For anyone who has shopped for a project truck, you know from the beginning that in many cases the process is a roll of the dice. Oftentimes, an extremely low price or sentimental reasons cloud our otherwise good judgment. Those things happen even when that potential show-winning truck is right there in front of us to inspect to our hearts content before shelling out the long green. With so many trucks (and vehicles in general) being offered for sale over the Internet, the practice of buying and selling a vehicle has become even more complicated.
On one hand, the Internet can bring a larger number of buyers to a larger number of sellers, making the transfer of ownership of any type of vehicle a daily occurrence. Finding a project truck used to be a matter of scouring the local want ads or driving around in the country until you found a suitable project truck. Internet websites such as www.hotrodhotline.com, www.racingjunk.com, www.traderonline.com, as well as countless others can make thousands of classic trucks, both finished and project, accessible to you, no matter where you are. Even if you find the perfect truck located across the country or even in a different country, those websites often have advertisers that can transport your new purchase to you for a fee.
On the other hand, with so many trucks to choose from, finding the right one for you, your budget, and your level of expertise requires extra effort on your part. If you are standing right in front of a truck that catches your interest, you will most likely give it a reasonably thorough (although admittedly, not always complete) inspection before you agree to buy it. If you notice something that you don't like or you have questions about, you can ask the owner about it and negotiate the selling price accordingly. However, if you are simply looking at one picture or several on your computer, you quite possibly will miss a few things that can bring about some unwelcome surprises if left unknown until after the sale. Basically, out of sight, out of mind.
Although at first glance,...
Although at first glance, this shot merely identifies the truck as a '68 Chevy (the '67s didn't have side marker lights), a closer look reveals that the front bumper is actually a rear bumper, as noted by the opening in the lower center of the bumper. What is not so obvious is that most of the bumper bolts are missing.
Let's face it, a truck project is a sizable investment, so you as the buyer are certainly entitled and justified in asking some questions before you make the deal. Everyone knows that a picture is worth a thousand words, so don't be afraid to request more photos if you are serious about purchasing a truck. Many websites offer free listings that include one photo, but charge for multiple photo listings. So, most of those ads have photos of an overall view of the truck being offered for sale, but show little in the way of details. Most likely in this digital world, if the seller has one picture of their truck, they have several, or can at least take a few more snapshots. If you have specific concerns (or priorities) of what you want to see, mention that in your correspondence with the seller. There is no need for them to crawl under the truck for chassis pictures if you are concerned about the interior.
Photos (or the photographer's ability) don't always tell the entire story however, making some specific questions and reasonable answers a necessity if you are to make the buying experience a good experience. All trucks will have their own specific peculiarities, such as rust-prone areas or mechanical nuances. Being at least somewhat familiar with these specifics and what is involved in repairing them will be good information to have. In addition to model-specific areas of concern, there are always the typical questions that could apply to most any truck such as: What condition are the cab corners in? How solid are the body mounts? Is the bed floor in decent condition or there at all? Is the truck in running and driveable condition?
I recently acquired a '68 Chevy Stepside pickup in a trade for a '27 Ford Track T roadster that I had built. Since the Track T was built as part of a book project, I had no real plans of keeping it. Furthermore, since it had become a source of frustration and the book was long since completed, I was getting overly anxious to get rid of it. Combine that with the fact that I have always liked the '67-68 model year C10s, and objectivity and rational thinking left me for awhile. A long story made short, I didn't ask all of the questions that I should have and now I have a small project on my hands, where I would rather start rebuilding my '55 Chevy pickup from scratch, than to open the can of worms that the '68 may very well be.
 Speaking of side marker lights,...  Speaking of side marker lights, do these actually work? These appear to be illuminated, but it is actually a reflection from the flash. Not a big deal to fix, nor a necessity, but these side marker lights are not connected and therefore do not work. The door also appears to be slightly darker than the front fender. That may or may not be an actual condition, but is something that may be of more concern when you are looking at purchasing a finished truck. |  While we are all used to disc...  While we are all used to disc brakes in our daily drivers, the '68 Chevy C10 has drum brakes on all four wheels. These have been rebuilt and work well for drum brakes, but they simply do not stop like disc brakes. Many vendors offer disc brake conversions however. |  You should probably always...  You should probably always ask to see a direct profile shot of any vehicle that you are interested in purchasing. This angle will tell you much more about the stance and ride height than any other perspective will. |
 While the absence of a rear...  While the absence of a rear bumper most likely is not a deal breaker, the taillights have to raise some concern. While '38-39 Ford taillights have adorned many a hot rod, they simply do not fit with the mostly rectangular lines of this truck. Combining recessed or flush-mount taillights in a rolled rear pan will address the bumper and taillight issue, but will require filling the existing holes in the fenders. Not a big deal, but something to consider. |  The tinted windshield does...  The tinted windshield does not have any cracks, both windshield wipers are in place, and so are both headlights. Overall, the truck does have some curb appeal. |  Although this is a personal...  Although this is a personal opinion, the orange paint of the hood should be round, rather than angled where it transitions from the side of the hood to across the front of the hood. |