Scotty,
A friend of mine has a 1985 Ford F250. It has around 10,000 miles on a newer 460 engine, and a new automatic transmission. It needs a few things done like a rear main seal, but my friend is willing to give me the truck in exchange for some help with a couple landscaping projects. Do you think it's a good deal even if there are a few repair costs? Love your videos!
Needing a rear main seal with only 10k miles on a supposedly "newer" engine, I'd question the quality of the motor. I'd pass, but totally up to you if want to take this truck in exchange for your time and muscle.
It depends on the condition of course. If everything on it is falling apart then "a few repairs" will end up being a never ending money pit that bleeds you dry.
I'll amend my answer to include, "Have the truck checked out before you make the deal"
You're getting it for helping a friend, right? Would you help him anyway even if he wasn't going to give you the truck? If yes, then go ahead and take it. You have nothing to lose. If it turns out the truck is a lemon, sell it.
He does have something to lose though.
If he wants to drive it then he'll have to buy insurance. If it doesn't move then you'll need to haul it. He wants to change the RMS (among other things) which can be expensive. If it's a a rusty bucket of bolts, then I wouldn't waste my time.
He wants to PAY for the truck with his labour. And landscaping can be very hard work indeed.
Those were decent trucks when new, however it sounds like you are exchanging a few thousand dollars of labor time for a high mileage truck that has been worked to death.
I would skip it.
