Facing some major decisions after owning my truck for decades. Parked it several years ago when I got tired of constant nickel-and-dime repairs, planning to tear it down and rebuild it. Got part of the tear down done, and now trying to decide what's next. Original plan was Resto-Rod, stock looking with a 383, OD AT, and 12 bolt 4.11 rear. I have a complete driveline to do that, but it will need some freshening. But now that I'm older (not necessarily wiser), I've also considered just freshening the existing setup (a 1956 235, stock trans, and torque tube rear). Either way, I'm faced with finishing the teardown, and paying to have the body and cab redone. I simply don't have the skills, time, or patience for bodywork. I could probably handle the reassembly. Anyone gone this route, and care to share their experience? How much should I expect this to cost? I'm looking for "done right", but not necessarily "show quality". It will be a driver. Thanks y'all, Mark.
That's a hard one to answer. I'm doing a complete tear down to the frame and doing all the work myself, of course changing power train over to V8. To save myself money I'm buying a used engine and tranny and should save around 4 to 5 grand right there. I'm even going to paint my own truck to save. I don't know what others are doing to save money, but I'm guessing close to $20,000 by the time it's all done and said. You would be surprised things you find out once you tear into it. Talk about nickel and dime you to death. Lol
I am in the process of redoing my 48 panel. I am gutting it and have checked into a local sand blast shop. (they are professionals and know the proper technique to prevent warping the metal) $6-800 was the quote. I currently am leaning towards a bare metal look, which will save $$$ on body work and paint. I'm still looking at 10K plus if I don't run into any major set backs. If I might make a suggestion, make a list of every tiny part you need to replace, and be sure to list some that might only be questionable. then go to our host's website and price out your parts. This total will give you a solid base to start from, then add in for you preferred style of finish and you will be relatively close. Short, but close. It's always short. Never go cheap on safety.
I have $13-14K in hard parts, not including nuts and bolts and small stuff along the way, including purchase price. Blood, sweat , time and swearing charges not applied. For me to do a full build is in the $35-40K range. The 53 came in around $35k, with no major frame/ suspension work.
I'm doing virtually all the work myself, including the blasting and paint.... It's looking like I'll have $12-14000 in Clarabelle when she's done. Not sure if that helps much.
I went pretty low end route. Made it road worthy and safe, skipped the horse power and bling. Had a young guy starting in restoration business take his time last winter working on it. With parts and his labor I have around $6000 This is just how I wanted it to be, fun to drive and my own look. This: To this:
Refurbishment Co$t$ I hope you're in for the long haul here 'cause it's going to be hard and $pendy beyond belief . Even with no labor factors , expect $12 ~ $16 K in minimal costs . Adding in paint and you'll be lucky to do it for $20K and that's not show quality . I'd stick with the 235 and Torque Tube as they're durable & reliable more so than any modern drive line and amazingly cheap and easy to fix . I typically stop counting when it passes $10K . If you don't want nickle & dime issues , go buy a new truck , nothing else will stop that . The reward of driving that old rig once you've done it , is truly priceless ~ I know 'cause I'm always driving my old rig and loving every minute of it more than any modern rig I have to drive @ work .
Good advice, sadly I seem unable to follow it. I created an Excel spreadsheet back when I first bought my truck. It has all the specifications, serial numbers, as well as a record of all receipts. I currently am a couple grand north of Nate's 10 grand stopping point. Build them 'cause you love it, not to make a buck... otherwise disappointment will likely loom on your horizon.
This is well said~ I probably have the cheapest truck here, for what I have. I got my truck on a trade. The truck I traded was a '64 long bed Chevy that was rusted out but did run well. What I've put into it has been a lot of rattle can paint, body mounts, bolt hardware, had the seat redone, (250.00) put disc brakes on it, (400.00ish) new rear end, (375.00) paint, (200.00ish) new water pump, (soon, not yet bought, but say 80.00?) carb, (100.00) fuel pump, (40?) new Kenwood radio/speakers (80.00) Some weatherstripping for the corner and back windows. (20?) Zero dollars for labor on bodywork, priming and painting as that was therapy for me. (Okay, maybe 100.00 in 3M wheels, but my drill held out!) Granted, I have yet to buy the new windshield glass and weatherstripping for that, or the new door glass/vent window stuff, one piece headliner from our host, carpet/pad or bed wood/strips/back fenders, but all that won't be more than (450.00) because I'll get used fenders, the bed wood will be from a cousin of mine that has his own saw mill and has hedge at the ready. Still will need some new treads for it, but what's on it should be roadworthy for quite a while. So I might buy a new gas tank, (just because) AND I have a line on not one, but TWO 283's! (Less than 100.00) (I love the Midwest! ) But I agree~ It doesn't matter how much you have in it, it should be whatever it needs to be to get what you are wanting. If you're not in a big toot to get 'er done, that helps.
Because I had most of the work done by others I also am up over the 10K mark, and that is not counting the $ spent redoing the stuff I paid for once by others. I have well over grand in parts from the china clipper I have put on then taken off and put on a part I took out of a salvage yard or parts from members here.
The phrase that comes to mind is: "If you have to ask, you can't afford it." This is something you do for the love of it not for financial considerations. But even if it costs between ten and twenty thousand, consider what you have in the end compared to what you would find for the same money on a dealer's lot--something where you might need to pull the engine to replace the spark plugs, or on which a new tail light lens costs close to a hundred dollars. And when you restore a solidly built, 100% AMERICAN MADE vehicle that has lasted for over 50 years, you'll have something that will serve you well for the rest of your life and maybe for one or two more generations after you're long gone.
Including the truck. about 3K. Most of that was spent on the "body" work. I had a retired body shop guy repair the door and cowl that bill was 750 then add 100 for door. Other stuff was cheep. This isn't including fuel Minus my brake fluid leak I have put a lot of miles on Grinning the whole way. And at about 9 MPG its a lot of fuel. I Owe Zig a big thanks. There are tons of parts from his truck on mine So in a way his is on the road.
Thanks, Wolf~ But I don't think it equals a ton. I'm just glad you are safely on the road. The best thing is, is you get to give that way cool son of yours a drive in it!
Cost I am in for about 12,000 bucks on mine. It was little more than a body and a frame when I got it for 500. Its a long way from a show truck. Every lil ding or hicky I missed on the body work shows. It drives like an old truck being driven way too darn fast. I built it for me. I like it. I dont care if anyone else does or not.
Robert Said : DING DING DING ! we have a winnah here ! . For me there are some basics in my truck needs : American made and 6 cylinder automatic short bed . Generous Motors Corporation product of course (well , DUH !) . So , as I've owned well over a hundred trucks because it takes me a while to decide if this new (old) one is going to work out or not , my mind is always open . Before buying my current rig I once again looked very hard and looked at some newer trucks , here in Sunny Southern California (land of Fruits , Nuts and Flakes) we have more cars & trucks than Detroit ever did so they're absurdly cheap . I looked at a few 1991 3100 short bed Chevies , V-6 , automatic with overdrive , fleet version in basic white paint with rubber floor mats , AC , CD stock player etc. , etc. , low mileage @ 130,000 or so for only $1,500 with current tags and good rubber , drive away condition . Then I thought " will I Be happy in this nice air conditioned rig listening to The Blues as I traverse The Mojave Desert in August a year from now ? ". No . So , I bought yet another rusted out old Chevy step side short bed and guess what ? I love it right down to the ground . No one said I was smart . Now , if only MotherTrucker Joe will sell me a cab , I'll get it re painted and be set for life . Not sure why he stopped talking to me about two years ago.... I always paid the asking price and on time too .
No , I'm an idiot . I may have just found a really nice rust free cab near me , $pendy but it's a '69 C/10 , I hope to remove the windshield soon to check the pinchweld . If it's really good , I think I have a friend lined up who'll unbolt it from the frame for me ~ the Junkyard won't and I can't due to my injuries . We'll see , it surly would have been smarter & easier to just buy that '91 1/2 ton Fleet rig and putter off into the Desert......
Becoming a plan? Thanks, all, for the insight and experience. Been thinking about this build, and as much as I love a good V8, I'm convinced this would be a major change to the character of the truck. So at the moment I'm leaning toward a (very minor?) freshening of the 235 (full pressure from a '56 passenger car). This greatly simplifies the build -- clean, paint, and reassemble rather than adaptive engineering. Should also leave more funds for the body and paint. Will keep you posted as (hopefully) things progress.
exactly HOW MUCH? I recall a few years back Dad sourced and bought a set of axle bearings for his '23 Stude (original paint)... they were some outrageous amount, like 300 bucks for the pair. When I asked why he paid such an exorbitant amount for them, he replied, "when you drive an old car, you don't keep track of what the parts cost, you drive it because you ENJOY it" pretty much sums it up.
