I found an F47 in a old shed a few weeks ago which was not in to bad of shape. No rust in the cab and just alittle on the the back fenders and a pinhole on the drivers side running boards. The mice have had their way with the inside of the cab, the box is full of junk and the outside of the truck is covered in bird dirt. The glass is good and it looks like everything is there. Anyway, I finally track down the owner and gave her a call and told her I was down there and would it be okay to take closer look, she said sure have another look and we can talk numbers. The first time I was down there I just looked in through the doors. So I called her up this afternoon and we had a littler chat and I told what I had found and offered $300.00 for the truck she said "it's an antique" and hung up. I guess she didn't like my offer.

 

Yeah been there also. Went to find the owner of an old Falcon car that had lots of debris on it and been sitting for some time. It needed a lot of work. He wanted $1500 for it. This was in 1980. Car was worth maybe a $100 at that time with all the damage and mice and work it needed.
Some people feel things are worth more than they are and do not see the costs of repairs that you have to do make an effect of the sale.
I have a neighbor out here with a 48-50 f1 sitting in the trees. It is red and black and looks pretty good. I can maybe check it out this weekend and get some pics to e-mail. Maybe he will sell, its been sitting for a few years now. I also do not know him well, met him once. I can try.
I have to help my other neighbor today with the sale of a Vista Cruiser. Help clear a path to tow the car out. He wanted $450 for car and ended selling it for $250 . Oh well that is one more less of the 70 cars he still has.
Call me stupid, But what year is this F47. I looked in my books I cannot find any pictures of F47. Or is the 47 the year of truck. Books only show F1 F2 F3 etc,.

 

66gpw I would appreciate it very much if you could get a few pictures and a few details, but, no big hurry. It really stuck me as funny afterwards because it sounded like I was talking to Phyllis Diller on the phone. I have never been called darling so many times in my life, until I made her my offer. I am not 100% sure, but as I recall they started numbering the trucks in the US Starting in 1947, the trucks were numbered F1, F2 and so on. In Canada the trucks form 1947 to 1950 were numbered according to there GVW, hence F47 & F68, I am not sure about the biggar trucks. In 1951 the trucks in Canada where numbered the same as in the states. I think that's how it goes.

 

Brain cramp! I just realized I wrote 1947 -1950 for F47 trucks in Canada it should be 1948-50

 

I've done my share of barnyard lurking and I think we've all been there. I have found that if I plant the seed and put the idea in the owners head often they will come back to me in their own sweet time. We know what it takes to fix these things up but often the owner has seen something on antiques roadshow and feels that they have a valued item on their hands. Actually they do otherwise we wouldn't be asking. I'm sure if I were to ask this lady her opinion she probably thought the offer was rude. Anyhow I normally start off by asking questions about the truck. Once I get some background I ask if they are interested in selling. 90% of the time this is where the conversation ends cause they are firm that the truck is not for sale. I respect those folks and ask if I can take a picture and be on my way. If its one that I really want I normally ask as well if they mind if I stop back in a year or so to see if they have changed their mind. On the 10% that say they "might" sell I ask if I can take a closer look. Upon return I let them decide on the starting price. Some people will give you a ballpark others won't but if you talk to them long enough they normally will shoot out some kind of number. If I thought the truck was worth 300$ and they say 3000$. I chat for another second, bow out politely and ask if I can take a few more snapshots and be on my way. Its no use me telling the guy that he is nuts. I was the one who stopped in to bug him and maybe next year when I'm rolling through again he will be at 1500$ and have 2 other trucks that I want etc etc. Now with that being said I'm not picking sides I've had folks slam their door in my face for me just saying hello. I don't normally revisit those types. The level of my persistence normally depends on how bad I want the truck. I bought my 55 last year and I wanted it pretty bad. The guy was saving it for his son who I knew personally. The guy would never do anything with the truck. I stopped in 2003 and asked if he would sell it. I got the son story. "Oh that;s a great idea I said" do you mind if I get some pics. By the way I'l' stop in next year to see if the young lad wants that ole girl or not. 2004 I went back and there it was still sitting. I asked the guy again and got a few more stories out of him. I left my number etc. He called me 2 months later to come and get it. His price was a little high but he was willing to dicker and let's face it I wanted to thing. I'm looking out the window now at it. My moral to all this is that if that F47 is something you really want you may want to call her back with an apology whether its warranted or not and see what she figures its worth. If she says 3000$ than thank her for her time and ask if you can check in next year. Hell she may say 1000$ at which point you can soul search and see if maybe the truck is worth 750$ or whatever.
And Oh ya maybe she is a real ole crab at which point atleast you will have the opportunity to hang up on her.
Either way keep us posted and thanks for the story. The world is full of all kinds.

later
TFC

 

TruckfarmingCanuck maybe I gave the wrong impression, I was not upset or angry with the lady. I tried to get a feel for the price they might be thinking of but she was not letting anything out, so when she asked for my offer I told her the price I was thinking of. Just the wasy she said "it's an antique" made me chucle afterwards when I thought about it. I am not going to give up, as it is a good truck just needs lots of cleanup and go from there.

 

If you have a digital camera and she lets you back on the property grab a couple of pictures of the ole girl (the truck that is!). It sounds like a good one.

Good Luck
TFC

 

Most people have no idea of what it can cost to fix up an older truck/car. Some would even have it go to waste foolishly thinking that it is priceless and some shucker will pay anything that they may think it is worth. We found parts of some 53/56 F100`s stripped almost beyond recognition. A few had decent cabs but not much else. The onwer at first thought that he would sell them for the $500 but later decided that he could get more by chrushing them. After he gets them hauled in from the country he will be lucky to get half as there is no real weight in the sheet metal. Yes they are his but what a waste of neat vintage tin. I have sold some neat vehicles cheap that I didn`t have time for just so that they could be fixed up and be back on the road again.

 

truckfarming canuck I have some pictures that I took with a film camera. I will see if I can get them scanned and send them to you.

Fomoko1 it is frustrating to see things like that happen, but all we can do is save as many as we can and try to educate as many people as we can. I think some people get the impression that anyone who is involved with any kind of antiques be it cars or glass insulators off telegraph poles are in it for the money and they are trying to cash in. I am sure some are, but I think the majority of people that are doing some sort of collecting are doing it because they like or are interested or have a sentimental reason for whatever they are collecting. As for me, our neigbor had a 1951 Mercury M1 when I was a kid and I have wanted one ever since. I think those are the coolest trucks ever made.

CJ