I loved how the truck drove the minute I tried it out, including the joy of driving manual. It's a basic model...actually I am not 100% sure all parts are XLT on it:
4 door
Black exterior trim, including front grille and front bumper
No power locks or windows
AM/FM/CD with MP3 capability, and there is a sticker for Sirius on the driver side window, so it must support that. I have yet to turn the radio on...
Cruise
Air

Had it checked out during getting the oil changed to fully synthetic, and all seals are showing some degree of failure with minor leaking. It is nothing I am worrying about at this moment. The clutch is getting near the end of it is life, so I will likely replace the seals when they are easily accessible during clutch replacement. Coolant is nearly clear, so it is due for a change. Should I run any additives to clean things up? I plan to care for this truck, but I have to face the fact that most do not do much besides what allows the truck to continue driving from point A to point B


So...what I want to do with this truck is getting it running as new as possible, upgrading parts within my budget. This includes repair of the body. I do plan to do all of these repairs myself, so suggestions would be greatly appreciated Currently, the lower portion of the tailgate is fairly rusty. Not to the point of falling apart, but repair is needed sooner than later. The roof has a few spots of rust, likely just stone chips where dirt just sat in for years. Judging by the sandpaper finish of the hood and roof, removed with a claybar, and will be later machine polished to remove deeper scratches, the exterior of the truck was never given much more than a quick rinse. The finish as it is now turns heads, happy to say...well at least until you get closer and see the deeper damage. Cleaning wasn't only limited to the paint. Areas underneath showed to be The hood and roof are amazingly not physically damaged. The hood will need polishing, and likely partial repainting and blending. The left rear panel has portions of rust around the wheel-well, including near the mud flap. The right side is showing similar damage and light rust around the mudflaps. One area I am worried is the bed. The paint is...well entire repainting would be needed, and there are areas that clearly have had long periods of standing water and have larger patches of rust. The wheel-well areas are fairly dented. Considering the bed seems to be a whole unit with panels, I am wondering what my options are.