New to Trucks- Want to Purchase a patina project

[Fat 454]

to the OP - if you are a "collector" i'd suggest putting a very specific WANTED add on boards such as this - best chance of getting a genuine, well cared for rig. Not necessarily the "cheapest", however probably will be the best "value".
If you are a "builder" - get the best cab and frame you can find with tags ( you can source everything else as you like it - even "faux-patina" paint jobs on rust free sheetmetal ). I'm in the "built not bought" camp, as I am an "options-king", but be aware its an OBSESSION, not just a hobby ....

 

[Fat 454]

oh wait .. maybe that's just me .....

 

[ar15meister]

Thank you for the replies. I definitely understand the build vs buy thing. I have many cars and have done serious restorations (we are doing a 1970 Cuda frame off concours restoration right now actually) so I get the cost thing. I really appreciate the insights.

I will post a wanted ad on this site.

Are there any other places I should be looking that have large amounts of square body pickup trucks for sale?

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Bring a trailer is hard to beat for high quality.

 

[TotalyHucked]

That’s a good point. If you’re wanting a clean slate for a vision that you have, and are going to do a complete tear down anyway and completely make it yours, I’d start out at whatever you can at the cheapest price point that fits your aesthetic.

I was somewhere in the middle. I didn’t want a turnkey truck with the hope I didn’t have to mess with it for years, but I didn’t want a basket case that needed a bunch of metal work either. Which is really the worst of both worlds. It needs work, but it’s not going to be bottom dollar either, lol. I just wanted a 2wd shortbed with good bones and not a lot of rust. At the time at least, the 81-87 trucks were more affordable and so that’s what I ended up with. All things being equal, I’d have wanted a 73-80, but I’m happy with my 81’.

Agreed, I wanted to be in the middle. Wanted rust free and drivable so I could enjoy it while I work on it. Real short beds were in the 10-15k range at the time and not always rust free. I also wanted a loaded truck (mainly cuz I'm too short to reach over to roll the other window down lol), so those were obviously on the upper end. I paid 7k for mine, totally rust free and was able to daily it for a long time before I broke it down for it's initial build. It turned out to be exactly the right buy for what I wanted

 

[TotalyHucked]

Thank you for the replies. I definitely understand the build vs buy thing. I have many cars and have done serious restorations (we are doing a 1970 Cuda frame off concours restoration right now actually) so I get the cost thing. I really appreciate the insights.

I will post a wanted ad on this site.

Are there any other places I should be looking that have large amounts of square body pickup trucks for sale?

Bring A Trailer is hard to beat for what you're looking for. There's not really one place/site that focuses on squarebodies or any one place I know of with alot of them for sale

 

[idahovette]

I'm surprised with your background in cars and serious restorations, you don't have some outlets to find what you are looking for??

 

[Sad Sack]

I'm surprised with your background in cars and serious restorations, you don't have some outlets to find what you are looking for??

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Grit dog]

I am a collector of vehicles and vintage "stuff".

I am from Canada (Toronto) but spend my winters in Arizona. I am here to learn about these trucks and eventually buy one that I can use for fun at my winter home!

I am mostly looking for "the southwestern sun baked patina look" in a square body truck. I would likely redo the interior/glass/chrome, add AC if it isn't there and get it running well.

We live in Cave Creek Arizona and spend lots of time hanging out at the western spots. Want a truck that has the right look

How much you looking to spend? The right “look” that is running driving and solid AND real original patina is either an anomaly or a patchwork pony or has a bunch of time and money into it.
For the right price I’d sell you my ‘77. You’d have to let it cook in the sun for a couple years to get the original paint schitty, I mean patina, enough. But it would be authentic and not need more than an interior refresh and the AC topped off.
Although that soft original paint that is thinning a bit in a few areas could be patina quick with some careful heavy cut polish and a garden sprayer of diluted Muratic acid! Actually.
You do realize that actual cooked for decades patina also 99% means rewiring everything and every non metallic part replaced.
Sun doesn’t just cook the paint.
Back to major resto, delete the paint job at the end, or buy a clean reliable one but likely has also had the body cared for.
When you say “I’d redo…” do you mean uou personally or a shop?
Hard to discern what your rusty champagne taste is vs your budget.

My whole point is time/effort/$. It’s like cheap fast or good, pick 2.
I’d honestly maybe look for a truck that needs little, sitting in original paint and make real patina out of it.
The patina part is easy and almost free (relatively). And you could create the perfect actual patina and drive it every day without spending a dime or time on th mechanical and electrical.

 

[86 C10 Shortbed]

Welcome from Reynoldsburg, Ohio

 

[1STLS1]

Thank you for the replies. I definitely understand the build vs buy thing. I have many cars and have done serious restorations (we are doing a 1970 Cuda frame off concours restoration right now actually) so I get the cost thing. I really appreciate the insights.

I will post a wanted ad on this site.

Are there any other places I should be looking that have large amounts of square body pickup trucks for sale?

Facebook Marketplace but away from the Southwest, everybody around here is pretty proud of them. I would start looking in Bakersfield CA and work north. Also the southern states, Tennessee, Georgia, Carolina's, etc.

I agree with Grit Dog, that farm fresh looking patina truck is an anomaly. Somebody built it and it was parked because it wasn't worth fixing. Those You Tube videos of people getting stuff running and driving a 1000 miles home, I don't always believe it, there is more to the story.

 

[Fat 454]

Somebody built it and it was parked because it wasn't worth fixing. Those You Tube videos of people getting stuff running and driving a 1000 miles home, I don't always believe it, there is more to the story.

like the director with the support car, the parts car, the sponsorship and the 5 guys running around wrenching behind the scenes ..

 

[idahovette]

^^^^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^they got all the pictures somehow^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Mr Clean]