The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Guidance needed -

I want to find out more on my investment so I know the directions to travel with restoring it completely. I believe this truck is completely original so what's the difference between the motors as it's seems everyone wants to know what they have but nothing as which is better or worse.. Is there a way to see if number match? Does it increase value? I'm new so forgive me for my ignorance.

Casting Number - 3835849 which says 216 and for my year truck


Serial Number from behind distributor I cannot find anything matching this, LBMI95232

Let me know, thanks for the help!

3835849 = 1952-1953 216

LBM = 1953 standard 216 in a 3100 truck

Numbers matching means a lot in muscle cars. I wouldn't worry about numbers on a pickup. I don't call any of my jalopies investment. I call them money pits.

There are some real differences in the most commonly used engines. The original 216 was and still is a good engine for the time and application. Do you remember the roads and highways during the 1950s? I do. Speed limit signs in my area were 60 MPH day time and 55 after sunset. Yep you would get a ticket for sure. Major metropolitan area not out in the sticks. Dad drove his 1950 from Ogden Ut. To Santa Fe Nm. to work at a new construction site. That is well over 700 miles. Took him 2 days and he did not stop for any thing. Only gas. We, my brother and myself got to hold the door and be human shields when Mom needed a potty break. He drove that truck until it froze at 50 below, that was 1963. Times have changed. The upgrade to a 235 or a 261 pushes the output from 90 HP to 130-150 more or less. Cheap hot rod for sure. But the biggest difference would be the pressurized rod bearings that allow for long sustained high (sorta) speed time on current freeways. Think about the difference of a long day at 35-40 MPH and all day at 55-60 MPH. Good news? Those engines are available and cheap. Fixing a 216 is gonna cost money. Now lots of folks do fix them, and drive them and the 216 was what was in there. It will get you down the road. Mine, had a 235 in it. Fine by me. Works and gets me down the road. Now the layers and layers of rust? Could have done with out that. But I am only into this truck about 2000 and that includes new tires. Yes I was very lucky, and willing to work for...free. I bought glass, I bought rubber goods, I bought a lot of sand paper and wire brushes, gaskets...well you get the idea. Even got to pull the head off so lots to do. But like I said the truck was very inexpensive and I had some good help. Lots from folks right here. As far as a restoration? That is a never ending quest. Me? I am driving and maintaining it for now. I hope that helps some. There were detail differences in the 216 but it was used for a long time. And for good reason.

if you bought this as an investment, you are going to be sorely disappointed. This is an expensive hobby, and you are extremely unlikely to get out of it what you spend on it. Unless you consider the fun of having someone come up to you every time you take it out, and tell you a story about their experiences with a similar truck when they were a kid, I even had a fireman in a fire truck lean out of their window and knock on MY window at a stop light once. But monetarily you made a very poor investment, your kids might get something out of it in 30 years, but it won't probably do you much good.

yep, I look at my old iron as a hobby/therapy, and it doesn't hurt as bad to eat money which you WILL do. Almost impossible not to. But, I figure I'm not losing 1/2 when I drive off the lot (like an expensive new RV or boat). Enjoy it, let it clear your mind when you tinker and putter.

BigOlDog
Let me approach this from a general point of view and see if I can address your questions. In the past (more than 10 years ago) original numbers matching vehicles were much more desired than those that were not, and this was reflected in the values. Today, driveablity is desired by many. This means going faster, stopping faster with comfort (meaning souped up or more modern engines that go freeway speeds, disc brakes, air conditioning and a quality sound system). Look at recent high end auctions for confirmation. At Barrett-Jackson last year a 50s Chevy cab over engine truck went for $98,000 (with buyers premium) that looks very similar to mine. It had been highly customized with a V8, airconditioning, etc. Since mine is largely stock (meaning it is screaming down the freeway at an astonishing 55 mph, can't hear the 6 volt am radio over the engine/road noise, engine heat creeping up from the floor) I would be shocked if someone would pay more than $30K for mine (not for sale, anyway). Or note the sixties Corvettes that go for top dollar with a new Corvette engine dropped in place of the old school 327. Yes, there are people who still value the original vehicles but the landscape is changing.

Regarding our trucks, there is no build sheet or ID plate with paint codes, so we can change colors, add or remove accessories and still remain "correct". A very nice pick up with a later stovebolt engine properly placed may very well command a higher price than one of equal condition with the original babbit pounder splash oiler. It will depend upon the buyer's point of view on these issues.

At this point I don't think it matters much at all to the Stovebolts. The most important features of your investment would be overall condition. We all like intact rust free bodies and lack of irreversible custom changes,

Kent

The entire restoration myth has been promoted by various agents of satan, whose interests are antithetical to mine. This includes the following nonsense:
1. spending money makes it more valuable in direct proportion
2. "numbers matching" is absolutely necessary for it to be worth owning
3. auction prices always go up
4. you always get your money back on a sale
5. bottom-of-the-line clunkers appreciate at the same rate as 1-of-100 injected 1957 Belairs.
6. it's a sound contrarian investment (which will behave opposite conventional stocks, bonds, precious metals)

Before you spend any money, ask yourself "When it's done, will I enjoy it? Is it fast enough, with good enough brakes to drive in traffic? Or am I already looking for that next project?"
This last is especially common, and tragic. Someone wants a 1955 Chevy, and can't find a rough 2-door hardtop (like the one he had in high school) for under $5,000.
He buys a 4-door sedan for $3,000, then spends $30,000 on it, before remembering he wanted a different car.
The $2,000 he "saved" by buying the 4-door is a very small part of the project cost, and he sells it at a big loss and starts over.
Oops.
Don't be that guy.

This post is arguable in that the numbers may not be exact, but a frame up resto on a 1950 1/2 ton to original condition these days, if you are very very lucky will sell for about 25k.

If you put disc brakes, a newer style 235/261, seat belts, dual MC, OD transmission, you might get 30k. These numbers are very very optimistic. The truck better be perfect for those numbers and it better be a really good day.

Most of us who do frame up resto's on these trucks put at least $20k in parts, tools, whatever. The most underestimated expense is the body work. You will get 5k in a paint job before you know it. Its why I do it all myself. Which brings me to the other issue.. what is your time worth? I have over 6000 hours in one of my trucks. Its not even close to finished yet. If I were to choose say 1/4th of minimum wage, it wouldn't compute.

Short answer, its not an investment. In no way can we call what we do an investment. Unless you put BAD in front of it. We do this because we love it. And we are a little bit crazy.

So why is it such a bad investment? Because they made a crapload of these trucks and they are very plentiful. If it were a numbers matching 68 Yenko Camaro, that would be another thing. This is a vehicle that didn't even have matching numbers. Love it or leave it!

I thank everyone for the replies. Maybe investment wasn't the right word as I'm not looking for a return in money as my enjoyment will be the stories I hear from all walks of life as I've already started hearing.

I think as you look at these trucks or anything with this much history you can only imagine a simpler time (not saying times weren't tough) but as it shows in the "features" of this truck. No iPod hook up, Bluetooth, heated seats, DVD, navigation, just a motor, seat, radio and a bed! This is what interest me and was more the direction I wanted to capture in restoring and why I questioned the importance of matching etc.

Steve_H, thanks for the education on the motors! Sadly I'm a young man and wasn't even a thought in the 50s.

Thanks guys!

I am thinking you WERE a thought in the 50's.. but its beyond our perview for me to explain..

The idea is, be happy with the purchase of your new old truck. It really is the coolest thing out there, and nobody has anything better than YOURS. My first car was the 1973 AMC Gremlin. You hear way more nays than yays when you bring that car up. Yet I still have it and its the coolest thing sitting beside my old truck. We all have our loves. Anyone who feels any different probably has a MOPAR.

one last comment to add to all the other riches of this post ..... a local man told me when I bought my rusted out 46 chevy 3/4 ton that this project would "add 10 years" to my life .... we'll see, of course, but I got his drift and have found, with much thanks to stovebolters and the confidence they help generate, that the sense of purpose it offers can really make days more fun! Good luck with yours .....
lane

I don't know if it will add ten years to my life, but it has certainly added quality to my life since I got re-motivated by 52Mark and the good folks on this site.

Speaking of motivation and derailing my own thread lol. It RUNS!!!!! this was motivation for me as it brings me a step closer to putting her on the road! Certainly she needs to be restored but I want to enjoy it for a while and put my thoughts together on every aspect of a full restore.