The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre new guy without a truck yet ... Florida

So in my early years ive been into the minitruck scene mostly imports . ive branched off to to others 96 chevy 1500 with air ride and everything. And then i had a 72 gmc 3/4ton suburban with a 402 . anyhow I liked the suburban but ive always been drawn to the 53 chevy 3100s every since Codys roadhouse steakhouse put them outside.Id always want to sit outside so i can look at them (ugly rusty old trucks) as my wife calls them haha.so ive sold the suburban and passing the minitruck onto my teenage son when he gets old enough to drive . 2 more yrs. Ive been going to shows all over for the last 25yrs. Ive been eyeing every 47-54 3100 i can find. Problem is im not much of a body man.More of a motor guy if you know what i mean.so today i bought a left rear fender that is in pretty good shape for 25.00.and a front left fender for 20.00 gotta love the last day of the turkey rod run deals.Ya i dont have a truck yet but i will hopefully soon.im looking to put it on a s10 chassis for now but we will see what happens once i get one. i have one about 50 miles from me that a guy is doing a frame off and he has enough to build 2 trucks.Here's what will be left over when he gets done with his build that i have a chance to buy.
The good. A 53 cab has typical rust cab corners ,doors are pretty good. someone has fiberglassed the driver and pass floorboards, a good running 235 and floorshift trans ,a 51 3100 chevy frame,
The BAD ,bed is really bad , pass fender has lots of bondo on it. needs door and back glass, door panels, needs rewired , hood needs a litle work . I can buy all this for 2100.00 what do you guys think? Is it worth it? or should i keep looking

Welcome to the Stovebolt 50's-Dragger. Sounds like you have the itch and need to scratch it. The AD's are a good style to build and many parts, although mostly from china, are availbable.

...as for price? Well, in my area here in S.C. that would be a little steep. But for your area, and good motor and a few other things you mentioned that may not be a bad price in your local.
Good luck. Let us know how you come out.....either way you can't go wrong!!!

Ya it kills me when I search craiglist in other states and find those trucks for 500-1500 with everything on them still . They don't survive down here or everyone thinks there made of gold. I've talked to Jerry Whitfield he's on here and all over cl but it's gonna cost me the same by the time I figure in fuel both ways from Virgina or the ones in Missouri . So I'm kinda stuck. I thought maybe I'd find one today at the turkey rod run but the lowest ad truck I could find was 4800 and it had a 72 c10 frame under it that looked like it was held together with jenga blocks and rubber cement . That rat rod look is ok if done safely but not for me and I don't wanna kill myself or my family in one of those death traps that I've seen time and time again

Welcome dragger, sounds like you got the disease just like the rest of us. The price does a sound a bit on the high side. Up here in Canada, they're not too cheap either. I'm not much of a body man either, but I was able to trade work with a body man for for I could do for him. With the help from this forum, I got everything back together and so transformed a rusty old truck (as your wife would say) to a nice working truck. There's always a way to get where you want to go. Good luck! Leo

hello from another new guy, recently acquired my 4400. not a body guy? that stuff is easy. all you need is a small wire feed and some time.

I know where there is some property with about three or four of those trucks sitting in the woods.
They can be found... I love driving down country roads and "surveying".
Welcome to the bolt, and good luck with your quest!
Jerry

What part of fl r u in? Here one in orlando http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/2700186258.html

http://daytona.craigslist.org/cto/2717002265.html

heres a real project sound like he needs to git rid of it.http://daytona.craigslist.org/cto/2717002265.html

Well after almost a month of searching and going to 2 swap meets and turkey rod run I think I've finally found my truck. It's not perfect but then again it's 62 yrs old.well it's a 1950 chevy 3100 3 window the body looks pretty good for the pics he sent me . I haven't seen it yet but he said it's in good shape . Well he was in the middle of putting a s10 chassis under it and lost interest , likely story right . Well 2 things , I guess he didn't do his homework . He bought a extra cab short bed frame. But it does have a good 4.3 and a says a 700r4. Its a 89 engine and trans . Didn't those years come with a 200r4 does anyone know ? So here's what he has got 1500.00

1950 cab and bed all the fenders . Good glass , windows roll up pass side is cracked. Nice tailgate decent floors . 4 coker tires and red painted s10 factory wheels., a 4.3 and 200r4.
The bad
Cab corners are bad , no seat, gauges are gone needs rewired
Bear in mind it's not mounted on the frame at all just sitting on it . I started this post like a kid waiting for Santa to bring me a sweet toy , all excited but now that I've read it I feel back at square one again . When it boils down to it all that I can really use is the cab and bed and the wheels and the trans. Maybe . Ughh. Oh the joys of loving old trucks lol. Oh well I'm going to look at it tomm morning . Any tips on what I should be looking for any input would help

Oh ya and it has a clean fl title .he wants 1500. I'm thinking 1000 or 900 at the most . What do u guys think ?

Usually, one should avoid projects that are started and abandoned, unless it's 90% finished and he did a very good job of it. No expert by any means but you have parts there from several different vehicles. Try to find a complete truck, even if its not running.

The more apart it is, the more work. I should know, I always try to resurrect somebodies old project or parts rig. I am much more realistic with myself now, lol. (meaning CHEAP !) I would say no more than $500...but thats just me. :-)

....I like the word you used. RESURRECT. I tell folks I don't restore them that the ones I drag home need a ressurection.
That said you know your limitations and the time you'll have to devote to the project. The main thing is do something, even 15 minutes, EVERYDAY.
Let us know what you decide and we'll help you from there.

Well just looked at this hulk. Needs alot more love them I'm willing to give it. Haha every panel was bad and rotted . Only thing salvageable was the tailgate and windshield. Guess I'll just jeep looking . Glad Im have kids to teach me patience lol . Couldn't believe he was firm on the price , I think he will be lucky if someone pays him scrap price

My experience in this market is that you make your best offer and let it simmer. Good chance the seller will realize that his firm price was an unrealistic dream and your offer was fair and reasonable (after a week or two of no better offers). You just never know. I just picked up a '50 for 40% under original asking price because the market is just that bad around here right now.

Your right Wayne . I think I'm gonna start looking at nicer trucks and start low balling . As much as I hate to but your right you never know .

After looking at about ten trucks mostly from craigslist I've noticed guys on craigslist opinions of their trucks must be skewed . We all know what the truck needs when we get there to look at it . There's a Huge difference when I ask how the floors are and he tells me that there good and that they've been patched with new metal and I get there and it's a piece of sheetmetal that has 47 sheet metal screws in it .lol I know I'm guilty of loving my trucks to but I'm realistic to. From now on I'm only looking at complete trucks or unmolested trucks. Tired of driving 2 hrs to look at very poor parts trucks

Well going to look at one more tomm morning . Keeping my fingers crossed it's a 51 5 window .supposedly it has new floors there from Jim Carter and new cab corners are installed .hope it's not fiberglass Like the last 3 trucks I looked at he says everything is there. Man I hope so. I'm gonna keep my expectations low in this one. Tired of being let down . At least this one is only 30 min away and I love 5 windows . This is also a one owner truck . More tomm . Wish me luck.

Well it's official . I own a 51 five window 3100 . I can't wait to get it home. I gotta make lots of room first though. I have 3 sets of fenders 3 sets of doors 3 tailgates. Engine trans title new cab corners installed new door sills installed . It also Has a s10 Frame that Hes gonna Throw in.It's gonna be some work but I look forward to getting it going after the first of the year. It's going to be a fun father son project . It seems like this is the best site and always good feed back and advice ..

Awesome !! Now we need pics :-)

Great to hear the good news. yes, this is good place to spread the news but now as you get into the "build" be sure to hit the other forums and you will get just good response to each problem as you encounter them.

Congratulations! Anxious to see pics.

Ditto on that,plus there's plenty of spares by the sound of it....