Hi,

I've been a SVT Cobra owner and driver for years, but ran into a problem recently. It turns out that they are really not very good for hauling rocks, dirt, and other messy loads.

So I went down today, and traded a nice tri black vert Snake in and got an elderly 1994 F150 XLT with nice lift kit and tires. Truck has about 158K on it, and was available for an ok price, very nice condition from a Blue Oval dealer in Kent, WA. Yeah, there was a bit left over, got a nice check, too.

This is the first pickup I've had for a few decades, and am just starting out in figuring out that I don't even know the right questions to ask, yet.

I was smart enough to ask a guy at the dealership what HE would do to find out more about trucks of this vintage. It turns out he is the Internet Sales manager for the dealership, so he told me right off to march over HERE to https://www.f150online.com and get started with the coolest F150 site on the Net.

ok.

I'm here.

What are the first things a semi clueless newbie owner of a used F150 should think about, to figure out my new dirt hauler?

I'm hoping I can post a link to pics, here:

http://www.msnusers.com/BatCoolStuff/1994f150.msnw

If that didn't work, I'll figure it out later.

What I know about the truck from Carfax and dealer info is that a good highend lift kit was installed, 3" at one end and 2" at the other. Nice wheels and tires, diamondplate rails and toolbox, aftermarket stereo with CD, tint sides and back of cab.

Dealership checked it over, changed oil, rated brakes at 50% life, and said "as is". Drive test told me it accellerates, brakes, and shifts well.

I have owners manual, and original window sticker with options list. In 1994 from a base price of about 18K, it finished at $25K with options. 5.0L V8 and tow package were the highlights for me.

so... if you were me, where would you start, to figure out the rig, figure out what is about to be the next major expense?

uhh... and what is your newbie initiation ritual like around here?

thanks!

-Ed aka vertsnake
Bellevue, WA

 

Welcome Ed. Nice looking truck!

 

Welcome to the site!

That is a nice truck!

The first thing I would do is rebuild the engine. Then I would force feed it. But then I think every vehicle on the road should be force fed.

You know there are a lot of options. You've just got to figure out what is going to give you the result your looking for.

Good luck and have fun!

 

welcome!!! what all did u hav done to ur snake and what year was it?

 

YO!

 

Thanks, Rocky!

I will haul off and wash it, claybar and Zaino the heck out of it, and see if I can make it even shinier.

 

Thanks, man...

Yeah, the engine compartment is not in top shape, no big dirt/oil accumulations, but needs a good pressure wash to start off. It has a big intake riser on the 5.0L, need to clean the engine bay, pull the plugs and look at them to start. I'll start with a basic tuneup.

I'm thinking I want to check the remaining life in the engine and tranny, and 4x4 running gear, to put money into making the basic stuff solid.

After that, it sure didn't blast down the freeway onramp like the 2001 Cobra it replaced, so there SURE is room for improvement. I could see a chip and blower in the future, after I read the forums here to get a clue.

thanks!

 

Hi Faster150,

The snake I traded in was my second one, a 2001 'garage lurker' that I bought early in 2001, drove that summer in a gentle break in, and then PARKED since then with 721 miles on it. Absolutely NO mods, wanted to keep the value and mess with it after warranty.

In the time since then, my life and plans have changed, and I finally needed the garage space for another project. So, I turned the '01 vert snake into this pickum-up and a side check, via the original saleman at my SVT dealer.

He gets a spiffy low miles snake for his showroom, since the SVT Mustangs are still coming. I get a truck to mess with and have some fun.

Here is another folder at that MSN site, with pics of the '01 Snake.

http://www.msnusers.com/BatCoolStuff/2001cobra.msnw

Anyone in the Seattle area that wants a totally cherry starter SVT Cobra to build up to a monster, this is a good starter monster. Email me offline to get the dealer info, to hook you up with the right guy.

Some of the pics show an oil filter leak, that is being fixed under the ESP that I bought on it, other that that it has never been touched in service.

I had an earlier 1997 Cobra tri black vert that I drove and put the miles on, this one was a future project platform that I just never got around to.

Do you run a snake too?

 

W-E-L-C-O-M-E !


Truck looks pretty damn good.

 

YO! right back

I need to put time into building a sig, moving my pix over to a Gallery here, and just plain reading what is here, so I can skip the dumb newbie questions.

If you checked the earlier reply pix links for my 2001 Cobra, you see my Kwiklift detailing stand.

http://kwiklift.com/commercial.htm

I need to see if my standard one can hold the pickup, haven't looked at gross weight and wheelbase yet. Sigh, so much to do...

thanks

 

Hey jamz...

Your white STX looks good, too. I could have traded for a new base LX 2005 pickup too, but it would have been a 'work truck' stripper. Not a nice one, like yours.

thanks

 

Very sharp truck!

I'm with wittom,
Rebuild the motor, you'll be doing good to get another 40K miles out of it so rebuid it while you have the check from the left overs. Upgrade the brakes, one for greater stopping distance and 2 with the taller tires thats a lot more rotating mass on each corner it's asking the brakes to stop turning. Larder diam brakes will last longer as well as stopp faster. If it still has drums on the back go ahead and upgrade those to disk, you'll thank yourself later. Then Paxton makes a sweet dual Turbo kit for 5.0's. Then lastly have the tranny flushed and a new filter put in it, "they likely didn't do that at the stealership".

As long as it's up in the air it will never handle any where close to like the snake did. But it's a truck, it's not suppose to. We have to give up one thing to get 50 others. I dont know what level of lift kit was installed but most of them anymore are easily upgradeable. You might can get larger sway bars, etc. to stiffen the suspension up a bit. Still won't be the snake but will help.

Welcome aboard this site, strap on your racing harness real tight because it'as a wild ride around here.

Intiation for everyone is as follows:

1. Members most post pics of Wife and/or Girlfriend(s)!
2. Female members must post pics of themselfs! If female members have a wife and/or girlfriend(s) then they must post pics of them as well.
3. Single male members must post pics of thier hottest female friend(s).
   
   By law: (All pics must be as seductive and with as much exposed skin as both the person in the photo and the moderators here will allow.)

 

Thanks vert. She gets the job done. I wish I had the money some of these folks do around here to put in it and do some changes, but I like it. She's a keeper.

 

LMAO

From browsing the topic list, I kind of knew that would be the deal.

fine.

I'm single, but let my gal pals drive my rides... here is my friend Deb in the older 1997 Cobra, in front of a software company I hung around at, before retiring a while back.

http://www.msnusers.com/BatCoolStuff...nw?albumlist=2

It sure was a nice chick magnet, but as I said earlier, really sucked at hauling rocks and dirt...

 

Nice tang!!!