For people seeking a classic pickup, this 1974 Ford F250 Highboy ticks many of the right boxes. It is a one-owner survivor that is largely unmolested. It features a healthy V8 under the hood and is in exceptional condition for its age. If that isn’t enough to tempt you, the owner’s decision to offer it for sale here on eBay with No Reserve may be enough to tip you over the edge. Located in Spokane, Washington, spirited bidding has pushed the price to $17,900. Remember, this is a winner-takes-all auction, making it worth a closer look.

There’s a lot to like about this Candy Apple Red pickup. The owner indicates that it has received a professional repaint, and this has been applied over panels that are laser straight and rust-free. The bed shows evidence of some minor dings and marks, but that is to be expected in a vehicle of this type. A bedliner should protect it from deterioration and help the F250 to remain rust-free. The underside is spotlessly clean, with floors and a frame that show no evidence of penetrating rust. The exterior trim is in excellent condition, while the same is true of the glass. Aftermarket additions include alloy wheels, and the practicality of a winch bolted to the front. While I wouldn’t class this truck’s condition as perfect, it is well above average for its age. Potential buyers can feel confident that it won’t be spending time in a panel shop having rust or other nasties treated and repaired.

Buyers had a choice of several motors to slot under the hood of their ’74 F250, and this owner walked the middle-ground by choosing the 360ci V8 that produces 143hp. The drivetrain is rounded out by a heavy-duty four-speed manual transmission and a dual-range transfer case. That combination should allow the vehicle to access some pretty harsh terrain, so the inclusion of power steering and power brakes will make this a less physically taxing experience for the driver. The owner doesn’t make outrageous mileage claims, but the odometer reading of 122,000 miles is still below average for its age. For potential buyers, the news seems to be nothing but positive. The owner says the 360 runs like a Swiss watch and that the vehicle drives perfectly. The transmission is smooth, as is the clutch. He reports no issues with the four-wheel-drive system, with the transfer case and locking hubs functioning as they should. It seems that this is a turn-key classic for its next owner.

Apart from a new cover on the seat base, it seems that this F250’s trim and carpet are original. It is probably the carpet that impresses me the most because it can look sad as the years pass. Dirt and other unpleasant substances can become ground into the fibers, and it is common to see it looking heavily worn and stained. Apart from some wear on the heel pad, there’s not much to report on that front. I’m not sure about the mismatch of the upholstery on the new seatcover. This mismatch might tempt a meticulous buyer to spend $310 on a replacement cover in the right material and color to return the seat to a factory-fresh state. The driver’s door trim is slightly warped, but I’ve seen owners address this problem with the careful application of steam and pressure on the back of these pieces. The dash is in excellent order, as is the headliner. The listing indicates that this F250 is fitted with air conditioning, but I can find no evidence of this in the supplied photos. However, the buyer will receive a column-mounted Sun tach, a Pioneer radio/cassette player, a CB radio, and a Realistic 8-track player.

Considering the overall condition of this 1974 F250 Ranger XLT Highboy, it’s easy to see why it has already attracted forty-two bids. It presents superbly and would turn heads wherever it goes. The No Reserve listing offers the tantalizing possibility that someone could become its next owner for a figure well below market value. However, I believe that the bidding will almost certainly pass $20,000 before the listing ends. That figure probably deserves to be placed into perspective. It represents about 50% of the money that you might pay for an entry-level new F250 today, and that may seem a lot of money for a pickup with forty-seven years under its belt. You could wander out and spend more than $40,000 on that new truck, and it would come with all of the bells and whistles that would make life on the road pretty comfortable. It is also almost certain that its value will have dropped by around 40% within the next five years if it follows current market trends. Our feature Ford won’t have experienced that sort of issue, and the indications are that its value will have climbed by around 50% during the same period. When you compare the two scenarios, I know where I’d be spending my money. Give me the ’74 Highboy every day. Do you agree?