The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun fair price for unrest. 1ton AD flatbed single whl

I know this question probably gets old for those of you who 'specialize' in the 1-ton trucks, but I'm a noob so I gotta ask anyways. What do you think is a fair price for a running, driving 1-ton flat bed with single rear wheels and the original 216 and SM420? I'm considering driving out to look at a truck that fits this description (the seller's description, not mine). The rancher selling the truck doesn't have photos or the patience or internet savvy to acquire them, otherwise I'd show them to you all. The truck is a '52, it's mechanically totally sound the the original 216 that starts up every time and runs like a top, totally driveable condition with original 4speed tranny, new wheels, tires, brakes, and 12-volt conversion. It's a ranch truck, so the running boards are rough ("a 7 out of 10"). The fenders, doors, and hood are all 9/10. The cab is solid except it has dime-sized rust holes in the back corners. The flat bed is totally scabbed together, built on the ranch and the welds are crap - sounds like the bed is ugly but functional. So the question: considering these characteristics, what's a ballpark fair price for this vehicle?

maybe he will trade for your subaru since it does not have a good bed I would see it $1500-$3000. but its what your willing to pay.

hey, i'd be driving a chevy instead of a subaru if you'd ever give me the darn motor you owe me...

okay, so we have one vote for $1500-3000. sounds reasonable. anyone else?

.....I can go along with whats said. But, be careful. I never like to put a price on another mans stuff. Just know what your willing to pay and haggle for the best price below that. If he is not willing to take what YOU are willing to pay no use in wasting your time. Maybe at that time consider making him and offer and tell him to call if he changes his mind....
Let us know how it goes.

Well said.
I'll add that it's hard to guess a value on a truck without seeing it.....

Grigg

Hi Achipmunk and Grigg,
I know it's a tough question, to price another guy's truck, and to do so without seeing it. But if you're willing to go out on a limb, just take a stab at a value or a range of values - it will help this inexperienced 'bolter out a lot. Or not, I know it's a tall order.
Cheers,
Nick

Also, I promise you the seller isn't a 'bolter!!

Sorry, but I can't guess for you.
What you can do, and what I'd do if I was looking to buy a truck, is search here, ebay, craigslist, and hemmings for similiar trucks... get an idea what they are asking and what they sold for.
Then you'll have some ideas but still fall back on what's comfortable for you.

I know it'd be nice if we could simply answer your question, but I don't think we can. I know you can do some research and have a better answer and understanding though.
Who knows, you might even find a better truck at a better deal!

Grigg

nrdesieyes -

Last summer I was asking myself the SAME question - and I did the research, and looked around, and priced. The seller of my truck was asking $5000 - the truck is in great shape - the 216 needs to be replaced or rebuilt, and generally all the other stuff that goes with a 60 year old toy.

But $5000 seemed so rich compared to what I was seeing online. HOWEVER, I had NOTHING local to compare too! All the trucks were in other provinces (out of state) or south of the boarder!

In the end I almost lost out on buying it because we would go as low as I was offering ($4000). I walked away from the deal, and lost sleep for 2 days! My wife got sick of me stirring and suggested I go pick it up! (awesome wife eh?)

In the end I got it for $4500, with all the Chevy manuals, shop catalog and even a 1/24 scale model of the same truck! I wanted to pay less, but I have no regrets, I didn't have to trailer it hundreds of miles, in fact it was a 10 minute tow from to my place.

When I got it driving I drove it back to the previous owners, as he wanted to see it driving, but just couldn't afford the time or $ to do so. There was another person interested when I was buying it that was going to rat rod it, he was happy to see I was bringing it back to original.

All that to say, you'll pay what its worth to YOU! The way you describe your truck, sounds like it was in better shape than mine! When I start to think about new rubber alone I shudder!!!

Is there an asking price?

Consult Old Cars Price Guide. It will give you a wide range of values depending on condition. This can be of help to the novice.
It's a place to start.

Old Cars Price Guide:

1952 STAKE bed....Platform bed are both similiar.

#6 "basket case" $920, this said, pickups were little more.
#5 2760
#4 4600
#3 10,350
#2 16,100
#1 23,000

Be aware there are very few #1 vehicles regardless of what some folks may say. Most dolled up vehicles at cruise-ins ect or #3 vehicles.
From you description of the truck it sounds like a "3 1/2" to me.
A visual inspection would tell you more. Does it need tires? How is the interior?
Also decide how much money you think it would take to put it in the shape you will want it to be....add that to the buying price and see if your willing to put that much money in it or not.

Buy with your pocket book and not your heart. Let us know what you decide. Someone mentioned there are some good buys out there today so buy the most you can for your money.

Grigg: no worries, I understand your concerns about guessing at a value. I won't press.

Bigtonka: 1) that's a great story, and 2) your truck looks great.

wbrowne: I'll check Old Cars Price Guide about the 3800 AD trucks. Having recently bought one, I was diligent about finding out what 1/2-ton 5-window ADs go for around this part of the country and have a good idea of the range, but the 1-ton AD flatbeds, particularly the ones with single rear wheels, are simply to scarce here to actually find comparables, so I can't really do the same level of diligence... hence my question to the 1-ton crowd here. I'm quite confident that this one, if in fact it is as described, would be a good deal.... but I thought I'd ask the group what they'd consider a fair price so that I can confirm it's the good deal I think it is!! (I'll keep the asking price to myself for now, though.)

If anyone wants to add their 2 cents on what price would make you say "wow, you got a pretty good deal on that truck!" then I'm all ears.

Cheers,
Nick

Yeah, that's great information! Thanks a lot for that. My guess is that it's somewhere between a 4 and a 5 cosmetically, but is mechanically sound enough to hit the road tomorrow as a daily driver.

It does not need new tires; it has new wheels, brakes, and tires as of a few years ago. The interior: it needs the seat rebuilt and one of the windows replaced. Besides those bigger issues, it sounds like the interior is acceptable as a driver; I'm guessing it's a 6/10. All the guages work except gas which was not 12-v converted. My guess is that a bunch of rubber could use replacing but would be acceptable to me, but I'm not totally sure.

I just purchased a 1947 early model one ton stake bed with dump and paid $4500. The owner wanted $5000. I had been looking for months and really wanted a pickup but after seeing how dinky they are I moved up and I'm glad I did.

Thanks 46andonehalf, great to know!
Cheers,
Nick

I think above is great advice but real question is what is he asking? As always let him name price first. Some of these ranchers have had trucks forever, its 50+ years old, and think if they can get $1000 for it will think they robbed you. Good luck

Thanks 49bourbon,

I'm mostly asking folks' opinions about estimated value of the truck to make sure I don't pay more than I can get back out of it in the very possible occasion that my girlfriend tells me that two dilapidated trucks in the driveway is one too many and I have to sell one.

If his asking price was $3500 and I paid that, could I resell it for that? How about $2500? How about $1500? Just curious what you all think.

Cheers,
Nick

I would think you would be hard pressed to get above $2500 in my neck of the woods don't know about CA in the condition described. The bigger the truck the narrower the market sometimes because people don't have the space to store/work on them a 1-ton is a tight fit in the average garage.

Sounds like good advice, thanks Brad.

I bought a 55 1st series 1 ton flat bed with singles about 6 months ago in Fresno. I would say the whole truck is at least an 8 in condition but did not run. The owner told me it had been sitting for 5 years but ran before sitting. I paid 4,000, hauled it home, cleaned out the old gas and fired it up. It's pretty much a daily driver. If your like I was, you have looked around and know there is not much out there. I would have paid 5,000 for it.

Thanks Sly. Yes, I know these 1-ton singles are few and far between around here. This truck actually came from Wyoming. I'm still considering it.

By the way, can we see your truck? I'm sure we'd all love to see your truck if you have a few photos around.

Yeh. I'll try to figure out how to get them posted.
Thanks

well gents, here she is: 1952 1-ton that was brought to CA from the owner's family ranch in Wyoming. The family is still <100% sure they'll sell, but I'm quite hopeful at this point. The truck has the funkiest ranch bed i've ever seen, cobbed together with a lot of scrap metal and great for mending cattle fences but not much else - if I buy it, I'll remove and replace, as it's pretty cool as is but totally unusable for my purposes. It's got new (~7 yrs) wheels, tires, brakes, exhaust, and radiator, the original 1952 babbit 235 which still runs like a top (amazingly),
12v conversion with all gauges functional except for gas (sending unit still 6v),
needs one window and seat reupholstered, and has some rot in corners although the
floor is totally solid, and she even has original headliner and firewall liner intact! my girlfriend has given me the go-ahead to fill the driveway with one more old truck (this gal's a keeper, eh!) - she loves this one and has requested that I add a nice wood flatbed instead of a stepside bed - i'll be taking inspiration from Mr. Lang and his gorgeous 3800

...and I'll be keeping the door art as is, of course (photos have already been sent to czechman)

Wow, that's a great looking truck! You weren't kidding about the bed being cobbled together.

Re-upholstering the seat is an easy and cheap prospect. I did mine one weekend, and it sure made the cab look fancy. As for the weatherstrip and stuff, its all little things that you can pick away at, with each little project making a difference not just in looks, but also in comfort. Same thing with a felt mat, and the rubber floor mat, looks nice, and sure quiets down the transmission noise!

Speaking of comfort, looks like a fresh air heater in there too. Very nice on damp days, to clear the condensation from the windshield, and keep your feet warm.

Yes, the bed is something, isn't it! A true 'ranch bed' if I ever saw one. Sounds like a fellow stovebolter may take the bed and turn it into a welding trailer - a good use for it, I think.

I'm set to grabbing this truck at the end of the weekend - looking forward to it.

OK. I think I figured out the photobucket thing. These are pics I took before I bought the truck. Since I got it home I have put on new sides boards and have started sanding the inside of the cab.
http://s1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa468/Budsson2/
Dont know how to copy the link so you can just click on it.

Looks great, sly! very cool old truck. out of curiosity, how wide is the bed on your truck?

About 92". I think normal is around 75". I have a 75". Bed I would like to put on it but it's only long enough for a 3/4 ton. I like it better, also because it has the rounded front corners but is straight across the back end. I know most of these beds were not factory but I don't know what companies manufactured them. I'm looking for another like the shorter one so that I can lengthen it and then swap them. However, they are as hard to find as the trucks are.

Well, in the end I spent $1200 on my truck. I think I did well. Thanks to all for the input on pricing.

You did well but I am unable to see the photos. The link takes me to your chickem coop album.

Looks like you have a great project there. Looking forward to seeing what you do for a bed.

Strange, the link works for me. Trying again here.

The first link didn't work but I saw it through your sig link. Interesting bed system! I'd make a welding trailer out of it, too.

By the way, I have a bed SIMILAR to the one in Sly's album but not exactly the same. It is from a 54 3/4 ton though. I like the ribbing around the sides. I think mine has seperate corner pieces and all riveted together. I haven't messed with it in years, just move it around!!