The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk New and clueless

Hey all. My name is Keith and Im brand new to the forum. Im a pilot in the military stationed at Patrick AFB. Ive been looking at getting a 3100 for a while now and have been searching the car ads for a while now. Ive spotted a 1954 chevy 3100 1/2 ton for 28,000$ that im interested in and hired a pretty well respected restoration guy to appraise the truck next week. Theyre some things im not sure of with this truck such as in the ad he says that the truck has the original powertrain and its really made to sound like the original engine's in it but when i pressed the owner he stated he put a 1955 model 235 in it. Doesnt that diminish the collectability without the original engine? He also stated that the engine was completely rebuilt but when i asked for pics he couldnt produce any. The truck looks beautiful but since im in a different part of florida than the truck i cant see it for myself thus i hired a restoration expert in the area to look at it.

Any advice on big things to watch out for with these trucks?

Keith, since this is the welcome centre not as many folks will view your post. I'm going to move this post to the General Truck talk where you will receive more response's. Anyone about to spend that kind of money on a 54 pickup needs all the advice he can get.
...and be sure, when looking at it, to put it on a grease rack and raise it in the air. Many many times a cosmetic job is all you get.

...for my opinion a 54 that would even come close to 28grand had better be one heck of a truck. It'll be interesting to know what the appraiser says if your willing to share that with us.

Welcome to the Stovebolt. There is lots of knowledge and great folks here....and thank you for serving our country.

Hi Keith, welcome. For that kind of money, there should be some documentation. Probably a good idea to have an expert check it out. It's a "buyer beware" world out there and you want to know what you're getting. I'm not sure if one can prove an original engine with that vintage, just a correct engine.

Leo

Welcome! I hope it's pristine for the money you seem willing to pay. And, yes, if you plan on entering this truck in any Antique Automobile Club of America judged events, you could receive minuses for that engine since it's not the same year as the truck. Other less stringent shows, it may not matter. Good Luck with the appraisal and possible purchase.

My disclaimer: I am no expert on those vintage of trucks.
First of all you sound like a guy just like myself, I prefer as close to factory slash dealership floor stock as you can get. And I feel that with as perfect as stock restoration that is possible, it will command the most interest of perspective buyers and highest price possible. There is lots of proof of this on the net. A good "original" will sell fast, were as a modified junker with a chopped up this or that, will just sit and fester on craigslist, those are the build it like you like specials, well most don't like what you like for mods.
Most people just see a good paint job and that is the main selling point for them.
Doing a good stock restoration is the most difficult thing there is to do. Just watch grave yard cars show, yeah they do some stupid goof ups here and there, but that Mark Worman guy really strives to do a good stock resto right down to the paint stick markings. To answer your question about the engine yes it will detract from the trucks value to the right person.
But engines are the easy part, its the sheet metal that is the hard part. If it is a patch work quilt of patch panels, its just a patched up junker and needs to be priced accordingly. If its a grandpa's truck that just sat in the garage most all its life, and didn't have a spec of rust on it, and just a new paint job that is way better than the patched up rust bucket. If the guy looking at it knows anything, he should be able to figure out what kinda condition its in. Also I have seen trucks advertized with big prizes that just have a nice paint job and everything under it is a mass of rust ie not a restoration. And meaning there could be lots of worn stuff under there.
Yeah when spending the big bucks on something the frame
better be in good shape too.

If the wood in the bed isn't painted black the truck has not been restored its been modified. Well I guess some years did use body color in the beds too. Never ever is it plain wood color with gloss over it.

Welcome to the Stovebolt. I will comment on the asking price of the truck that you mentioned. If you look in the Old Cars price Guide ( available at news stands), you will see that the figure is the top price for a perfect museum piece. In that condition one wouldn't drive it as it would be a show only trailer queen. As you guessed the engine should be the original for that kind of money. In the listings, the next step down which would be an almost perfect truck that is driven, is listed at 19,500. In my opinion, with today's market and economy, anything over 15,000 is over priced. I am only talking about non-modified trucks.

$28,000 and not willing to provide photos?

Told you that it had original power train and then "confessed" he lied?

DANGER! WARNING! DANGER! WARNING!

I would only hire an appraiser (restoration specialist/expert) that knows about 1954 Chevrolet trucks.

Where is the truck located in Florida? Maybe a member can also inspect it for you? Any chance it is near Boca Raton?

Good luck and be careful.

Thank you all for your comments. I can't Thank all of you enough for your help on this. I agree that this truck seems to be priced way to high. My appraiser has already said that he feels this truck is about an 18000$ truck just from what he knows about the truck so far. The hair on the back of my neck stands up a bit when I ask for documentation on the truck restoration and he sends me about 20 mismatched photos. I guess what I'm saying is that he hasn't shown me very much documentation on the restoration process. Looking at his ad again makes it look really misleading regarding the original engine. I really want the truck I buy to be a very original truck and have all the proper equipment to include the engine that came off the factory floor with the truck. At this point my gut is telling me this truck isn't right for me. So the question is where can I find a quality restored truck? Back to square one I guess.

No sir. Unfortunately it s located in Navarre FL (panhandle). Yeah your right....in the ad he says how important the original drivetrain is yet its not the original. In addition when i asked if the heater worked he said no it was capped off but who needs a heater in Florida anyway.

As Tim says, you need an appraiser who know these trucks. I hired one to inspect a '54 GMC suburban. He said he knew them but didn't. He said the engine was original but it wasn't even the right size. But he did reveal it wasn't what it was presented as. I didn't buy it.

I hope your guy is more knowledgeable. I, too, feel it's very overpriced. Be patient, the right one will appear.

Welcome to the bolt' You started this conversation with a possible purchase and from what I understand that is no longer in the picture. This is a perfect opportunity for you to start down the right path and find the right truck for you. There is a wealth of information on this board and many guys that can help you along the way to purchasing the truck you desire.

First of all what is your definition of an original restored truck? This word "restored" drives many on the board crazy. We see "restored" trucks with v8s, automatics, wild paint jobs etc. My idea of an original "restored" truck is one that has no modifications from original, all oem parts, original paint scheme, original drive train, original size tires etc. These are trucks that look like they just drove out of the dealership. Most trucks that are being advertised as "restored" do not meet this criteria and you will chase down many and if you bite, in most cases you will overpay. Knowledge is the most important piece to this puzzle and patience is number two.

What is the purpose of the truck?

How original do you want it to be?

Are you looking for a 100 percent original restored truck with no modifications or upgrades?

I am sure you aware of the limitations of owning an original vintage truck, speed, noise levels, 60 year old engineering. Another thing to consider, many people don't appreciate vintage cars and trucks, they just look at them as old and show them no respect. That is why many go the modified route as I am doing. I will have some modern conveniences, such as, disc brakes, dynamat (for sound demanding) wider tires (radials) upgraded six cylinder (for power) upgraded reared (for driving speeds) I will be going with an original paint scheme and the vintage look, but many in this crowd will know the modifications immediately and would call me out if I were to call it "restored"

Properly restored trucks tend to be higher priced than the slightly modified trucks and harder to find. Dealers are the wrong place to look in most cases, to them they are all "restored" trucks, at least the ads that I have seen over the years. If you would like some help, ask the guys here, most are willing to assist in answering your questions and in some cases willing to be your"eyes' when a deal comes around and you can't see it for yourself. ...........g

BTW: The 1955 first series truck is one of the hardest to find, finding one with the Hydramatic even harder.





?

As far as I know $28,000 would be for a concourse restoration.

Agree with everything everyone's said thus far. Couple things that have made me think this the truck isnt for me. I dont mind paying the money for a quality restoration but I want to trust that everything was done properly. Im planning on this being a hobby for the family and plan on driving the car in weekends....maybe 1000 miles per year. For me I want the truck to be as original as possible. So as far as restoration goes Im looking for a frame off restoration that brings back the truck to as original as possible. Thank you all for your help again. If anyone spots a truck they think is a quality truck please keep me in mind.

+1 that $28k is too high. Like others have said, there are many different levels of restoration. I fit in the mostly original restoration camp, but some times cut corners depending on how hard it is to get the job 100% correct. For instance using Rustoleum paint color for the steering wheel and mast jacket. It is close to the correct color, but way easier to find and way cheaper. Most will never know the difference. But, I cover the paint with automotive clear to give it longevity.

Also, I am making the truck safer, easier to drive, and more comfortable. Like "gmoniz", I am adding disk brakes, higher rear end gear ratio, a/c (I will now have a 100% restored GM heater for sale at some point), seatbelts, modern (retrosound) radio, 12v electrical system, alternator, and two grove vibration damper, and Ipe bed wood. All else will be original, including the color.

To me, this makes the truck more user friendly and I believe still valuable to others in Texas should the time come for me to sell. Most everything I change can be returned to original factory should a new owner choose that route.

As always "BUYER BEWARE". Sounds like the guy is way off on his price for what he has. Pick our brains all you want. There is never a lack of opinion here and help is always free. Welcome to Stovebolt Fever!

Since you live in the 'rust belt,' be especially careful of body filler/paint covering rust. Learn how to use a small magnet. Repairing body rust can cost big $, will never be good in the long run, will lead to much disappointment. An original, non-restored truck that has no rust will be a better, more satisfying project in the long run.

I disagree that anything can be "restored to original". 'Original' means nothing has been changed since it left the factory. 'Restored' means restored to factory specs. I agree that modified trucks have not been 'restored'.

So what is the best strategy when trying to find a well restored truck?

Where to find a quality restored truck? Pretty rare stuff they are. What year? The AD like your looking at?
Here is a typical over priced paint job. Look at the mess under the hood.
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Better deal for the money
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I saw this in person
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Its okay, but still over priced, was at 48K.
copy and paste the address to your address bar.
If I won the lotto I might buy it.
If your interested I could go check it out better and write a critique on it.

No, No, No, Don't spend 28000 on that truck. Yes, we live in the Rust Belt.
If you are willing to spend that amount, start looking for trucks from the Southwest or desert states. And yes, this is the place for advice. You can use Photobucket and post photos and descriptions here, and everyone will try to help you.
Just remember what has already been said, don't expect the comfort and luxuries of a modern vehicle. Even when these trucks were new they did not compare with todays GMC's or Chevys.
I recently took my first ride in my 1957 GMC LCF Big Bolt. Had a metal chair for a seat, since mine was in the upholstery shop.
Wow! My butt is still sore. lol.
Thanks for serving our country and keeping us safe !

Check the Ebay and Craiglist forum on this site. Check Hemmings Motor News.

There's a "restored" 1951 1/2 ton near me priced at $30,000 which tells me there's folks trolling for Mr. clueless everywhere. No doubt some people pay double a trucks worth not knowing any better or it wouldn't happen.

There are a bunch on Hemmings however it seems like it's fairly hard to find a 3100 with a documented restoration. Im scratching my head trying to figure this out.

What I find intriguing is that for modified "trucks' there are no limits on what folks will pay and no particular logic to how they are priced.

I have known some owners that bought a vehicle from a museum. They are usually pretty nice vehicles.

I have seen some of the "restored" vehicles in the GM Heritage Center's GM North American Heritage Collection (at ATHS and ATCA truck shows). They have a 1-ton Advance-Design Canopy Express that is beautiful but not a completely "true" restoration. However, as trucknernix posted, the cachet of it coming from a reputable museum (and its rarity and its general condition) would make this a costly buy (if it ever came up for sale).

Hi Keith: There's one that looks pretty nice at a resto shop in Clearwater.

Keith,
I'm curious, have you driven an AD in original condition at highway speeds or taken off from a dead stop on a steep incline? Are you prepared to learn (sometimes the hard way at inopportune times) how to fix what goes wrong? The reason that I ask is, these trucks are challenging to keep operating on an ongoing basis. It is also difficult to find a mechanic who can work on it. I absolutely love driving a restored to "as original". If I had not rebuilt every single moving part on my truck, gaining knowledge how to troubleshoot problems, I imagine that I would not be so in love with it. As it is for me now, when I go to a car show I pass by all the trucks that are modified and spend my time drooling on the restored as original ones. My truck never wins a trophy, but more people spend more time looking at mine and asking questions than the ones that win. Bottom line: Know what you really want, buy it, and don't look back.

For driveability, reliability, safety AND nostalgia, a restomod is ideal. That's what I build most of the time. Restomod is the official term for: modern, updated drivetrain, some suspension and steering upgrades and brakes with the original body and interior. But everyone has their own opinion about what kind or "restore" or "preserve" to do. If you are a pilot you will need a V8 and probably a Big Block to be happy. Restomods are NOT hot rods, they still have the look and feel of original. They are very well liked by many and fetch great prices at Barrett-Jackson and such. Some restomods are very subtle and can be returned to near original. Plenty of aftermarket parts require little or no mods. I'm not talking about a Camaro front end and different frame and ford 9". Right now you are talking AD, I am a TF guy. They are easier to restomod than AD. 12V system, open driveshaft, bigger engines (V8's), more parts, overall more modern engineering but still old. IMHO.