The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Dilemna

As you may or may not know I have recently gotten a 68 satellite 2 door 383 automatic.

[img]http://home.mchsi.com/~tpetty/wsb/media/129404/site1048_t.jpg[/img]

The trans is shot.

I took it to the fellow that rebuilt my t350 in the 54 and he thought it would be 3-500 bucks to fix it. I said ok get on it.

He called me tonight and asked if I wanted to work out a trade for my 53 1/2 ton that I drove in high school. Not for him but the man that works for him who says has been "good as gold" to him. And the man that owns the trans shop has been nothing but "good as gold" to me. He put me in contact with people that have given me excellent deals on parts and even a parts car for the satellite.

[img]http://home.mchsi.com/~tpetty/wsb/media/129404/site1030_t.jpg[/img]


Here is the dilemna.

I drove this truck for a few years in high school and then got interested in a 67 chevelle ss. It ended up in the junkyard and later returned to me. It's been sitting in my dad's backyard for 7 or 8 years and I keep saying I would like to fix it up but in the mean time have fixed up the 54.

I know in my heart I'd like to trade him out for the tranny build but hate to since the truck has sentimental value to it.

Oh and throw this in. I work for a lady whose husbands great grandfather is the original owner of the 53 and he has expressed some interest in the truck.

These are the days of our trucks............

I would keep it, if you dont you will wish later that you had it back, I would bet money on it,,best of luck,,,,Fred

i agree with joker their is always another way to get the work done with out giving up your truck. once gone its gone...mike j

You have to ask yourself, it's been sitting for 6 or 7 years, are you really going to fix it up? Another thought, put it up for sale and see if you can pull more than $500. I already have many sentimental items, but all of them are of no real dollar value. Photographs, marbles, stamps, etc, etc. Whatever we say ultimately doesn't mean squat. Your still going to have to make that decision. Cecil.........

Pay the coin for the trans rebuild then sell the Satellite to finance the rebuild of your high school truck.
Easy for me to say but since you asked...
The trans guy may not know how easy it is to find an AD truck. Surely he could get another. But not for the cost of his own labor (free-as in no cash out of pocket) not likely. That deal really is "good as gold".
The picture is really small but I'm guessing that it's worth more than 300-500 dollars.

You lost the truck once when it was in the junkyard and you've been given a second chance.

Unless you really don't mind, then it's a good deal, you get a trans in trade for an old truck thats just sitting on your dad's land. Everyone's happy.
You already have one old AD - why do you need two?

I'm just rambling, trying to cover every side of the argument.
Best of luck with your final decision.

Thanks for the input. It's not about the money. I had planned on spending it. He knew about the truck and threw it at me. I told him on the phone I'd have to give it thought since I'd had the truck for so long. My plan was to go back as original as possible with it. In fact my dad said the man who had the salvage yard it ended up in had a 235 for me. I'm still thinking. I'll need to sleep on it for sure.

Tim

I also won't sell the satellite. I always wanted another "muscle car". I picked this one up for $450.00. It was a steal. I figure I won't come across another deal like that for sure. It has a 383 that runs good. Edelbrock intake with a 650 edelbrock carb. Straight and rust free. You just don't find them around here that rust free. Plus I have a road runner hood for it. Bill, you hit the nail right on the head. I have original letters from the dealer on this truck. By the way it has no motor or trans.

No motor or transmission! Uh....ask your dad if he'd like the truck out of his yard. Cecil......

Man, Keep 'em both and any other deals like that!

what if you said thet you will do the trade, but only if he ever sells it again to give you first dibs.

I have mulled it over and come up with this scenario.

I can't trade it. If it went anywhere my co workers husband gets first dibs.

I'm going to offer the 65 el camino to him or my dad has 2 57 cadillacs a four door and a 2 door that I could give my dad money for and take off out of his back yard which would help him out in two ways.

I've really fretted over this situation. My wife says trade it but every truck person I've talked to says don't do it. Well almost all of them.

I'm going to talk to him today.

Let me know if you or your father are interested in letting the caddys go.

shawn

If you sell it you will regret it later. However, you should give the original owner first dibs if you decide to sell it. It will mean more to him.

I agree with Lightnin 100%!

You'll never regret keeping it but you will regret losing it.

I talked to the guys yesterday and he's holding out for an AD. He had one once. Thanks for the advice.

I did come up with this option too. I have extra door, seat frame, hood, fenders, grill, and a few extra parts. If I could find a cab only I might be in luck. He could put the whole set up on an s-10 or other frame and be good to go. Plus I'd be cleaning out some extra parts I don't need. Win win. I also know where I can get a 54 panel truck real cheap too. It's rough though.

Tim

[img]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/orange54/TrucksApril05016.jpg[/img]

Thank you all. I took this picture today and looked over my 53. It's in better shape than I remember. It's been a while since I really looked at it. Cab corners are solid and I have almost every part to put it back to an original "clone" with a 235.

Thanks again.

Tim,

I think you made a good call in not trading your truck. The truck I am fixing up right now is my old high school daily driver. I parked it at *My Dad's* place back in 1979 because I didn't have enough money at the time to fix it either. I have often thought of selling or trading it over the years as I many times thought, "I never seem to have enough money to fix it", but I didn’t and so it sat for 24 years.

Well, because my loving wife listened to my telling her about my dream over and over the past few years, and being the supportive wife she is, I am finally doing what I always figured I would since I was 15 years old - fixing up that old truck. I am so glad I didn't sell it during one of the many silly whims I have had over the years. I just hope My dad is still healthy enough for the two of us to take a spin in it when I get it back on the road!

Just a thought of someone who was in similar spot 25 years ago . . .

Yea.. i don't know what trucks sell for in your part of the country, but something like that with a title would sell for more than 300 to 500 bucks on eBay without a problem.

But on the same token, it sounds like the guy has been good to you in the past.. but that truck has sentimental value, and thats hard to put a number on.. if at all.

I'm not generally a fan of the AD style trucks, but that one sure is purdy.. maybe i'm just a sucker for old iron in need of some TLC.

Yep. I remember seeing that the first time. The man that had it put a for sale sign in it. He lived caddy corner to my grandparents. I went to ask about it. I was 15 as I remember. He said nope just sold it to the guy that runs wal mart. I was pretty broken up. He had wanted $800.00 at the time and it had 53,000 original miles. One owner.

About a month later I was at home and I heard this honk honk honk. It was my dad. He had followed up with mr. wal mart and guess what. He had tried to jump start it with a 12 volt car and fried the voltage regulator.

My dad had bought it for me/himself. More for me I'd have to say.

I hadn't thought of this story or a lot about the truck because of plenty of other things going on. I'm going to get her going again. I've learned a lot from the bolt and from working on the 54 to know what I can do quickly, economically, and correctly.

Thanks again.