Let's talk about trucks

If I "had to" get a Ford truck it would absolutely have to be of an age where I could get a 300-6, a 302, a 351w or maybe even a 360. Or it won't be mine.
Id looked at some Fastenal trucks a few years ago and wish I'd have gotten one then of I was gonna end up with one anyway. I ended up getting mine from a Chevy/Buick dealer instead of straight from Fastenal and I didn't get as good of a deal as I would have from them. They're not selling near as many these days as they were, and when they are they have more miles on them than the ones they were selling a few years ago and they are wanting more for them when they do sell. The only reason I got something that new was because while I wanted to go back to a full size anyway, my 99 Dakota it replaced, did so only because of the frame being in questionable shape near the passenger side front leaf spring hanger where the front and back sections overlap.
But if I was gonna make a change, I was at a point where I didn't have enough cash in hand, needed some bank assistance to make it happen //and that was the oldest truck that they would loan anything on.
Honestly I'd rather have had a 68-87-ish dodge (I know that covers a couple of body styles)
As I like how they ride and handle so much better than the newer one, and I definitely don't need all the electronics. Or particularly WANT them.
I have had several dodges from 78 to 97, and now this 12. I don't see many older ones but those I do aren't rusted as bad as many I see made in the 2000s ... I fear for the life of this 12 body wise, I know a guy who has an 11 and it looks like it's lived its life next to the titanic and was recently drug up. I see 200-teens ford's daily, all rotted out at work. The 2005-11ish are especially notorious for the bed support rails disintegrating. I've seen a few 08-10ish f150s with Holey, rotted frames already.
This 85 d150 I have I can still read the painted stenciled numbers on it's frame. Granted, for a northern Indiana truck that's the exception, but I'm gonna take that one and run with it....
It needs more bodywork from the past owner being basically blind than from rust.
I have never owned any brand besides Dodge and didn't see any reason to change now.
I did buy a 5 gallon bucket of NHOU undercoating that my 12 will be getting douched with underneath here before the salt flies. But I still have a 96 Dakota 4wd that will continue as my winter mule to keep the 12 out of the salt and slop as much as possible.