A moral dilemma-what would you do?

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PA Dodger

PA Dodger

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The bad thing about surfing the net is every now and then you find something too good to pass up. There is a local CL ad for a '78 Power Wagon with 566 miles on it.
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4436145131.html

I'm not seriously looking for another vehicle but for the right price I would be all over this thing. The dilemma is- with only 566 miles this thing is a cool survivor. But it would also be a cool driver. I would drive it but then sooner or later it becomes just an old truck.
Would you preserve its historical(?) survivor status or would you drive the wheels off?
 
I'm not believing the mileage but that's me unless I would inspect in person--Steve
 
Very cool,
Just dropped 12K on another old mope and glad my dumb *** didn't come across it or who knows.
I do like to drive my stuff though and I would have had it out in a mud filled hole somewhere slinging mud everywhere and more then likely breaking something. Whatcha gonna do, park it in the corner of a garage with a cover over it and just look at it for fear of adding mileage?
Have a blast and drive it like ya stole it!!!

Seriously though,
HaH, I was being serious !!!
 
That seems to me to be a LOT of money for something that just might need to be restored. Look at the rust in the one photo. This means you are probably not gonna throw a coat of wax on the thing and have a "new survivor."

Depending on where and how it was stored, the interior could be completely rotted.

The other thing is, if you drive it much, it certainly is not going to maintain it's "magic value" whatever that might be. If I were looking for something similar, I'd much rather spend that coin on one that's been completely gone through and restored and "ready to run."
 
Nice truck.


Too much money.


What engine? 318? 360? 440?
 
Clean old power wagon.
If it has 566 original miles why is the end of the center fold down arm wore, photo maybe?
Also did anybody catch the transfer case shifter boot is not mounted on top the floor mat.
I hope whoever buys the truck does not restore it and just gets it running, I think restoring the truck would actually hurt the value. I would just get it running and drive occasionally.
 
Hell yeah I'd drive it!! I wouldn't put a ton of miles on it , but why have it if you can't drive it & enjoy it?
Very cool truck! That thing even has the old 6 month Pa instection sticker on it! Remember them days!?
I don't think the price is out of line if the mileage can be verified original & it looks as good in person. Yeah it aint perfect but how many do you see that are a survivor?
 
Priced a little high Dan, but I would drive it, just not as daily transportation. Definitely not in the snow/salt.....Cool looking truck!
 
Well, if you compare the cost of it to a new truck it's not so bad. I bought my 'Lil Red Express back in '82 with just a few thousand miles on it. I drove it like any regular truck. - Enjoyed it. - And now I'm restoring it.
 
How could you go wrong........cheaper than a new truck, will potentially gain value as opposed to loosing value and it’s a classic.......win/win/win......looks like a sound investment to me....
 
The amount of surface rust scares me at that price. If you look close she sat in alot of humidity as even the gear shift lever is rusted.
 
There is one like that near me sitting out in a yard that I would love to have to tow my 71 race car to the track with. Talk about old school!
 
Yes, I saw the mention of rust in the ad. No, I'm not buying it because I would need to replace all the brake components, engine and trans seals are probably shot, etc It would need freshened up before I would be comfortable with it. Even the original tires would be dangerous in my opinion. What I was getting at was I see Tim Welborn's Mopar Museum now has a barn find display where he has rare cars presented exactly as they were pulled from the barn. Not bazillion dollar restos.
If the ad is legit,this truck is a cool survivor. But I wouldn't want it for the same reason I wouldn't want a true Hemi car. I would want to "make it my own" which would detract from any historical significance. Just curious what everyone else thought about whether this thing is anything more than an old truck.
 
If it only has 566 miles, then why is the top of the gas pedal wore smooth and the brake pedal has a hole in it on the upper right corner? I'm callin bullshit.
 
^ not to mention the leather binding on the center console is chipped up. I say 100566.
 
RustyRatRod said:
If it only has 566 miles, then why is the top of the gas pedal wore smooth and the brake pedal has a hole in it on the upper right corner? I'm callin bullshit.
Click to expand...

I agree........ here are engine bay pic's
 

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What causes that spot rust like that, right in the middle of painted surfaces? Is it me, or does the grille look heavily oxidised?

It might only be 566 miles, (I went back and looked at the gas pedal, and I think it's just the picture glare), but the spot rust all over is really weird, like they stored it in a cave or something.
 
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