Greetings 1st Gen-ers!

I have a 2001 Ram and have been a long-time lurker and more recent poster on the 2nd Gen forum.

An opportunity to purchase a 1985 D100 has fallen out of the sky, but I know less about 1st Gen trucks than I do 2nd - which is not a whole lot.

I joined a local car-related forum not specific to particular makes/models just to try to get some info about vehicle storage, and happened upon a post where someone said that his daughter-in-law was cleaning out her parents' house (estate-related: father died last year, mom is going into memory care facility) and has a couple of vehicles she's deciding what to do with. The initial post was before I joined, and it was directed toward the members of the forum by a long time member of a long established group and forum, so I feel confident it's all legit. I just received the phone number of the poster this morning and intend to contact him in the next day or so to set up a time to see the truck.

But at this point all I know is what was posted by this member and another member who has seen the truck and was giving additional info. So if anything listed below does not sound right, just know that at this point I'm listing what has been posted there, and please enlighten me.

What is posted so far:
- 1985 D100
- slant six
- short bed
- fleetside
- torque flight automatic
- power steering
- power brakes
- under dash air conditioner

In a post from the other member who saw the truck:
"The Dodge [t]ruck is amazingly...complete.... The body is straight and not any rust, the big chrome grill is perfect, the paint is dull but it would be easy to repaint.... [A] worthwhile project."

According to the original poster:
"The body and grill are straight, there's no rust to speak of.... I have no idea about the engine, I haven't tried to rotate it since there's no battery but it looks untouched. I[t] looks like it was parked and not moved."

In the original post he stated that LKQ offered her $250 and they would come pick it up. I asked if she is just looking for an offer higher than that or if she has a minimum or asking price. I want to be fair if I make an offer, and I'd probably be willing to offer a little bit more than LKQ site unseen; but the higher the minimum/ask, the more detailed I need to look at the truck.

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So,

1) Given my complete ignorance of 1st Gens - including any typical/chronic issues - and not being a "car guy" in general, what things do I need to look for when/if I go see the truck?

2) Assuming the above picture painted by the posters is accurate so far, what do you think the truck might be worth and/or what might you offer? (Keep in mind I want to be fair, but I'd also like to get a great deal! )

I know it's all vague and fuzzy at the moment, but I don't even know a good ballpark, so any knowledgeable input would be appreciated.

 

What's your intention for it? Personally i wouldn't buy a slant 6 but that's just me. If the body is clean/no rust etc then it could be worth it. It depends on what part of the county you are in also. Hard to find rust free bodies in the rust belt. Just noticed you are in Alabama so that's not in the rust belt.
What is LKQ?

 

The slant 6 is actually a pretty good engine. Good torque, and pretty much indestructible. Easy to drop something bigger in there as well.....

LKQ is a junkyard chain.

 

No specific intention at the moment. I like the look of the first gens (older would be better, and I like a stepside even more), and it just seems like it could be a great deal if she is just wanting to get rid of it without worrying about selling it at the best price.


Good info. This is the reason I'm asking.

What it is about a slant 6 that makes you avoid one?

If you were to purchase this truck with the intention of putting a different engine in it, what engine(s) would you consider?


That is correct. Not a lot of rust worries in this neck of the woods.

If you were to purchase it for the body alone, and it is close to as described, what ballpark would you be willing to pay?


Pick-your-part junkyard: www.lkqpickyourpart.com

I thought they were ubiquitous, but not quite - they are in 17 states.

 

Auto recycling works off margin. They have to low-ball to be profitable... Especially what labour and environmental costs are today. This is a good chance to get a cheap truck even is you spend 2-4x what LKQ offered.

​​​​​​If this truck isn't exactly what you want for power, cab space, bedspace, 2wd vs 4wd.... I encourage you to keep looking. My target is more in the 89-93 range, with a soft spot for 77-78. Especially with manual trans or overdrive. They still turn up. Got a $600 '90 D150 this past summer.

A cheap hack for a utility looking bed is to cut the side panels off a normal bed.

 

Lack of power and no V8 rumble. When i towed with my 318(4X4) it still didn't have enough power. If you plan for it to be a daily driver it would be fine.

 

The slant six came in 3 sizes. 170, 198 and 225. They are often called the "Leaning Tower of Power". They can be souped up but the really long stroke makes it more of a torque monster than a high horsepower engine. They were designed to lean to keep the hood height low. You can fit anything from the 225 to a 440 engine in that bay.

If the body is good, I'd offer them $500. I did that where I used to work when a guard had to sell his truck as it lost oil pressure and was knocking bad. You might get it cheaper but if they are settling an estate, it will help with the costs.

A rust free truck is well worth $500. Even is the engine is stuck, it's worth that. I've seen trucks around here with tin worm and a bad engine or transmission selling for $1500-2000.

 

if the body is clean and rust free the truck would easily sell for $4k or more here even if it had engine or other issues but then again see people see people asking $1000-1500 for just cabs alone and in a lot of case it looks like stuff like door/interior is sold separate. same goes with factory fenders or decent beds but then again prices have gone up over the last couple years. hagarty shows the average value of a decent 85 d100 with slant 6 being $13k in good condition or $6k in fair condition so even if it needs some work it is likely worth it if the body is solid since they value is not likely to go anywhere. also if you choose to and are not planning on using it like a truck you could also get cheap insurance on it. i only pay about $200/vehicle/year on the classics but not suppose to daily drive them or used them like trucks.

 

Thanks, y'all. That is helpful.

I had a family issue arise this past weekend that has taken priority. so I won't have time to try to go look at the truck for a while. That, plus not being a mechanic and not wanting to hire one to check out this engine, I might just offer them $500 sight unseen, and go from there. It's twice what the junkyard offered, and it's less hassle for everyone involved.


That's a new one on me. I have an idea but don't want to assume, so...what is "tin worm?"

 

Rust.