I have been lurking around the site for a while just trying to find the right truck to restore. I have found this on craigslist and was wanting to know what you guys think would be a fair price to pay for it. Thank you for your help.


1951 F1 Ford Truck

 

I wouldn't spend a thousand dollars on it. IMO, that truck is worst than a parts truck. For $3k, I'd expect the truck to be mostly put together and less rust. If I were you, look for a better truck. Remember, the greater the up front cost (considering the truck is in decent shape), the less you have to spend fixing it in the long run.

 

Uhhhh, bill of sale? Run away!
Title or battle. Title or battle - the mantra. Say it:
"Title or battle!"

 

My manta when looking for something I want badly is "Patience, patience, patience". Keep looking, keep searching, keep positive. You will find what you are looking for at the price you can be comfortable with. When all the factors come together, that will be your baby.

 

Keep looking. You can do better.

 

Sometimes you just have to have a very open mind when shopping for a vehicle. My older brother, who has been a used car salesman (and yea, he is the 'typical' ) since 1968 always told me to shop for the right deal and not go out set on a specific year/ make/ model or you will almost always overpay. About 5 years ago, I decided that I wanted to find a 'project' vehicle. I had several year/ make / models in mind, but was not dead set on any one. My list of vehicles included, 1948 Desoto 9 passenger (the car my dad brought me home from the Hospital in when I was born) 1954 or 1957 Chevy panel (dad had both for for his bicycle business) 1963 1/2 Ford Galaxie 500 (best car I ever owned) 1960 Ford Fairlane (my first street car) 1956 F100 (my second truck-- much better than my first, 1951 Reo Gold Comet) or a 1948-50 F-5 flatbed (our race car hauler in the early 60's)
I almost bought a 48 Chrysler 9 pass. in Rockford, Ill but could not get the right price, and I passed on a couple of F-1's and F-100's because of title issues. Then I found Edith on Ebay, but the starting bid was too high. I emailed the guy on the last day before it expired and waited for the auction to end. After seeing and driving the truck (around his farm with no brakes) we agreed on a price several hundred below his ebay starting bid.

 

Back to the original question: What is a fair price? Based on what I can see, between $800 - $1200. The 'ran before disassembling' line is a concern as is the lack of a title. The parts all appear to be there - assuming the rear fenders & running boards are available. Good luck with your search.

DW

 

You can find a better deal, I gave $700 for a 49 in comparable shape. I would never pay over a K for a non-titled vehicle, with some exceptions of course.

 

The lack of Title is only important if you live in a title state . Both NY and Ga did not have titles until the 70s , So any vehicle before that can be registered on a bill of sale . I have gotten a 50 Dodge, 63 ranchero, and 54 F100 registered in Ny with a bill of sale . The 54 was reregistered in Ga without a title and my 56 F250 has been inspected for vin number and I have the paperwork from the DMV and police to get it registered . Check with your local DMV to see what you will need to get this truck in your name . Also what a truck is worth in one area is different from another .

 

Considering that was your first post ever on FTE, why don't you start a new thread and introduce yourself and your truck.

To the original poster, I agree with the others. Way too much for that. Even if you try to negotiate with the seller, he's not going to drop it down to a reasonable amount. Instead, he'll chew on it and realize that he's way too high, then he may very well re-post it in the future at a much more reasonable price. So it might be worth your effort to contact him and give him your number. Heck, I saw a guy post a used, unknown, and non-running flathead on craigslist for $5000 the other day.

 

Dave, in the states such as NY and GA where they don't issue titles, you still need a registration showing that the seller was the actual owner. Edith came out of GA and the seller had to register the truck and give me the registration along with the bill of sale. To register the truck, which he bought in NC, Ga. required him to obtain the NC title and then the vin inspection. In NY, vehicles older than 1972 are issued a 'Transferable' registration which is the same thing they had before titles. I know that Alabama used to transfer just on a bill of sale, but even they now require a proof of ownership along with the BOS. So yes, you can get then transferred without a 'title' depending on the state, but you still need a proof of registration.
So NO, "The lack of Title is only important if you live in a title state ." is not correct.

 

There was a new poster from KY on here last week trying to sell a non running flathead with 4 stuck valves. The thread was deleted apparently because he joined just to try selling it here. I contacted him off site and he sent me pictures of the motor that had the heads and intake off. He said that a local engine shop said that it was the 'cleanest flathead' they had ever seen. It made Edith's block when we pulled that head off in your shop, look like it had just come off the assembly line. It was obvious that the motor had not been in service for decades. Said he knew what it was worth and would not take less than $700, he also had the chassis from the truck (sounded like a rat rod guy) and he wanted at least $900 for that. I thought he was out of touch with that kind of prices. A few days later he listed it on the local classified wanting $3500 for the non running / apart/ stuck valves engine or $5000 with the rolling chassis. Some people really are clueless.

 

3K is way too much . Total rebuild on the 239 will be 3-5K . There is yrs. of work on that truck to make it respectable .In the end you will have between 15-20K in it . All the sheet metal ,rubber parts , small parts , rust removal , paint & materials adds up quick . You would be better off waiting till a much more decent shape truck is found .Believe me I know . Started with a like condition truck . 7 yrs/ later & 19K & it is still not done .

 

We're talking about the same guy. His first price for that engine was $5000. Then it dropped down to $3500. Currently at $650. I talked to him also. But, to the guy's credit, he did apparently educate himself (or somebody else talked to him), and he dropped the price down drastically on that engine and chassis when he priced it to me.

 

My '51 F2 was FREE, and it was in about the same condition as this one you are looking at. The seller tried for a long time to sell it but it was in such rough shape and needed so much work he got frustrated with all the hassels of selling online and offered it free to whoever got there first to take it out of his sight.
Even by getting it for nothing was no bargain.....It has taken me years to collect both new and used replacement parts and the expense has been severals time MORE than I planned, and this isn't my first restoration rodeo.
So, having said this....I would not be excited to pay anything for a truck in that poor of condition but if I had to buy it .... it would be for very little over scrap metal value. Let's say $400 at most.

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