Need Opinions! Is This Too Much? 1984 Dodge W-250

[Mmobley15]

Looking to purchase my first truck. This would be a daily but given that my commute is not even 10 miles, I can't say it's that bad. Other half would be some barn work. I just need some opinions. The seller is selling for 10,000. Motor was rebuilt at a certified shop, receipts to prove it. New A/C system. Three speed Auto with a 3400 stall converter that was also freshened up. Basically anything under the hood was addressed or dealt with. Just got off the phone with the guy and he swears that this thing is a beauty and has all the repairs done to it. He sent a video of a cold start as well and it fires right up and stays the way.

I have a link to the ad.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/749823355548403

For a first time truck , am I way over my head. Not that I don't know how to turn wrenches but is there anything particular that I need to be aware of. I keep seeing other's for sale for pretty cheap. Is this one special? Let me know.

 

[MADDOG]

Definitely inspect it closely. Take it to a body shop during your test drive and have them inspect the body. They will know if it has bunches of bondo covering rust or a poor repair job.

Take it to a mechanic, have them put it up on a lift and inspect the frame, running gear, engine, trans, suspension, etc...

Just let the seller you will have it for a few hours to completely inspect it.

$10K is kinda steep for a 1984 regardless of how nice it looks.

I'd be curious about:

1. What engine is in it.
2. What transmission
3. What has been replaced or upgraded in the powertrain and suspension.
4. Whether or not there are receipts and some sort of service history.

Frankly, if it all checks out, I'd start with a $6K offer.

 

[Mmobley15]

Thank you, Maddog

I did manage to take a look at it up close. The paint throughout is original with no rust. What I thought was bondo at first in the rear end was just paint cracking from the Florida heat. The engine is a 360. He said they dyno'd the engine peaking at around 500. So, I take it it's not that original(hence the price). Transmission I'm not too sure of. Besides the three speed automatic, he said it was made for towing so I'm not too sure if that narrows anything down. It is 4x4. I know a lot seemed to be replaced. I managed to see brake lines, vacuum lines, random bits and sorts replaced.

He seems very stern that all this was done professionally. He even gave me the shops number to ask everything that has been done. Would all that repair make this a 10,000 dollar rig?

I'm going to go down this weekend to check it out. I'll try 6K because that would make my life a lot easier. Guy seemed pretty strict on even 9K.

 

[Sandevino]

Speaking from experience both buying and selling, don’t pay the credit card bill for someone’s project. You are looking for a reliable first truck, not someone’s project they want to recoup some money on.

Everything is more expensive to fix on anything ‘80’s or ‘90’s era as the parts are harder to find and you often have to go salvage yard hunting.

If you were looking for a hunting or dear lease truck, this might work, but not for $10k.

My $.02... go drive it and have it looked at. You might absolutely hate it. You should also get the VIN and call your insurance company to see if they will insure such an old vehicle. If they won’t or will at an extremely high premium, you should pass.

Are you paying cash? If you’re wanting to take out a loan, the lender might want to know what you’re buying and might not finance the truck if the loan amount far exceeds the value, regardless of the “improvements” made to the truck. None of that matters to a lender.

In any event, if he’s dead set on the price pass and keep looking.

 

[reek]

is there anything special or specifically desirable to YOU about this gen of ram? Just asking because you're in the newer 4x4 truck price territory. other than that, make sure that they have the various shift bushings replaced and kick down linkage adjusted after they did the trans rebuild. Not a major deal but a real PITA if you have to deal with it after the purchase. Also, see how many miles there are on the new engine since the rebuild. would be nice to see a few thousand as a real world test of the motor being good. Depending on your intended use, the differential gear ratio would be another thing to look into. other than that, the first gens were pretty basic from a mechanical stand point, they essentially date back to 1972. I think the older trucks main achilles heel was all the funky electrical.

 

[Mmobley15]

I was looking towards something reliable. By the looks of it, I think Sandevino is absolutely right with what he said at first. The truck looks immaculate. The parts were new and what have you but by the sounds of it, it does sound like it was more of a "make this truck go faster" project rather than making sure things like the fuel pump are rebuilt. And again, it does sound like he's trying to make up for all the repairs/upgrades he put in. The entire engine was absolutely torn apart and put back together with new cams and such. If it means anything, sounds like a drag car.

I do have money for a truck. Something old(80s/90s and something I can at least tinker on and something reliable. I've been looking towards 90s Ford's and Chevy's but I've heard Dodges are great around the barn and hauling horses. I have enough for at least 10K. If anyone can point me in the right direction id appreciate it. I went on a Ford forum and I'm getting ten times more help here than from over there(not kidding). I was looking at a 2007 Dodge 2500 but I just don't know enough of the reputation.

Reek - He's put around 20,000 miles on it so far. He does hour commutes with it still. Said mpg is roughly 12.

 

[reek]

If you're looking at old dodges for haul / tow reputation reasons, I'm guessing you're hearing about the Cummins version of the trucks. I'd probably guess the 1/2 and 3/4 gassers are for the most part equivalent in capability across brands.

 

[Spage]

3500 rpm stall converter seems excessively high for a street car. Typically you want the stall speed to be less than the cruising rpm. Would that 360 be spinning at 3500 rpm at 70 MPH?. I can see in a strip car, I see some else reported that this engine makes more than 500 HP, that a high stall speed is needed to get the engine into the power band to get the best acceleration. I think this truck would be a bad choice for you as a daily driver. It seems to be set up for the drag strip not driving around town.

 

[NH RAM]

I wouldn't pay 10k for it. I also wouldn't have a 3400 stall converter in a 250/2500 truck, but that's just me. Someone was trying to build a HD track truck / sleeper morph. I really wouldn't buy it at all unless it was to put the engine in a Dart (not the new jelly bean Dart) or Chally.