The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Is a COE 'to die for'?

Are COEs a rarity in the stovebolt world? A must-have, something to die for? Or are they in the 'whatever floats your boat' category?

Here the scoop. Definitely time-sensitive. I've just discovered an upcoming farm auction nearby, in just 3 days, that has two 5700 COEs and a 1949 6100 grain truck on the sale bill. It's not widely advertized and, if someone doesn't rescue these trucks, they'll likely be shredder fodder.

I don't know much about them right now, but I'm going out this afternoon to try and get some pics, block casting numbers, condition reports, etc.

So, are there often people out there looking for a COE (here, or on Craigslist or eBay)? I've checked the Trucks for Sale forum, but posts there are mostly out of date. Am I likely to loose my shirt, or be stuck with them indefinitely, if I pick them up for a song (around scrap metal prices)?

Opinions appreciated, even if you don't have the slightest interest in a COE.

Thanks, Mark

You may want to post this in the "Big Bolt" forum.

Hope to see the pics... COE trucks are cool !!

If they are reasonable condition & you can buy them right, then by all means jump on them.

You have to remember for many collectors space is the issue with the big trucks. They are more difficult than a 3100 or 3600 to restore or garage.

I have 3 big 50's GMC's and 4 50's pickups. But there is a reason. I have been in the trucking business 44 years and have always been fascinated by trucks. However, I have recently passed on buying some trucks I would really liked but when I'm not making money, I don't feel like spending money on toys. Not that many people care for big trucks, they are really not for cruising and as was said before, big trucks take big storage. Transportation is another thing. 5 years ago I bought a big truck in Sioux Falls SD. I took a load to Lincoln NE and went from there to SD and picked up my latest toy. But that was with $1.00 Diesel fuel. Also the high prices you hear for scrap is pieces small enough to fit in a container to ship to China. Old vehicles don't bring all that much across the scales. On the other hand, I love to see surviving trucks rescued. If you have place to put them, and it does not squeeze your finances, I hope you save them. But make sure that you don't get in a must sell situation. They are not that easy to sell

There is also the possibility of parting them out if you cant resell them as whole units. If they're in reasonably good shape there are a lot of possibilities. You'll get more out of them than scrap weight and quite possibly more than a whole sale. All depends on what ya got, and what you're willing to go through in dealing with them.

In my opinion, they are to die for. Well maybe not die for but I am partial to them and think as all these old trucks, they should be saved. For one reason, there just doesn't seem to be as many of them. I watch all the coe's on ebay and they seem to do pretty well. And because of that, I have seen more and more of them that look like they are yanked out of the woods and put up for sale. In many cases they are pretty rough with high price tags attached to them. As you can see my truck is a little earlier than the one you are looking at (I am also partial to the art decos) I restored mine mostly original and a lot of people really seem to appreciate that. Many of them are truned into car haulers and hot rods. There is nothing wrong with that, its whatever you are into. Its a whole lot better than ending up in the crusher. I restored my truck in a garage that had a residential size door hieght. I think the bay was around 22 feet deep. It was tight but workable.
Hope you can get some pictures of the trucks for us.
Good luck.

Does the auctioneer have a web site with pictures?
It's too far to go for me on such short notice, but if it was in my neck of the woods,
I'd give about 25% over scrap value just to save it from a scrapper.

I think you should go to the auction and I bet you will be surprised at what it will bring.

2-Ton

I think if you buy them as an investment you are likely to be disppointed unless they are in exceptional condition and you manage to steal them.

I own two COE's, a 6400, a 4400 and both a GMC 350 and a 450. Big trucks are great and six may not be enough, but I would never buy one thinking I'd make money on it. Either they are a personal passion and worth owning on that basis or likely a waste of money.

If what you care about is saving them, then buy them, knowing you may loose a little money while finding them a home with someone who wants them.

Well said Steve.

If they are in good shape, and you like them, then buy them but don't pay any more than you are comfortable with.

Likely you won't make any or much money reselling them, not to mention all the time and effort involved.
With the high price of scrap some interesting trucks are worth more as scrap than they are as usable trucks, that's sad.

Around here COE trucks that old are not real common, but I would not consider them rare. They don't sell for any more than a conventional truck in the same shape. Again, just my observations for this area.

If you want to save them from the crusher, that's a good thing. I saved a GMC V12 engine, had some fun doing it, sold it for just less than I had in it, and it likely will run again one day.

Grigg

COE's are definitely worth buying. Not even close to being as many of them around, as the conventional cab trucks. Unfortunately, they usually sell better as cab, & front sheetmetal. I've seen cabs, & front sheetmetal bring as much as 2, & 3K, on ebay. The streetrod crowd, grabs them, without hesitation. I've been collecting them for over 20 years. I've owned close to 30 of them.

what do you think a good price for a complete COE is? i think it's a '51-'53 2 ton it is one i have been thinking about going to see if it's for sale it looks like it has a really good body and i think it runs.

Beautys in the eye of the beholder, and that usually lends itself to the checkbook to.

One guy told me how he likes them for how ugly they look, while I love them for how neat and distinctive they are. You certainly learn some new cuss words working on them!

What can be said that hasnt already?

They stand in a league of their own. If it came to it and it was my decision I think I would try and purchase them to save them from the scrap heaps. They certainly wont be building anymore anytime soon.

The big trucks deserve a heck of a lot more respect then they are given. For the amount of abuse theyve suffered over the years and the fact they are still around or being used is a testament to how well built they were.

Just my opinion.

Jeff

are you talking about the red one up the road from you? if you are its a real decent truck.

yes it's up the road from me in front of a building/garage. what do you think it's worth?

I would say their quite cool, almost every where you go in one. You will be the only one, I use mine around town all the time. So far have never seen another in the parking lot, people often wave and or honk at ya. People always have questions, their fun and unique.
Some what a hassle to work on and from what I have seen, if their not done and need work. Most dont want to pay nothing for em and the guys selling want alot for em. Their slow and ride rough and with gas doing what its doing - oh boy, But I have had mine a couple years now and its grown on me, I like it - its got charracter :-) Good luck, Tom. P.S. your friends will think your nuts, atleast mine do !

Funny how the opinions go, isn't it? I paid $4500 for mine, and it didn't run (no driveshaft & nothing hooked up.) I just fell for the look of the stupid thing! I like 'em, and they ARE definitely different. Everyone who sees mine (it's still under construction) invariably says, "that thing is gonna be awesome!" Even my wife likes the look of it. Go figure.

As always, it's what you think it's worth. They're expensive to buy parts for, as everything is rare or has to be modified from a pickup part, but it will be a great feeling when people do that 'double-take' on the street!

Plus, there is always Spanky to ask questions of!

~Bruce

Wenatchee,WA - arid climate

I paid about $1,500 one year ago for a 54/55 running GMC 350 (2ton) COE with a long flatbed. Almost no surface rust and only a small dent in one fender and a dented-in roof (from apple crates falling down about 4-feet onto the roof).

If the COE you are looking-at has most of its parts, and it runs, and it lived its whole life in in the "high desert climate" of Wenatchee, it would have been worth about $3,000 delivered to me on the east coast (that is about my cost). Since then I have spent about $1,200 on the brake system, u-joints, and new bearings on all wheels/axles (a prudent precaution).

If you have the money and you want the COE, go for it. It brings a smile to anyone who sits up there, on top of the world.

Tim

Yes sir! I cant wait to take my wife for a trip once things settle down and I adjust our deadly sewing machine so I can finish the upholstery. She has a thing about not sitting on mouse nests, who knew?

Ahh.. You gotta love that mouse nest interior.
My whole cab was redone with mouse nest, and i also have mouse nest sound deadner in the doors for extra insulation, along with mousenest air freshener!

No guys, I think possum nest interior is the way to go, and get the grease air freshener. Seriously though, I like the look of the COE's, but if they need a lot of work under the hood, which is already crowded under the bigger hood of a conventional truck, I don't know if it would be worth it, unless you want to take the hood off every time you work on it. If they are reasonably sound, then I would go for it.

Good news, jdl,

There is almost no need to go under the hood of a COE, except to change the oil filter and to check the water level. You cannot see the engine, because it is under the cab, not under the hood.

However, the joys of getting to the engine by working through an inner-fender opening (which have removable covers), or by working through the floorboard (which has a 3-piece, side-to-side cover) is an experience that is hard to describe. You have to be a contortionist, and you often have to visualize in your mind what you think your hands are working on (because there is not enough space to have you hands and head in the same location).

Tim

Well, I was right, wasn't I, in a way?

I've gone through my '51 completely: cab off, frame detailed, new brake & fuel lines, good-running diesel engine, new almost- everything inside & out. I just added it up. I have about another $4500 in parts, including paint, fabrication, dress-up goodies etc. Not to mention the hundreds of hours of my time.

This is all in hopes that I won't HAVE to go "under the hood" too often, since I can't afford to pay somebody to do it, now!

~Bruce
COE: It's a hobby where the meek and the overly-intelligent fear to go!