Fl-50 with Sleeper.....

[cumminspuller]

I originally posted this in the 'General Discussion' forum and realized I should have posted it here. So maybe you guys can help me out and give me some opinions.

Not sure if you guys can help or not. But I am looking at an 1997 FL-50 with an 8.3C Cummins engine. 250,000 miles, 9 spd Eaton Fuller Transmission, 3.91 rear end, 60" sleeper with its own heating and A/C controls, Air ride, air ride cab(adjustable from inside), both seats air ride, 13ft flat bed. The truck also has 4 wheel hydraulic disc brakes. This truck is beautiful. I went and looked at it and couldn't find anything wrong. The guy only wants $22k. To me this seems like a steal. A friend of mine said he priced 60" sleepers for his truck at one time and one like this ran close to $10K alone. And trying to find this size of engine and tranny in a little truck like this is unheard (atleast from what I have seen from my research) of or very un-common. Just looking for opinions. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jason

[cumminscowboy]

I have to agree with you on being an uncommon truck. I was looking for my truck for about a year until I found it. Its seems these smaller fl's are only used locally so the need for a sleeper is almost non-existant. My fl50 with the extended cab has a bed in the back with the tether net to sleep while someone else drives. I would agree its a pretty good price. sounds like a keeper. Good luck.

[KAYERIVERCITY]

....around here we call those HOT-SHOT HAULERS/ON TIME DELIVERY UNITES/OVERNITERS...Mostly MTD's with boxes but some are dedicated routes and are O/O husband and wife unites -girlfriends-and of course there is a flat bed and a flat with tarp beds available for dedicated routes.....Panther? has quite a few IIRC?....300,000mi. is about trade out time on most of the medium unites and if well cared for will make a good camping/motorhome unite with only minor changes.....I was going this route before I got hooked on the Class 8 fever....Finished unite would be in the same price range as my tractor and car hauler[$45k].....have at it!....geof

[Rick from Paso]

Jason, Go for it! It sounds very much like my FL70. Same motor, tranny, air ride, mine has a 72" sleeper and a 11' flatbed with a gooseneck. Mine had 140,000 and I paid 24,100. We are pretty happy with ours so far. Did you try driving it? If you have not driven a non-syncro tranny before, I just want to warn you it is nothing like a synchro tranny. You have a 500 rpm range between shifts, my friend who taught me to drive it drives one professionally and I don't know how I would have figured it out without him. I clutch (shift) over (out of gear) using the clutch and into the next gear without using the clutch. You don't depress the clutch fully between shifts, only to start out. Short shifting the low range gears helps alot too (this means up shift at about 1100-1200 rpm). 4th gear will get you up to a whopping 25mph. It takes much practice and time behind the wheel to get the hang of it. I haven't got to the point of feeling entirely comfortable yet. When you upshift, you clutch over (out of gear), let the RPMs drop about 500 and push into the next gear, if your RPMs aren't right it won't go easily or at all or grind some. It takes a quick and somewhat agressive hand to do it (and alot of concentration in the beginning at least). On his work truck my friend can float his gears (out of and into) but mine seems to tight to do that, even for him to do. I am a neophyte so your mileage may vary Good luck to you.

[pbarr]

Cummins Puller, finding a FL-50 with your combo is difficult. If want to buy my T300 that has everything that you would ever want 8.3 with a 9spd eaton, 3.36 rearend, 61" sleeper hirise, setup for a gooseneck or tag, 22.5's with Alcoa wheels, 95% virgin rubber, sleeper is setup with a bed, top bunk for luggage, sink, running water, 2500 watt inverter with two huge deep cycle batteries, cb, two brand new airride seats, brand new brakes (front and rear), new bearings, seals in front hubs, the truck has had over $1500 worth of service done. Exterior has two chrome stacks, headache rack setup for propane tanks and air chucks, tons of storage space thru the full length both sides polished aluminum boxes with locks. Truck runs excellent.
$32,000 with 330,000 for miles. I use it to pull my Race Trailer (tag). I am selling it to scale down. Email me at pbarr@visteon.com, or call me 517-403-3331. Phil Barr, Clinton, Michigan.

[Racefab]

Do you have any pictures that you can e-mail of the T-300?
Thanks
David

[MDT/HDT resources4U]

FYI: 1997 Freightliner FL-50 recall info.

http://www.recalldata.org/1997/37312.shtml

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/hot/pressdi...e=pr27-99.html