While we lament the outrageous pricing seen for modern pickup trucks, this isn’t exactly new territory for buyers of full-size models. However, the reason for the prices have changed. Today, you’re paying for technology and needlessly complicated hybrid powertrains. In the middle 90s, you were paying up for a wild body kit, dually rear axle, fender flares, and a monstrous Power Stroke diesel powertrain. This particular 1995 Ford F-350 has all of this and then some, and it’s listed for sale on eBay in an auction ending later today.
As someone who remembers these vehicles when they were new, I find myself feeling nostalgic over a truck like this. The spoiler over the back glass, color-matched window vents, side skirts, rear fenders and spats, taillight covers (as if it’s a Fox body Mustang) – the list goes on. The color is just the icing on the cake, and leaves no doubt as to what era this F-350 hails from. The truck benefits from a popular conversion kit made by Choo-Choo Customs, which is a familiar name to anyone who has been around the domestic truck scene. The seller notes the longtime previous owner was an elderly farmer, who clearly looked after the truck.
The manual gearbox is a nice bonus, and should make the 7.3L Power Stroke turbodiesel even more of a treat to drive. Now, by modern standards, the power isn’t all that impressive – 215 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque – but there is a vast aftermarket just chomping at the bit to squeeze even more performance out of this truck. However, given how clean the truck is, I’m not sure how I’d feel about modifying it. The interior is spotless with blemish-free gray carpet and seating upholstery. The A/C is said to be ice cold, and the seller notes it moved to Florida shortly after the previous owner purchased it.
As we all well know, these engines can go the distance mile-wise and rack up some insane odometer numbers. There’s a reason trucks of this era still command very strong prices, even with high miles – everyone knows how robust the engines and transmissions are, and how under-stressed they seem to be at all times. Whether the Choo-Choo conversion is worth it to you is a matter of personal taste, but the low miles should appeal to almost anyone. Find the F350 here on eBay with bids to just under $12,000 and no reserve.
If this truck doesn’t interest you, might be time to replace the batteries in the BP monitor. I’d really like to know, as others might, since this is a global site, do folks in say, Portugal have trucks like this, or strictly a USA thing? Naturally, with trucks such a big part of my life, for what this is, far as I’m concerned, the best of the best. When I worked at the trencher dealer, the salesmen had extra cab dually Ford F350s as their sales/towing vehicles. Some had the older 6.9(?) with no turbo, and were slugs. They then got a few Power Stroke ones, and the difference was quite noticeable. Okay, not a 500 “Clatterpillar”, but did better. Automatic going to limit sales, I’m telling ya’. I read, Ford no longer offers a manual transmission in a F350 today. In a bizarre twist, after 2011, the automatic was actually considered tougher than the manual, and only automatics in Super Dutys. Sorry, that’s the way it ‘s going.
I have seen surplus US military pickups for sale at dealers in Great Britain and a few in private ownership in Europe. They were mostly Dodges (ex-USAF) and Chevrolet (ex-U.S. Army). They are a big deal overseas because they are so rare. When we were in Spain, it was just the opposite. The streets were so narrow that you had to step into a doorway to get out of the way of cars. An entire fleet of mini garage trucks, mini dump trucks, mini delivery trucks, etc exists to service these ancient neighborhoods.
Nice low mile dually. Definitely NOT a Choo Choo Customs however lol. They never installed Lund Racerbacks or Moonvisors like this truck has. Also calling a couple of Lund pieces with Bremen Technologies glass running boards a “wild” body kit is good for a laugh.
I was going to say – it looks like they threw the Lund catalog at it!
Diesels such as the 7.3 don’t care about mileage. So long as you maintain them properly and work, I said work, them, they could go 700k or even more miles. They need to be used for what they are intended such as hauling and towing, not babied like a lot of posers who have trucks like this do. One good thing about a diesel of this vintage is you have very little of the emissions garbage that newer diesels come with. That means not only is it less troublesome, but it’s also more easily repairable. Seeing how nice this truck is, if I was interested I would inspect everything, especially that engine before I threw a chunk of change to buy it.
If I had a teenager that was coming up on taking their driver’s license test, I’d show them this truck and tell them that I was thinking of buying it for them to use for their upcoming test just to freak them out. “And now, let’s proceed to the parallel parking portion of the road test.” 🥺 Actually, I believe that this truck recently won a trophy at a car show for “Most Extensive Use of Fiberglass”.
I would drive it but I would be using it for the tow pig it was built to be however my wife would probably refuse to ride in it because she calls the trucks with the dual wheels hips
Nice truck for all the reasons others have already noted. The only real drawback for me is all that bolt on fiberglass junk and if they used blind nuts then you can’t remove them without leaving holes.
You are right, Those add ons were tacky then and didn’t age well. Subtract the cost of repainting and fixing whatever had to be done to install them and you come up with a reasonable bid.
Steve R
Sold for a high bid of $14,999.
This is a man example of when you hit something that is otherwise desirable with an ugly stick, it drives the price down.
Steve R
No Jeff the reason trucks cost so much is because everybody thinks they’re a cowboy and they just got to have them, it’s market economics. But when you have some huge monstrosity tricked out like a Mercedes Benz on the inside for something that is essentially a work vehicle, and the bed never even gets dirty. Why? I drove a truck when I was a remodeling contractor and I never understood the attraction. Yee haw.
Don’t forget that the hot selling trucks are now overpriced to offset the auto makers EV follies. I’ll never buy another new one.