The owner of this 1979 Ford F-150 4×4 Flareside unearthed the vehicle in a Californian barn. It isn’t clear how long it had spent in hiding, but it should represent a fairly straightforward project for its next owner. It is also a confirmed 1-of-11 F-150s from this model year that wears its combination of exterior paint and interior trim. If you would like to tackle a project build that is sure to stand out in a crowd, you will find the F-150 located in Creston, California, and listed for sale here on eBay. The bidding has been pretty sedate to this point and has only pushed the price along to $5,700. This remains short of the reserve, although the owner has also provided a BIN option of $14,000.

The Raven Black paint that graces this Ford’s panels is showing some significant deterioration, and you have to wonder whether most of this is due to long-term exposure to harsh UV rays. There is plenty of checking and cracks, and while it doesn’t require immediate attention, the buyer will probably choose to perform a repaint sooner, rather than later. A previous owner has installed an aftermarket sunroof, and this could be the source of some aggravation for the next owner. The seller admits that there is some rust in the roof below the headliner, and he believes that this could have been caused by a water leak around the sunroof. If this is the case, it isn’t the first time that I will have struck this problem. Those aftermarket units are usually pretty good when new, but they are renowned for causing problems over time. The only other rust that rates a mention is in one of the rear Flareside fenders that could be addressed with a patch. There is also a spot where the dash pad meets the windshield, which may also have been the result of a sunroof leak. The underside of the vehicle wears little more than a coating of surface corrosion, with no signs of rot. All of the exterior trim is present, the tinted glass is in good order, and those enormous aftermarket wheels impart a tough and purposeful appearance to the F-150.

Lifting the F-150’s hood reveals a 400ci V8 that would have produced 169hp in its prime. Those ponies find their way to the road via a C6 automatic transmission, a dual-range transfer case, and a 3.50 Traction-Lok rear end. The buyer will also find power steering and power brakes to make light work of driving duties. That drivetrain combination should allow the F-150 to find its way into some pretty inaccessible locations, especially with those chunky tires and the lift kit that has been installed by a previous owner. After sitting for years, the seller has managed to revive this old Ford. He says that it runs and drives well, and this appears to be supported by this YouTube video. We get a chance to hear that 460 in action, and it sounds as clean as you could ever hope to find. The owner does sound one note of caution. He says that the tires are pretty old and that he wouldn’t trust them at highway speed. He suggests replacing them before any extended journeys are attempted, and that sounds like wise counsel to me.

I would class this Ford’s interior as being serviceable, but it will need some work to look factory fresh once again. It is trimmed in Jade vinyl, and it is this trim and the Raven Black exterior that helps cement this F-150 as a genuine 1-of-11 vehicle. The owner holds documentation to verify this claim, including a deluxe Marti Report. It looks like someone has installed an aftermarket seat cover, and it isn’t clear what hides beneath. The buyer will probably choose to replace some of the plastic and trim pieces, including the cracked dash pad. However, I would be thoroughly cleaning everything first, because it might be possible to salvage quite a few parts that look beyond help at first glance. The interior doesn’t come loaded with optional extras, although a previous owner has slotted in a CB radio and an Alpine radio/cassette player.

There’s no doubt that there is plenty of potential locked away in this 1979 Ford F-150 4×4 Flareside, but it is another one of those projects where the buyer will have to consider its financial viability. My instincts tell me that if any of our readers are seriously interested in this classic, they should probably roll the dice and bid before considering hitting the BIN button. It is possible to buy some extremely tidy examples today for around $20,000, and there are some absolute gems for under $30,000. That makes the BIN look a bit ambitious unless the buyer can perform most of the restoration work themselves. Do you agree, or is the BIN almost too tempting to resist?