This edition of Auction Dilemma looks at extreme pickups. Or rather two pickups at extreme ends of the success spectrum. Because we not talking about high-powered mods, but rather a truck that represents America’s perennial bestseller and a noteworthy competitor that never caught on with consumers. Let’s check out two auctions that reflect this pickup battle from the Reagan administration: a 1986 Ford F-150 at ebay.com and a 1984 Jeep J-10 at bringatrailer.com.
1986 Ford F-150
You’ve heard countless times that the F-150 is VERY popular. It’s been either the best-selling pickup or best-selling vehicle of any type for more than four decades. So, even as far back as the 80s, if you wanted a pickup, odds favored that you bought a Ford F-150. This multi-owner F-150 is focused on work over comfort: there’s not much more than a basic cab and cargo bed. But that’s what trucks were all about then. With only 48,000 miles and a very clean appearance, the blueish-grey truck has an almost time-capsule quality. The vehicle report does show a minor accident, but the details aren’t provided.
This Ford is powered by a Windsor small-block V-8, a 302 ci engine (or 5.0L in today’s terminology) rated initially for 185 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. You have to love the low-end grunt of a pushrod powerplant. A three-speed automatic manages the rear wheels.
The seller doesn’t provide details on cabin equipment, but we can see the gray interior and manual windows. A warn seat cover is visible as well.
1984 Jeep J-10
Living in the shadow of Detroit’s Big Three automakers, AMC and its Jeep brand was the little company that tried to compete. Tracing its origins back to the original Gladiator pickup from 1962, the J-10 sought to go toe-to-toe with the big boys’ trucks. Following Chrysler’s buyout of AMC in 1987, the J-10 was dropped to not compete with the Dodge Ram pickups.
According to the seller, this J-10 was repainted by the previous owner using the current green color. Splotches of body rust are noticeable, but given the Jeep’s rugged body style, these patches of corrosion appear more like battle scars than faults in the finish. The listing reports 53,000 miles on the clock, however, actual mileage is unknown for this multi-owner J-10.
Unlike its Auction Dilemma counterpart, this Jeep pickup's three-speed automatic transmission handles power transfer to all four corners. Power comes from a 360 ci (5.9L) V-8 with 195 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.
A standard bench seat is covered in tan vinyl, and manual windows complete the retro look of this regular cab Jeep. Aftermarket equipment includes a Pioneer audio system with Bluetooth and a digital clock.
Which Pickup Will You Pick Up?
The F-150 is the one to choose if you’re a “go-with-flow” kind of person and maintenance parts will be plentiful. On the other hand, the J-10 offers a retro pickup option that is simply no longer made, and seldom seen. There are two days left for the Ford F-150 auction, which has a $5,600 high bid as of this writing. The Jeep J-10 auction ends in one day and has a $9,000 high bid.
Sources: ebay.com, bringatrailer.com, f150hub.com, topspeed.com