We see a wide variety of classic pickups here at Barn Finds, and some of them are better than others. This 1972 Ford F-100 Custom 4×4 has to sit somewhere near the top end of the range because it presents well for its age. It features a 360ci V8 under the hood and should have the off-road ability to take its next owner into some pretty inaccessible locations. Located in Caldwell, Idaho, you will find the F-100 listed for sale here on eBay. While bidding has made it to $12,090, it is yet to meet the reserve.

Pickups of this age and type can tend to look shabby and tired. Whether they have spent their lives as workhorses, or they have been beating their own path into the wilderness, it can all take a toll on panels and paint. That hasn’t been the case with this Ford. The combination of Winter Green and Wimbledon White paint shines beautifully, with no significant flaws or defects. It isn’t perfect, but taking this classic out in public would be nothing to be ashamed of. The panels are straight and clean, with no evidence of any rust anywhere on the vehicle. The original trim and chrome, including the hubcaps, are well preserved and seem to need nothing. The glass is in excellent order, and the overall impression that this F-100 makes is pretty positive.

The 1972 model year was a significant one in several ways for the F-100. It marked the last year of production for the 5th Generation F-Trucks and the first where emissions regulations really began to bite. This F-100 features the mighty 360ci V8 that would be pumping out 196hp. While that figure should be considered respectable, it did mark a drop from 215hp for the same engine only a few years earlier. All of that power finds its way to the road via a 4-speed manual transmission and a dual-range transfer case. That latter feature should make this an effective off-roader, and the driving effort would be reduced in those situations thanks to the inclusion of power steering and power brakes. It’s also worth noting that the F-100 has been fitted with a hitch, so that should make it a capable tow vehicle. The owner doesn’t indicate how well this old pickup runs or drives, but you would have to think that the news was positive with the engine bay presenting so well.

The news inside the F-100 is just as positive as it has been with the rest of the vehicle. There aren’t many flaws or problems, and those that are present should be easy and inexpensive to rectify. The most significant are some cracks in the wheel that will need attention at some point. If I were to buy this pickup, I would probably attempt a repair before searching for a replacement wheel. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained. It appears that the owner has installed a new carpet set, but its fit isn’t great in a couple of spots. It will need some tweaking and stretching to achieve a better appearance, but this will cost the buyer nothing but time. Otherwise, there’s not a lot to report. The painted surfaces present well, while the seat cover has an as-new look. The rest of the upholstered surfaces look excellent, and the dash pad shows no evidence of cracks or splits.

Looking at the overall condition of this 1972 F-100 Custom 4×4, I’m not surprised that the reserve hasn’t been met at this point. I would expect it to pass $20,000 before that occurred. I guess that the thing that surprises me most is how subdued the bidding has been. This is a desirable classic that appears to be in excellent condition, and yet it has only mustered thirteen bids to this point. I would have expected more, but maybe interested parties are waiting to drop their bid in at the last moment. If so, that is not an uncommon practice. This is a classic pickup that needs nothing more than a new owner who will treat it with the care and respect it appears to have received during the past 49-years. Could you be that new owner?