Text from dear pal's widow, Libby, last week with truck pic. "Help me sell this. It's been in my garage since last October." Owner paid $3500 but just wants $1000 for distress reasons. I'll spare you the long story but it has to do with a prison pen pal and his "deep-love" for the 70 year old woman with an O2 bottle (the owner). She is 5' tall and hid the truck in Libby's garage after the short post-prison romance. Took the gas cap flapper door off on her way in and a trim piece. Bedside depression near gas door.
So I drive to Oil City/Seneca PA from Akron this morning expecting who knows what. I find a very solid truck with regular (favorable) rust-belt rocker and door bottom rust but it has been repaired. Inner rockers are mint but I do see some weld beads near the back of the cab on the inner rockers. Not factory but not bad.
4WD buttons engage properly, couple of blinks then solid among the three choices. 4wd low and high and 2WD. AC works. Bed is immaculate including underside. Brake lines replaced. Drives straight with no real wandering or pulling, although I did this with no power steering fluid (see fluid on floor in pic - at least it ain't a main seal leak).
135k miles which was a big surprise.
I think the gas cap crunch freaked them out so much they just figured that devalued the truck by $2k or so.
Sold!
