As far as price goes, scrap value for an AD 2-ton here on the middle Atlantic Seaboard is in the $600-$700 range, depending on current scrap prices -- So there's your bottom end of the price range (unless the seller is out to lunch and then who knows ...).
You might be wondering why I know that ...
As far as upper end of the price scale -- the guys who tell you the Big Bolts don't command the same premium prices as the 1/2-tons are exactly right. Also, location plays a big role, too. AD Big Bolts may be a dime a dozen and free for the taking in the Mid West, but not so here in the Middle Atlantic Rust Belt. Dentless, rustless barn finds are rare and that you even have a line on one is a score in itself.
I'm not out beating the bushes every day searching for East Coast Big Bolts (THAT would be a Man of La Mancha quest ...) so the East Coast guys can give you a better idea of true market value of that truck in *this* region. My guess (And I'm quite willing to be corrected) is that the fair market value of a rustless, dentless, non-running Big Bolt barn find is about $2,500 to $3,000.
I assume the seller knows the family connection? Are they cool about that or will they use that to squeeze you? And do they know what they have, or is it just a pile of old junk they want out of the barn -- i.e., did grandpa just pass away and now the inheritors are trying to clean the joint up?
And does it have a title? Trucks with titles are worth more -- the aggravation of getting a new title is considerable (at least here in the South's version of Massachusetts).
I'll defer to the serious buyers and sellers to give you bargaining advice.
Good luck and we hope to see you at Macungie next year then! Or get busy and come down to Winchester, VA for our big Tri-State show in September. See the Events page in the Features section for details on those events!
Regards and good luck!
John
