Looking to get my first truck

[agc23]

Hello everyone,
I finally joined the forum but have been a visitor for the last couple of years. I currently have a couple of muscle cars, but have always loved the 67-72 GMC/Chevy pickups I've owned a bunch of car in the past but have always wanted a custom pickup. I've been looking looking for a pro-touring/restomod type truck as I love the look of a a custom vehicles. Original cars are great, I've had some but I was always worried about the parts I installed/replaced. Here's a truck that I've been looking at, can you tell me what you guys think of the truck and price

http://buysellsearch.com/view/vehicl...-gmc%2Fyr-1971

Thanks in advance

[hewittca]

Welcome. Like you, I also spent quite a while lurking around here until I finally bought a truck earlier this year. Tons of great info and people here. During my search, I found that truck prices really are all over the place, but sellers like the one here always have the highest prices. It's hard to tell much about the truck because they are stingy on the pictures, but for being such an immaculate truck as they state, there is a nice ding in the front grill that you'd think they would have fixed. At that price, you can usually find something of similar quality but with a nice modernized drivetrain with an LS. With that said, unless you were doing all the work yourself, it would be very hard to have that truck built for you for less than that. Ultimately, if you are in love with it and you don't plan on changing anything major (like paint color, drivetrain, wheels, etc.) then it's the right truck for you.

[agc23]

Thanks for the feedback.

I also noticed the ding on the grille and thought the same thing. Why not fix it especially since it's on the top part of the grille

The only thing I might change in the future is the motor/trans, the 350 is nice but I might want to upgrade in the future but that's way down the line.

The price seems a bit high but I understand your point about building a truck for less than that. Unfortunately I'm not hat mechanically inclined, I can do basic stuff but nothing major so getting a restored truck would be ideal.
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[GASoline71]

$30,000 grand for a truck... It better not have a single flaw... at all.

Gary

[agc23]

What do you guys think is a fair price for this truck.

[GASoline71]

I'm old and disgruntled with the ridiculous high prices of these trucks. So my answer would reflect the disdain I have for how overpriced a lot of these trucks really are. Therefor I cannot give you an accurate answer.

Gary

[leddzepp]

Most ads you see are ridiculously overpriced wishful thinking...that's why they are still for sale

[weq92f]

Unfortunately I too am upset with all the dealer listed classic trucks at just stupid prices. Less good looking trucks are listed right now 10k+ more than this one you have posted.

Money talks with these stupid listings. Go in person, inspect it and decide what you want to pay for it. Offer cash money.

If it is flawless and mostly stock/original suspension, interior, and engine bay AND it really is a recent restore ( all panels R&R, everything gone through ), then 24k to 28k is a reasonable price to pay. Like said before, you couldn't build the above described truck for 30k, you just can't. Even if you do all the work ( minus paint. I'm saying 15k minimum for good paint ).

If it has an 18k LS+4l80e drive train in it, then that is a different truck.

-klb

[TheCougarine]

I'd keep looking, 30k should by you a flawless short bed with either a LS based drivetrain or at least some kind of nice big block. Without seeing the rest of the truck, I'd think about 20k would probably be fair. I'm well aware you couldn't have someone build you one for that but people that think because they put X amount of dollars into something that it is worth x plus 5k are mostly delusional and will never be able to sell their vehicle. If I had a dollar for every time I've bought something from someone who said " Well I've got X in it" expecting for me to change my offer, I'd be able to pay these people the crazy prices they want.

[LongBox]

So, as far as I can figure out, what counts to you is whether it's a good deal or not?

First of all, it is difficult to tell from the three(?) pictures in the ad whether it's really a good truck or not. Rule number 1: You have to see it in person, and take someone who's an expert, preferably in body and paint to look it over with you.

For a really nice 71, that price is not out of line, but bear in mind that it is being sold by a dealer, and dealer prices are always higher than private seller prices. So, we come to rule number 2: The difference between finding a good deal, and just a so-so deal is patience. If you wait and look, and scour CL and other sites, you will find lots of these trucks for sale, and some sellers are willing to sell for less than others.

Last thought: You said you were thinking of making changes to the truck later, so why pay for what someone has just done, like the engine?

Good luck, and hope you find just what you want.

[wshattuck]

as you already are aware of,,, this forum is an INVALUABLE resource! I echo the same info as members above! Do your homework!

[Camaroguy]

Looks like a pretty nice truck to me. I think it may be a little overpriced for what it is though. With that being said, you probably couldn't build the truck for any less. We are currently building a truck right now and will have an easy 25-30 in parts. That's prior to factoring in our labor.

My biggest concern would be the statement made in the article about "NO bondo in this build." That's very unlikely, and it sounds like used car salesmen rhetoric. I think it's safe to say any quality paint job will have filler under it. Generally, high-high end car builder skim coat an entire panel and block it flat. That's how they get the panel's so straight. I'm not saying it isn't possible to have a "No bondo" in a build, but if it doesn't have filler, it is either going to be super wavy or extremely high priced.

[agc23]

First I would like to thank everyone for your feedback and I definitely appreciate it.

Price is definitely not my primary concern as I know you can buy a truck cheap but end up with a truck that needs lots of $$$ to get it right. I rather spend a little more upfront and get a better built truck

I've looked at a couple of trucks with LS drivetrain and they were all priced in the high $30s and up.

[weq92f]

Originally Posted by agc23

I've looked at a couple of trucks with LS drivetrain and they were all priced in the high $30s and up.

Beware that many if not most LS equipped trucks you'll find out there are going to have an engine ( and maybe the tranny as well ) from a salvage yard or other source of extracted drive train components.

The problem is they stick a 4500 dollar 100k+ mile drive train in there without even cleaning it up!

If it has a late model LS engine swap, it has an OBD or equivalent port which you or your mechanic, expert friend should interrogate before purchase. Often you can determine where the engine came from and certainly can see any fault codes.

Good luck. Just have patience because a lack of it can and will cost you a load of money.

-klb

[HO455]

I know this a long ways away, but it sounds more like what you described than the other one.

[57taskforce]

I call bs on no body filler. Black paint takes a perfect surface to look right. It's likely got at least a skim coat of mud in it and several coats of blocked out primer. It may not be thick but it's there, you can't have a 40+ year old truck wth no mud look good in black. Heck, almost always the reproduction panels need a little mud right out of the box to fix shipping boo boos. I worked in a body shop for several years. They always need some mud some where to make them as close to perfect as possible.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by HO455

I know this a long ways away, but it sounds more like what you described than the other one.

Dhoo! Here is the link.

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ctd/5905183112.html

[TheCougarine]

Now thats a truck I wouldn't feel bad about buying for around 30k (If of course I had 30k to buy a truck)

[jocko]

Welcome to the forum, and Merry Christmas Eve! If you're asking us, then you probably haven't made up your mind yet. So, questions:
1) may not matter to you or to some folks, but gotta ask.. do you want a chev or gmc?
2) NEVER buy anything based on 2 pictures or a hot rod that is "marked down" (i.e. someone HAS looked at it and walked away) (ok, that's not a question, sorry)
3) Pro Touring? Implies LS, do you really want that? (maybe yes, maybe no, but changes the search drastically).
4) are you wanting to buy a completed truck you like or work on one to get it where you like? (sounds like you have plenty of experience, and folks like that tend to want to wrench). Or, you're a rich collector, in which case - will you adopt me?

Good luck on the search. I believe folks have provided some good guidance - I'd walk away unless you truly know the answer to #1 is "GMC" and you are serious enough about it to go look at it in person. That's the only way to know for sure. Having said that, have bought several sight unseen - and, to be honest, you win some, you lose some. But never sight unseen on something in this price range.

[weq92f]

That truck has been around for a while making the rounds on eBay. Asking far too much IMO. If you remain diligent and take your time, the right truck will present itself.

-klb

[agc23]

I really appreciate all of the feedback and suggestions.

I'm going to keep looking and see what out there. I prefer to buy from a private party but have a trade in. I can always try and sell it myself but just don't have the time to market the car and I also won't get the tax credit.

I like the Chevy front end better than the GMC, but the GMC is growing on me and we've always had anGMC Yukon so I've always been a GMC fan.

I would love to build a truck myself but don't have the expertise to do the work myself and living in the NYC/NJ area labor is very high hence why I would love to buy a completed car. I wish I had the money to have a truck built the way I want it.

I think I want an LS drivetrain just because it's easier to maintain and from what I've heard a lot less things to worry about. I've always been a fan of bb cars so a nice bb carb would so be fine. Never had a ramjet but have heard good things about them them.
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[IXLR82FAST4U]

Originally Posted by agc23

What do you guys think is a fair price for this truck.

25k

[agc23]

Here's the truck on eBay with more pics. Let me know what you think

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-GMC-Sie...m=282299292348

[52napco]

I like this one better
http://m.ebay.com/itm/1972-Chevrolet...628?nav=SEARCH

[70cst]

Originally Posted by 52napco

I like this one better
http://m.ebay.com/itm/1972-Chevrolet...628?nav=SEARCH

That indeed is a sweet truck...