Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1950 3100 value

Everything’s expensive in California. Just one of the reasons I wouldn’t live there.

It’s a 3-window with an “iffy” motor and bad tires. It’s a $6,500 truck. $7K tops if you really want it.

I passed on a 53 in West Texas last November for $2500 with no rust, almost no body damage, original paint still there and decent enough tires I could have towed it a long way. 5 window with fender spare, but no engine, no transmission and no title. My guess is the engine/transmission disappeared decades ago. Did not look as if any recent work had been done anywhere. At $1500 I'd have taken it, but it costs big $ to bring one of these back to good nick today. A lot more than it did just 3 or 4 years ago, and the price of even a really nice one seems pretty well frozen in the mid 20s. I have a feeling this truck we're looking at is going to have plenty of hidden surprises.

These conversations are always interesting. While it shouldn't come as a big surprise that prices vary across the country, at times it can be shocking to hear the differences!

I picked up my '49 3800 last summer near Detroit for $3k. Fair amount of expected rust. Fenders, lower cowls, parts of floorboard, lower door pillars, tailgate, cab corners etc. Not a complete rust bucket. But, sheetmetal replacement or repair needed just about everywhere.

The previous owner had done a fair amount of work coating the frame with a POR15-like paint, replaced the bed, replaced the original engine with a 1960 235, replaced the gas tank and bought about every seal/weatherstrip from LMC and refurbed the gauges/speedo. The truck ran and drove on/off the trailer to get it home.

I know this is the usual midwest view that south/southwest people are probably tired of hearing. But, from your description, the asking price wasn't terrible at all for a running/driving truck with body in that shape. At least, it would be reasonable around here!