tailgate, or a radio(not that I care about the radio much)

Also what should something like this be worth? just so I have a ballpark idea.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Stumper]

It is a 27 year old truck. Realistically , any running pick up OUGHT to be worth at least $1000. The reality of the used vehicle market varies from location to location. it is probably "worth " somewhere between $500 and $1500. If I were guessing I would expect to see $850 -$1100 on it based on your description . If it were 4WD I'd expect it to be priced at double.

 

[GeorgeWLogger]

Prices

I picked up a 1996 F-250 with 98,000 miles 5.8l 5 speed and a cap for $1500. So I would guess that, the truck your looking at would be in the $250-$600 range. But then again..... its what the market will bear. My guess is that you are the market. So offer $500usd.

Use your head when investing in a 27 year old pos. Its very easy to get upside down..... A spare tire and rim can cost you up to $100 bucks(guess) and if the truck sells for $500 thats 1/5th the cost.

 

[Lawn Masters]

The seller is asking $225 for it, which isnt too bad given thats the most I can afford right now. everything is solid looking. All I need is a truck for beating, and the truck in question fits the bill.

 

[rb_in_va]

oldsaw,
Post a pic when you get it, or now if you have one.

 

[Lawn Masters]

I've gotta find my camera again first.

 

[Newfie]

$225 seems reasonable, even if the 68K turns out to be 168K in mileage. I f it turns out to be a load of crap there must be at least $225 in parts to sell.

 

[Stumper]

$225 seems reasonable, even if the 68K turns out to be 168K in mileage. I f it turns out to be a load of crap there must be at least $225 in parts to sell.

$225 is reasonable even if it is 368K or 468K milage. If it runs and is drivable that is a bargain.

 

[spacemule]

$225 is reasonable even if it is 368K or 468K milage. If it runs and is drivable that is a bargain.

That depends on the intended usage. If you spend $100/week in repairs and suffer from lack of reliability, it's not a bargain. My brother bought a '66 model ford with a 352 for $275. Sure, it was cheap, and the motor was recently rebuilt, and we fixed the cross-wired plugs and it ran great, but that thing cost him as much as payments on a new one from repairs (and he did them all himself). I sure got sick of picking him up by the side of the road 1 or 2 times every month. Shift linkage messed up, king pins went out, screwy wiring, and get this, when the rear wheel bearings fail on those old Fords, the entire axle comes apart and the wheel slides out! I don't care what the mileage is either, sitting isn't much easier on a vehicle than using one. I guess I'm not very high on cheap vehicles as bargains.

 

[Crofter]

That depends on the intended usage. If you spend $100/week in repairs and suffer from lack of reliability, it's not a bargain. I guess I'm not very high on cheap vehicles as bargains.

Amen to that. I grew up in an auto wrecking yard. I fixed lots of junk, but I sure don't want to any more. One real heartbreaker with a vehicle that has sat for any length of time is that what appears to be nice and dry and sound is masking bearings and seal surfaces that are rust and acid etched from moisture and as soon as you start to operate you are haunted by continuous failures and leaks one after the other; water pump to rear axle bearings, brakes and everything in between!

 

[Bill G]

I am not sure what scrap prices are in other regions are but here a truck will scrap at a good price. There is a tire dock so they need to be pulled as well as the tank but then it is a saleable product. I have not taken any scrap in to the milll in about 6 years but those who have have told me prices have dropped but are still reasonable.

Bill

 

[Newfie]

$225 is reasonable even if it is 368K or 468K milage. If it runs and is drivable that is a bargain.

Or even 568,239.

 

[begleytree]

What engine does it have in it? tranny, hows it run? PS,PB?

Justin, Trucks must be awful high where you are. 1500 here is a really nice late 80's truck, with a few new parts installed. Especially if its 2wd
Maybe I should start buying some around here, and selling them on Ebay, or something.
Employee of mine just picked up an '96 x-cab s-10, 4.3 auto 4wd, higher miles (110K), x-water co meter reader truck, for 1200. only thing wrong with it is it needed a new serp. belt, new one on the floorboard, no dents, alum rims.
-Ralph

 

[usmc50bmgsniper]

you can't go wrong there for under $300. and it is a big plus it's a mopar!... first question for ya is what size motor is in it? probablly a slant 6 or a 318. but if it's a 440 big block truck then snag it up quick because you can sell the engine alone for over $225. i hate 2wd trucks though, i fell all trucks should come standard with 4x4. well that is just my 2 sense on it. and if the body is in good shape just drop a big block on it and make a really cool drag/sleeper truck.

 

[usmc50bmgsniper]

ya, but spaceman you are refering to a ford, they are overated junk and their motors barely have enough power to pull themselves.lol.... and i won't even get into their powerstroke diesil boat anchors either. can you say hemi?

 

[spacemule]

ya, but spaceman you are refering to a ford, they are overated junk and their motors barely have enough power to pull themselves.lol.... and i won't even get into their powerstroke diesil boat anchors either. can you say hemi?

Well, the biggest piece of junk I've ever driven was an 80's model Dodge. Like anything, there are good and bad. I was referring to age, not make. As far as powerstrokes, yeah, they're pricey, problematic nuisances designed for yuppies who really want a gas truck but like the popularity, big truck sentiment of a diesel. (personal opinion, could be wrong ) Ford's pre-turboed International 7.3s were great engines though. Their 460's were a bullet-proof motor. You sure as heck can't say a duel-wheeled, one-ton 460 4x4 that would spin tires in 3rd gear weak. But, the biggest problem with Dodge is they put the stinken batteries on the wrong side! lol (and I hate the whiny, melodramatic, effiminate sound of their starters lol) Hey! They all have good and bad points.

 

[begleytree]

usmc50bmgsniper,
How's things over on GB these days?

I can say hemi, if you can say junky small block marketing ploy.
Nice numbers from the sb hemi, if you believe the manf dyno tests, and run the motor up around 5Gs on the tach, but normal driving, you'll never see the published numbers. Just my opinion, though, I'm an AMC guy, chevy next.

 

[T_Bone]

I retired a 76 Dodge W200 Power wagon (that's 4wd for you youngsters) clubcab, 400ci, 4spd, lwb, 3/4-ton, 50gal Aux. tank, with 250k miles, one owner, with very little problems other than normal maintaince over the 250k miles and 27yrs. Has great power for a gasser but just didn't pass too many gas stations at 7mpg at 16k GCW.

Bought a new 02 F350, CC, 7.3 PSD, 6spd, 3:73, 4wd, DRW, lwb and can't say enough good about the truck. I get 19.1mpg consistantly empty or as empty as I get, 14.1mpg pulling 16k GCW, and my 15k miles life time average fuel mileage with pulling 16k GCW for 6k miles, is 17.1mpg.

It'll pull 16k GCW up a 7% grade at 60mph plus without breaking a sweat but fuel mileage drops to 10mpg.

Since I'm a fuel mileage nut I pull at maximum torque rpm or 1600rpm to get the 14.1mpg at 43mph on 7% grades and 57mph on the flat lands.

My water trailer weighs in at 20k/lbs and neither the Dodge or the Ford has a problem handling this trailer without brakes running at 25mph around the county roads.