You see, this is the problem.
We fall in love with these trucks and we can't stop ourselves from throwing money at them.
Exactly, These old trucks can take so much abuse that you can't help love them.
The other side of the coin is that almost everything in the powertrain costs 2 to 3 times as much to fix as it does on a gas F150 when it breaks, granted most of the power train will last 2 to 3 times longer when taken care of too in these heavy old trucks.
Also some states like NC require commercial weighted tags, which cost more, on these trucks unlike the F100 or the F150's I used to own.
I paid $5k for my dually
"the All American" which is more than book but it also had alot of goodies and is rock solid. Here's why I paid more.....
- 6 new 10 ply commercial tires
- Custom aluminum wheels
- No rust
- No leaks anywhere
- truck fired right up the first try stone cold
- Original drivetrain with no mods & nothing cobbled
- Diamond plate aluminum tool box
- Diamond plate bed rail protectors
- New Sony sterio
- New Polk Speakers
- Straight Body
- Ran, drove and handeled excellent
- Doesn't smoke black OR blue
- AC blew ice cold
- All power windows & locks work
- Wiring harness isn't all chopped up
Now for the fun stuff, I had to play.....
- $320 for different rear gears as a fuel milage experiment, thankfully it worked well
- $140 Put 2 new batteries in it as the previous owner was running one, makes a big difference in how they start.
- $160 for some new F-600 west coast mirrors and brackets because I can't stand not being able to see past the bubble butt
- FREE Soup bowl taken out (prolly cost me $5 worth of electricity running my 7 hp 60 gallon air compressor)
- $40 for some Bully steps so I can get my crippled butt into it and my 8 year old can now enter with ease too.
Future fun stuff and it can't become a project truck because it's my daily driver.
- Start replacing old fuel lines as a preventative measure
- Custom Paint later this fall, Not to $$$ for me because I was a professional bodyman in the 80's and still dabble a little to keep in practice
- 92 and up front clip because I like the looks better
- Heim joint mod soon
- mechanical gauges
- etc...............................................
This old truck is reliable enough for me to not hesitate to hook up a trailer and just jump in it and take a 3000 mile trip to Texas and back like I'm doing next week.
I always tell my wife when it comes to time and money concerning my truck, fly fishing and hunting... at least I'm not at the bars or chasing women and the family is always welcome to join me! 
plans for this truck would be as a hold over til i can buy something newer, then it'll be retired to farm truck on the land we should be buying here soon (something else i went to look at this weekend :Sly )
