Welcome back to Wrecked Truck Friday – WTF – as we continue to check out the recently deceased rigs out there in need of a rescue. This week, we’re looking at a 1997 Ford F-350 with some fouling on the front end.
Right away, we can tell this is one of the Old Body Style (OBS) Fords. These older trucks are in league with the second-generation Cummins trucks in terms of their 1990s nostalgia, as well as the ongoing rivalry of which one is better. It’s quickly becoming apparent that these 20-plus-year-old trucks are reaching a point of collectibility, and on that note, we think this particular Blue Oval deserves a second chance.
Details on the F-350 are that it is currently in Sacramento, California, it runs and drives, and it has just under 195,000 miles on the clock. For a 20-year-old vehicle, that equates to under 10,000 miles a year, so it definitely wasn’t driven as far as the average diesel, which is good.
The damage, however, is undoubtedly bad. The estimated repair cost is about $18,000, well past the actual cash value of $12,685. Things that would need repairing include the hood, passenger front fender, headlight, and door, the front bumper, and possibly some of the engine bay, like the cooling components.
On the flipside, once fully restored, the owner would have himself a beautiful crew cab OBS, complete with the most beloved of Power Stroke motors, the 7.3-liter V8. Would you be willing to save this pickup from the scrapyard? Let us know in the comments below.