Don't just walk away, RUN. There is better for less out there.

 

If that were local to me I would pay max $800 for it, assuming the chassis work was done correctly and safely. I know I could save it, that actually looks like a good solid builder to me.
However if you are new to this and do not have someone to help who understands this kind of work (remember this has to go down the road safely and not kill you or anyone else) then plan on a budget of $10000 to $15000 to get the truck built after paying for professional help where needed.
If that is not something you can or want to do then I would look for a running and driving truck to upgrade and tinker with while driving it.
There is a reason the project was started and abandoned, you dont want to be the next one to have to abandon it, so get help inspecting the chassis work that was done before considering buying it.
Good luck, these trucks are a lot of fun.

 

scrap is paying $230 a ton so..............

 

I agree with Arctic y block, run don't walk away from this! There is nothing in the sheetmetal worth saving, and more of the same doesn't make it worth any more. It would take a whole lot more than patch panels and some welding. All you are looking at is an aborted modified chassis done with questionable parts and with questionable workmanship, questionable enough to have been dumped in a field. Bet there is no good title either.

 

I just found this thread and I have to agree with those suggesting you leave this truck where it is.

Unless you've fallen in love with it and have a LOT of money, this is not worth your time and money and it would not be long in your possession before you gave up trying to make it into something you would want or be able to safely drive.

And besides all that, it is not worth the asking price. Not even close. He should pay you to take it.

Keep looking and come on back when you find a real truck...

 

Thanks for the replies everyone. I appreciate all the advice. As for the concerns about my welding abilities, I have that covered. I have several friends that weld for a living, not the kind that just pull the trigger, actual welders. They have all offered to do the welding in the areas I wasn't comfortable working on. My friend Brian is a union pipe fitter who has done several turbo setups on mustangs, offered to do the welding for a case of beer. I am well aware that this will be a multi year project. The owner has a few other trucks at his property that are roughly the same year 51-55. I think I'll see if I can get him to sell me the truck with a set of fenders and hood that don't require patch work. I saw a set of fenders on another truck that didn't have any holes in them and there was another hood laying where the bed was on this one. I plan on offering the $800 some of you suggested and if he doesn't accept it I'll lool elsewhere. Thanks again for the replies everyone.

Charles

 

Don't be disappointed if this deal doesn't work out. Here are (4) more complete trucks not too far away.


Good luck over there.


Ben in Austin
1950 F1


1955 Ford F100


1956 Ford F100 Beautiful Truck Restored to Original


1955 Ford F100 Custom Cab


1956 Ford pick up F100

 

'55 F100 Detroit $15K


'56 F100 Longbed , Bryan Ohio $16.5K


'55 F100 Naperville, Il. $8.5K (Dodge Bed)


'56 F100 West Allis (Chicago) $7.5K


Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

Thanks for the links and pics. With my wife being in college and a baby due in December the first 3 are outside my budget for the next year or so. I may call on the last one, the 56, though.

 

IMHO that last one is the prize, but they all are winners. You could easily spend 15-18K fixing up a basket case and not end up with as nice a truck as any of these.

 

Truck #4 looks like a good truck to rebuild, especially if the Cleveland/trans. and rear end have been installed correctly. Just note it is a long bed and running boards are going to be hard to find.

Truck #3 ('55 F100 Naperville, Il. $8.5K, Dodge Bed) is an over-priced bondo bucket. The guy isn't trying to hide anything, you can see in the pictures how rough it is if you look closely. The thing that bothers me the most is the spacers behind the bottom driver's door hinge. There has been a lot of compensation/adjusting for something.

 

Looks like a ginormous project, but, what the heck? If it has the bits in it he says it has it sounds like a fairly reasonable deal. Body looks very tired, though. Personally, I wouldn't tackle it, but I have a limited skill set. If you have already seen it and have not been intimidated by the work in front of you, then, why not? It is only time and money. We are all gonna die anyway (A big comet is going to hit us in 2012....oh, wait, that has passed, well, it's overdue to hit, so get cracking!)

And good luck!

 

Look around be patient. I paid $4500 for mine. I have pictures in my profile. I bought it the way it looks in the pictures. It wasn't running. I bought a new fuel pump for it and the next day the 351 Windsor was running.