Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Best 20 Year Old Beater Pick Up

Where in BC are you Salty? I've got the F350 for sale.

I will admit that I don't tow very heavy things, very often.
And one of the spark plugs is quite a challenge to change, but even at 100,000 miles the plugs looked like new.

Just keep looking and don't get in a rush,
We found a 1990 Ford extended cab F250 460 Manual 5 speed with a 120K on it that had been sold by the original owner at a habit for Humanity sale. Yes it is 30 years old but it is in excellent condition and everything works.
It is only used when needed but it's a dandy when you want it, and I think we can get every penny back if we decide to sell.

Have an idea what you want and keep looking, it will come, may take 6 months but it will

Mines not a beater but my 96 7.3 Powerstroke is still asked if it's for sale regularly. If you could find one in good shape they go and go. Same thing with the 12V Cummins

mines not really beater if i clean it up, but hard to do using it for work.

I appreciate that kolofardos but I won't be doing anything on this till the new year. What I've done is downsized myself into a small suv and am getting by fine with a trailer to haul lumber, the atv etc. But only a few months in on this venture I can see that a beater pick as well is probably going to be the way to go.

Not going to deny either of those in any way shape or form but now we're into 5 figures, around here anyways. 15k minimum if its got a Bully Dog sticker in the winder. lol I know I know there's the odd deal out there but I think you gotta know a secret handshake or some chit. A buddy bought a 92 2wd extenda cab 12v from grandpa the original owner for like 3 grand not long ago. I'm like WTF? He- it ain't for sale. I need a 4x4 anyways

Early/mid 2000’s Chevy’s with the 4.8/5.3 will do 250k miles pretty easily. Yes, the earlier 5.7’s are a little cheaper, and look a bit better, in my opinion, but you only rarely see those make it over 175k without screaming for a rebuild.

The 4.6 Ford’s are kind of a mixed bag, and the late 90’s/early-mid 2000’s Dodge’s (5.2/5.9 gas) rarely last past 200k..

Kind of what I'm thinking, not in a hurry just starting thinking about it and researching a little and keep an eye on craigs etc. rubber neckin the 4 sale signs along the roads. Its a fun pastime anyways.



My 04 Sierra had about 180k miles on it when I sold it but it sure didn't know it. I lived in a real rust belt during the time I owned it though and it just got too friggn bad for even this beater truck fan Like I said tho I still see it around town buddy all proud in his rust bucket chevy. yeah, GM is on the short list for sure if I could find one from the dry interior or such

My '99 7.3 6spd f-350. ordered jan '98, got it in may '98.

I wonder how to handle the tire situation when the truck has 152 ,000 miles with the 4.6 engine

A new set of tires might outlast the truck but in Minnesota with winter coming new tires are not a luxury.

Don, that one is too nice!

I have a 1999 Ford F150. It runs great but it's about to rust away.

kwg

It is still in good shape and only 106000 miles. Been beat thru the mud and snow and a herd of deer in montana. Nothing a few front end parts, and a cowcatcher bumper couldn't cure...

Here's my line of thought on that one. I'll drive a beater did so all the time in my 20s and 30s pretty much. 'Long as they've got decent skins and the brakes are good. It does suck when the tire bill's a good chunk of the worth of the damn thing but good tires happy life. Especially in the snow. Maybe check used on craigslist etc.? Lets keep this thread beater! haha

huntsman that is one sweet ride! You've kept (fixed?) it well she's a real looker.

Find an old Chevy, ran my 90 300,000 miles.

I’ve got an 99 f350 single rear wheel 7.3 diesel with 340,000. Several alternators and two trannys and a few front end parts have been it. It has pulled a gooseneck trailer about 75% of its life.

My 98 24V cummins/5 spd fits the bill too. It's definitely a beater with nearly 400K miles on the clock, still has a little paint in spots. It does farm duties nowadays and just last week moved my tractor/bush hog/disk to the other side of the state and back on my gooseneck to plant food plots at my deer camp, about a 15,000 lb load that it pulled just as well as it did when it was new.

Older the better in my book..I'm partial to the squair body Chevys...had 79 83 currently have 2 84s all but the 79 were 3/4 ton 4x4.. I traded the 83 diesel for a bran new 93 2500 which I still have...sadly the oil cooler line broke at 327k and locked up the motor...is going to get rebuilt this winter...when it was running I wouldn't have been afraid to drive it anywhere on earth ..everything still worked and drove like new...of all the trucks I have owned the 83 was my favorite that's why I restored the 84.. Just had to have another...but the 93 is a much nicer ride and they fixed a lot of quirks like the electric windows and leg room.. Much better running engine with the verry simple TBI system..
Really the holly grail old truck is 86 1/2- 87 squair body with the TBI motor...my son found one of those..built a 383 with big block TBI system..it runs really good..
Have had 2 k 5 Blazers one a 91 I drove it over 300 k and my sister in law drove it another 5.. Now have a restored 89 painted to match the 84..
Those TBI 350 s are not overly powerful but adaqite and reliable as it gets...

I’ve had good luck with gas 99-04 SuperDuty trucks. Paid $5k for an 02 with 140k on it and $7500 for an 04 with 70k. Both were regular cab long bed 4X4s with the 5.4 and the 6sp. I drove them all over and the biggest issue I ever had was the alternator going out on the 04 and a driveshaft needing a rebuild on the 02.

Overall I’ve had good luck with the Modular V8s both 4.6 and 5.4 from Ford. I’ve run them to 250k and never had to do timing chains or phasers. I know there were some issues with them but if they were a bad as you hear surely one of the half dozen I’ve owned would have been a bad one.

I had an 04 Ranger too. 4.0 and 5sp, 4x4 with limited slip diff in the rear. Great little rig with plenty of power and quite capable off-road. If I didn’t have a kid to haul and I didn’t tow I might still be driving it.