Advice and Tips for shopping for a used truck.

Unless you are doing short mile high revenue runs that truck, even completely restored, is not the truck to use for work. Couple different reasons. First the high fuel consumption. Notice it doesn't even have a charge air cooler? Turbo pipe goes straight to the intake. If I'm not mistaken that means it is an A model cat. A good engine in its day, but that day is long gone. But even if it was turns out to be an early B model...it's still a mechanical cat. If you don't have extensive knowledge with mechanical diesels it will break you. Good luck finding a mechanic that has even seen a real injection pump, let alone rebuilt one. Sure there are some old guys left, and new ones taught on the old stuff by pops. But they are very few in number. Like i said it's a great hobby truck. The type to put back in shape and run the truck show circuit in. Or even in a low mileage local operation. But to run 2500 miles a week all over the country? Just doesn't make sense to me. Two types of trucks in my opinion. Ones bought as tools to do business and ones bought as toys to play.

 

The frame is too tired and rusted. Every bolt will have to come off and every inch evaluated. I even noticed some loss of metal mass on the left hand frame rail behind the axle mount over the bag. And there is a little bit of a spread on the rear angles possibly a illusion from camera lens or abuse hopping under trailers sunken into the mud.

The tires are rotted or beginning to. All of them show marks that might show alignment issues or even suspension problems. Then the bushings are also rotting. And so on. I don't know what it will cost to rebuild that old tractor to anything approaching a1 condition but suspect the money will be better put into a truck in a better condition. I like petes, but this one is too tired and not worth rebuilding. You can try to clean it up and cosmetically restore it with primer, paint etc for show purposes but it will not do that very well.

 

All those things are relatively minor in the context of a restoration project. Even the frame rail can be fixed. I have a 71 drop deck that had holes in the main frame rails big enough a body builder could stick his arm through. Cleaned it up and plated it and is just as strong as it was on day one. If it wasn't for the fact its heavier than sin, id use it every day pulling freight.

There is nothing wrong with that pete that can't be fixed. It's just not the right truck for a guy that needs it to work. It's a restoration project for a hobby/part time trucker. If i had more time on my hands id be looking at it. But i got enough projects i never get around to finishing. And its not a numbered 359. If I'm gonna buy a toy, it's gonna be one of the few remaining numbered 359s.

 

TBH, I'm just looking at trucks from 1985-1999 I would prefer the ability to run paper along with the ease of not having to deal with a lot of electronics when doing repairs on my time off.. I've only got experience dealing with old mechanical motors not the new fangled stuff.

 

A 12.7 has an ecm, so technically electronic but basically it's just a few sensors and ecu modules on the injectors. Also happens to be the cheapest most dependable engine ever built. 98 and 99 were great years for them.

 

I was thinking back decades looking over that thing. It has possibilities. That frame though.. I wonder what it will cost to get a set of frame rails and replace everything rubber on that rig. All the other stuff looks like it can be cleaned up rather well.

 

http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/trucks/for-sale/7311283/1981-peterbilt-359

Hell I loved this one however it's well outta the price range I'm looking at spending.

And if I had the time, money and space to blow on a full restore I'd look at these.. These would be my retirement trucks lol!

http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/trucks/for-sale/17711647/1976-kenworth-k100

http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/trucks/for-sale/18015643/1966-international-4070

http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/trucks/for-sale/7474859/1977-kenworth-w900

 

Now that black one, the 43K one is probably a good buy when considering the 14K then the rebuild money spending on tha rusted pete. I'll go to the 43K with my money but not a dollar more.

What sold me was the book of repair bills and work sheets on the passenger side box of that tractor. And the wood floors inside. You can maintain a disinfected living space very well with such a floor.

I don't care too much for the drive tire fenders, but I can tell they were well done and painting is a good quality I would keep them.

It's hard to get past the dazzle and really look at that unit the way we looked over the 14K rust. But that would be something I would want to do if it was a time to do so. I would probably remove that 5th wheel and place a ballasted floor under there for a larger apartment space in addition to the existing cab so that it will be a RV essentially. It will need about 15K pounds on that frame above the drives to ride easy with good traction in any terrain without being overloaded.

 

You are not ready to buy a truck. Sorry. Hate to be rude but I'd rathet be honest than polite.
The trucks you are posting are like an 18 year old kid looking at a restored chevelle for his first car.

 

Already have a truck fyi.. not free and clear but I have one already. however my next one will be truely mine free and clear and with all likelihood will probably be a coranado but a guy a dream right?