The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Old Truck Prices

I know, I know. Why talk about it again...? I guess I just cannot accept the present reality.

Today a friend went with me to look at an old Chevy pickup about 25 miles from me. It was a cold call, as there was no sign, or any indication that it was for sale. Found the owner at home - at his shop actually. It was a 49 1/2-ton pickup. (I wish I had taken a picture.) Rough, but mostly complete. Driver's cowl is bent in front of the door, as is frequently seen. Bad rust in lower cowls, inside and out, and floors. Doors sagging. Dents in all fenders. Chrome grille, some dents but not too bad. Stainless outside window trim and stainless inside garnish moldings. No bumpers, no front wheels, no radiator. Interior very rough. All glass cracked or frosted. Hasn't run in nobody knows how long. Has a Serial Number plate, but NO title.

Guess?
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$2000

And he was dead serious.

I see trucks no better than this one on craigslist almost daily with prices that high and higher. Who actually pays that much for a field/ woods/ fencerow car or truck? I guess I will have to give up...

I think this all happened a few years back with the big RATROD fad. Seems that rusty, broken down, melting into the earth, garbage has tripled or better in value all around me.. LOL except for me all my stuff ain't worth anything.....Why is that?

Frank
Where are you located?
That seems to make a difference also on price.
Seems the farther east you go the higher the price for a rust bucket.
I'd like to down size the harem, so I guess I need to put some in the swap meet.

Don

I'm in Central IL.

I gave a bit more than that for my truck, but it was complete, the engine ran, but the brakes were shot. It was also a rust bucket, but had a few other things going for it (including a clear title) that made me think that was a fair price (although the seller jumped on my offer right away ). But I am in Alaska and there aren't all that many around up here.
If in the Midwest, I'd say that $2000 would be about twice what I'd be willing to pay. You're describing a parts truck, IMO

I see so many unrealistic priced trucks, stuff that is more in scrap condition. I guess the owners see what they go for at the on tv auctions and think theirs is worth it. Their big problem is they have no idea the work and cost involved to bring them to that condition. Same goes for trucks that may look nice cosmetically but will need thousands of dollars of parts and work to bring all the mechanical up to snuff. What makes me sick is the cut up and messed up junk that can never be returned to factory stock.

I appreciate all comments. I also agree that many good, old trucks have been cut up/ ruined to make ratrods.
Of course, when a person buys/owns a truck, or anything else really, it's theirs to do as they please... and I don't have to like it or approve.

No title, no deal. You can't legally even make a rat rod out of it. With a title, $2,000 is the going price for a roller around here.

yes, 52Carl and i think the same way,
up in Canada folks want thousands for their no-title rust bucket because TV shows and searching the internet for similar trucks in the USA
no title = parts vehicle

with a title i will start at about $2000 CAD and go up depending on condition because the title alone is worth that to me.
-s

...there is some things I simple will not do. Looked at buying another truck this week but the price was $3800. The truck is honestly worth no more than $2500 and that is on the top side!! So, I told the fellow it was to much money and walked away while he was muttering "but...but ....but they don't make them anymore"............Well, this ole boy taint "buying them anymore"!!

Like i said, some things I just will not do. I don't believe my fortitude will let me do something that stupid. Do as I do, write a figure I'm willing to pay on the back of a card and give it to them with the instructions "give me a call if you change your mind".

No Title No Problem... Welcome to Georgia. Bill of sale is all you need to register a vehicle older than 20 years. The tag office only needs to verify the VIN and your in business.

Yea no title in CT either. As long as it has a vin number stamped somewhere and they can verify it on a bill of sale your good to go.

I know different states handle titles and vins differently. Here in IL it’s pretty tough getting a title without all your “ducks in a row “. We are thinking seriously about moving to TN next year. I need to research their laws.

I bought my 53 3100 in So-cal when I got out of the Navy in 1980 from the back lot of a dealer. It was my only truck and my construction work truck for 9 years. In about 85 I was pulled over and found out my VIN did not match the registration. The CHP spent hours checking for numbers and installed a California VIN plate on it. I moved to Indiana in 89, parked it and started a truck restoration fund account. Two years ago I found out I could run a YOM plate and bought a 51 plate and 53 topper. I wanted to get it plated before they changed the law. It still had the California plate on it. My house and shop burned in 2008. I called California to get a duplicate title and they said their records did not go back that far. Then I started playing document tag with the state of Indiana. Several months and about 2" of paperwork plus 2 court orders later The judge wrote with sharpie on the state form "ISSUE THIS MAN A TITLE HE HAS OWNED THIS TRUCK SINCE 1980!". I now have my original VIN number back.

Talk about money , on Oct. 5th i was watching Haggerty sales in Vegas and a 65 chev one ton panel came on the block , original frame but modern drive train.
it sold for ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND dollars . No misprints here.
The guys mother must have bought it !!!!

Several reasons with the primary offender....Barrett Jackson...and the rest.....Back in the day when the hard working blue collar worker couldn't afford a performance car, he did with-out....and thought some day I'll save my $$$ & buy one.....Now years later after he paid his mortgage, got his kid or two through college, and built up a stash....Guess what ? he still can't afford it.....Thanks to the Barrett Jacksons of the world......

Secondly Reality shows....Buy it, fix it in a week, & sell it for a ton....I don't know about you guys, I've never had people waiting in the wings with pockets full of $$$....I can only stand to watch 5 minutes of either auctions & reality shows.... (Its like Alaska 'Off Grid with all the equipment & conveniences' How did they get a D-9 Caterpillar up there, where you can barely walk....Gimme a break)..... Lastly with old trucks mainly pickups..."Yard Art" most car buffs love to have an old truck sitting in the weeds......I for one.....Just eye candy to put a smile on your face every time you look at it.... $2000. is a good starting point....if it were a 55 Chevy car or a 67 Chevelle SS the starting point would be $6000....for the exact described condition......a carcus with no papers....And at $2000. I think it would be an easy flip, if you got buyers remorse..... Lastly.... just about every time you end up spending a little more because you wanted it...& that's OK.....cause you got what you wanted......end rant....

All the reality shows have become a nightmare for the po-boy on a budget. Shows like Barrett Jackson, Mecum, Wheeler Dealers and certainly not least American Pickers have inflated the so called Antique/Collector market so far outside the reach of the average wage earner that its nearly impossible to buy, build and drive our beloved trucks. 25 years ago you could buy all the Art Deco, AD’s and Task Force Trucks you wanted in running condition for less than a grand. The worst offender, to me, is American Pickers. Some guy will say “I’ll take $50” and Mike/Frank will say “Oh no it’s worth way more than that” and buy it for $150. The guy said $50 bucks, shut up and pay the guy his $50. He’s happy, you’re happy, done deal move on. I’ll quit now before my blood pressure goes off the charts.

I’m sure glad my 67 was given to me. I have people stop by a couple of times a year asking if it’s for sale.

I saw where an AD truck that didn't look that special to me go for $203,000 at auction.

I won't say what I have in my 1954 but I have had appraised professionally and both came out close to the same, half what I have in it but I look at it differently. I have had the enjoyment and also the frustration of driving it for 46 years. And from the responses I get along the way has made it worthwhile. Now do you want me to talk about the latest Plymouth I want to buy?

My opinion that most of those shows are either fake and scripted. Nobody pays the prices they're tossing about.

Richard Rawlings will supposedly sell a car for $100 grand, but then two seasons later you'll catch a view of it still languishing in the far corner of his warehouse.

I guess I've gotten lucky. My former employer was selling the company and was motivated to do something with the 53 3800 he had parked in the barn in 85. After asking 4K for years he accepted my offer of 2. The new owner is letting me store and work on it in the barn until the space is needed. It was driven in and I hope to drive it out soon. Painted copper and smelling of rodents but almost no rust and what may be the original engine.

It must be people that don't know a thing about the trucks. I see no value in modified junk. Unless it is done with out ruining the stock stuff.