Hello from Stirling, Scotland.

I previously posted about a yellow F100 I attempted to buy --thanks for all your help, my offer was too low (he wanted £19k, I offered £12k after taking advice).

I have decided to try buying an F100 that's needing work, and get it fixed up in the USA prior to shipping it to Scotland.

To that end, I am considering purchasing a 1956 F100, currently residing in Athens, GA: http://adcache.collectorcartraderonl...5/88298425.htm

Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/Quiff.bo...s/AthensGAF100

However, it needs some welding and re-painted.

It would be cheaper for me to get this work done in the USA before shipping it to Scotland.

Can anyone recommend a garage / sprayshop that is near Athens?

Clearly a bit of a risk, as I'm not exactly local, however, if I get a strong recommendation, I might give it a go.

In detail, here's what the vendor thinks needs doing:
1) fix front of hood lip...its bubbling so prob put a front lip patch on it

2) needs a bed wood kit old wood needs replacing

3) needs both doors to have the lower patch panels installed....they have rusted at the very bottom

4) the rear cab mounts where they attach to the floor need to be fixed...the floor has cracked by the attaching points....I think you can have a plate weilded on and get new mounts to fix it

Let me know what you think...

Cheers,
QbE

 

I'm from Georgia, but don't live there now. My advice would be to get a lot of pictures of this truck before putting money down. The seller should do this for you, or if he won't I'd walk. Another idea is to contact the local Chamber of Commerce(you can do all of this over the web), and get the names of some local garages in the area, and call them to get a quote on having one of their people to go assess the truck, giving you a list of recommended necessary repairs to get it to the shape you're expecting. I'm very leary of buying something of this value without doing the due diligence. Perhaps we have a member in the area also who might volunteer to look at the truck for you. The pics in the picasa file are "seller's" pics. Ask for some from underneath so you can really see the rust from the underside.

 

Thanks Jim, I appreciate your advice.

I'm now looking up the local Chamber of Commerce...

Cheers,
QbE

 

Okay...I'm going to be brutally honest here. And maybe I'm a bit off, as this is a '56, which is more rare than the other years (especially with the big window). However, with the amount of body rot that I can see just from the photos, and the amount of time and labor (i.e. $) it will take to fix the affected areas, as well as the time involved in replacing the bed, I personally would look elsewhere. I think you can find a pickup that is much more sound than the one you are considering for the $10,500 asking price. I realize shipping from the East Coast of the US is closer and probably cheaper to Scotland, but I would imagine you can pick up a nicer specimen and have it shipped out of a California or Washington port for not much more.

 

Thanks for you honesty.

The thing is, the trucks that are sound and fixed up etc. are proving hard to purchase at a sensible price --I'm finding it like buying someone's pet.

I was thinking that as I am going to convert to right hand drive, the front end does not matter. And, I'm sorta thinking that if *I* get the doors/cab welded, then at least I know there should not be any surprises(!)

This appealed as the engine looks good, the wiring tidy, the cab nice. I figured $3k for a paint job, $2k for the welding/tidy up, buy it for $9k = $14k???

I still have £4k to get it home + £2k for the RHD conversion = $12k; you can see why I'm keen to get it as cheap as possible...

Tricky.

 

Wow that is a lot of transporting but it is a big window 56!!!Q.Boy Elvis--THe truck is a little rusty,but maybe you can get the company or owner to haggle a bit.A big window will bring higher resale,for sure. I would find a bodyshop near Atlanta,Georgia to offer their services. OH--My family comes from the river Tweed area of Scotland and proud of it!!!!!!!!!!!cheers----walford

 

Sorry you have had some trouble finding a truck you like.

Wouldn't you be better of finding a truck to buy in England? It would probably already be RH drive. You wouldn't have to ship it, and...most importantly...you would be able to look it over before buying it. In fact, the money you are talking about (after shipping and RH drive) is a fortune here. Maybe you need to hook up with some of our British brothers and network a buy over there? What would that truck cost over there?

Personally, I would NEVER buy one of these trucks without seeing it first. Next to that I would NEVER have some shop sight unseen do the modifications, even with the best recommendations. Its not so much that there are crooks out there (and there are), it is more that a lot can be lost in translation long distance. I wouldn't expect to get a competetive bid that way or be happy with the result.

Also, it seems you want a truck to drive to shows, or such. A finished truck will be pricier, of course. Most of us here are builders. That said, I would much prefer to do the required fixing myself. I have done the hood lead edge, lower door skins, etc, so no biggy. But if you aren't the type to putz with it yourself, you will be paying a premium.

BTW, that is a nice truck, but not for the money he's asking. Those are some big flaws that need fixing. The floor cracking out around the rear cab mount is no bueno. It strikes me as a sign of much worse after close inspection. The hood is a usual place, as are the doors. In SoCal (where everything is at premium), it wouldn't fetch more than $8000 in that condition...and you'd wait awhile for that price. Also, $3k for paint is about half the price in SoCal.

Good luck.

 

I don't know, RJ. All things considered, it doesn't appear to be that bad a price. IMHO. Body looks straight with nice cab and engine bay, barring an abundance of "unseen" rust or underneath problems that can still be dealt with. Value is a relative term. Imagine the value of this truck (at least to Quiff Boy) after repairs are made and it arrives in Scotland..

 

QbE,
Everyone has offered good advice for you to consider. Here is the name of a shop that is not too far from Athens (40-50 miles) and they are familiar with the '56 Ford pick-up.

Mike Chesser
608 Braselton Hwy
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
770-963-4571

I have not had any work done by this shop. I have talked to them regarding their big window panel and they were very helpful. You can check out some of their work on their website.
www.chesserbuilt.com

Just another option for your consideration.
Good Luck!

 

I know you're probably getting tired of all of us shooting down your purchases, but even on eBay, (where people ask WAY too much) these things are going for fairly cheap in decent shape. I've been looking at them, just for grins. I've come to the conclusion if all you're wanting is the truck to drive and aren't into rebuilding the thing, you can do much better buying a truck that's done.

 

No one has commented on the bed wood yet, so since they haven't I'll give some information on that. It is very difficult to ship bed wood overseas. There are many factors but the two biggest are the chances for damage (If it is shipped without being finished and installed) and the problems with the forms/inspections you have to do to ship USA wood to another country. We make the wood bed kits here, but rarely ship it to anywhere else but USA and Canada. Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for that, something I'd not thought about. It about the only bit I could do myself, so I don't mind leaving it in the USA.

Cheers,
QbE

 

There are very few over here in the UK, understandably. Some even are original RHD (built in AUS I think) which is way cool. I saw one a couple of months a go in a UK USA car mag at £13k, LHD, quite tidy. Conversion to RHD is £2k, so that's about £15-16k all-in =$32k. I'll be waiting years before another comes up, and knowing my luck it'll be a manual or have had its roof chopped or something.

I get your point about buying unseen. However, as labour (labor) over here is $60 per hour and very few places have F100 experience, even if I get a high quote, it would have to be pretty over-the-top to come in more expensive. Plus, (this might hurt) I am hoping the requirements are pretty simple --how hard can it be? I'm sure any garage will find extra issues, but hopefully nothing too serious.

Clearly, I am in the "more money than sense" league, and really have not a clue about such vehicles, but, as you say, what the heck! I don't want a show truck, just an every day truck --taking kids to weekend activities, trips to DIY sheds, trips up to lochs/glens etc. However, no point in getting a rusty truck, might as well get the problems sorted --hence a $3k paint job.

Excuse my ignorance, but what do you mean "The floor cracking out around the rear cab mount is no bueno." --No bueno?? Not a worry; or not trivial??
And, I guess you are saying that my $3k for paint is 100% too low?

It would seem (admittedly, after only a few months looking) that finished trucks cost $20k, which everyone tells me is too high. Many are street rods (no thanks) and many are "original", (no again). Some are manual (no), some have huge engines (too big). Some are purple or pink (no and no).

I've emailed fatford's chesserbuilt.com to see what they say -although, judgung by their pictures on their web site, they are outa-my-league.

fun fun fun.

I am beginning to wonder if the first truck I was after was such a bad deal --no rust, right colour (color), right cab, right engine, right side of USA. Hmmm.

QbE

 

QbE -

What I meant my "no bueno" is "not good". I haven't heard of one failing there. Floor pans rust and that is probably the precipitating event, but if so, it won't be just that corner that is bad. That area of the floor is also unusual.

It is usually true that the body rust areas you can identify in the pics (and the owner offers up) are just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. I thought mine was really solid, but after stripping it, I found it needed a cab corner, fender, hood and cab patches, door skins and a door pan, etc.

I suppose there isn't an alternative to shopping for one this way, given the cost and rarity of them in the UK. I see your point on that.

How about you list exactly what you are looking for, with price. We all see stuff for sale all over the place. Maybe we or you can ID a candidate, and one of the members can check it out for you? If I were in your spot, that would give me more confidence. It might take a while, but that would be a more reliable process. These are some great folks on FTE. I'm sure we'll get volunteers. There are also independant appraisers that you can deal with.

 

Good trucks in the eastern US are harder to find and more expensive for what you get than trucks on the west coast and SW states because of weather damage is much worse. Why not locate a good truck in the SW or west coast, fly in for a vacation and drive it to the east coast for shipping? Seems like switching a 53-56 to right hand drive would be a major undertaking since the dash is welded in the instrument cluster would need to be cut out and welded back in on the other side. Why not do as collectors of European vehicles do here just drive it from the "wrong side".
You don't want a hot rod or a restoration or an original condition? What exactly do you want?
I bought my 56 panel (more expensive than pickup) with original rust free body, late model engine and tranny (manual, but automatics are cheaper than this rare tranny) A/C, all rebuilt suspension and Ford 9" rear end +++ for 11,000.00 $US and drove it cross country 2,000 miles home.