Men Of A Certain Age, I are one

stuart in mn wrote: On the other hand, a retrofit power steering setup from a newer F-100 is a bolt in proposition, and you can buy an aftermarket air conditioner designed for that truck. Adding both, along with some new weatherstrip, will be a lot less expensive than buying a whole new truck.

This is my frame of thought as well, although once the desire to have something new takes up residence in the brain...

The A/C, weather stripping and steering are relatively easy, the brakes might be able to be fitted with a hydro-boost unit. The only bad thing is the core support.

*EDIT...Mexican blanket for the seats...

Either way, I feel your pain.

stuart in mn wrote: On the other hand, a retrofit power steering setup from a newer F-100 is a bolt in proposition, and you can buy an aftermarket air conditioner designed for that truck. Adding both, along with some new weatherstrip, will be a lot less expensive than buying a whole new truck.

Yeah, that would be greeeaaaat. Except mine is a 3 speed column shift. Not a bolt-in for power steering unless I find one of the unicorn Bendix steering boxes that are also failure prone.

The weatherstripping is in bags and boxes in the garage. That begins a whole snowball effect: Before I put in the new window gaskets, I should fix the rust and paint the upper parts. To do that I need to replace the rotten hood. To do that I have to pay someone several hundred to make the used hood straight. And on, and on...

Fobroader wrote: Nothing wrong with that man, I don't care if you are 20 or 75. A long trip in a noisy, uncomfortable and hot vehicle sucks!!! Nothing wrong with towing in comfort.

I don't think many people consider towing fun, therefore, I absolutely agree. A truck needs to get me as easily, as safely, and as comfortably over the mountains towing 7000lbs while getting good mpg.

My cars can be used to "express" my inner car guy. Trucks are all about function if being used as a truck. I've towed across the country multiple times... maybe if you are only going a couple hours one way a form over function truck is ok. But even then... I want to be able to bash my truck against trees/go down gravel roads if necessary.

JFX001 wrote: Either way, I feel your pain.

Literally, of course. Damnit, finding new aches and pains all the time.

I said it in another thread but it's likely even more applicable here.

^old people

56 here, my race tow setup doesn't exceed 4k pounds so I daily drive a deadly boring 2 wheel drive Xterra. It takes up minimal space, has kickin' AC, cruise, Alpine stereo with XM, quiet inside. When I get where I'm going I'm not all beat up from wind noise etc and that makes me a better driver.

+1 for Trucks are tools, and E36 M3ty tools suck.

In reply to ddavidv: Embrace your age, love the Road King.

I'm close to your age as well. Fascinating haw satisfying a good crap has become eh? Isn't it great learning to be carful when peeing, to make sure your really done? Splashing the water in the sink all over yourself when you got it wrong? Finding that those tiny Halloween sized candy bars really are the right size now? Dropping a nickel on the floor, looking at how far away it is, and trying to decide if you really do need it? Fearing farts and wondering if you should keep a spare set at work, just in case.

There are some really cool things that come with this aging. Like watching retirement come thundering over the horizon. Not even considering trying to get to the office if it's snowing. Getting a free donut with my AARP card. Getting out of speeding tickets. Not even getting pulled over any more because I often am only doing the speed limit.

It is what it is. My wife says it's good that husbands vision gets worse as women get older and gravity wreaks it's havoc on them. I laugh and take my glasses off.

I am 31 and I already appreciate the value of a comfortable, reliable, just get it done vehicle.

My daily is an 02 F250 Powerstroke. Crew cab, 4x4, automatic trans, Lariat package, tinted windows, in dash DVD and Nav, A/C that will freeze an eskimo, so on and so forth. Its great for when you dont want to drive, just want to get somewhere. It will tow, haul, move anything that you can throw at it, is great for road trips, and returns decent mileage for a big beast.

The Corvette is just for playing around with. Its gotta get good gas, daily driven on Drag Radials, loud, low, uncomfortable, 6 speed with a heavy twin disc clutch, but it can really return the smiles and is fun to drive in nice weather.

So do it. Treat yourself to having one nice vehicle. May as well be the nicest, biggest, dieselest pickup you can find.

Hoping to look at this today...got him down to $3000 from $3500 by saying it's all I have. 200,000 miles.

I looked at one yesterday with 190k on it but most of the rocker panels were gone and it did not appear to be well cared for. Didn't even bother hearing it run. I'm okay with mega-miles if the thing has received some lovin'. Missed one almost like this for $2800 that had new brakes and Mobil 1 oil changes.

Ugh, missing the rockers too and a big blister on the bedside that will be a hole if I hit it with the grinder. It had some upsides--new tires and all the coil/plug/alternator questions were answered the right way, but not significantly nicer than the uglier one I could buy for $1900. He was down to $2800 by the time I left.

My brief drive around the block also left me underwhelmed. I expected more neck-snapping grunt from the 5.4 but it was rather 'meh'. Steering is as numb as a non-rack truck, and the brakes were dull and kind of spongy. I guess trucks haven't progressed as much as I expected.

Not all old trucks are uncomfortable. This one turned 20 this year. Most people would call it old junk. 165K miles, AC, PS, PW, PB, Auto, Cruise, cloth seats. I'll probably keep it until I get tired of feeding the 7.5L. I like it because it's simple, dependable and will haul the world. It spends months sitting and starts on the first try every time. I don't want or need the latest high tech tow rig. Simple is good.

It'll be hitting the road next week for 1600 miles through the mountains, hauling camping gear, the canoes, kayak and the boat.

Good luck with your search.

I figured you'd put the Sammie on the front bumper...

Nothing wrong with a plug and play tow machine or daily driver. I am 35 and I reached the, "I don't have enough damn time nor patience to deal with broken, leaking, or drafty stuff on a daily basis.".

In reply to Curmudgeon:

Don't tempt me. The Trans American Trail starts in Tennessee.

Well, I'm dumping at looking for a Triton powered truck. I don't really like them and they are all rusty turds from what I'm seeing. Not that I go much by what she thinks, but the Mrs actually encouraged me to get a nice truck and we briefly talked about selling the '65. I've had the truck for over ten years and haven't made any headway on the planned restoration, and don't see it happening any time soon. It's a neat toy, but not a truck that is suited for the tasks I ask of it.

What do I really want? A first gen Lightning. Old school compared to the new ones, but HP and torque figures are right there with the 5.4 Triton engine in a (to me) much better looking package. Standard cab only, but I can live without the extra space (have so far). Best seats ever put in a truck too. Quite a few out there, just need to wait for the right one to come along.

I had a 2000 F350 power stroke when I was towing my 24 foot race trailer.

Now I have a 14 foot enclosed trailer for towing motorcycles and tow with a Acadia.

I miss a real tow rig, but having a back up camera in the nav screen on the dash clearly show the ball and hitch when backing up is one of the greatest things in the world.

I am re-affirming my truck crush today. Last night I came home from a great but exhausting race weekend at Summit Point with my two kids. Fours sets of wheels and tires, 3 bicycles, coolers and errata in the bed - 7500lbs of trailer, car, tools, etc on the hitch.

We drove thru an hour long deluge of rain, hail, lightning and high wind coming past Harrisburg on the way home where there was water 6" deep roaring across I81 at points. Hundreds of cars, trucks and tractor trailers were sitting it out on the shoulders and under bridges.

We just cruised on thru, AC on, tunes playing... wipers thumping. There really is no such thing as too much truck.

ddavidv wrote: Hoping to look at this today...got him down to $3000 from $3500 by saying it's all I have. 200,000 miles. I looked at one yesterday with 190k on it but most of the rocker panels were gone and it did not appear to be well cared for. Didn't even bother hearing it run. I'm okay with mega-miles if the thing has received some lovin'. Missed one almost like this for $2800 that had new brakes and Mobil 1 oil changes.

You're looking at one of the least impressive "newer" trucks IMO. Not a great time period under the hood or inside. Never had any chassis or body problems with mine, but they also lived in GA. Still - the 2002 Chevy I have now is light years better than the 1998 Ford I had. There was a generation change in there that mattered a lot.

Yes, they are truly disappointing as I'm finding out. I was at the salvage pool today and just examined a number of varying vintages, and these were hands-down the worst rotters of all of them. The preceding model is inexplicably more rust-resistant than these could ever hope to be.

The only way I'd buy a newer-than-96 truck would be to get a Super Duty. Completely different cab, doors, bed, etc and far fewer rust issues.

Something about the switchgear in that generation was such that all of the rockers seen to be about 10% of the way to returning back to crude oil. Every damn one has black nasty sticky goo on it. There are other issues, but if I can't roll up the windows without looking like I was under the hood, then I don't want it.

I thought I'd update the thread and let you know how it got resolved:

$4200, no rust, 163,000 miles and many new parts including alternator and complete a/c system. Aside from the hopelessly faded paint, it's near perfect. Other than this teaser photo I took for FB I haven't got any other pics of it yet. I did have to spend a couple days driving to TN and back to PA to get it.

Yes, I did a burnout with it.

So if anyone is interested in a really nice, solid '65 that needs a little lovin'...

First gen. Nice!

Ah, I've had two...enjoy. Looks like you got a '93. Just tow with the O/D button off and you will be fine. Great trucks, lots of fun.

www.nloc.net/vbforum/forum.php was the place to be when I had mine.

Yup, already on nloc. This is a whole different kind of animal to learn. Refreshingly modern while still old school (pushrod V8 FTW!). It's got some quirks and needs but makes nice sounds and is a damn sight more comfortable than the '65.

Of course, Ford has discontinued 70% of the parts for this truck and all it's pedestrian siblings as usual. Thankfully the junkyards are still littered with them for the common bits, but I think finding new black windshield moldings will be a problem. I already scored a 'new' fan shroud to replace the cracked one. $160 for new? Not this GRMer.