fix current truck or buy another?

[hageman_hi]

Hello!

My husband has had a 68 GMC pickup since he was about 12. Him and his dad always said they were going to fix it up (it never ran) and never got around to it, so there it's sat at his grandmothers house for the last 10 years. He got called to active duty and left for overseas and will be gone for a year. I was going to fix up his truck for him for a surprise "welcome home" gift for when he returned, but the truck is farther gone than I would have imagined. It will need a whole new body, new tires, fuel lines, engine etc...... so I was thinking about buying him a different truck from the years 67-72, maybe one that wouldnt cost so much to fix how he wants it (he wants heated leather bucket seats, the gas tank moved from behind the driver seat to the back, fuel injection, wood bed put in, AC put in, etc....) BUT I want to do what he would like the most. Should I put more money into fixing up "his baby" or buy him a different truck?
Meagan

 

[eugene68]

RE: fix current truck or buy anothe

Hello.
I can remember the first truck I got to drive (legally) was a 1970 chevy pickup. It was my dads old pickup. In the winter it would jam between gears, and I would have to get out and unjam the linkage every morning going to school.I would give anything to get that old truck back. I then moved out here to Az in 1988 when I got to drive my grandpa's cherried out 1971 pickup, ( he's gone now ) and then got to spend time with my uncle riding around in the desert in his 68 chevy. ( he's gone now too) But I got his pickup, and even though I have a 69 gmc since I moved out here, I am fixing up my uncles truck with all the good parts off of my 69 .WHY AM I going through all the work to fix up a truck in worst shape???? because of sentimental reasons.
everytime I get into it, I think of some adventure we went on, I think of all the other chevy's I rode in with, my dad, my grandfather,
I would rather work on my uncles ( our ) truck then drive a new one.
I am doing all the things he always said he wanted too, but just never got to. I went back about 10 years ago to see my dad ( across the country from me) asked to see the old truck,, went out to his ##### farm to check it out, and found that he had cut it up with a torch, I literally cried.
I think your husband would really appreciate you fixing it up, HOWEVER, if this was an unfinished project between his father and him, I would be real careful about buying another one. You have to consider the SENTIMENTAL FACTOR. If you know Exactly what he wants, then go ahead and do it, I do not know you or your husband, or your situation, but if he is sentimental about it and he comes home and his "baby" is gone, it could really hurt him. You could buy another truck and take all the parts and make a good one out of his truck,I am not sure what part of the country you are in, here in Az, there are donor trucks in decent shape that might defray some of the fix-up cost.
this is just my opinion, nothing more. I wish you luck.
I hope your husband returns safe and sound
And give him my thanks. I appreciate what he is doing for our country.
eugene68
p.s. if he wants factory air condition, and his truck doesn't have it, It would be better/cheaper/faster/cleaner to buy an "air cab" and put on his truck, then cutting holes in the dash or changing out the dash ( really hard) etc.. might give you a way out if he comes home and it is not his old truck, he would have to change it out anyway and since the vin # for the vechicle is on the cab... it might be a good excuse/explanation of having a different truck.. all the front ends on 67-72 interchange, ( which is the most distintive feature) of the truck anyway besides the dash bezel,and brake lever/handle setup.
good luck. You could tell him someone asked if he wanted to sell it, and see what kinda reaction you get out of him, see how attached he is too it...ask if he wants to sell this one and buy another one when he gets back ,, but get one for him and fix it up the way he wants it before he gets back, ,, kinda sneaky but it could work.
good luck.

 

[WinCon]

RE: fix current truck or buy anothe

Megan:

The way I would do it would be to buy a donor truck with mostly good parts (sheet metal) and let him decide when he gets back what he wants to do. That way he can do an assessment of what it would take to restore the original truck or maybe use the original as the donor.
(If at all possible, both trucks should be parked on concrete or black top to slow the rusting process.) OR You can deposit funds in a special account for him and let him make all the decisions.
Tell him "HOOAH" for me.

 

[tech1]

RE: fix current truck or buy anothe

If it truly is his baby then he will most likely want to see that one restored.