A neighbor(and actually we went to the same high school) had this truck get partially burned in the recent Nor-Cal fires. We had talked this last summer after I had the interior on my '65 LB(older brother LB twin to his SB) done as he was looking to update his.

I contacted him after the fires to let him know that FTE might be a good place to look for a cab if he was going to save the truck. He was not planning to save it so I picked it up. He also lost his home and the 1963 Buick LaSabre(bucket seat) Convertible in the garage that he bought in 1971 before his senior year of high school. He has since found a 1964 Buick Lasabre Vert( bucket seat) barn find to replace it.

So I'm trying to decide on what route to go with the burn victim.
It is 352, Auto, PS, PB. It was very clean, no rust, orig. Black & Yellow Calif. plates.
Bed is fine.
Cab and all it's guts are smoked.
Roof of cab is warped in.
Had to go under the hood to get it out of Park as the lever is gone.
Front is not too bad.
Much of the rubber and plastic under the hood is melted.
Some of the cab mounts are gone and one front brake hose is gone.
Glass is all gone.
Doors are still straight.
Amazingly even with the int & ext door handles and mirrors gone, all the exterior trim looks great.

So trying to decide if I should:
- Rebuild it basically original with some upgrades like disc brakes and AC.

- Look at it as a blank canvas and modify it with late model engine and trans. Maybe even put in a I6 300 like my '65 LB has that I really like and add an AOD to it.

- Really modify it going the Crown Vic path.

- Part it.

I'm assuming finding a cab with all the guts would be the best way to restock the inside with all the little things, especially those that are not reproduced.

Thoughts, suggestions, leads on a good cab with guts?




Hood still opens but springs have lost their tension.



No dings in the bed.



Front rim partially melted, spare was OK.



Notice glass melted over dash.





I don't think this will buff out.

 

parts truck perhaps - good luck

 

In most parts of the country that rust free short bed is probably worth more than you paid for the entire truck in CA. But in any case looks like a parts truck to me.

 

i would fined another cab and rebuild the truck. my two cents. Good luck

 

I sent you a PM, did you get it? I'm interested in the bed, tail gate and the cab roof.
Could you PM me please.
Fritz

 

I think that's a good restoration candidate. You'll need a rust-free cab (maybe a complete truck for all the bits) but you're only a few hundred miles away from a good supply of those. I was in and around Fresno recently and saw lots of "retired" '65-66 slicks in private hands.

 

And good luck buying them from those private hands in California. Depends on how much cash your willing to spend and with the cash your going to put into that burned truck to bring it back, you could buy a good running one for less. Restoring one today takes more than pocket change I'm afraid. With a fire as hot as that one got, I wouldn't be surprised the frame wasn't compromised right under the cab. Look at the picture of the 'door access panel' area. That door got so hot it started to droop. It must have gotten pretty darn hot when the gas started leaking out of that tank...
Its just sad seeing that.