The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk What did you fork over for your 'bolt?

Bought my 1968 for $1500.00, which was a steal because it is a 396 V-8 truck with tach dash, A/C, cruise control, and wood bed, and CST package. I did a ground up resto on it myself, and am into it for a little over $10,000.00. I'm looking for a 47-53 5-window, but there is nothing up here to buy. One of these days I'll find what I'm looking for.

In 2002 found my first bolt in the local ads, 53 3100 asking $1000.00. I took a look at the "basket" case and offered $500.00 which seller jumped at! Shoulda went lower. After I getting it home on a car dolly which isn't legal for about 75 miles. Determined it had 54 fenders and (2) 54 grilles. So in my quest for doner/parts I checked out another ad for a 51 Suburban $700.00. I told the seller I would get back to him. I spent about a week researching the burbs, didn't know about this site, I figured I couldn't get hurt. I let a week go by before I called the guy to see if he still had it. Lucky for me he hadn't sold it yet and even agreed to haul it about 25 miles to my place. The burb has taken a back seat to my 53, but I have replaced all the glass, repaired the floor, painted the inside, new brakes. Still has the 216, split manifold, a newer Saginaw 4spd and 3.42 Camaro posi, rally's, and new upholstery on the front seats. Now that my 53 is on the road the Burb will get my full attention.

I struggled to find my truck for 3 yrs , spent heaps doing road trips looking at junk, and there was plenty of it , darn near bought a dodge out of shear frustration...

Eventually found it just a couple of kms away , and it had been there for 20yrs!!

I was very happy to pay $NZ 7500.00 in 1997.

Last yr my friend sold his nice '46 for $NZ 23,500. So I am very pleased for him too.

http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/miller_dusty.htm

$1500 for my 51 1/2 ton. It came with a 235,4 speed and 12v conversion from PO. Not in rough shape since it sat for 10 years under a carport protecting it from 100+ degree Texas weather.

Currently working on an HEI conversion,carburetor rebuild and an alternator upgrade.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm128/lt1bubble/WhiteWalkmanPix051.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm128/lt1bubble/WhiteWalkmanPix052.jpg

Looks to me like you got a great deal.

1955-1st 3600 - basket case - $250 - 1989-92
1950 3600 - decent old truck, 307 V8 conversion - $900 - 1999-01
1950 3600 - basket case - $450 - 2003-current

I'm not adding up all I spent on parts and service.

I had always wanted an AD suburban. Put a wanted ad in Hemmings and found one in Montana. He wanted $4000. I got it for $3800. I bought it sight unseen after a lot of phone calls back and forth. Set out from southern Wisconsin for Kalispell MT in a borrowed 99 Suburban pulling a borrowed trailer and brought it home. It turned out to be a driver and I drove it for 1500 miles before I took it completely apart for a frame off. Not done yet but getting close. Its a 49 and now has a 283/TH350,84 GMC IFS front and rear suspension, discs, PS, PB and a new rear wood floor. All new bodywork and paint and brakes and glass etc,etc. I have saved every receipt and to avoid having the big one I won't add them up until its finished. Can't wait to drive it out route 66. Weeds

$2,800 for the 55 2nd Task Force
$400 for the 53 3100

$150.00 plus my then girlfriend's sewing machine in 1977 for my '50 5 window 1/2 ton. But in '77 a lot of folks were still driving these trucks as daily drivers.

I’ve only got a few things to add to this topic and it’s directed to the newcomer or someone that is out shopping for a fifty or sixty year old truck. So after reading all the previous replies your not sure now about what you should pay for that gem that you looked at last weekend? The fact that some people find trucks for a few hundred bucks or that they are just given the trucks is a very rare exception to the rule indeed. Today nearly everyone is connected in some way to the Internet either directly or through a friend or family member and they generally have a pretty good idea of what one is going for in their area.

In most cases condition and completeness is the governing factor plus what your ultimate goal is for the truck. Sure if you have to replace the majority of the panels in the cab and bed and the frame and wheels are rusted out and the engine is froze up, and you drain water out of the transmission and rear end instead of hypoid grease and mice and other critters have made a home in the upholstery for the last few decades and the windows won’t roll down and are all frosted up around the edges or are cracked or broken out altogether, then, you might get it for a few hundred bucks or get it as a gift.

But the reality is that your gonna shell out $1,500 to $2,000 for one that “needs a bunch of work” or is “a good parts truck”, $2,000 to $5,000 for one that is complete and running but “in need of restoration” and $5,000-$10,000 for a pretty decent one that just “needs some tender loving care”. Above that point your looking at some pretty nice trucks that you should only have to wash ‘n wax and check the oil.

My 1950, 3600 was 98% complete and original with 56k miles on it. Needed a bunch of dents and dings taken out and is still in need of paint but there was literally no rust. It was drivable but not really safe to have on the road because of the brakes and steering. The interior was clean it didn’t smell it was original but had 56 years of wear and tear on it and was badly worn.

A couple of years later, it has had a complete rebuild of all the running gear and brakes, new wheels and tires, new interior i.e., seat cover, floor mat, door panels and headliner, glove box, add radio, fuel and temp gauge repairs, light switch rebuild, rebuild window mechanisms, valve job, carburetor rebuild, rebuild all electrical and ignition components, repair frame wiring to rear, and a hundred other little things.

Now though, I have a fairly clean reliable truck that starts at all times at all temperatures, stops on a dime and handles like a new (1950) truck and one that I can drive anywhere I want (as long as the weather is decent), no driving in the rain or snow, to much clean up.

So what did fork over for my bolt? Bout $3200 two years ago which was a bargain for our area considering it’s original condition and I hate to think of how much I’ve invested over that to this day to make her a reliable and fun truck to take out for a drive. I feel I’m about half way to my goal, body work next and freshen up the short block and I’ll be ready for that cross- country trip.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

i have already posted pertinent information on what i paid for my 54-3100. i did not say what i put in it but if you buy a new car and expect to get out of it what you put in it i have some land in Florida near water to sell cheap. my best friend is always telling me that i could have bought a new truck for what i put in this one. only thing i can tell her i didn't want a new one i just wanted a reliable old one and i think i have that. i bought a new pt cruiser a 2003 model in oct of 2002 and paid 24,000.00 for it and now on the used car lots they are going for less than 8,000.00. if you play golf or another expensive hobby you don't expect to get anything more than enjoyment from that. so enjoy. end of sermon.

About 18 years ago we paid about 3k for the '41. The receipts obtained from the previous owner indicated that he had almost that much in it. In the last two years or so that figure has multiplied many times over and the truck is still not to the point where I would feel as comfortable as Denny does with his.

I've been intentionally avoiding updating the current cost of The Project but just to give an idea here's the spreadsheet breakout as of July 2007.

Interestingly, last night a friend was showing me photos of a red and black '41, in pristine condition, that went for 28K at Barrett Jackson Arizona this year; That's just a bit shy of what I do, or will have in parts upon completion. Of course if I would have went that route I wouldn't have had as much fun, learned all about my truck, and interacted with all of the fine folks here on the 'Bolt.

One of these days...

wish i knew how do a spread sheet. very neat i have my receipts in a large book in no particular order. good work.

Thanks--actually you are better off keeping the receipts in a shoe box as it gets sort-of scary to see the totals. I've got plenty more to enter, just haven't been able to bring myself to do it after the big wedding, economic downturn, etc.

What I really need to do is get my head wrapped around getting my 'Bolt back on the road, and to that end I've been burning through the "honey-do" list at a record pace so that I can loaf-off in the garage.

i had to slow down to. i am retired but worked parttime at home depot if you can call 35 hrs a week part time but i took as many hrs that they gave me to finish the truck, but it closed and the new job all i am getting is 5-10 hrs and 3 dollars and less an hr..

I've never really liked saying what I paid for things, but I've found a way to say it that I enjoy.

My wife drives a Subaru Outback that we bought slightly used for a little more than $20,000 about six years ago.

We traded my then current primary driver on that car so I got to go find another car. That lead to my '55 1st GMC Suburban.

Now I have that Suburban, a Corvette, a K2500 and a bunch of AD trucks including two COE's, two GMC 1-tons and a '54 3100. And I've paid less total for the whole bunch of them than we paid for that Subaru.

That one fact goes a long way when I want to spend money on another one!

Fortunately I've not been required to account for what I've spent on tools, parts and building a shop to play with them in.

Mine cost me a Bottle of Whiskey....drank half of it with the previous owner....see pics in the Gallery

My son paid about $7000 for his 47 but it ran, had a lot of new parts, new wiring harness, converted to 12 volt. Before he bought we looked at a LOT of trucks in the 2000 to 3500 range which needed a LOT of work and $$ before they would be roadworthy. We looked at some trucks in the $10000 range which were not that much better than what we got.There is still a lot to do but it is so much fun driving it and doing the things that make it better while my son is at school.I supposed you pay for what you want and how much $ and time you want to put into a project.

I will have about 10M hours tied up in the three, not to mention several hundred thousand $. It's a love/hate relationship thing.
Do you think that I might qualify for a "Buy out" or financial aid?
Because if I go under, there a bunnnnnch of bidnessses goin down too!
dg

got both my 63 and 64 for free, but have about $3000 in each one.

The lady who owned my 1949 GMC panel worked for me for 15 years. The truck was her fathers and had been sitting in the garage since they parked it there in 1964. SHe's known for years that I wanted the truck and one day this summer she called me and told me to pick it up. When I asked her how much she wanted for it she said: "Thank you for being such a great boss".

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ lots and lots $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


Cliff59

Bought my 49 Chevy 12 years ago for the whopping price of $5000. Sounds like a lot but take a look at the photo in the Gallery. That is how I bought it, driving, well maintained and anything I've done to it since was things I've wanted to do, not things that were needed. Since been offered twice that but of course it ain't gonna happen.

Funny thing this topic.

My wife found the truck on a dirt lot and I was lamenting our Chevelle project. She urged me to call the guy and we bought it not knowing a thing about Stovebolts. In reality I needed a project, she knew that; I didn't. I drove it home, well sort of. It died in the driveway and it took my son and I one week to get it running. I now have two times the purchase price in it and now it's a part of our family. My oldest daughter said if I ever sell it she'll hate me for ever. Not many folks say the number. I have all the documentation of all I have done to it including the purchase price. It's in a binder with all the receipts.

I paid $4800.00. There you go!

Lets see... I paid $400 for my '49 2-ton 5-window . Bought it from the family of the original owner in 2002 and drove it 70 miles home. It was all original and had spent it's whole life hauling wheat from the fields..... So it came complete with dump and grain sides....

I bought "Boomer" in the summer of 2006 for $1000. See the complete story here; http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/hazelmyer_michael_1948.html By my figuring and considering it came with a 22,000lb Tulsa winch, I figure I bought the winch and got the truck for free.

In '84 I bought the '70 3/4 ton (4x2 turned 4x4) for $350.
Around '85? we got the '72 C-50 for $3200
The '66 I paid $50.
Ted

I payed $50

Got my 67 from my dad when I turned 16 Didn't get the title till I graduated high school,I beat the holy heck out of it "couple rear ends,a couple trannys,And a few motors"

I traded my big block 72 for my 60 which I had about 2500 into

My dodge I paid 1700$ for and have about 8500 into it now and it still don't look very good but it runs real good

$70 for a 1/2 ton 1948 3105 Panel Truck; and,
$200 for a 1954 3106 Suburban Carryall.

I payed 5,000 for mine ...with the NEW smallblock/tranny installed and the narrowed caddy suspension already done and lottsa other stuff ..I felt it was a good price.
Tim

we traded a 331 hemi for it. I hope to get to work on it in the next few years. I have way to many projects

$1250.00 with 53,000 miles on it.

$50.00 more than my grandfather paid for it when he bought it new in 1950.

my daily driver.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2466929060099732965TdaLbA

Thanks for all the replies. I really enjoyed reading them.

unfortunately i am still forking.

I feel it is to depressing to keep track of what money I have in my trucks. I got my 49' 4400 for $500. It runs and drives just needs alittle work.

I paid to much for my 1970 GMC 3/4 ton. $1900!!!! But with the history it has in our little valley here. It has been manly three families farming this valley with us and I bought it from my 90 year old nieghbor at his farm sale. It has a great history of putting arround this valley and it still does. I drive it like he used to part of the time 20mph.. .....and I am only 21!!!!! Great fun these old bolts are. Sometimes they are a headache but fun!!!!

$1.00

that was the easy part

Well I dont know what one your talkin about, I have 60 titles!
Yes thats write 60 & about 5 to 8 more that arnt titled.
Its quite a thing, trucks & trucks & more trucks & some cars.
1/2 ton to semies to grain trucks.

A way too much,but I made the best out of a bad deal.

$800.00 for starters $5800.00 to date less all my labor but it was well worth every cent. Had it appraised at $14000.00.

Still Figuring the total up.