The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop found a truck for sale, is it worth $2,800?

okay, its in oregon (close by, im in idaho on the border) i went by to see it today, here are the specs...........

all original 66 c10 short wide bed. 250 inline six with 3 speed manual on the colomn.

the engine bay is beautiful. it has been repainted, along with the engine and tranny. no tampering at all with the mechanical work. engine runs great and tranny shifts smooth.

outside body work completed and completely primed. no rust outside of the truck except inside the bed, which needs new wood and strips.

inside, alot of rust holes in many areas on the floor board, needs reupholstery for the seat. everything worn out a bit, but still functioning.

two previous owners, both old guys. the second old guy that has it now has done all the work on it. before him it was unmolested. but he has done a great job with everything hes done with it so far. he wont go lower than $2,800. im falling in love with this truck and now want to know if i should dip into my savings and buy this thing, wait a bit and see if he'll go down in price.

what do you all think?

That part of Idaho and Oregon should be covered with old trucks. I think a little patience will allow you to find one for less money.

Where in Idaho are you?

Sounds like a lot of money. A truck like that should be less and then you do your own engine detailing. Unless there are a lot of new parts on the truck just some paint and primer shouldn't drive the price up that much. Especially with rust holes still to deal with.

In our part of the world there seems to be plenty to pick and choose from, so I agree with Steve. If you've fallen in love and think the rust is manageable, it's your call. If you're willing to wait and shop around, I would hold on until you feel like you have seen enough to know you're getting a good deal and the truck you seek.

Murdoc, the question should be is it worth it to you? When I got my first stovebolt when I was in the 10th grade, it cost $100. It was a rust bucket but the mechanicals were well cared for and in great shape. I drove it for about 6 years with no major work on it. The truck I have now, I could probably say I payed too much for it but it was what I was lookin' for and not too far off the price scale either. I'm just as happy that I bought this last 'bolt as I was with my first one.
I can justify spending the money on my truck in many ways. I don't hunt or fish anymore, don't have a camp, don't have a shop, etc. So in my mind I could spend a little more for what I wanted without feeling guilty. Plus, I'd saved a few $ by doing without any other hobby or interest so that I could afford the truck.
If you want it, go out and get it. If you get the truck and decide later that it's not what you really wanted, sell it, maybe at a loss if you have to. It's just like buying shotgun shells to go duck hunting, the way I look at it...it's just what we pay for our hobby/interest/sport!
Now if you've got three kids under the age of six and you're only workin' part time, you might want to keep lookin' for a better deal.

thanks guys, i was thinking it might be a little too much too, but i seriously have been looking for short bed fleetside trucks in the idaho, oregon, washington area for years and rarly come accross ones that are seriously restorable. so if any u guys from around this area find anything like that, espesially if its a three on a tree, please let me know. thanks again for the feedback guys!!! he had it in the paper for a week (today being its last day) so im pretty sure its not going anywhere right away, ill call him in a month or so and talk the price over again. oh, OldSub, im from Nampa, Idaho; 16 miles west of Boise.

murdoc, the shot answer is it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. the previous answer was correct. i have a 54 3100 that i have alot invested but it is not worth what i put in it mainly because i have to hire the work done. i also have a 60 mga that i have had since 1968 i get the question all the time what is it worth, my response is how much will you give me. that usually in the conversation. to me it is priceless after all these years. first car i bought after i came back from viet nam. ron

Be a little wary of a vehicle that's in primer. The dull surface can hide a lot of little dings that would show up if it had some gloss to the paint. Also, if it's been exposed to any weather, that coat of primer will have to be sanded away entirely,as it's porous, and any attempt to paint over weathered primer will probably result in peeling paint pretty quickly. It soaks up moisture like a sponge, and a top coat traps the moisture between the paint and the metal. Bad news!
Jerry

You have to take a hard look at whats been
done to the body. If its full of bondo filling
up rust holes run away. Look at the structure
under the cab. Than consider how much you can
do yourself. If you have to farm out much work
you will be buried in it.

I graduated from Caldwell High School a long time ago. I've been in the area three times in the last three months, though some years I don't get back at all.

Murdoc I spent 18 months looking for my truck before I found the on that I wanted. I probably could have bought it for a little less then I did but I still feel it was worth every penny. Keep looking and here is the key let everyone you know know that you are looking for a specific truck. You would be suprized how many truck I found from a friend of a friend.

Good luck

I paid WAAAYYY too much for our rig.....the 59 didn't even have a steering column - some rust - bed hacked, frame hacked, then we shipped it from FL to WA!!!! For what I picked up and shipped that truck for - I could have redone my Honda inside and out.

If you're in love with it - like we were with that truck, and you can afford it, then the value is right for you.

But - Like others pointed out - a little patience - especially around this part of the country - will pay off!

- Ryan

yeah, you all have good points. i got scared when i first saw how straight it was, so there could be somethings hiding underneath. i know that the guy that has been doing the work on it so far does a very thourough job, judging from how well hes done everything else on the truck. but you know, im young and foolish, and im in the "gotta have it" phase right now, so i might bite the bullet and pay the amount. i might be able to talk him down to 2,500. we'll see, hes a real nice old timer. ill keep yall posted on whether or not my fifty AD is gonna have a new friend soon........