A good swap meet is like a treasure hunt because you never know what you're going to find and one of the best events on the West Coast is held in Portland, Oregon, every April.
Although the primary function of a swap meet is obvious, they also serve another purpose-they're a great indicator of the economics within the hobby as the basic concept of supply and demand couldn't be more evident. On that subject, we made a number of observations about the custom classic truck scene and some of them appear to be contradictory. Chevy C series are hot and the price for complete trucks is on the rise, while on the other hand Chevy parts are plentiful so they remain reasonable-go figure. As always, '53-56 Ford F-100s are desirable, although the price for complete trucks seems to have softened ever so slightly, and while later Fords are increasing in value the biggest jump in sticker prices was on F-1s. These haulers are really coming on strong and the price of parts reflects the demand, they're going up. Then there are the Dodges-while Mopar fans are loyal, they're small in number and we didn't see many trucks for sale and not much in the way of parts either. That means building something different, like a Mopar (or how about an International?) could be a challenge, but then it may be an inexpensive way to go and definitely set your ride apart.
This '50 Ford F-1 had an asking...
This '50 Ford F-1 had an asking price of $10K or obo and is a good example of a solid truck with a fair amount of work already done. Under the hood was a stock Flathead with the original trans hooked to a late 9-inch rearend. It had new wiring, interior, and brakes, the suspension was rebuilt with mono leafs all around.
There's an old saying: "Let the buyer beware" and it must have been coined by someone who attended lots of swap meets. When hunting for parts come prepared and make sure you know exactly what you're looking at. We've actually seen few instances of a seller purposely identifying an item incorrectly. But just because someone says a part or piece is one thing doesn't necessarily mean it's not something else-they may not know. A case in point-one vendor was selling an intake manifold with three carbs that was said to be factory setup for a small-block Chevy. We knew there was never any such thing and what he had was for a 348. Out of curiosity we asked the seller for more information and he explained the tri-power set had been purchased years ago at another swap meet but since it was never installed he decided to part with it. After we, and several others, convinced the seller what the parts were the sign was corrected and shortly after the manifold and carbs went to a new home. While some misrepresentations are honest mistakes, others are not. There are those who will try to hide flaws; as an example, take a close look at parts in fresh primer, flat black from a rattle can hides a multitude of sins.
Cheap at $1,200, this'66 Chevy...
Cheap at $1,200, this'66 Chevy 3/4 ton had a selection of lumps, bumps, and scrapes along with rust here and there, but you often do get what you pay for. A truck like this could cost a lot to fix up, or it can remain just what it was advertised to be-a cheap work truck.
When it comes to good buys, abandoned projects can be an absolute bargain. For one reason or another someone's dream of building a truck came to a halt and now it's got a For Sale sign hanging on it with a price far less that the value of the individual parts. For some recouping a portion of a lost investment is often better that letting it sit in the garage. Then there are projects for sale because they became someone's nightmare. It may be on the block because the builder got in over his head and made modifications that were ill advised he and didn't know how or couldn't afford to fix them. We've seen frames that have been butchered with horrific clips, chopped cabs that were crooked and worse and the owner wanted out. In some cases the project in question could be saved in others it was beyond help. In any case, when buying someone's stalled project look it over carefully to make sure you're not getting in over your head, and, most importantly make sure it has identification numbers and a good title. In most states today registering any vehicle without the proper paper trail and corresponding ID numbers can be difficult, if not impossible.
With a 327 under the hood,...
With a 327 under the hood, a Turbo 350, disc brakes, and Flowmasters this very presentable '70 Chevy short box was priced at $15.5K.
Lots of effort and a long...
Lots of effort and a long list of improvements and new parts came with this '68 Chevy Stepside. A 400 small-block with an Edelbrock carburetor and manifold, a Turbo 400 with a shift kit, a new radiator, even the heater motor was new. A factory tach, sport wheel, custom grille treatment, the addition of a '72 bumper with parking lights and fresh paint made the $13.5K asking price seem more than reasonable.
Considerable time and money...
Considerable time and money has been invested in this '53 GMC. There's a blown small-block Chevy under the hood backed by a Turbo 400 transmission and a 9-inch Ford rearend. Nice paint and interior make this truck hard to duplicate for the $39K asking price.
A work in progress, this '56...
A work in progress, this '56 F-100 has a 460 Ford under the hood, power steering, widened rear fenders, and an asking price of $8.4K. A few more bucks for dropped suspension components, new wheels and tires and you'd have a cool cruiser for reasonable money.
Equipped with a 305 V-8 and...
Equipped with a 305 V-8 and a four-speed, this '60 GMC had fresh paint and an unusual set of fender skirts. Asking price was $6.8K.
This may have been one of...
This may have been one of the best buys we found. A stone stocker, this one-owner '72 C10 was as original as they come and had complete records from the day it was new. With only a few minor blemishes, this truck is as nice as you're likely to find, and the vintage camper was included in the $9.5K asking price.