So in building up my house, I'm rapidly running into limits on what my Model 3 can carry from the lumber yards- I can add a tow hitch, but it'll max out at 2,000lbs and to buy one and a carry along will easily hit $1,500+. Since I wanna have the ability to buy project cars and tow them home I'm considering buying a cheap truck, but at that price point I'm not sure what I should be looking for- 2v Triton F150s? I think the V6 S10s could flatbed tow something but I'm not sure.
I'd consider my high point to be $4K and thankfully I live in Truck central USA- I'm not scared of rust, everything here has rust.
I would look at 4.6L F150's in that range. A RWD one in our neck of woods go cheap.
A V6 S10 might be capable enough, but an F150 will be much less stressful flat towing. I'd prefer a half ton V6 over an S10 or a Ranger.
A quick Google search shows a 2001 F150 V6 is rated at 5800 towing capacity. The V8 will obviously accelerate better, but beyond that, the V6 has the same load handling capability.
I've had better luck with Chevies than Fords, parts availability etc.
With the price of trucks such as it is, even a clapped out $800 relic can be used and sold for the same price when the house is finished.
Powar
UltraDork
2/20/24 11:49 a.m.
GMT400. Check out the massive thread here on the forum for a million reasons why. Choose whichever body configuration/engine/trans you want to play with. 4.3 V6, 305, 350, 6.2 n/a diesel, 6.5 turbodiesel. Whatever. I personally am a fan of the 6.5TD trucks, but they'll all do exactly what you want them to, and they're done depreciating.
You want a classic fullsize work truck with a standard cab and 8'bed. Sheets of building material go in without drama and 12' lumber doesn't stick out far enough to cause an issue. Ext cab models get too long for tight spaces.
Another vote for GMT400 trucks.
GMT400 is The Answer of cheap trucks. I've owned a handful of them, and here's my current one. Got it for well under challenge money and it's cost me less than $150 in unexpected maintenance in the 3 years I've owned it. It's my favorite vehicle I've ever owned. 5.7 Vortec, 4L80e, 2wd with the GT4 and G80 option codes.
(I was maybe exceeding the tow rating a bit here. It still handled it fine)
I just pulled the trigger on a GMT400 . . . they do seem to be the sweet spot. Mine's a 2wd 305/auto (I think a TH350). Parts are plentiful.
I already like it way, way more than I expected, and now I'm thinking I might actually do some restoration work on it as needed.
In that price range you should be looking for the newest, nicest, lowest mileage anything.
I agree with above; for the money, condition is going to matter more to me than being a specific make/model. That said, I'd also hone in on the GMT400's. Although a decent square GM pickup from previous years wouldn't be bad either.
I have similar idle thoughts on a truck; project car towing arrangements can be made easier, tow rating should be much higher and easier to increase further, better for pulling a loaded utility trailer vs. a car. Maybe something I could think about before I start tearing my daily apart for suspension and clutch work....
I know you're asking about apples and here I come telling you about oranges and other delicious fruit. But honestly, from many posts I've read here and on other forums, what I think you really want is a full size, full frame, work van. No truck tax. Maybe a wee bit of #vanlife tax but I think that's mostly over. Why not an early '00s E-250 or E-350 with base 5.4? That'll do everything a truck will plus it's lockable and keeps your stuff dry. Box trucks are also great. Basically the same van but dually axle and...well...a box!
edit: E-150s are good too. Just looked out the window at my "build homes for a living" neighbor and he drives an early '00s Chevy box truck
In reply to bmw88rider :
just sold one, a 2wd regular cab long bed would be sub 4k and exactly whats needed. mine was a 2010 with 180k, only maintenance work I ever had to do was the water pump and valve cover gasket.
Another vote for GMT400. You can still buy most any drivetrain part off the shelf of your local FLAPS. Been seeing more and more of them around my neck of the woods lately, more than the same era F150s.
In reply to gixxeropa :
Honestly even like a dakota regular cab would work good too. I just remembered there is one for sale down the street from me for his target price. That should be right across the river from Girthquake if I remember where he is at correctly.
In reply to bmw88rider :
E36 M3, you in nebraska too?
Like some have said here, I'm quickly looking at "cleanest option" more than just brand and I've got some options, even a couple of work vans. Honestly this question was almost too open-ended lol
In reply to GIRTHQUAKE :
Yeah. Midtown Omaha. Just between benson and memorial park.
I've owned a lot of trucks. I think you're on the right track.
GMT400
GMT800
V6 S10 would be great for hauling a project VW, not so much for a project 62 Cadillac.
Any F150/F250. 5.4L would be overkill, 4.6L 2V is great if you can deal with the rat-tat of the cracked exhaust manifold. 4.2L V6 is only down a few ponies from the V8. You could also go OBS with the straight 6 or 302. I recently almost bought a super-straight, almost no-rust 82 with a 300 and all it needed was a clutch. I was outbid at $2000.
ddavidv
UltimaDork
2/21/24 7:40 a.m.
Any OBS or Brick Nose F150. I've found these are less rust prone than the round nose ones that followed. Plus, they have the durable pushrod engines and not the spark plug ejecting, manifold stud snapping, problematic Triton engines. Ford sold bazillions of them and they are everywhere.
300 six, 302, 351 or (yeehaw!) 460. Just watch for rusted spring perches and radiator supports. Junkyards are still full of them for cheap parts.
Optionally a big dumb SUV in the same configuration of the proposed trucks work great. Old suburban, Expedition, Hell even a big mini-van will haul a 4x8 sheet, it just won't pull a car very well. 5.4/4.6 in three valve after 2008 or so are reliable and don't have plug ejecting heads.
In reply to ddavidv :
I had a 95 F250 with the powerstroke. Rubber floors, no A/C (until I added it). God, I miss that truck.
There was a sweet spot where they switched the 300 to EFI before they went to the V6. I would pay good money for one of those.
calteg
SuperDork
2/21/24 12:52 p.m.
Gearheadotaku (Forum Supporter) said:
You want a classic fullsize work truck with a standard cab and 8'bed. Sheets of building material go in without drama and 12' lumber doesn't stick out far enough to cause an issue. Ext cab models get too long for tight spaces.
Another vote for GMT400 trucks.
This is the way.
I did a rennovation on our house during COVID. Ended up finding a 250k, regular cab, 2wd Silverado with the 5.3L. It was relatively rusty and 2wd, so no one wanted it. Bought it for $2k, beat on it for two years, sold it for $3k.
Another GMT400 vote. I've had three, still have a 1998 K1500. Simple enough to always be ready to go, parts are super cheap, simple to troubleshoot, still comfortable enough to use as a winter beater or drive somewhere in a pinch. I unexpectedly had to drive mine from Indiana to Utah a few years back and it did great. If the 4L60E scares you, ratty 2500s are still in your price range.
I paid $4k for this one and have done nothing but basic maintenance in the 8 years I've owned it. I haven't even changed the battery, and this thing spends a month or longer at a time sitting sometimes.
GMT800 Suburban/Yukon XL handles 16 ft boards no problem and is generally a lot cheaper than the truck variants. Z71 package even has a roller on the roof rack to load sheet goods. Seen below is my 03 Denali hauling 20 5/4"x6"x16' deck boards and 2 2"x12"x8'.
ddavidv said:
Any OBS or Brick Nose F150. I've found these are less rust prone than the round nose ones that followed. Plus, they have the durable pushrod engines and not the spark plug ejecting, manifold stud snapping, problematic Triton engines. Ford sold bazillions of them and they are everywhere.
What does "OBS" ford mean?
I've seen and saved a couple of EFI I300 F150s, nearly all of them locally are 4x4 with manuals.
