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While perusing Craiglist posts I used Google and found numerous ads for '48-51 Fords. I only looked at the first two pages that came up before I started wondering if the rampant drug problem is worse than most suspect. Just from looking at a few of the ads I can't believe this guys are on something. Here are four sample I found with their prices and short descriptions. Most of the trucks I found I wouldn't offer much more than scrap price for, the few I found that were drivable but needed a lot of work to get into nice condition were only a few thousand dollar less than some of the really nice looking finished trucks. There are some really nice trucks listed for the $25K to $50K range. $50K is a lot for an old truck, IMO, no matter how nice it is but the $25~ range seems pretty reasonable if you consider how much it costs to restore a truck.
I know these are asking prices, probably no where near what they'd get for them but to list them for these prices seems nuts to me.
It isn't drugs, Bob, these sellers are just believers in the 'Greater Fool' theory of valuation. Basically, while they may very well be nuts, the sellers only need one party even more disconnected from reality to make the deal.
Thus, while I'm a fool, a greater fool exists to reward me.
We've seen the evidence at most any swap meet of any size. Stuff that seemingly wasn't worth hauling to the sale finds a new owner for a price that cause many to simply shake their collective heads. Greater fools all.
And I sold my F3 for $5500. All body work was done, 5.0 EFI with a 5 speed trans, Jag front end, F250 rear end, Jeep bucket seats, 4 wheel disk brakes and black walnut bed boards. It needed to be painted. It had 4 new tires on American Racing Mags. I was happy with that price now maybe I’m thinking I was nuts!
Wonder if I could get $80K . It runs ,totally rebuilt 8RT truck engine w/ 2095 mi. clean title , no rust , 4 new tires , won many major awards , best in shows , class wins , 2017 '48-'52 truck of the year , top 10 of 408 at the nationals ,AACA correct , even 'Big Daddy" Don Garlits thought it was best truck at his show . . Has been invited to the Boca Raton Concourse show Feb 24 , 2018 where Tim Allen & Jay Leno will be guest judges . Nope , it's not for sale .
Based on what that 51 went for I don't think 60 is out of the question. I saw it a few weeks ago and was curious what it would bring. Denny get the turn signal and windshield washer kits added and I could see it bring 65 at Scottsdale.
I'd guess 90% of buyers aren't looking for a stock truck. Look on here, how many are even close to stock? Most newbies' first posts are asking about MII and disc brakes, 4-links, and a 400 HP engine transplant.
Long live the stock v8 flathead F1 (and stock 226)! Speaking of stuff for sale, a nice 4 1/8 long stroke crank popped up on eBay today! I almost pulled the trigger to tear mine back down and add 8cu, so yes folks are crazy for trucks and for parts to these old beasts, it's good to see!
someone beat me to it before I could confirm tomorrow that Ross pistons made a 60 over long stroke flathead piston and had it in stock....dang
I personally prefer a stock truck but as Ross noted most members here are customizing their trucks with upgrades to modern engineering and comfort.
These people who think just because they saw a vehicle like theirs sell for big bucks on some "reality" TV don't realize two things. First, it takes a lot of time and money to make a show truck out of a really solid base project truck, not a piece of butchered, dented up, rotted out, parts missing vehicle like they're trying to sell. Second, I doubt if there are many idiots out there willing to plunk down $60K for a truck that had it's rust clear coated and a junkyard V8 stuffed under it's hood like the reality shows. The shows that do produce show quality cars do it in a months time and I doubt would make any money on their projects if they didn't have the backing of the production company producing the shows.
I've run into numerous people with vehicles in the same condition as the trucks I posted who had no idea what they were worth, or how much it would take to make them worth what they think they are.
I bought this truck a few years back. When I first went to see it I asked the seller what he wanted to get for it. He came back with, "Well, I've seen trucks like this on the internet go for between $20-25K." I came back, as politely as I could, "Not this one, I'll give you a little better than scrap for." Thanked him for his time and left. A couple of weeks later he called me back and told me I could have it for $500 if I got it out of his deceased father-in-law's garage by the weekend.
I bought this car as a parts car for $600 without a title one party. Long story but I ended up contacting the former owner's sister, another party, who took care of his estate after he died and she was able to get a title for it. When she called to tell me she had the title she tried to leverage more money from me telling me she had offers sight unseen for the car for $1500. I told he to come and get it but I wanted my $600. She told me she saw cars like this sell on the internet for between $30-40K. I agree, this car could be worth $30-40K after I stuck $30K in parts and 2000 hours of labor. I finally got the title for what it cost her plus some for her troubles. This car was in pretty bad shape, mainly just a parts car. These Buicks rot out really bad, worse than any of our trucks.
Some of you have seen my trucks. The F-2 is a good running truck and the body is OK but I don't think it can be worth more than $10K, at most. The panel I have is nice truck but needs work to make it really nice, I doubt if it's worth more than maybe $10K. Both trucks you can get in and drive without having to do anything to them. These wrecks people are asking +$5K for are crates that would hours and hundreds of dollars just to get them to run.
I had a guy stop by the house yesterday. An older guy, well, late 60's, was driving an all original 69 SS Camaro convertible. The guy was bonkers for my old 49. He's been seeing it for weeks and has been waiting to catch me at home to talk about it. The guy was drooling everywhere. Most of you guys have seen my truck, its rough. Mechanically its fairly sound and I have no problems jumping in it and driving cross country but its a bare bones, rough, old hot rod. This guy thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Compared to some of the prices I've seen for complete piles of junk, my truck is worth at least a gadzillion bucks.
My truck was far from "SHOW READY" I paid $1500 for it out of the last barn in Chicago. It had spent it's life as a farm truck. The bed had 3 inches of missing metal the full length of each side. The rear fenders had rust on the bottom front and back the left rear had rust along the top. The front fenders had rust along the bottom fronts and near running boards. The inside was original and complete with good gauges but seat was shot. The engine was locked up (but ran when parked in barn 9 years before I bought it - I think it was true as the 80+ year old widow told me she drove it in the barn after her husband died). I got the engine to turn but it blew a rod after about two minutes of running and destroyed the block. It took me 17 years of working on it off and on to get it to this shape. Then sold it for medical reasons. As most have experienced famaily concerns and money priorities took priority. I had at least another $4000 in it without any pay for hours of work. So at best I broke even or lost $500-1000 plus time and effort. There is no way I would be in this hobby if I had to pay the above prices to get astarter vechicle. On the Studebaker I have kept a detailed cost sheet (i've been married for 47 years so it doesn't matter if she finds out what it costs now) and have just under $14400 in it. It is running as my every day driver and looks pretty good. I've been asked to put it in a concours survivor class as it is a rare model and as I've been told there are less than 250-300 of them left. I don't really feel it is worthy of that as it's my driver not a show car.
Ah, the wonders of the televised auctions. Everybody thinks they have a #1 trailer queen when in reality they have a solid #4 that isn't worth looking at. Just keep your eyes open and one will come along. I waited for close to a year until I scored Henry.
351W with C4, immaculate interior and all steel with original metal from the factory. Hang in there.
01-14-2018, 07:15 PM
