Wanted ISO a 5-speed truck

Hi everyone. So I just missed out on a 4-door 5-speed in SC that I couldn't get down to fast enough, and I'm not finding any via normal channels (CL, Cars.com, etc...) so I figure I'll post and see what happens.

I am looking for a first or second gen with a stick and 4 wheel drive. I know, I know, unobtanium.

Second choice would be a Bauer or Limited (or a Mounty, for that matter) with a 302 and AWD. There's a nice Bauer in Harrisburg that I am knocking around but it's a 4.0, probably SOHC which I was trying to avoid, and the mileage is mediocre...165k...

I'd prefer something in above average condition, I'm looking to be able to drive this on road--this doesn't mean that it can't be modded, as I would probably do the TT and 31's or 32's. It's not going to be my wheeler, although it might be pressed into recovery duty if one of my Sports gets stuck or breaks down.

I am in NJ, and am probably open to anything east of the Mississippi, although I hope it doesn't come to that far away. For instance, some dude has a gorgeous Limited with low mileage, but it's in freaking Arizona.

Explorer

This is killing me....

Any which way, hit me up if you think you might have what I'm looking for. Thanks.

 

[spinnn]

Bump

 

[Josh P]

Sun City, AZ always has clean low mileage cars for sale. Owner dies and the kids sell cheap cause they don't know what they have.

 

[spinnn]

Sun City, AZ always has clean low mileage cars for sale. Owner dies and the kids sell cheap cause they don't know what they have.

Cadillacs and Lincolns come up for sale here under situations like that (South Jersey)...loads and loads of retirement communities here.

I'm actually going to look at an 89 BII today...hope it works out...2.9, 5-speed, manual shift 4x4, 115k (allegedly). This might keep me occupied for a little while...

 

[Josh P]

There was a 48 F3 fully restored, stakebed, beautiful red paint. Asking price was $4500. I didn't make it there in time to buy it.

 

[spinnn]

There was a 48 F3 fully restored, stakebed, beautiful red paint. Asking price was $4500. I didn't make it there in time to buy it.

That's freaking insane, especially in light of the crazy prices people are asking for stuff nowadays. Shame!

Do you really have a manual Aerostar? That's nifty!

This dude with the BII i just looked at...unreal...i guess he went on like Bring-A-Trailer and saw what nice BII's were going for, although the truck he was selling was far from "nice". He initially listed it for 3750 like 2 months ago...when I saw the ad he had it down to 2250. I offered him 1200 and he wouldn't take it. It doesn't run...dude says no spark, and his butcher mechanic tore half the truck apart looking for some boogeyman fault...the power distribution box, the relays, the computer was laying on the passenger side floor, all the trim panels were askew from the mechanic poking around. Tire carrier is gone, and when the clear peeled on the roof he rhino-linered right over it, which is now beginning to peel too. Also lots of "rattle-can rebuild" evidence to be found. It looks like it was well-kept up to the point when this dude bought it.

The thing is a mess, it's got some custom paint job with flames and stuff, and the interior was painted with blue sort of camouflage right over the formerly nice beige interior, no one is going to buy it the way it sits, it's got rust in the quarters which negates any value of the custom paint work. I thought I might part it out but with the interior the way it is and whatnot I think it might be more of a PITA than it's worth...would be great to poke around in the woods, if I could unf**k whatever Jack the Ripper Automotive Services did to it.
Aaah well, maybe he will come to his senses and take 1200, which is no doubt more than it's worth to anyone else than me.
The crap I go thru to find manual transmission RBV's anymore LOL

 

[Josh P]

Do you really have a manual Aerostar? That's nifty!

I've built and retired a few of them over the years. The van in my profile picture was the 1st. I used a Mustang 4.0 T5, swapped 4.10 rear axle, headers. With the Borla muffler, you could hear it a mile away. That distance was confirmed when I was driving home from work, phone rings. My roommate says since you're almost home check the mail. I'm looking around the intersection for his truck. He told me he was buying gas at the shell station a mile away and heard me gas it throughthe intersection. A 5 mph rolling start could walk the back sideways, or go straight when making a turn. It was just a work vehicle, but it made the workday a lot more fun.

 

[spinnn]

I've built and retired a few of them over the years. The van in my profile picture was the 1st. I used a Mustang 4.0 T5, swapped 4.10 rear axle, headers. With the Borla muffler, you could hear it a mile away. That distance was confirmed when I was driving home from work, phone rings. My roommate says since you're almost home check the mail. I'm looking around the intersection for his truck. He told me he was buying gas at the shell station a mile away and heard me gas it throughthe intersection. A 5 mph rolling start could walk the back sideways, or go straight when making a turn. It was just a work vehicle, but it made the workday a lot more fun.

That's great. I see a few lifted AWD Astrovans time and again and always thought it would be fun to do the same to an Aerostar...tricked 4.0, M5od, and a normal t-case like a 1350...maybe swap the front axle 'cause I have no idea what the standard awd front end is like in those.

How much of a nightmare was it working on it with the short van-style hood?

 

[Josh P]

That's great. I see a few lifted AWD Astrovans time and again and always thought it would be fun to do the same to an Aerostar...tricked 4.0, M5od, and a normal t-case like a 1350...maybe swap the front axle 'cause I have no idea what the standard awd front end is like in those

The awd vans have a D35 hybrid front axle. It is a Mustang II style short long arm setup on a removable subframe. The classic ford guys use the Aerostar front axles cause it is a dirt cheap bolt in MII option. I've got a 8.8 front axle from a ford F150 I'd like to swap in place of the D35 on a awd van i got. A 302 or 351 can be made to fit a rwd van but not an awd, not enough clearance around the axle.