The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk How much is it worth

I am going to look at a truck tonight. It's a 1953 3 window 3100. It has the orginal engine and 6 volt electric. It is missing half the winshield and passenger side window. It has no grill and no bumpers. He said he had it painted white inside an out a couple years ago and ran out of money to complete the restoration. He said there are a couple small patches of bondo and that the body is very straight rust free. Says pull started it and drove it around the block last year. I know it's hard to put a ball park on something you haven't seen but if everything I said rings true and there is nothing else major would $3,000.00 seem unreasonable?

$1500 bucks top...that is if it is running...


the question is..........how much do you think it is worth??? it is worth what ever you are willing to pay..

I'd think in New Mexico those things would be a lot more common than they are in the 'rust belt' states.

Around my neck of the woods, I wouldn't give much more than $150.. since i've bought 'em complete and running with no bondo in 'em for less than $500.

Cant put a value on it, site unseen. It is worth whatever YOU feel it is worth. Not necessarily the owner. I bought mine for $1000 (1953) here in CA, running, nearly all original minus the 235 put in it. At the same time, it isnt something highly wanted. As mine is a 1ton. If it were a 3100 or even a 3600, here it would fetch 3K easily. I searched before I commited to buy mine. And found that even tho mine isnt a well collected rig, it was still a good buy regardless. Go, look, take pics, compair and search. Thats your best bet. If your finding that in the area and surrounding states those trucks are fetching simular prices in simular condition (less or more) make the offer accordingly. Either the guy will sell it, or think it is a goldmine and feel it is still worth that! Good luck! I am enjoying the heck out of mine!

Here's a '53 5 window that aside from the funky paint job is running and original. here

Now the best they could get for a bid is $5600.. and that's for a truck you could drive off in.

With no grill, no bumpers.. the thing would have to be in really cherry condition to fetch $3,000 unless you had the vehicle in a high demand part of the country.

I'm with joker on this one.....1500 but lots of good advice given by others. Around here it is a little different. If you want a 500 or 1000 truck the junk yard man will tell you to pick one out and he will drag it up and load it for you.

3000.00 is way out of line, i'd say 1000.00-1500.00 tops. and Fumblin46 that truck you put up I don't think is worth the 5600.00 they got offered, around me you can generaly pic up a "running" truck for 1000.00 or so

I think it depends on where you are and what you really want for a truck. I searched for a while and finally got the one i was looking for, for 500 and I had to load it myself! around here they are a little harder to come by. It was worth 500 to me, maybe not to most people, but i actually had two people offer me 1200 for it as it sat after I brought it home (I said no of course). have a look for yourself
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/558976599EVaWGw

then decide how much the truck is worth to you and also take into consideration how much its going to cost you to do what you want to it.

have fun!!

Barry Weeks has a good answer to this in the FAQs. Go to the menu bar at the top of the page, click on "Tech Tips" then go to the FAQs.

Just a friendly reminder that there is more to Stovebolt.com than the forums...


John

There can be no question that your geographical location has a heavy influence on price.

In areas where such trucks are generally rotted away from heavy road salt use or weather conditions, demand will far outweigh the supply, which drives the price higher.

In rural areas, or in 'high country' where limited road salt usage and favorable weather conditions keep the old trucks in pretty good shape, the supply generally outweighs the demand, and as a result, the prices are lower.

That's why I like using eBay as a general guideline for what something is actually 'worth'.. since it will show what similar vehicles have sold for nationwide in the last 30 days.

Now that's not to say if you lived in a high demand area with low supply, you couldn't hang a 'for sale' sign in the window and eventually sell it for more.. but instead should be used as a general guideline.

And remember.. there is a usually a HUGE difference between 'book' value, the sellers asking price, and what people are actually paying.

I mean, I could list a truck for sale in one of the Auto Trader mags and ask $30G's.. somebody else sees my ad and they think, "Hey! I outta sell my truck for $30G's, too!"

Next thing you know there are a dozen screwballs with similar trucks asking $30G's.. but none of 'em will fetch that kind of money.

'Book' value for the Suburban I just sold in 'good' condition as a 'private party' sale was something like $3800.. and that didn't take into account a recently replaced tranny, new windshield, and four new tires.. but I was lucky to get $2,000 for it.

Demand for many things is seasonal.. and depends on many factors.

There's paint and then there's paint. If someone used a roller and latex house paint then that't one type of "restoration" but if it has a real top dog paint job on it them it could be worth a little more than what the guys are saying above. I paid 3k for a '57 dump that was running well enough to drive from Colorado to California. Paint was bad but body not bad. Good 350 engine. Brakes not so great but very good tires. It should have some redeming qualities for 3k...

This should be a big lesson to you. You never ask that question out loud about something you really want and never tell what you paid for it. The senior short memory myth works well for me here!

I didn't know you wanted one, I said no to a '52 GMC dual with tilting deck (hydraulics) as I thought it would be too much work and it was for free picture Not much for paint though But a real IRWIPI honest

Well there's some truth to that, provided the buyer digs the color.

For example, you could spend 10G's on a fancy purple metal flake paintjob.. but what you paid for the paintjob isn't going to mean jack squat to a person who just absolutely hates that color.

He's just going to grind it off and repaint it.. so the paintjob doesn't add any value in their eyes.

I mean, let's say the buyer doesn't like the rims, or the fulton sunvisor.. that's stuff he can take off and sell.. so even if the potential buyer doesn't care for those things, they can still see the potential value.

Kind of difficult to take a paint job off and sell it.

Finally, the paintjob is one of the #1 places people loose money. Even if the potential customer absolutely loves that $7,000 paintjob.. it won't add $7,000 worth of value to the truck in their eyes.