So, a truck has to go...and what's next?

Gentlemen,

Does anybody know "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost?...haha.
I've come to a fork in the road...or, I'm coming to a fork in the road soon.

I have these two Bullnoses, and one of them will have to go.




My plan all along was to sell the 4x4, and keep the 2wd, but I have been rethinking this the past few days, and maybe I will sell the 2wd instead...or sell both of them, I don't know. The 4x4 was a Covid Quarantine project...I didn't really set out to have two trucks almost the same...it just kind of happened, and it kept me darn busy for the past year, so it was good for that.

But besides the issue of the two trucks almost being the same, I do get bored with things after a while and need something new and fresh to occupy my mind. I admire people that can keep vehicles for years, or decades even, but I'm not really that guy...or at least I haven't been in the past. I'm also not content to just have something to wax and polish...I get bored pretty quick with that too. The winters are long, so I need a "project" to keep me busy. I wish I had other hobbies, but I don't.

I am hopelessly stuck in the 1980's...lol. Muscle cars are too expensive, and I don't really like the post-Bullnose era all that much. If I'm shopping between the late 70's and early 1990's, my options are fairly limited. A couple bucket list vehicles for me are a Foxbody Mustang...preferably a four-eyed fox (carbed), or a Jeep CJ7, so in that 1982-1986 range...like my favorite Bullnoses. Right now, I'm leaning hard towards a Jeep. There's just not that much else from the 80's that turns my crank, ya know? I'm not really a hardcore Ford guy...but there's not much in the Mopar line-up from those years that turns me on, and I shoot my mouth off about Chevy's so much I'd now have to wear a bag over my head to drive one...lol, J/K.

I'd really hate to be without a Bullnose, but having two classics is a bit of a hassle for me, as one of them has to live outside. I've had this strong desire for years to own another Bullnose Flareside (I had one in the early 90's), so it feels weird to be contemplating selling one or both.

I also wonder, where is the value going to go on these trucks? Is it going to continue to go up, or will it plateau soon? There is a very obvious age group that likes these trucks...when I go out for the local car shows and cruise-ins, it's the 45+ guys that love them...and they're getting fewer and father between as well. The 73-79 Ford trucks have a higher street value than the Bullnoses, but not much higher...at least not in my area.

Anyway, I'm just thinking out loud. I'm done with big projects for a while...frame swaps and cab swaps...haha, but I'm already wondering what in the heck am I going to do this coming winter?....

I'd love to keep them all, but that's not realistic for me.

Well Cory, if you're not emotionally invested in either one, solicit offers at your cruise nights.
Maybe someone knows someone who just has to have an '80's Flareside.

I'm not sure what they're worth but either one with solid undercarriage is not something common up there.

Jeez Cory, quite the dilemma, ey! I'm opposite of you in that I can hardly sell anything. If the vehicle has been good and reliable and I have good times and memories with it, I become attached to it and selling it almost hurts. Weird, I know. When I was contemplating the sell of my truck, I wanted for it to go far away so I wouldn't see it. It's almost like having a girl friend who wants to date other guys. Ya just don't want to see her, especially with that other dude....lol!  

But hey, I know where a certain little blue stepside is that would make for a great Cory project! Good reason for you to come to Oklahoma in September too!  

I think with this last truck you've taken the "road less taken" if not "the road not taken".  So while I like Jim's approach of seeing what offers you get, I guess my thinking is that the last truck you have more sweat equity.  Or am I just not remembering the journey for the other truck?

But I know what you mean about not wanting to just polish one.  So I fully understand the itch to get another project, which usually means selling an existing one.  And if it is six of one and half a dozen of another to you, but one brings more money for the next project, go for it.  

All good points. But I will always side with 4WD because of where we live.

But your 80 is a sweet ride!

Machspeed wrote

Jeez Cory, quite the dilemma, ey!

But hey, I know where a certain little blue stepside is that would make for a great Cory project! Good reason for you to come to Oklahoma in September too!

Ya, first world problems eh?...

Funny, I've had that little Blue Flareside in the back of my mind ha. It's easy to stick with what you know, for sure...and maybe what I need to do is another one, but I'm feeling like something different. I just don't know what yet. I sure wish I could keep them all...lol.

Usually what happens is that I get fixated on a new project, and I then have no problem getting rid of an old one, but this time is different...I'm not sure why. Maybe it is all the time, effort, and money invested in these things. I have more money into the 2wd...way more, and more time in the 4x4...so it's hard to decide.

Anyway, I change my mind often too, so we will see...stay tuned for more.

Cory, I think either will make someone [new owner] proud!

Well gentlemen, I am happy (sad?) to say that I made a decision this week to list the old 4x4 Covid project for sale, and it actually sold very quickly. Funny story, but one of the local Ford dealers asked me to bring it by, but after checking it out they decided to pass on it and another guy bought the truck about an hour later. Anyway, that's another chapter closed...an almost one year adventure, but it was time for me thin things out around here and get back to basics.



So anyway, I've come up with a whole list of potential things to do with the '84 Flareside which will no doubt fill my time and empty my wallet.

Congratulations?!?!  (I'm not sure what is appropriate there.)

Someone got a good truck, but now you can move on.  I'm anxious to see what you do.

Gary Lewis wrote

Congratulations?!?!  (I'm not sure what is appropriate there.)

Someone got a good truck, but now you can move on.  I'm anxious to see what you do.

Gary,

I change my mind quickly sometimes, but I have been evaluating my whole situation lately and it makes the most sense to keep working on the old '84 for now, unless something else should pop up and interest me in a must have kind of way.

Anyway, I have a few things on a short list and a few things on a long list, but I need help with what directions to go and some of the things I want to do will lead me to other "upgrades" that you guys are all very familiar with.

Another thread coming soon...

Congratulations! I don’t doubt she went quick!

Can make you glad and sad, but you have your other Flareside.

Good job on that truck!

Congratulations, Cory!

Yes, congrats! Maybe we will see it come back around here on the forum someday.

kramttocs wrote

Maybe we will see it come back around here on the forum someday.

Maybe we need to have something that people can print to include with their trucks so the new owner can easily get back here?

Gary Lewis wrote

Maybe we need to have something that people can print to include with their trucks so the new owner can easily get back here?

Maybe something like a small decal of the web address for the back window;).

Time to revisit the window sticker discussion??

Yes, I think it is!  Go ahead and tee it up.  I'm headed to the shop to put a carb back together...

Congrats on the sell of you truck, Corey! I had a feeling you'd keep the 84....

As to fixing it up, we've had some discussion on this between us.....wheels buddy!

And remember, I still have access to that other blue stepside!  

Machspeed wrote

Congrats on the sell of you truck, Corey! I had a feeling you'd keep the 84....

As to fixing it up, we've had some discussion on this between us.....wheels buddy!

And remember, I still have access to that other blue stepside!

Haha, thanks man!

I'd actually like to change the wheels, and I think about it all the time, I just don't know what wheels I'd go with. Probably aluminum...and I really love the old school "slot" wheels, but they're more of a 70's thing and not as much 80's. Still, I wouldn't mind a set. I'll revisit this, soon.

My mind changes often, but right now my plan is to work on the '84 some more and turn it into more of a touring truck. Right now, I don't go all that far with it. There's a couple reasons for that...and one of them is that a lot of the car meets and shows were cancelled last year, and many of them have been cancelled again this year. The other reason is that in my mind the truck needs some things to make it nicer to travel with...like AC, cruise control, more sound proofing in the interior, a nice bench seat arm rest with cup holder(s), and delay wipers...although I never do drive it in the rain...lol, but still.

That's where my mind is, at least for now.

Rembrant wrote

Machspeed wrote

Congrats on the sell of you truck, Corey! I had a feeling you'd keep the 84....

As to fixing it up, we've had some discussion on this between us.....wheels buddy!

And remember, I still have access to that other blue stepside!

Haha, thanks man!

I'd actually like to change the wheels, and I think about it all the time, I just don't know what wheels I'd go with. Probably aluminum...and I really love the old school "slot" wheels, but they're more of a 70's thing and not as much 80's. Still, I wouldn't mind a set. I'll revisit this, soon.

My mind changes often, but right now my plan is to work on the '84 some more and turn it into more of a touring truck. Right now, I don't go all that far with it. There's a couple reasons for that...and one of them is that a lot of the car meets and shows were cancelled last year, and many of them have been cancelled again this year. The other reason is that in my mind the truck needs some things to make it nicer to travel with...like AC, cruise control, more sound proofing in the interior, a nice bench seat arm rest with cup holder(s), and delay wipers...although I never do drive it in the rain...lol, but still.

That's where my mind is, at least for now.

Happy & sad to see it go for you as each truck has its own personality and why we own / drive them.

Down here AC is a must! And why I did the firewall swap as part of the rebuild.
Cruise control would be nice and I have looked it to it a few times but so far the most I drive it is under 50 miles each way so not really needed yet).

On sound proofing the carpet made the biggest improvment in mine. I did add 2 strips of "peel & stick" to the inside of each door. That makes them less of a drum and solid sounding when closing.
I did spray expanding foam in the roof but it did not fill even a 1/4 of it. No head liner.
I do have a storage shelf behind the seat but no carpet on the rear wall as some say that helps on the noise.

I am happy with the bench seat and the noise, its a truck not a cady LOL
Same for the cup holder. Take the wife along she can hold the cup LOL.

I do have delay wiper's and one of the best up grades I did. I do not take the truck out in the rain but sometimes you cant help it.

Oh the wheels, I was lucky mine came with turbo's but if it had stock steely I would be happy with them as the truck would look factory stock and I like that look too.

Cant wait to see your "up grades" and I know of the post you have going on one of them.
Dave ----