I chose a Panel over anything else because you always seem to see everyting else. I see so many old pick ups and I don't see many Panels around and many of the ones I do see are F**D. Originally I thought it would be very cool to pick one up and use it to haul my track bike to and from the race track. Then I found out the head room was not enough, but I still wanted one. I have a wife and 2 kids and we just wouldn't fit in a pick up. Something about the old Panels just called to me.
I had decided on the early 60's era as I felt the 40's and 50's were just a little to compact. The 70's became Carry-Alls and Burbs and to me just seemed to have lost some of their character. Ok so 60's it was and as I did my research on the web and a lot of time on this site I started to like the early 60's the most.
I looked at a '63 that the guy wanted $3500 for. It had a rebuilt power glide and 235, ran like a top. Problem was it had a good amount of hard to fix rust in the upper A pillars.
Kept looking when a guy at work showed me a handy way to search Craigs List. Found a '60 Chevy "Helms Bakery" Panel truck listed at $1900. Figured it had plenty of rust, but talking to the owner I got the impression it just needed some love and attention.
The next morning the wife and I were on way to look at it and I must say I pleasantly surprised. The rust was not bad for 50 years, was in easy to fix areas and there was really only one major ding in the body. Now there were some very hokey things done to her that only pictures can describe, but she was all there and then some. I definitely feel that I made out on the deal even though I am putting a little more into it up front than I had planned. She is going to be a very solid and reliable family member when I get done.
It is turning out to be a learning experience and one thing I have learned is, the old Panels carry a lot of history and stories along with them.
