Whats do you think,1986, 6.9, f350, 50k original firetruck value?

[jdphish]

Hi I have a chance to buy a superclean, retired 1986 regular cab, dually 2 wd with automatic. It has an ambulance body on back but they used it for emergency equipment apparently. Under the hood looks like new. Its always been in firehouse. I don’t really need it and can barely afford it, but I can get it for less than 3000.

I would probably take ambulance body off and put dually bed or flatbed on it. Then just use it as a regular pickup.

I would love to hear everyones thoughts on if its a good deal, or any ideas.

Thanks

 

[los182]

Buy it!

 

[Hydro-idi]

Let’s see some pics!
Sounds like a good deal, but they run them engines hard. Start em up, let them warm up for a half second, and shove throttle to the floor. Not the best for an engine, but I’m sure it was regularly maintained.

 

[jdphish]

Thanks los182, thats what I am leaning towards.

I think if nothing else, and I don’t like it, I can get my money back (maybe more).

I appreciate everyone looking at this and maybe pointing stuff to check out. I know my 1994, leaked bad around injector return lines. This shows no signs of leaking. I guess it has a C6 transmission.

 

[jdphish]

Hydro-idi, I will post pics asap. Prob tomorrow.

 

[mu2bdriver]

Buy it. These ex- public works trucks are getting harder and harder to find. Usually very well maintained. Sometimes have high idle hours but that’s not a big deal.

 

[david85]

Buy it, refresh the head gaskets and under-oil the body once a year. If it really is close to rust free, you'll have a good rig for the next 30 years or whenever you get sick of having it. Whichever comes first (How's that for a warranty?). Heck, you might even be able to recover part of the cost selling the service body.

Only reason I mention head gasket is because some failed within the warranty period even back in the 80s. Refresh them now and you'll have no worries.

 

[G. Mann]

Just a heads up on the chassis. Very likely, it is a "Cab Chassis" build truck from Ford. The frame aft of the cab is flat, and it has no bed mounts for a standard pickup bed. Also, the spacing on the frame rails is different with that style.

I have one that I mounted a standard dually bed on, but had to fab up mount brackets and the frame aft of cab is 11 ft. so had to fab up an extension of the bed by using front part of a second bed.

Of course, you could take the easy route and just flat bed it.

 

[jdphish]

Has a little more than 50K miles. At least 150k, maybe a lot more. They used ether to start it. Pretty sure glowplugs are shot. Tranny shifted hard and it would barely stop. I decided to hold off now on it. I don’t need another major project right now until I get my 2002 on the road. Thanks for reading.

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[jdphish]

Maybe someone can decifer this...

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[Knuckledragger]

Just a heads up on the chassis. Very likely, it is a "Cab Chassis" build truck from Ford. The frame aft of the cab is flat, and it has no bed mounts for a standard pickup bed. Also, the spacing on the frame rails is different with that style.

I have one that I mounted a standard dually bed on, but had to fab up mount brackets and the frame aft of cab is 11 ft. so had to fab up an extension of the bed by using front part of a second bed.

Of course, you could take the easy route and just flat bed it.

Ford called them UV (unfinished Vehicle) and the dual rear axle is about 10" narrower than a regular pickup. You are right about the frame being flat, and narrower than a pickup as well.

Looks like this one was built on a CC frame, 161" WB.

 

[pcwizzy16]

You'd probably need a CDL to drive it as-is, with the ambulance body.

 

[Thewespaul]

No you wouldn’t

 

[pcwizzy16]

No you wouldn’t

It actually depends on the state, I saw another thread about an ambulance.

 

[Thewespaul]

With an 11k lbs gvwr I don’t think any state would require a commercial license especially if you’re using it for recreational use. The other thread with an ambulance is the truck I am working on, it has an 11k lbs gvwr as well.