The price is right.

[Gyawo]

Now which one should I buy?

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ258777828

OR

http://alberta.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ262760689

First time posting on here, I have been watching the threads and looking for a truck for MONTHS! These two have caught my eye based on price and body condition seems to be pretty decent. Let me know what you guys think, I am going to try and see the blue/white one on saturday. Future plans for it is to drop it a little bit, keep it clean and put a supercharged(or turbo'd) 350 in it next winter.

Thanks for the help, yo!

[lilpoindexter]

The blue one looks nicer

[Gyawo]

That is what I thought, somewhat recent paint at least. Via email he has said the cab corners look like they have been bondo'd a bit, other than that it is holding up decent.

[N2TRUX]

Welcome to the forum Gyawo. From what I can see the blue/white truck looks to be the best choice. If the paint is decent and not hiding a ton of bad body work and rust, its hard to beat at that price.

[Gyawo]

Thanks for the welcome. Going to see the blue/white truck on Sunday now, hopefully it isn't a bondo wagon.

Grant

[N2TRUX]

For that price, I wouldn't expect a super clean truck. You just have to decide what you can live with. If your buying one to keep and build to a really nice truck, get the best one you can afford.

[Gyawo]

For the price range I am looking in it is hard to be really picky. I am just not a body guy, mechanical, no problem, I'm in my apprenticeship right now actually. So having a solid body is a must for me right now. Like you said, I can't go expect something super clean, would be nice though :P

Grant

[SS Delux]

The tach in the blue truck is a bonus though.

[Gyawo]

Paint looks pretty good too, kind of looks like it has the moon roof...

[Gordonr1973]

Grey one has been for sale for MONTHS --- looks like he is holding on the grill in the forst picture too.

The two-tone is nicer, but you got to decide if you want to deal with the propane set-up (I don't know anything about those things).

Seems that trucks get listed in cycles in Alberta --- maybe keep your eyes on ebay near the border on the US side too? -- Or how about Sask??

[Gyawo]

The primer'd one has been up for almost a month now, I have about 20 that I am watching on Kijiji, lots of them since December or January. The propane set up is going to be junked, useless for what I want the truck to be (summer toy). There have been 2 trucks that I have watched, called, found out they were sold and then bam, back on Kijiji next week, its pretty funny.

I started looking in the States actually, found a really nice one in Utah but the guy wasn't too co-operative, tons of stuff that had to be setup for crossing the border with the truck, big headache and pricey. Sask is just too far as well, there are a lot of trucks in Medicine Hat and Lethbridge that look pretty good on Kijiji, but they are priced a little unreasonably and are still too far.

Grant

[N2TRUX]

If your not going to run the propane conversion, thats a bonus. You could sell it and buy goodies you do want.

[geezer#99]

Maybe you should go shopping on the west coast. I've been tempted to go look at this one. Just 20 minutes south of me. Lots like it out here. Have you been to see what Scott has at Scott's Super Trucks in Penhold.
http://nanaimo.en.craigslist.ca/ctd/2165342549.html

[motornut]

I'm stuck on the holding of the grill and is that a gas tank strap hanging by the drivers door?
looks like an aboandonded project of possible issues
the two tone looks much nicer
if it's propane now chances are it's block is in better shape ppl who have or get Propane blocks always say they are cleaner insides
and yes selling the propane parts is bonus cash

[Gyawo]

geezer#99: I live in Edmonton, haven't really ventured out to Penhold or anything like that. I've taken a trip out to wetaskawin, spruce grove, about 2 hours east to a truck outside of Midvale. Just checked the website for Scott's, everything is sold, and hella old, trying to shoot for a 77-80, or a really good find 81-86.

motornut: Not too sure what is hanging by the drivers door, but I agree it does look like a project with daddy issues. Running propane on a truck may damage the cylinder heads, yea it may be a bit cleaner on the inside but that isn't too much of a worry for me. Hawking the propane gear will be a nice chunk of change for goodies though

Grant

[Gordonr1973]

Originally Posted by Gyawo

The primer'd one has been up for almost a month now, I have about 20 that I am watching on Kijiji, lots of them since December or January. The propane set up is going to be junked, useless for what I want the truck to be (summer toy). There have been 2 trucks that I have watched, called, found out they were sold and then bam, back on Kijiji next week, its pretty funny.

I started looking in the States actually, found a really nice one in Utah but the guy wasn't too co-operative, tons of stuff that had to be setup for crossing the border with the truck, big headache and pricey. Sask is just too far as well, there are a lot of trucks in Medicine Hat and Lethbridge that look pretty good on Kijiji, but they are priced a little unreasonably and are still too far.

Grant

I saw that grey one for sale on kijiji last summer -- it's been relisted to bump the ad to the top.

There are some nice ones around Lethbridge for sale but they are pricey.

If you aren't ready to travel to buy one, you gotta keep watching and be ready to move on anything you think is worth buying when it comes up locally, but that grey one is probably a POS in my opinion.

Don't feel rushed though, lots will come up when the snow melts, I had to look at a lot of dogs before I found any that balanced price and condition.

[Gyawo]

http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...dIdZ240139662#

Went and saw that today. Rifled through some receipts in the glove box, found out it has "new" cab corners, box quarters, floor pan. Bucket seats aren't factory, came with a bench, the original steering wheel was in the kids house. I am not a huge fan of the nice little jerry rigging on the dash panel in the lower left hand corner. Those buttons control the horn, wipers and washer motor :s The 305 has had some engine work on it, rebuilt tranny and new gears in the back, not sure what ratio. The coooooool moon roof has been siliconed shut, was leaking.

Still have to see the blue/white 77 tomorrow. There is an new '80 up for sale, going to try and see that sometime this week.

[tucsonjwt]

I would always look for a rust free survivor. I know you said transport form US to Canada is a hassle, but I see car sellers advertise on Ebay that they ship to Canada and handle the paperwork. Is it just a matter of filling out the customs documents or does it cost a lot of $$$ to get it through? These trucks are old enough to be in the collector category, so maybe that would help. A lot of Canadians vacation in AZ/TX, etc. in the winter and are buying our discount foreclosed houses here, so maybe some of your countrymen are driving/transporting vehicles back across the border also. I think there are companies that specialize in vehicle importing - both sides of the border. If you start with a rust free grandpa truck I think you will be happier in the long run, even if it costs more $$$ up front. I am guessing a rust free square in Canada is a valuable truck. Of course, if you plan to just have a beater for a few years, disregard what I just typed.

[mooseknuckles]

the blue one looks more unmolested!

[Gyawo]

There are companies that transport vehicles from the US to Canada, take care of all the paper work and everything but I just didn't really want to go that way in the end. I prefer to see the truck in person too, hear it run. It all comes down to me being reeeeeeeaaallly picky :P To transport a truck into Canada you need a fair bit of documents, sent to a customs office that it will be passing through 3 days prior to arrival, all sorts of stuff.
The goal is to find something that is as rust free as I can over here, and being rust free it does bring the price up. With what I want to end up doing I need to start to get a feel for body work though, so I shouldn't be so picky and grab a pair instead of being afraid of body work. I'll actually be looking for a beater truck for next winter, the ol' honda had some clearance issues this year, and the clutch is about to blow up :s The truck I am looking for now is going to be a summer toy

[Gyawo]

Blue truck was sold the morning I was supposed to go see it. Someone was pretty desperate for it, showed up with cash Went and saw a rusty-ish '80 today, guy wants 500 bucks for it. Might just buy it, learn how to weld panels on it and sell it while keeping an eye out for something else. This one has a 455 olds rocket from a '74 toronado, used to be a diesel and they threw that in. The rad support is from an '80s with a 350 in it, has the square headlights in it. Kind of a mix and match truck its seeming like.

[N2TRUX]

Sounds like a lot of work for very little potential. I would hold your money till you find something more solid.

[Gyawo]

That may be the route I'll take. A little hard to pass it up for 500 bucks, could maybe even get him down to 300-350, rent is due and I don't mind working the angles. Getting pictures of a 1980 short box stepside with "no rust" tonight hopefully. My only problem with the truck is that it has the square headlights in it, I'm a fan of the round ones. Truck is about 4 hours away from me, but runs and drives. I have enough balls to throw some sandbags in the back and cross my fingers on the way home.