As the weather begins to improve, there will be plenty of people who will be tempted to slap down their hard-earned cash on a shiny new 4×4 pickup so they can hit the wilds to see what Mother Nature has to offer them. However, this is an activity that is fraught with danger, as an errant branch on a rough trail can inflict damage on this big-money investment that can reduce grown men to tears. That is where vehicles like this 1971 Ford F-250 4×4 come into their own. This is a tidy survivor, and while it might not feature all of the bells and whistles of a new pickup, the occasional scratch is not going to cause heartache. It would also make an accomplished tow vehicle, and the hitch on the back would suggest that it might have done this in the past. It is now looking for a new home, so if it all sounds too tempting to you, you will find the F-250 listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and some intense bidding has pushed the price to $10,099 in this No Reserve auction.
The F-250 is finished in what appears to be Astra Blue, and from a distance, it looks pretty good. The owner admits that it has received an amateur repaint but that it still holds a respectable shine. There are a few dings and marks on the panels, but there is nothing there that couldn’t be easily fixed. If the buyer wanted to take this beauty to the next level, that wouldn’t be a huge undertaking. The trim and glass look to be in good condition, and the aftermarket wheels add to the already menacing stance of this classic pickup.
The bed contains a few dings and dents, which suggest that this is a pickup that has worked for a living. This photo also shows the only rust in the vehicle, which is pretty minor. It could easily be addressed with patches if the buyer isn’t keen on spending a fortune on restoration work. The panels are remarkably clean, and the frame wears little more than a dusting of surface corrosion.
The Pickup has spent its life in Nevada, and while that state’s climate is conducive to metal preservation, it can wreak havoc on trim and plastic. The interior of the F-250 does have a few issues, but I can honestly say that I have seen far worse. The seat wears a newer cover, but its color doesn’t match the rest of the interior trim. However, if the next owner is going to use it to access the wilderness, that probably doesn’t matter. The dash pad and wheel are both badly cracked, and while a cover could potentially be thrown over the pad, driver comfort will probably dictate that the wheel should be replaced. If the buyer wants to replace the pad, they will need to budget around $570. A reproduction wheel is likely to add a further $250 to the tally, so it might be worth investigating an aftermarket option. The lens on the gauges has become quite cloudy, and this will also need to be replaced if they are to be easily read. This is a cheap fix, with a reproduction kit selling for around $25. The rubber mat is looking a bit shabby, but it is serviceable. However, if the rest of the parts that I have listed are replaced, it would be worth spending $140 on a new mat. With all of these parts fitted, the interior would present quite nicely.
Powering the F-250 is a 360ci V8 that should be producing 215hp. This V8 is hooked to a 4-speed manual transmission and a dual-range transfer case. This combination should give the Ford great off-road ability, and the impressive 327 ft/lbs of torque should also make it an accomplished tow vehicle. The hitch fitted to the Pickup would suggest that if the buyer chooses to do this, it won’t be a first for this classic. The F-250 is a numbers-matching pickup that appears to be in good health. The owner says that it runs and drives exceptionally well, with no odd noises, knocks, or smoke. It would be suitable to be used as a daily driver the moment that the buyer hands the owner the cash.
There are so many possibilities with this 1971 F-250 4×4 that it is hard to list all of them. What attracts me to it is that it is a practical vehicle that can be driven immediately, and while it isn’t perfect, it still presents well enough to command attention wherever it goes. If you went out and bought a new F-250 4×4, you can be pretty sure that you won’t come away with much change from $60,000. That will be a vehicle loaded with luxury and comfort features, but it is also one that would have you second-guessing yourself when confronted with a rough track or trail with overhanging branches or protruding rocks. While you sit there contemplating the risks, the person behind the wheel of this F-250 can sail by with barely a care in the world because their vehicle has cost a fraction of yours. I know which F-250 I would rather be in at that moment. I’d readily trade all of the luxuries for that carefree approach. What about you?
Nice! You won’t get any guff from me on this one. When trucks were trucks, and the absolute BEST in Ford trucks, before they became cars with boxes. Spot on, Adam, I’ve been back in some spots with my dirt bike, that would make a new Rubicon owner turn back. The roads, if you can call them that, are just so beat to heck, it’s torture for newer 4×4’s. It’s why everybody has those rock climber types, which ironically, do the most damage.
This truck will be a handful. No PB and more importantly, no PS. It would be a worthy addition, as I recently drove a pickup, 2 wheel drive, mind you, with no PS, and boy howdy, I forgot what THAT was like. It’s an easy conversion, and if you do go off road with manual steering, axles a slingin’ mud, and have the steering wheel jerked out of you hands, you’ll agree. These withered away in the very environment they were created for. Great find.
luv the nxt gen (’73/9) in this w/a short box & step side (but all the rest).
Turbines would be the choice too even tho the nxt gen (dodge & ford) up again. Not sure Y, but the wheel is a smile bringer every time (11 & 14 ‘spoke’ of the late ’70s era). This or 1 closer blue is a top pic for any ford utility vehicle & added even more to a stang’s appeal. All around “not a car I would kick out of my garage”.
I own a 1974 F-100 Styleside. Auto, 360, 2×4, with a decent repaint in Medium Green Glow. Its got dings and dents. All of the window seals need attention. Theres an amateur floor pan fix on the drivers from old Tennessee rust. (I’m in NV so no more worries there). The dash panel lights up but is super dim. It has space for an air conditioning pump and condenser but it was removed at some point…. I’m assuming because of the odd voltage regulator issue. My point…. even with all of its needs, I drive 1-2x per week to make auction pick ups of furniture and small appliances and id rather be doing it in my 73 Ford than anything else. (Except in the Las Vegas summer!)
I had this exact truck , except it was Black and rusted, A no frills beast of a truck.
It had the usual exhaust manifold leak that seemed to plague a lot of the 70’s Ford’s. It had 4.10’s in it and I once had to take it down this pothole filled industrial area road and by the end of it I felt like I had been assaulted with the lurching from the Torque and the rock hard suspension.
I loved that truck.
Unfortunately the battery tray rotted and the battery went into the fan, about a week later the bottom of the radiator fell apart from the acid.
I found out that the radiator for that truck was hard to find . In 1990 they wanted up to $250 used. Too much for the $500 Truck that was rapidly starting to fall apart
Fun Fact; put it in 4 lo, let clutch out in first and you can step out and walk next to it, It just putters along at walking speed.
I found that out when we had to move an 18 x8 platform across a lot, so we balanced it across the bed and held it on each side and let the Ford do it’s thing. It worked perfect, except that it broke the only non rotted bed mount left
The dash lense can be easily cleaned with Meguiars PlastX sold at Walmart about $6.00 bucks a bottle. Cleans plastic great easily cleans head lights n tail lights. Best product I’ve found.