The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Some help with a '51 3100 5 windows please

First, I wasn't exactly sure where to start this thread. If it needs to be moved would someone please pm me so I can find the thread lol. Also this is not an ad to sell a truck but is rather a request for information and assistance on how to place a value on a project truck that was started by my father who recently passed away. Offers will not be accepted in this thread and pm’s with offers will be ignored until such time the truck actually becomes available for sale. Any amounts mentioned later in this thread are for reference only and reflect the prices actually paid for the truck and parts and have no reference to any selling price.

Now that I have that cleared up lol, yeah I too have had my share of skinned knuckles not so much from restoring but from doing a lot of my own repairs. Man <sighs> for the most part those days are passing by much too quickly for me. Well sorta. If I am in the mood and have the patience, I really enjoy working on my own stuff. But there are those times that, “Hey man, fix that xxxxxx and put on a new yyzzyyy and give me the bill” sounds pretty good.

First let me say that I have obtained a tremendous amount of knowledge from foums such as this. I have been in the computer profession since well before the internet was conceived and I have always said that there is a wealth of information on the net but you have to weed through the BS. I have searched for forums to post this request and this one seems to be among the best with some very knowledgeable members. (<wipes the brown from his nose>). And also let me apologize in advance for being wordy. I realize that it is a fault of mine but I want to try to include as much relevant info as possible. Please don’t let this deter you and read on lol. Oh, and I should tell you, I suppose, that we are in the mountains in the southwest corner of Virginia and Northeast corner of Tennessee.

Now why the heck is he here, you might be asking. I actually wish I wasn’t writing this. Just over a year ago, my father, Wayne passed away suddenly (in his garage, where else.... <smiles whenever I think of that). Please forgive my lack of knowledge of vintage autos. Was not my thing. I found girls and rock and roll before I found cars and I’m still paying for that one (over and over and over lol). Wayne was working on two projects. The first was his baby; a mostly completed BelAir 2D HT which he restored but was in the process of re-restoring (if that is a word lol) to be more stock.

The second project is the subject of this post. A1951 3100 5 window PU that he had just begun work on. My mom has decided that it is time to part with the truck and we need help in how to value it. It will be sold in a single sale will all parts (including any duplicates). The cab, frame, motor, running gears and some parts were purchased locally and the remainder of the parts were obtained from various sources (LLC, eBay, locally) and appear to be mostly aftermarket. Wayne had said "I think I have everything to start on my truck" which I now take to mean that better than 90% of it is there. I am talking down to the wiring harnesses, ss assembly bolt kits, pedals, rubber, gaskets, grommets, knobs, etc... you get my point. So “better than 90%” means closer to more than 95% of the major parts and 90% of the things you forget about till you get started. Wayne was not a wealthy person by any means but he also never did anything halfway and that he wouldn’t be proud of. There are many duplicate parts. Things like 3 grilles because he found one he liked better, bed liner panels that were intended to be fabricated, but he then ordered prefabricated bedsides etc. We have documents for the majority of the parts are in the process of checking that all the parts are there (and finding them, some in the attic, some in the bathroom, etc… lol).

The frame appears to be in good condition. Of course, some surface rust, but no visible rust through, though I would be surprised to not find any. The cab is really not that bad and as much as we can tell the parts are there (like the floor plans of course) to restore/rebuild it. The only body panel that we are not sure about is the hood. The current hood has some surface rust on the seams and some rust through on the very front. I have wondered if he meant to replace it or that he found that it was the original and would be better to repair it. The engine is not the original. It has been rebuilt but has been "sitting for years". Wayne had said that he was glad the motor was not the original because “this one will make more power" (it is as best I know, stock). Again forgive my lack of vintage chevy knowledge.

There has not been a rush on doing anything about this truck but we suddenly have a couple of people interested in it. One wants to street rod it, which is definitely not my choice. The other, my favorite, is a young lady from the midwest who just lost her son a few years back. She said she had wanted a 5 window since she was a teen.

Now for the finances. Wayne had spent just over $7300 for the truck and parts that we can verify. In addition, there is approx $1000 in parts for which we don’t have documentation (such as the wood for the bed, which has been stored inside the house in controlled climate). I realize this doesn’t have much to do with the actual value just wanted to post the info. As I said, there are duplicates and I am sure that for the most part, Wayne bought better quality parts.

How does one go about trying to value such a project? The lady from the midwest and her husband have even asked us to help find someone to actually do the rebuild/restore as a turnkey project. Any help anyone can provide would be GREATLY appreciated. Pointers, links to other sites (per this sites rules of course), others to contact. Anything. Not asking for miracles here, just any information you care to pass along. And we realize that there is a lot of rebuilding required here vs. restoration and that affects the value.
As I said, the only way these forums work is people like you and I thank you in advance. I only wish that my health (and patience) would allow me to finish this project for him.


Tony

Hi Tony,
First and foremost, my condolences for the loss of your dad.
I can also relate, as my stepdad passed away last month.
So much stuff and decisions on what to do with it.
Unfortunately, most of it is going for fractions on the dollar.
In your case and concerning this truck, I might suggest trying hard to get a total value for the amount spent if you don't want to lose your dad's invested money.
Armed with that, you can survey trucks in like state, for sale to see what the market is doing.
You'll need pictures too... of everything, I would imagine.
I know this didn't give you an answer for a cost figure, but I hope it helps in direction as a third person perspective.
Good luck my friend...

Jerry

Sorry for your family's loss. It's always a tough situation to deal with especially when it's time to make the type of decisions you're making now.
In my opinion you will never regain anywhere near the money your Dad as put into the truck. Most people are looking for bargains(or steals). When you complete the total value of what you have, I think you'll have to decide on a number that you're comfortable with for the total package and try to stick to that. But,besides the parts to consider, a buyer will have to decide what he or she thinks it'll cost to restore the truck itself not including the cost of your parts.That is best done by having a potential buyer or representative actually see the truck first hand. I also think it might be worth it to have a professional appraiser look at what you have to help determine the value of all that's there. It's a few hundred dollars to pay out, but may be money well spent. You should be able to find one through your own auto insurer or just the local phone book. Best of luck to you and yours.

To add to what has already been said, you will be well ahead to get a knowledgeable person to look at what you have. Without pictures and more details it is difficult to appraise or assess what you have. Did your dad purchase this truck complete or has he accumulated parts to make a truck? Is the truck apart and in pieces now or is it whole? How much rust? Does it have a title? Is there an engine and transmission in the truck? Is it a three window or five window?

If it is in parts, it will be difficult to recoup the money spent and may be worth more if the parts were sold separately. A complete un-restored 1951 non-running 3100 pick-up sells on ebay and craigslist between $700 -$3500. A disassembled truck that needs repairs will sell on the low end. Add the parts and expect another $500 - $1500 if there is a buyer who would be willing to take on such a project or would be purchasing it for parting it out for the individual parts.

If the engine has no paperwork and is not running, it's to worth not much more than what a complete engine would sell for on craigslist or ebay $100 - $500. I will send you some links that may help you see comparable trucks for sale and some that have been recently sold. Good luck!

My suggestion: make a list of all the major parts, snap a ton of photos of anything you can, and return with your list and a link to an online photo album. The folks here will be more helpful if they're able to see a list and photos.

Alternatively - and this might be a stretch - you could use the stovebolt locator or search the site for the name of your town in VA to see if any particularly experienced stovebolters are located in your neck of the woods and, if so, send them a PM asking if they'd be willing to drop by sometime to take a quick look and help you determine an asking price for the lot. Who knows, you might find somebody willing to do it for free or perhaps trade the service for one of your old man's truck parts.

First of all thanks so much to all of you for the quick courteous replies and for taking the time to reply. Times like this are very difficult to be sure. To give you an idea of what I am working with, my mom, though not wealthy by any means is not necessarily in need of the money involved here immediately. Her emotions are definitely affecting her decisions, however. Her comment to me was "I'll let the da*n thing set there and rust before I take much less than what he has in it.". I spent a lot of time with my dad and I know that is not what he would want. He would want someone to get the truck for what would be a fair price then restore it and either drive it or show it whichever they decided. Letting it sit there and "rust" is definitely not what he would want. Not with all the time he spent getting the parts. The actual decision is moms, but I have a, ahem, little influence.



@GMONIZ: Thanks very much for the amounts and links. The truck is in parts. Dad purchased the cab (5 window) and frame and then began acquiring parts "one at a time". The title is clear and we have receipts for all of the parts including the frame and cab save a couple such as the wood for the bed. We are not sure about the engine (trans is included). It has been completely rebuilt but that was a couple years back and has been sitting. Dad said it was running and that he had heard it running. If it was rebuild correctly, I would expect little problems. Am I incorrect there? I have helped rebuild a few engines many years ago (remember Ford 351 Cleveland's). If we knew motors were not going to be installed and running soon after rebuilding it, we used a lot of ess tee pee, doubleu d forty, overfilled it with oil and filled the cylinders with oil to prevent any possibility of rust. We'd also rotate the engine manually a few turns ever so often. As far as looks, the motor looks great. The valve cover is off and the topside looks good. A friend of mine has agreed to see if he can get it running, but his health is bad so I am at his mercy as far as schedule.

@nrdesieyes Thanks for the stovebolt locator link. Actually we live in a very ruraly part of VA but on the TN border and there are a couple a short distance away.

@Hellomrwilson: Thanks for the comments. I wasn't really looking for a dollar amount at this point anyway, just a way to try and value it.

@Drewp: Thanks for the comments. I never thought of a professional appraiser. Never considered that there was such a thing. I will call the insurance co tomorrow.



I am not expecting to get back what dad invested in the truck. I realize all kinds of factors affect the value of the truck, even the current economic climate. I do have to admit, however, I thought those trucks were worth much more than what they are selling for. I may have mentioned that I am a PC pro. To me this is similar to building my own PC. I can go to website, order the parts and assemble the parts myself or pay to have them assembled and I have a workable computer. Or I can go to one of those companies that sell pc's (like that company that used to say, "Dude, you'e got yourself a ****) and buy a very simlilar PC spec-wise for most likely less money. However, by building it myself, I have that satisfaction and I know exactly what parts I have and what brand. And whenever I use it, I think, I built that myself. Same with woodworking and minor home repairs which I also do as a hobby (like I bet most of you do as well). Now if I decide to sell that PC I won't be able to sell it for the value of the parts I used to assemble it.

Some of the suggestions you guys have made I have thought of especially the pictures. I considered posting pictures, I just wasn’t sure what to post and where. A picture of an old truck cab and frame along with some pics of fenders, windshields, etc.. didn't make much sense at the time.

Based on your comments and suggestions, here is what I have decided to do. First, charge my camera batteries, create a online photo album and start clicking. Then, contact insurance companies, car clubs, etc and see if I can find someone to come see the truck and give me an honest realistic appraisal. Also get an "ball park" estimate on what it would cost to restore the truck based on its current condition. Also, search the classifieds, etc.. for what a restored truck (that started out in the same condition as this one if possible) would sell for. I'd be looking for ads that say "Completely restored", "Runs good", etc.. and will not include "needs .....". Should be a fairly easily calculation from that point, huh. Factor in the point that if someone happens to be looking for a project truck (such as the lady mentioned in my original post), having all of the parts needed here in one sale may increase the value somewhat.

Again, thanks so much for your help and I will keep you updated. Also, guys, as you can probably guess, I posted in a couple other forums for help just to get as much info as I could. From them I received 0 (that's zero) responses. As far as I am concerned, you guys rock. Got a PC question? PM me I'll see of I can help lmao.

Tony