With today’s technology, it’s all too easy to buy something off the Internet on a whim with a little more than a wing and a prayer. I’ve done it, I have friends who’ve done it, and we’ll all probably do it again. Sometimes you end up making out pretty good and other times it leaves you wondering, “Why in the hell do I do that?” It always reminds me of what my parents used to tell me when I was a kid about having money burning a hole in your pocket. Must be why I never carry cash anymore! Give me a hundred bucks and send me off to a swap meet and I’m bound to come home with at least eighty bucks worth of something and a stomach ache from the twenty dollars worth of corndog, burrito, and soda that I bought for lunch.
But this frivolous spending habit could be avoided if I just relegated myself to act like an adult and kept my mind focused on the bigger picture, which is buying what I actually need for my project and not letting my mind wander, “Ohhh, something shiny…”
C10s are a dime a dozen these...
C10s are a dime a dozen these days and longbeds can be picked up for a song and a dance. While not as desirable as their shortbed brethren, what else can you buy for $2,800 that runs and drives? This blue ’67 that’s what!
With my latest purchase, the ’68 C10 that’s been popping up in these very pages over the last few months, it’s got me thinking about the kind of information a guy could prepare himself with when it comes time to appraising a potential purchase. For seasoned builders, it’s pretty simple as you know what you’re looking for, where the problem spots are, and what will be required to get said vehicle to the level of completion that you have envisioned. But for the more inexperienced or perhaps first-time buyer, there are a number of things that may get overlooked that could potentially bite you in the backside later on down the road.
Recently, our Tech Center head floor sweeper and all around go-to guy, Jason Scudellari, picked up a truck project to give us here at CCT something else to do with our time. It was just as I explained it; a few fuzzy photos, a wing, and a prayer and before you could say, “patch panels,” Jason had the thing in the shop and offloaded from the trailer. It seemed the price was right and he just couldn’t refuse bringing home the old girl.
This ’70 was a listed for...
This ’70 was a listed for a few grand more, at $6500, but with new disc brakes, a 700-R4 transmission, Vintage Air A/C, and a 350 engine, it would make for a great daily driver or a solid foundation for a custom truck.
We came up with a short list of things to keep in mind the next time you get to surfin’ the web and before you engage in a bidding war on some random pickup 2,500 miles away with two blurry photos of it in a field. Hopefully, it’ll save someone a lot of headache in the meantime. But remember, we still haven’t learned our lesson, so do as we say, not as we’ve done!
If it’s a truck of slightly...
If it’s a truck of slightly more vintage you’re looking for, how about this ’51 for $14,900? A new Chevy drivetrain, clean paint, wheels and tires make for a great start.
One of the most important decisions to make is what it is that you’re looking for. I’ve heard people say a number of times that they were looking for an “old truck” and to keep an eye out for them. Ok, sure I will. Pick up a couple magazines and flip through them and figure out what year, make, and model tickle your fancy before you even start looking. It should start becoming clear; there’s quite a difference in appearance between a ’48 Ford and a ’76 Chevy. Find the era that best represents what you like best and from there, decided what year and/or model makes the most sense.
For example, if you like the mid-’50s F-100s, the ’56 is the most desirable in terms of resale and popularity due to a number of styling cues. They’re also going to be the most expensive for all the same reasons. That could be reason enough to look at the earlier trucks, say ’53-’55.
Knock ten grand off the price...
Knock ten grand off the price and you could get the same truck in slightly rougher shape. Drive it and enjoy it while you build it!
Finished trucks are obviously...
Finished trucks are obviously going to be more expensive, especially when they’re as rare as this ’57 Cameo. The $36,900 price tag reflects the truck’s scarcity as well as the quality of restoration.
Of course, you could always...
Of course, you could always build the same truck the hard way and start with a bare cab and a set of doors for $1,200.