The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Panel find....1954

My friend called me on Sunday while he was walking from a field where he went to look at a cab for one of his 68 chevys.

He says: How much would you pay for a 54 panel?

I said: What kind of shape is it in?

Him: Pretty good but it needs a hood and doesn't have a motor. The interior's all there and the body is in pretty good shape. No wheels it's in a field.

I said: I don't know how about $300.00?

He called me later and said the guy would take $200.00 and he wanted $50.00 for the cab my buddy was after. I told him I'd take it and buy his cab for a finders fee.

Sight unseen. Scary. I'll keep you posted.

Is it the treasure you hoped for? Let us know.

I went to look. There is a front seat, no hood decent front fenders, big dent in the top, partial grill, good rear driver door, chopped up back door, good rear fenders (small amounts of rust where they meet the rest of panel truck), several bullet holes. It looks like a parts truck. Doors are there too. No motor, tranny, or wheels. The owner said that with the price of metal it will probably go the crusher. I think I can buy the whole thing for $100.00 but I don't want it. I will have pictures soon. I figure for the money I can load it on the trailer and part it out.

Bessie if you got the time and the place to store and work on it, go for it. There are several parts that are unique to the Suburban/Panel. Does it have a good title? 54/55 panels are a little more scarce than the 48/53's but the parts are the same beyond the windshield and dash. ....g

Wow I must have got a real good deal on my 57. I got it out of someones backyard about 30 minutes from my house. It is all there (except the original seats) with rusted bumbers, some rust on the floor boards and doors, some bondo and rust on the fenders, but for the most part the main body and hood are really striaght with some rust down low. I believe orginal straight 6 engine and 3 speed transmission. I even got away without the bullet holes. I can't wait to get it looking good. Figured for a couple hundred bucks it is worth sitting on it. Will post pictures tonight if I can figure out how to do it...

Just bought a 1954 through Ebay. Paid $525 for it.

It is all apart, lots of rust, has all glass and
the original engine. Don't know if it is a 3 speed
or a 4 speed. It is a 1/2 ton based on lack of
extended hubs on the front. Three out of four
tires hold air, that's a positive start!

Paying $1500 to have it transported from Maryland
to California. I will be doing a full frame off
restoration. I love those old panel trucks.

So, who has good sources for panel specific parts?

Have a 1956 3/4 ton Napco truck. Wanna swap stories
on how hard it is to find parts for a panel versus
an original four wheel drive Napco?

The '54 will be here in the next 30 to 45 days.
Have a 55 panel coming out of Texas, hopefully.

Any parts sources for panels will be appreciated,
very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Billyray

Why are you buying one in MD and shipping to CA? I would think you could find one in better condition here and save on all the shipping?

Old panel trucks are hard to find?

There is an inherent problem. Any antique vehicle
in fair to perfect condition sports a price tag
of expensive to refinance your home, respectively.

Should I buy a '54 panel here in California of
better condition, I will actually pay more than
purchase and the cost of hiring a transporter,
for this '54 in Maryland.

I might find one here in the west of equally
bad condtion and save perhaps $500 to $700 on
transportation, but this is rare, if ever.

There is a social factor. Back east, people do
not value cars as here in the west. Back there,
they wisely commute; trains, buses, the L. Here
we are car crazy because of so little public
transportation, although changing.

Cars inherently are higher priced here because
of demand. Know who wants panels the most?
Surfers! Cheaper to buy mid-west to east and
transport to here.

Love those panels!

Billyray

I have the pictures on a roll of film to be developed. Holidays have kept me busy at work and home. It is a little rough for my taste but the back fenders looked pretty straight albeit there is some rust where the meet the body. I will post asap. Merry Christmas.

That sounds good in theory until you start fixing rusted metal. In the long run you will pay twice as much. I hope it works out, keep us posted.