So, what did and didn't happen?dodgerammit wrote: ↑Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:56 am I've always appreciated the looks of the "woody" GWs. My old Dodge truck was down back in mid winter. No working on it till spring for my scrawny butt. I needed a 4x4 for any snow days we would have yet. Looked at several overpriced, clapped-out trucks (4-5K for 200,000+ miles). My old truck didn't even have 170K..
Found a couple that were good deals, but they sold just before I got to look at them.
Moved to Jeeps, specifically Grand Cherokees. Holy-Moly! Those sellers were even more insane!
Scrolling through CL lete one night, There was Radio Flyer.
I almost passed it since people usually want too much for them.
I decided to click and look since the price was 3750.
146K miles. It ran. No major problems. Interior was there. Paint looked okay in pics. No rust visible.
Called the guy up and chatted the next morning. Told him I'd be up in 2 hours to see it. (60 miles away).
He was very upfront with it needing some attention. Tires mainly, and I still haven't gotten a set as of today (Gotta work through a few more issues before I drop $600 on a set)
It is rust free. Sort of. It has new quarters. Don't know how well they are put in, but there's no bubbling from the repair, so it's good for now. The paint is a quickie job, but still isn't bad for the most part.
Rides smooth. Needs a little TLC, but the 4x4 works, the heat works, it doesn't puke coolant from the timing cover gasket like my old Dodge did, and I get looks and conversations from nearly every guy that sees it. Even had a kid yell at me in the part's store parking lot to tell me it was awesome.
Future plans are to work out the mechanical bugs first.
Tires next.
Weatherstrip.
Enjoy it some.
Replace the dash that someone hacked up (No. They mangled it. Morons. )
Get the hood and fender replaced (already have donors).
Woodgrain kit.
Enjoy some more.
Install Serhill's harnesses (already purchased).
New carpet.
Rock this b**** even more!
Alcan 2" springs that mimic the plush ride.
A big@$$ bumper that'll house my Warn hydraulic winch.
Outta my way, phone-booth drivers!
Down the road, a Magnum powertrain swap, or even better, a sweet 4BT.
Thanks Harry!Harry Dawg wrote: ↑Sun Mar 19, 2023 5:21 pm @Yeller
That GMC was mint, but I actually prefer the J-truck. I think you made a good trade.
Good to know your a GM guy. I knew there was a reason we get along lol.
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That's awesome! Mine was kinda similar when we got it--great body, barely ran at all. Most of my efforts have been put into preserving this body (rolling it aside)(and to be fair, we're working on that), and making everything work reliably.customfab4x4 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 6:29 am I have been into Jeeps for almost 2 decades now. And just got a 1980 Cherokee Laredo as a single owner. See attached. I paid $8k a few weeks ago and considered this a STEAL. Body is near a 10 but thing barely runs and leaks oil like a garden hose. Interior is shot for most part. But near all original and Texas truck. Clean body, clean roof, clean frame, never cut into or welded on. This is #1 for me personally.
My advice is this:
First, you need to set reasonable expectations of the working condition of the vehicle based on your budget.
I have seen PLENTY of Cherokees, Wagoneers, J trucks and Gladiator trucks in the range of $4000 - $8000. In my experience, none of them will be in good working mechanical shape and all will need some degree of body and paint work. And lots of interior work.
So I personally don't care if they run or not. Cause even if they do, very likely the engine needs to be refreshed or rebuilt. These AMC motors love to leak oil and were not intended as high mileage vehicles.
So simple said, if you are kicking tires, inspecting flaws in the upholstery, pointing out dents, and require the thing to run and drive reliably....then this is NOT near your price range ($4 - $8k).
For a decent runner which has been well kept with some restoration then you are likely looking at $12000 - $20000 depending on the condition. And frankly if you don't have deep knowledge of working on 4x4s and restoring cars then I would highly advise to spend more on a truck that has had restore work or been extremely well kept. Cause paying for someone to do the work....gets really really expensive fast.
Your deals are gonna be in FSJ's that need work and likely to be trailer home 99 out of 100 times. My main objective is to find an original owner, near original truck, with minimal rust. Everything else can be fixed over time. I care FAR more about the condition of the body and undercarriage than I do about a truck that I can drive home. I will take a complete nonrunner with little rust over a runner with body rust everyday of the week.
Sounds to me like your budget does not match your expectations. And these things are only getting more and more expensive to buy. Good luck!
That's awesome!Harry Dawg wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 5:40 pm @Kowpie
Yes. It definitely has a special aurora about it.
I found a bunch of quartz rocks in the bed stakes. I can only figure he put them there for whatever reason.
He would have been 64 when he purchased that truck.
He was in the church choir, and they would load a piano into the truck to play at Sunday service every week. The "church" was a wooden barn at best, so they couldn't leave it there full time.
In his younger years, he would walk from the home place to the Conasauga Lumber Company camp. It was about 25 miles from Cohutta to the camp. He would leave on Sunday morning and come back on Friday night, spending the week at the laborers barracks.
He bought his first vehicle, a Model A truck, in the mid 30s.
Definitely makes me proud to come from a line of hard, self reliant people that weren't afraid of work.
I found some pictures of the old church and the barn the truck came from. The church has since been restored by the family, but the barn stands just like he built it.
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Thanks. I mean I don't really have either right now...if the family's gonna scrap it if it doesn't get saved then I'll step up, but otherwise it's just as well off sitting in the dirt in Iowa as it is sitting in the dirt in Minnesota.Harry Dawg wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 1:29 pm @sierrablue
If you've got the time and space, I would say do it.
If nothing else you could make a rat rod out of it.
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