Buddy is buying my jeep, and wants me to take his Dodge that he doesn't use anymore.

1999 Ram 3500 Dually, extended cab, LWB, 2wd

Good news is that the 24v cummins starts fast and easy with no smoke, and burns clean at temp and WOT. Feels nice and strong. Auto trans shifts are firm. 150K miles. Completely stock. Actually a nice ride down the road, even empty.

Bad news is that it looks like it took a roadside IED. Bed is trashed, rear fenders are busted, tailgate is boat hulled, rear bumper is toast. Cab looks pretty good except for a caved-in rear suicide door on passenger side (looks like it hit a telephone pole). Rear brakes don't exist. They catastrophically failed, self destructing everything inside the drums to include the top post that everything hooks to and wheel cylinders.

This turd still sound like it's worth $4k? I know I can't buy the motor and trans from a yard for that price, especially at that mileage.

I could push the whole bed off and go flat bed, but the rear brakes issue scares me since I can't even find a rear-end in the local yards to get hard parts from to start rebuilding the brakes and after finding out that factory lug nuts costs $9ea X32!, there's NO WAY I'll ever afford buy anything again at the stealership parts counter.

What would you do?

 

your basically buying an engine is what your paying for but as you said it goes down the road really well and thats what you should be looking for it thats what your wanting to end up with. yes the parts are expensice but if you spread it out it won't be qutie so bad and really for that kind of mileage doing some body work don't sound too bad. Ultimately its up to you the buyer whether you want to pay that price or try and talk them down because of the shape and condition of the body.

 

one thing to check is to make sure it dosent have a 53 block. that would definately be a deal breaker for me

 

^^^ what he said.

although I wouldnt ever buy one of these trucks if it wasnt a 4x4

 

any ideas on finding a wif sensor for a 99 cummins 24 valve? i've looked everywhere and i found a site that has one but its for an earlier model and im wondering if a 12v sensor would work or if i would have to swap a bunch of stuff around?