Beater or restoration?

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Thomas Richards

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2015
Posts
4
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Location
5 miles from Branson as the crow flies; 20 miles b
Ram Year
1989
Engine
360
I bought an '89 Ram 250 4x4 with 5.7, 3 sp. auto. I put some $ in tires, windshield & other repairs. Using as occasional hauler w/ 4wd for around my property; running 1x/wk or less. DILEMMA
When new truck had every option Dodge offered (including sun roof) and it all works. There is no visible rust anywhere. Upholstery, carpet, door panels, roof liner all original and in ok to vg shape. The radio is the only non-stock item.
DILEMMA
Is it worth selling for restoration? If I just continue running it things will eventually deteriorate. Is this a candidate for restoration? I am ok with keeping it 'til I die (I'm retired) and the truck will most likely outlast me.
 

crazzywolfie

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Apr 6, 2013
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Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
hard to say. if it is as clean as it sounds you could probably easily sell it for decent money and buy a beater but it is always hard to say what might brake on a beater. with any 4x4 there is numerous things that could go bad.

as far as restoration goes it might be worth restoring if it is clean. a lot of the time rust is really the biggest killer on these older trucks.
 

The War Wagon

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Location
da' 'BURGH
Ram Year
1992
Engine
318 Magnum
I bought an '89 Ram 250 4x4 with 5.7

Someone swapped a Hemi into it?! :favorites13:

Or you actually have a 360? :shakehead:


When new truck had every option Dodge offered (including sun roof) and it all works. There is no visible rust anywhere. Upholstery, carpet, door panels, roof liner all original and in ok to vg shape. The radio is the only non-stock item.
DILEMMA
Is it worth selling for restoration?
NO dilemma - it's WORTH it. Will you get $40k for it now? Nope. You'll probably get $5k. And if you PUT $40k into the restoration (EASY to do, btw!), you'll get a whopping... $10k out of it.

Just KNOW those things, before you get into it. It's a GREAT truck - one all us Gen.1 guys would love to have... but it AIN'T a '36 Duesenberg... or a '70 Superbird... or a Ferrari 458 Italia. To the REST of the world, it's a moderately "old Dodge truck," and they will pay accordingly for it. If you're good with that up front, have fun with it, whichever route you go.
 
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