Hey Guys, I posted this on another forum, so if it looks familiar; it's because it is hahaa I recently sold my 64 C10, and I have the bug (the build bug that is) . I am currently looking for an AD either gmc or chevrolet, and I was wondering if there are any particular rust spots, or irreplaceable parts that would be a deal breaker when looking for one of these trucks. And if there is any particular series or year that is more or less desirable than the others. thanks for any help
No deal breakers, as most everything is available for these trucks. Remember, a rust hole is a rust hole in a panel.....doesn't matter wheather a small hole or a big one, the panel needs patching. Use this to your advantage to bargain prices lower......big hole in the floor......lower price! You should count on cab corners, front cowl corners, inner kick panels, floors, inner to outer cowl panels. Look for the balance between nice truck and low price, find something that falls in the middle of these and you will come out ahead.
Yup~ What Russ said... Unless it's a GMC. Then *maybe* there might be a little cab corner rust spot. Other than that, the G is gonna be solid. It's a real MANLY truck.
Regardless of what you buy remember except for the Buick engine and the front Buck Teeth look that could pick corn through a picket fence of a GMC you have an AD. Here is a photo of G where the person gave up on trying to beat out the front fenders past the buck teeth grille.
On A Serious Note : Although that picture always makes me laugh , Sine you said you're a builder , your best bet will be to buy someone else's stalled project , this way you'll get one dirt cheap and often with choice sheet metal . The cab leading edge where the fenderwells meet the firewall is usually really Bad , as may be the right cab floor and there's a structural rib underneath that's critical to get right . If you can weld , no problemo .
Still Looking... I am still looking for an AD, but haven't pulled the trigger yet... I've been looking for a 54' 5 window, but haven't had any luck too picky I guess. I was wondering if anyone had any experience buying a project from a junkyard... I have a local yard that I would get parts for my 64 pretty often, and they usually have some pretty good looking stuff...if you find one that hasn't been there very long. Has anyone ever bought a vehicle from a scrapyard? Do they usually sell for the scrap value (weight) or do they use a bluebook value...? Pro's/Con's....
Project Purchase The cheapest & best way to go is make up a cardboard sign and tape it to your back then make the rounds of every car & truck show you can, take down ALL the #'s & details you get and GO LOOK at them all , including the tossers as that's where the best deals cme from : tossers who give up or get in a jamb . I buy most of my vehicles from scrapyards *but* I'm In The Motor Trade so I can get deals most can't , these days Junkmen think anything old is gold so beware . Also , Junkyard purchase means SALVAGE TITLE ~ I don't care but the Ins. Co. certainly will , good luck getting affordable Collision Coverage . Resale takes a HUGE hit too so be aware . You've gotta get out and BEAT THOSE BUSHES to find the right truck affordably .
Thanks for the advice, we don't have titles for vehicles older than 1975, but your right about the junkmen...D%#n American Pickers "rusty gold"! Now that the weather is warming up we are having car shows pretty much every weekend. I guess I need to make time to get out and talk to people instead of browsing craigslist and the papers.
Nates sign carrying suggestion is good and failed me just one time this last April at the Pate swap meet. Sigh had "Will pay $600 for a 1932 Chevy coupe non-rumbleseat deck lid in ANY condition". Zero response but it did have every greedy person at the place running around trying to find a 32 Chevy deck lid for fifty or a hundred bucks to re-sell to me. Had to panel beat one out of 18g cold roll which cost the customer almost double that amount.
You Goofed Never , EVER put any price on the sign ! . Some one who had a decent but surface rust or corner bent one , figured you'd not accept it..... The sign works , try it fellas .
Nate, that is super advice for a hobbiest but not cost effective for a business. When a car/truck uses a space in the shop it costs $300 a day when waiting on a part over one that has the parts and is being worked on. I am willing to pay for peoples natural greed to keep a project on schedual. I absolutely won't spend one second haggling over price on ANYTHING. If I want something and decide I'd pay $100 for it and someone has it for $101 I won't even stop to talk with them. If I have something for $100 and you have $99.99 then look around on the ground for another penny. This policy has let me do many more hours of productive work rather than spend it dickering over a price. I have friends that simply love haggling and are disappointed if someone sells them something at their first offer since they think the bargaining is the most fun part of the deal. Not me. Twenty five years ago when I was looking at my 1937 Buick the guy was asking $4500 for a $3500 car so I stopped by a friends shop that LOVES dickering. We waited for the guy to return from lunch and the dealing began and lasted till it was getting dark. I would go behind the guys shop and bang my head against the wall in frustration while the haggling just kept going on and on and .....on. He finally gave the guy $2800 and then lectured me the entire hour and half drive home that if I just wasn't so impatient he could have got it for $2500----SCREAM. You hagglers out there are saying, "see, you saved $1700", but you're not counting the three years off my life span and $2000 worth of meds to get over the experience (slight exageration).
Lol ! Point well taken Evan . Yes , my sign advice was indeed for the Hobbyist although I do it too . Remember , I had a Shop for many a year .
