The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Truck values

I'm in search of a source for realistic and fair truck values. Also where to look for said truck. I've tried Stovebolt,Craigslist, Cars Online, Autabuy, Classic Car Trader, Hemmings and even EBay. Need some fresh ideas on where to look. Thanks for any help on either or both.

That is a great and impossible question to answer. I searched all the sources you mention above and some local dealers and never felt there was any consistency. I think I over-paid for my truck but compared to all the dealers and web-listings the truck was in great shape for what I considered to be a fair but high price. I guess I was satisfied to over-pay a bit for a truck that ran well, had lots of original components and the body was in good shape, although it has a lot of mud.

I kept digging through all the sites you mentioned and eventually purchased from an owner in Atlanta who I did find from these sites. I trusted him and continue to be satisfied with the price and purchase.

Happy to discuss my price privately if you PM

I too think this is an impossible question to answer as there are to many varibles as to what someone wants for a truck & what someone is going to pay for it. Everyone has there own tastes as to what a truck should be like & the value of it. Just saying...

What year and make said truck? contacting the various clubs and going to swap meets and talking to people can work too

if you are selling a truck, it will be less than you have into it. If you are buying they will want more than it is worth. These trucks aren't an investment by any means. You never mentioned the reason behind the question, you looking to buy or sell? I have a 53 3100, which in concourse condition would be worth around $25-29,000, as best as I can figure.

Interesting that this subject is coming up a lot lately... I think if I say any more, I'll violate my own "No Politics" rule

Have you tried the NADA Guide (Blue Book)?

Also, Barry Weeks' article in the Tech Tips on this subject is still an excellent resource.

Appreciate all the replies. I guess I should have given a few more details. Not trying to cause an uproar. Looking for a value guide to give me a rough idea on a fair reasonable value. I know fair and reasonable are relative terms. There should also be a guide for sentimental value! Everyone wants to get the most they can out of something and pay the least for something. Myself included. But we have to be realistic also. Anyway, I'm looking for a 1966-69 GMC w/V-6 or a Chevy '69-70. The prices I've seen are all over the place and it might depend on the area. This is the reason for a price guide of some sort. I've passed on a couple of decent trucks that I thought were high and with a guides help, maybe I won't make that mistake again.

Maybe we could get Barrat-Jackson to put one out...
(Tounge. Cheek. )

WAY too subjective. The truck is worth what you will pay for it. If you find one that is EXACTLY what you are looking for what would you pay? $10k? 15? 20?
What about one that needs a little body work or has a run-out motor? 5K?
What about a rat that you have time and money to put into? $1500?
It's like buying a house, do you want something brand new? a fixer upper? Nice neighborhood? good schools?

WAY too subjective? Not too sure. There are average values for these things based on condition. And maybe rarity. It's not like we are talking about a truck they only made 100 of. True, they are only worth what someone is willing to pay but there are still guides to go by. And that's what I'm looking for. What would be the most reliable guide to reference values on these trucks. It doesn't hurt to do a little homework to know what you're dealing with.

the NADA guide John linked above is about the only generally accepted one - most appraisers and insurance folk will refer to it .... but have your salt shaker handy, few people selling a truck pay any attention to a guide, they ask what they think they "need" to get out of it, either because they put that much into it or there's bills to be paid and it's their only asset or bcause they think they have a rare jewel

Bill

We are talking about a 40-50 year old vehicle. The value may be much more about where it was kept/driven and how it was used/abused than what it was like when it was driven off of the dealer's lot. AutoTrader is going to as good a reference as any.

I was at the Mecum auction in January and spoke to the Kelly Blue Book representative.
He stated that actual auction prices determine value of these old vehicles. The prices are based on condition and whether or not they sell. Some sellers have high reserves that aren't met. In this case the high bid helps set the value even though it didn't sell.
After my discussion with the Kelly Blue Book rep, I would use their guide.

The Old Car Report Price guide is the best as far as i'm concerned. It gives prices in 6 conditions. But you have to remember these are just"guides". The guy that wrote them doesn't go around buying them.

I recently purchased my 41'. I was just looking for a cool old truck and wanted to get something affordable. For me affordable was $1500 or less, a fixer upper. So when I was looking I took into account the condition of the truck and if it ran, or what I thought it would take to get it running. A running truck is way easier to stay motivated to keep working on. Then I made a list of things that I knew it needed and the what ifs'. I ran those numbers to see if I'd still consider it affordable then? I picked mine up for $2000, it had a great body for that price. I'm not a body man so that was worth the gamble for me on the motor. It took $300ish to get it running and driving, so the gamble payed off for me.
The year trucks your looking for go for about the same ammount in my neck of the woods given simular condition. I hope this helps if your looking for a project. A completely restored COE like mine went for $47,000 on BJ! That's a pretty big range to be looking in, just need to figure where you are comfortable in that range? I doubt mine will ever be that complete, but thats not what I was looking for.

Thanks to everyone for their opinions and thoughts. All valid. I have many of the same views. Not surprisingly, many of the rare jewels out there, are not that rare. Only in the owners mind. Try Searchtempest for a nationwide search of Craigslist and you'll see what I mean. I will try the guides mentioned. Just looking to see if there was anything missed.