There's some things that don't add up.
#1 - $3000 paint job - That implies lots of body work. I wonder if the rust was bad. If it's low miles there shouldn't be much if any rust.
#2 - new head gasket - It blew a head gasket in less than 70k mile? He also put in a new cam?
#3 - front end rebuilt - With less than 70k why did the front end need to be rebuilt?
#4 - fiberglass bed - Seller admits severe rust
This leaves me to believe it has 168k or was a total rebuild
Clock has 6 digits, photo shows 068k. Of course it could be a replacement, but inspection records can confirm that.
On the 22re, the bolts holding down the rocker assembly, which has to be removed in order to replace the cam, are also the head bolts. So unfortunately when you pull the cam, you have nothing holding the head in place and run a high risk of disturbing the head gasket. alot of folks advocate going ahead and replacing it b/c you just don't know if everything will be kosher with the old one when you re-torque it back down. it should be too hard to change out at that point anyway.
Who knows why the front end would need it, maybe the imfamous plastic timing chain guides let go. I just got a '93 w/ only 75k on the clock and it sounds like there may be some rattle up there.
$3k paint job is alot and suspicious - BUT could be related to the fiberglass bedsides too... painting fiberglass properly takes special gel paint, prep etc. not cheap if paying a shop to do it right.
Now - why change out the bed? who knows. maybe the first 30k was up north...
Yeah it's suspicious, but nothing here that is unreasonable.
The better question is - why spend that kind of coin on a beautiful '85, when we all know the magic of that vintage is the solid axle prowess, for which it'll just get trashed anyway?
I mean if you want a nice old 80s Toy DD, might as well get one w/ IFS for the better ride.
