Need advice on my first buy.

[Stark]

Good day, gentlemen.

Found a 78 K10 stepside, wood bed, scary-good condition. Originally from North Dakota, has your standard surface rust on a couple small area but ZERO rot-through. The interior is immaculate, completely re-done. I've been looking at these trucks for years and I think this could be the one.

Not the original motor. Body has 115,00 on it. Current owner bought it from a guy who dropped in a 400 SB, but isn't sure of mileage at this point. Runs like a dream. He re-did the bed completely and re-wired it from nose to tail. Guy is only selling it because he has too many toys and wants to finish his Camaro.

Just put on a new driveshaft, he's replacing a weeping diff seal and says he'd put shocks on it eventually. Other than that, it's his daily driver. Solid rubber, even has the "4x4" orange/yellow badged wheels for it.

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Asking 8 grand. This could be the one...? Thoughts?

I'm just a country boy who could never afford this stuff growing up. Doing pretty good now, wanted one of these for 15 years. Never a gear head, don't even have a garage now. I'll learn as I go I suppose...

 

[HotRodPC]

Welcome to GMSB. That is certainly a nice one. So it has a SBC 400 in it now? For the price I'd really be expecting perfection in, out and mechanically. And it doesn't appear to be an AC truck. For that kind of money, I'd want AC.

 

[robert8096]

Not a bad looking truck. It's hard to tell from the pics but has that bed wood been sealed? I would say that is a high 3k to low 4k truck. It all depends on what these trucks go for in your area.

 

[HotRodPC]

I was curious about your location too. As in Which Mountains? In the rust belt, rust free trucks go for big bucks. Down South, not so much. I too was thinking about a $4000 truck. Maybe $5000 if it has a SBC 400 in great shape and all the 4x4 works good. Many also don't like the Full Time 4x4 that truck has but it can be converted at a price. And in the rust belt it would be worth more.

 

[Old77]

This is a sticky area because what is worth 8k to one person is way over priced for another. This is how I look at it, though. If you were to take that 8k and build the exact same truck could you do it? A lot of that depends on your skill level and if you could do the work yourself to get there. With that, it's becoming increasingly more difficult to find step side square body trucks so that plays a roll in it too.

It's definitely a nice truck from what is seen in the pics. For $8k, I'd at least go take a look at it but I'd be very reserved about buying it until seeing everything in person and going over it with a fine tooth comb.

 

[Stark]

I've gone to look at it that's how I know that much about it. The bed is made from high quality deck-building material. I'm in the northeast, so finding something that ISN'T good guts/swiss cheese body is pretty rare up here. No A/C.

He insisted on let me drive it. He said "Hop in, let's take it for a spin" and when we came to a parking lot he swung his door open and said "Your turn." So I slide over and took it back. Shifted smooth -- forgot to mention it has brand new front brakes which, thanks to a UPS truck, those were given and impromptu stress test -- and passed.

The price is certainly higher than I would like (isn't it always?) but I'm glad my initial thoughts are being reinforced here. I feel like he's really trying to milk an extra 2 or 3 grand out of the stepside. For the area it's a little high, but not sky high. He said he's in it for 9k.

 

[Old77]

...and he's probably being honest about having 9k into it. That's a nice truck which requires $$$ to get it that nice and keep that nice especially if driven in the winter months.

At this point I'd say it's up to you and what you're looking for. If that is what you're looking for and something you'd be happy with long term I'd say snag it otherwise you'll kick yourself for it later. The good thing about these trucks is their value is not going down. If he doesn't get you to pay him $8k for it I'd bet he'd find someone who will.

 

[robert8096]

Does he have the receipts to backup the 9k? Good luck with the transaction.

 

[HotRodPC]

That's the thing about these trucks. They ARE NOT investments. Most, but not all, Vehicles are BAD investments. You will NEVER get out of what you put into one if you build it as far as ACV. (Actual Cash Value). However, Pride and the time you spend with your kid, parent or grandparent building it, or cruising in it, washing and waxing it, is where the PRICELESS value comes in.

Also, keep in mind, the ACV of anything, where it be a vehicle or a widget, is what someone is willing and able to pay for it. If you're in the NE, then they do sell for more. It is a nice truck. If $4-$5K is fair price in OK or TX, then it's probably a fair price at $6,000 there and you both be able to sleep at night knowing you both got a fair deal. For you to find a $1500-$2000 starter project, and get it in that condition, you'd have over $6K in it too like he has, and of course your labor is FREE and not recoverable. Also, keep in mind, if that truck gets totalled, you'll be doing damn good and lucky if an insurance company gives you $3500-$4000 for it.

How long has the truck been for sale? If it just hit the market, he may get tired of tire kickers and realize his price is to high. I think I'd tell the guy, " It's a beautiful truck, and you've done good work on it. Not to offend you at all, but through my research it's really only about a $4500-$5000 truck. I like it enough I'd be willing to go $6000 cash for it, but not a penny more since if I fully insure the thing and it get's wiped out or stolen, I'd be doing good to get $4000 out my insurance company for it. If you don't sell it anytime soon for the price you want for it, and willing to take $6000 give me a call and I'll make a run to the bank and get you a Cashiers Check so you got cash to finish your other project."

 

[Stark]

HotRodPC -- well done.

You've basically hit every nail, on every head. I couldn't agree more. He's only had it listed about a month. Quite frankly the only thing really stopping me from calling him back is I may or may not be jumping ship from my employer. I want to be concrete with finances in a new spot before committing to wheels.

Gotta postpone the dream a lil' longer I think...

 

[bucket]

Around here I'd say that's easily a 6K truck. Looks like it's pretty nice. And a lack of AC doesn't really subtract any value around here either, most old trucks here didn't have it. And most folks with an AC equipped older vehicle are driving around with a non-op system anyway.

 

[Old77]

Around here I'd say that's easily a 6K truck. Looks like it's pretty nice. And a lack of AC doesn't really subtract any value around here either, most old trucks here didn't have it. And most folks with an AC equipped older vehicle are driving around with a non-op system anyway.

^^^this....That'd bring 6k easily here too which is why I posted what I did with the guy's asking price. He'll get his asking price or at least relatively close to it with it being in that kind of shape.

 

[Driver4r]

Beutifull truck.

 

[HotRodPC]

I've learned from being on forums, the further South, and the further West you get, the prices seem to dwindle. I think the reason being, like AZ for example. Rust doesn't kill trucks and put them in the boneyard so there are many to choose from. Supply and demand at it's best.

As far as AC in these old trucks. You can bet your ass, in OK, if it's got a paint job is Fair to Good Condition or better, and it's OE or even Aftermarket equipped with AC, it's working. Not that paint has anything to do with it, just saying, if it's not a beat up old clunker scrappin truck, it's got AC and it works. I get jealous in the summer time seeing all the squares with windows up. But my trucks have AC and will be working this year. Here, a guy will pay for getting his AC fixed before he'll pay for new shocks, a wheel alignment, or fix a front seal leak. He'd rather just keep adding oil. Not me, but the majority here are that way. AC matters, other **** don't. I get a leak or my steering wheels spokes aren't straight, I'm stressed and freakin !!!

 

[Old77]

AC definitely matters to me too. I just haven't gotten the money together yet to get mine working in the truck. I guess you could say that was last on my list of "to-dos" for my build it's going to cost a decent chunk of change to get my AC working I think so but it will be working and blowing cold in due time.