Good morning! This week, all the vehicles I’m going to show you have exactly one thing in common: the same asking price. They’re all being offered for $3,500. Are they worth it? Well, that’s up to you, isn’t it?
Last week, I gave you a bunch of silly scenarios in which to choose a car, and we finished up on Friday with you getting to choose which one I got stuck with. I guess I shouldn’t have said that I “kinda liked” the Chevy Aveo, because apparently, that’s what the majority of you thought I deserved.
Ah well. I’d actually be fine with it; dynamically challenged as you all claim it to be – though I have a hard time believing it’s any worse than a first-generation Kia Rio or a Toyota Echo – it’s still small and manual. I’d rather try it out than be bored silly driving that Altima, which took second place.
Now then: When I first started looking for cars for today, I noticed that the first few ads that caught my eye all had the same asking price: $3,500. I took it as a sign, and I’m going to run with it, so all of this week’s choices will be that same price. Some of the pairings will make sense, and some won’t, but it will keep everything on a level playing field. We’re starting out with a couple of good ol’ V8 American trucks. Here they are.
1976 Dodge D100 – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 318 cubic inch (probably) OHV V8, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Newark, CA
Odometer reading: unknown
Operational status: “Runs but has an oil leak,” has been sitting
Truck naming conventions are always a little strange. Every manufacturer has its own way of designating the many different models available, which often look the same at first glance. Generally, a smaller number indicates a lower payload rating, and in the case of Dodge and GM, the first letter of the name can tell you whether a truck is 2WD or 4WD. And of course, each manufacturer has its own names for body styles and trim levels. Put it all together, and what we have here is a Dodge D100 Adventurer Utiline – a half-ton, short-wheelbase 2WD truck with a stepside bed, in mid-level trim.
Power for this stubby little truck comes from Chrysler’s LA small-block V8, which I’m guessing is probably the common 318 cubic inch version. It’s backed by a three-speed Torqueflite automatic, and it’s as good a combination as you’ll find in a ’70s truck from any manufacturer. This one has been rebuilt, but we don’t know when, and it has also been sitting for years. It runs well, but has an oil leak. Are we talking a little seepage, or the Exxon Valdez? And from where? The seller doesn’t specify. It has an aftermarket Edelbrock carb and intake, and what looks like it might be an aftermarket ignition box as well.
The seller has redone the interior seat upholstery and carpet, and it looks great – I think. The photos make it a little hard to see. Dodge offered all kinds of special edition trucks during this time, but as far as I can tell, this is just a garden-variety Adventurer, or maybe an Adventurer Sport. It’s not a Warlock or anything, though. The biggest problem I can see with the interior is that it doesn’t have air conditioning, which means those black vinyl seats are going to get mighty hot and sticky.
I don’t think the two-tone paint is original, but I bet it was done in the ’70s. My guess is that the truck was originally all black, and someone added the blue accents. It’s not in great shape, though, and you’d have my support if you wanted to redo the blue areas or repaint it entirely. It does look all right from a distance, and at least it isn’t rusty, so I guess you could just live with it.
1981 Ford Bronco – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 302 cubic inch OHV V8, three-speed automatic, 4WD
Location: north of Spokane, WA
Odometer reading: 90,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Ford’s original Bronco was a tiny little thing, based on its own unique chassis, but when Chevy and Dodge produced their own two-door SUVs to compete with it, they chose shortened versions of their full-size truck chassis. Ford pretty much had to follow suit to compete, so in 1978 the Bronco grew in size and joined the F-series line of trucks. That version lasted only two years, before the F-series was completely redesigned for 1980 – including a new Bronco. The larger Bronco was a hit and proved useful for all kinds of jobs, from serious off-roading trips to just a quick run to pick up some OJ. (Sorry, I had to.)
This Bronco is powered by Ford’s 302 Windsor V8, with a two-barrel carburetor and a three-speed C6 automatic transmission, driving both front and rear axles. Someone will correct me if I’m wrong, I’m sure, but I don’t think the full-size Bronco was ever sold without 4WD. I’ve certainly never seen one. It runs and drives just fine, according to the seller, and it just had its cylinder heads rebuilt not long ago.
The interior needs some help; the carpet and seat upholstery are both done for. The fake woodgrain on the dash has seen better days, too, but it had no business being there in the first place. This isn’t Grandma’s LTD. There are piles of parts strewn about the interior, which, judging by the rows of derelict trucks visible in the backgrounds of the photos, may or may not belong to this Bronco. Best to ask the seller to inventory all of it, so you know what it is.
Outside, it looks like some rust repair has been started, including some panel replacement in a few places. It’s a little strange that they would put the trim back on over primer paint, but maybe they consider it good enough and done? It has some very ’80s-looking directional aftermarket wheels on it, but those of you with OCD, don’t look too closely: the wheels are facing in different directions on both sides of the truck. Swap either the fronts or rears side for side, and everything will be facing the same way.
Trucks from the 1970s and ’80s are getting more popular all the time, and these two make a nice change from the steady parade of squarebody Chevies that everyone seems to have. On one hand, you have a cool stepside Dodge pickup, and on the other, a full-size Bronco. Both run, both have V8s and automatics, both need some work, and both are the same price. Which one is more your style?
I’ve always been a sucker for a stepside. Put me down for the Dodge.
The Bronco isn’t terrible, and if you wanted to put some effort into the Bronco, you might be able to flip it for a profit. But I’d roll the windows down and keep the Dodge for a while.
I love Broncos, but that D100 seems sorted out for the most part.
Nowadays body work and upholstery can cost as much if not more than powertrain repairs so I’m picking Dodge this time. LA engines are simple to work on and if a gasket won’t do rebuilds are cheap.
I hope this isn’t going to be a whole week of projects. I’m just not in the mood.
The Dodge looks comfy on the inside. So I chose that, even though I don’t like stepside pickup trucks.
Bronco…or…Both?
The asking price for either in the Northeast would be over twice what they want!
That Bronco looks like you would need a tetanus vaccine drip to get anywhere near it. Nope, Dodge for me. I’ll add the A/C.
One has to imagine adding AC to the Dodge would be less work than cleaning the interior of the Bronco..
I love Broncos, but I really wish this one only needed a cleanup….
I think the only way to clean that Bronco is with fire. And possibly nuking it from orbit, just to be sure. You know that something carrying hantavirus or plague has been living in that thing.
You had me at stepside… especially 70s and 80s stepsides with the trailer style taillights!
At least someone appears to have given a crap about the Dodge at some point,that cannot be said of the Bronco. I am kind of tired of them to,so I will go with the Dodge.
Easy choice to pick the Dodge. Not a big fan of the big Broncos, and the Dodge is a Stepside!
I love Ramchargers, Broncos and K5’s much better then their truck counter parts but yeesh that dodge is much better project to pick up then the bronco so I voted for the truck.
So many Bronco’s/k5’s and Scouts worn out and rusty with low miles from pushing snow. Body work is no bueno and costs so much these days, I would much rather deal with an oil leak than weld in floors and panels. the Bronc has the appearance of past body work, but since it was not painted, I have to assume it was not all the well done. I would want to really check that out if I went Bronc.
I have more confidence in my ability to figure out the D100’s oil leak than I do in my ability to handle the body work and paint on the Bronco.
I’m no car guy, just a try to diy-er, but like you, I’ll take a leak over a complete teardown, repaint, reassemble, reupholster, re-everything.
That Bronco was ridden hard and put away wet.
The Dodge is a no brainer as it looks to be in far better condition. It would even be a good candidate for an engine swap, like a modern Hemi or even a Hemi straight six from Oz.
That Dodge looks like a diamond in the rough. I love the two-tone! Someone was proud of this truck once, and it deserves to be restored to glory.
That Bronco is just rough.
Dodge. I’m a sucker for a stepside.
Easy decision. That old Bronco has been ridden hard and put away wet. No, thanks — I’ll take the Dodge — it looks like all the sheet metal and interior bits are still there; I can rebuild or replace everything mechanical with a widely available spectrum of Mopar parts and custom bits. I’ll just keep LMC Truck and Summit Racing on speed dial…
I wouldn’t take the Bronco for free. Hell, I’d have to think about it for free and with $3500 cash in the glovebox.
If you can’t dodge it, ram it. That Bronco is a nightmare
I know absolutely nothing about old Dodges or Fords. Something about the engine bay of the Dodge seems…off. Is there something splattered all over the firewall? It looks like there’s some homegrown wiring going on there too. Figuring out someone else’s wiring job sounds like a nightmare. Honestly I wouldn’t have either of these, just not my style, but I’d take the Bronco just because it currently runs and drives well. I could focus on getting it cosmetically presentable again.
Having worked in IT, no one’s wiring job is as bad as the $20/hour part timer who just uses whatever he has to plug in a run. 6 inch jump from one switch to the next? 10 foot cable. There is never a need for a 1/4 mile of cable to wire one cabinet….
The Dodge. I’d make my own version of Dulcich’s Mopar Muscle Truck with a stroked b-block.
I’ll take the stepside truck and keep a Primus cassette in the deck.
Clean Broncos go for a pretty penny, but I’ll bet that one’s frame wouldn’t hold up to a poke by a screwdriver and those fenders used to be nothing but load-bearing paint.
I wouldn’t pay $3.50 for the Ford.
If the Dodge had a 225 slant 6 and a three speed manual column shift I’d be all over it. But the 727 is a stout transmission. As for the oil leak, that’s standard. Dodge never built an engine that didn’t leak oil.
You know the old Dodge backronym: “Drips Oil Drips Grease Everywhere”.
If there’s no oil under it, there’s no oil in it.
I actually drove a 76 slant six three on the tree MT D100 longbed when I was in high school. So I’d pass on that. What did the truck in was the transmission got stuck in reverse and 1st at the same time, and couldn’t move. Dealer couldn’t find a replacement transmission in the mid 80s. Current me could fix it in any number of ways (4 speed trans swap, at swap, complete engine/trans swap,) but high school me didn’t have much mechanical experience.
But it had other problems as well. The electrical system was suspect, and the radiator was undersized and would overheat if you went much faster than 55.
This is tough, as I’d almost be inclined to say “both”, but I think I’ll go with the Dodge because it would be more fun to make into a muscle truck. I’m a 4×4 guy, so my ideal spec is a Power Wagon, but the stepside Dodge does look excellent with a slight drop and a big V8. I’ve spent a lot of time wrenching and wheeling on those Broncos too, and while I love them, the Dodge is more appealing this morning.
I love the big Broncos, but this one is just too neglected.
I also love a regular-cab step-side, so I’ll take the D100 and deal with the oil leak and start learning about aftermarket AC options.
That Dodge is a STEAL at that price. It’s a 2WD stepside “Muscle Truck” in the making. Body seems decent, and as long as the roof is intact at the front drip rail, you’re good to go. These leaked oil from new; think of it as “self-undercoating”. The 318/727 is a decent combo, but the best bang-for-the-buck upgrade is to go to your local boneyard and find the lowest mileage Magnum 5.9 you can and plop it in there (it’s pretty simple to do, especially with a former 318 Auto truck). It also at the very least has the Adventurer package, which means nicer interior trim on these. It even has the sought-after 40/20/40 split “Buddy Seat” seating.
Put it this way: if it were a Squarebody GM truck in that condition, that thing would be selling for about $10k more than this one, at least around here.