F600 Dump Truck, Talk me out of a bad decision

Deep down I want a dump trailer, but those are way too much for what I can justify the use for.  We're on an acreage, I own an older backhoe for different projects around the place. I haul 10 yards of gravel every year with the neighbors dump truck for our driveway. I don't need a dump truck, but I do want one, and I think I could justify one with projects around the house.

Enter this, which I see on the road with a for sale sign.

It seems in really good shape for a 67, but it doesn't run, and it will need some time put into it to make it road worthy. The PO says it was previously his grandfathers, has 391 FT in it. Rebuilt, but when rebuilt it had 390FE heads put on, which works, but will need the intake manifold, distributor, and oil pump from a 390 put in, which is why it hasn't ran in 5 years. I'm assuming it will also need some brake work done and its an old truck so I'm sure it needs something else. But it does seem pretty rust free for being in the rust belt.

I would be curious to know where something like this is worth? Prices on these vary wildy on auctions. But around me they're all sileage boxes, not steel beds. I don't even know what scrap on these would be, but I would assume at least $500 bucks (in the case it's way too expensive to get running)

I keep seeing bumpsides going for more and more money, and this isn'ta 100 or 250, I still think it has some value. Any idea what something like this is worth?

Anyone have experience with these older medium duty trucks? I'd love to hear some opinions!

Are you saying the engine is still partially assembled?  If it's been sitting for years out in a field with the intake off, the engine is likely pretty much junk at this point.

Price a set of tires, then get back to us. Also, does it have split rims? Very few shops will touch those nowadays.

Yeah first step is seeing if the engine turns.  I would put scrap value way higher.  About a year ago I saw an RV scrapped for $1400ish.

Keeping that running and road worthy may make the dump trailer look like a better idea. I do love it they are cool. The heavy trucks never hold their value like light trucks. I think it's due to maintenance and registration and insurance issues. I'd want to do it too, tough one. 

How about renting a dump trailer on the rare occasions that you need one? 

You mentioned a neighbor/friend with a dump truck. That sounds like the best kind of dump truck!

In reply to tremm :

Time would be the biggest reason not to deal with it. We have a lot going on right now for sure.

In reply to stuart in mn :

Engine is together, and he said would turn over.

In reply to ddavidv :

I was going to see what I could find out about tires today. They're going to be the most expensive part by far.

In reply to Stampie :

Huh, that's surprising that it would be that much. I was going to call the local yard today and see what he would give in the case I go that route.

In reply to NY Nick :

Yeah its a bummer. I've really been looking for something like a f350 with a dump bed but stumbled across this one.

In reply to John Welsh :

I know this is actually the correct answer here, but I just don't like it!

Honestly, it's a $120 a day to rent a dump trailer and we're 30 minutes from the place. The coordination of picking it up day of, having to take a day off work so I can maximize it's use, and then have to drive it back that night is just irritating to me. 

But you are correct about the neighbor with a dump truck is the best kind, I just feel bad asking to use it!

NBraun said:

In reply to John Welsh 

But you are correct about the neighbor with a dump truck is the best kind, I just feel bad asking to use it!

But you own a backhoe. Be sure to offer him the backhoe as much as he offers the truck. Tit for tat. 

Offer to invest in the truck, after all, it saves you $120++ per day.  I have a friend that lends me his tow dolly. His straps were old and frayed. For $40 from Amazon I bought him new strap.  Good for him (but also good for me to have good straps.)  I save $50 per day using his dolly so $40 for straps is nothing.  Recently I discovered broken wiring of the dolly lights. I've since made multiple wiring repairs to the dolly.  That continues my goal of returning it better than I got it. 

Here's an idea...  The trailer runs you $120 per day and you have to work fast so that you don't have it for multiple days.  How about offer the friend $100 each time you use the truck?  You might have the truck for 2 day or 4 day but just $100 per use so for you that is a net of maybe $50 per day or $25 per day (some real savings!)  That still gives him $100 for an asset that he likely doesn't use that much either.   Your not going to own and maintain a 1967 dump any cheaper!  
I'm assuming the neghbors dump truck is a secondary vehicle for him too.  Not like his DD F350 that also has a dump bed.  

Can you get your gravel delivered?  When we do our driveway, it's not much more expensive to have the quarry deliver and spread the gravel.  If the quarry won't do it, then there are definitely owner operator dump trucks in your area.  You'd just have to work around their schedule for a single load per year.

Read the fine print on dump trailer rentals.  Some places don't want you hauling rock in them.

Get rid of the dump truck part of it and turn it into a vintage racecar hauler.

John Welsh said:

NBraun said:

In reply to John Welsh 

But you are correct about the neighbor with a dump truck is the best kind, I just feel bad asking to use it!

 

But you own a backhoe. Be sure to offer him the backhoe as much as he offers the truck. Tit for tat. 

Offer to invest in the truck, after all, it saves you $120 per day.  I have a friend that lends me his tow dolly. His straps were old and frayed. For $40 from Amazon I bought him new strap.  Good for him (but also good for me to have good straps.)  I save $50 per day using his dolly so $40 for straps is nothing.  Recently I discovered broken wiring of the dolly lights. I've since made multiple wiring repairs to the dolly.  That continues my goal of returning it better than I got it. 

This is the way.

NY Nick said:

 The heavy trucks never hold their value like light trucks. I think it's due to maintenance and registration and insurance issues. I'd want to do it too, tough one. 

This is a super valid point. Look into the registration and insurance. And possible weight limits or brake endorsements you may need to legally drive it.  Does it have drum brakes up front? Brake parts still available? You ok with getting like 4 MPG? 
 

im not anti this terrible idea, it would be sweeet to have and drive, as long as it wont bleed you out, $$ wise. 
 

one thing to think of is, is this REALLY just going to be a very occasional, small use vehicle or one that you want to cruise around in? If its just a required use only vehicle, i dont think it washes out. 
 

but it would still be cool.  I recently found out how nice it is to have a old ramptruck around. 

I'm confused about the engine situation.  What's assembled and what still needs to be done to get it running?

Regardless, If you want a project that happens to be a dump truck then go for it.  If you want a dump truck then this is probably not going to make you happy.

If you didn't use it as a dump truck, I think it would super cool shortened so a dent-side dually bed would fit on it and just use it as a truck.

Even with the dump on it, I like it a lot.

We just went through this same decision process except we had an old dump truck with issues. It ran but had no brakes. Zero chance of it ever being street legal again and had already been upside down in the marsh once due to the lack of brakes while building up a causeway. 

The dump trailers are $14k if you get one with any capacity. 

Fixing the brakes on the dump truck was going to cost about $1000. The entire system was junk and hadn't worked in 10 years.

Not being street legal meant having rock and such delivered but our primary use is moving dirt around 400 acres to repair roads and causeways. 

We decided that for the price of a dump trailer we could have a lot of rock delivered and fixing the brakes on the truck was money better spent. So Big Red got a new lease on life. 

I replaced the entire brake system with an aftermarket master, booster, and lines. That gave us decent brakes on the front axle. The rear drums were junk and beyond repair. While the front end was apart it got wheel bearings to replace the locked-up sets. The total cost was a little over $1000. 

One thing to look into on the F600 is parts. SanFord is a B600. Most of the front-end parts for him, like kingpins and bushings, are discontinued. Other parts are hard to find and frequently fairly expensive. SanFord is 10 years older so you may not have these issues. 

If the brake system on it is anything like SanFord's it uses a vacuum boosted system with a master that actuates another master that has a vacuum booster. The system is moderately horrible, a single circuit, and on SanFord parts were obsolete. You may end up redesigning the entire system to use modern components. SanFord currently uses a conventional 7" brake booster with a 1.250 bore "Corvette" type master cylinder to actuate the original drum brakes front and rear. It took months of asking questions and trial and error to build something that would work properly. To make it extra fun, all of this is mounted below the floor. 

Look it over good. You may be able to find a newer running and stopping truck, that in the long run cost less. Around here I could find them in the $5k to $15k range, or priced about where a dump trailer is. 

Talk you... out of a bad decision?

I'm confused as to the goal of this assignment. 

In reply to NBraun :

Those medium duty trucks are wonderfully durable and not complicated to repair.  Everything is brutishly heavy though. 
    Drum brakes though.  Work on them requires re-arching the linings to the drums diameter which you won't find anyone willing  to do.   Those drum brakes last a long time.  
   My advice is is there is any lining left, don't work on that, just rebuild the wheel cylinders  if you can't get them to bleed.  
  Good news though, if you can get the bleed screw loose it's a self bleeder. In that you drain all the old fluid out, let a  little fresh fluid to wash the lines and wheel cylinders. Now top off the master cylinder with fresh and tighten up the bleeder. You won't need anyone to pump the brake pedal.  Once all bleeders are tightened check the level on the master and re-top off if needed. 
   If tires are weather checked and you have split rims.  Go junkyard shopping for some wheels and tires. 
      The cool thing is even with 1/2 worn Out tires , you'll probably get decades out of it.  Just cover the tires with by parking it indoors or  covering them with black plastic bags. 

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