Want to buy grandpas c10. Need help!

[belldar]

Hey guys
I could really use some help. I recently found my grandpas truck and really would love to get it. Was the first vehicle I ever drove. When grandpa got a new truck back in the 90s I wanted the 71 c10 custom but grandpa and dad thought it was too much pickup for me as a high schooler. They were probably right to think that and sold the truck. Well fast forward 20 years and I had the truck in the back of my mind for a long time and thought there was no way of finding it. Well low and behold I found it sitting unmolested in a garage for 15 plus years. He called me the other day and said I could see it. Just seeing it meant a lot to me!
Here is where I need some help! I am pretty good at figuring out value but I am in a very tough situation because the sentimental value of the truck is priceless to me. Here are the specs of the truck. 1971 c10 custom LWB. White top with gold body. 77k original miles. Stored inside since 1999. The GOOD... Stored inside so paint is in great shape. Dash and gauges look good and all original. Very clean. The BAD... Hasn't ran for 15+ years, (most likely will new new fuel lines and tank cleaned or new, possible break lines?). The carb will need to be rebuilt/replaced most likely. The kick panel looks pretty bad on drivers side( showing rust and rusted up through the chrome trim. Seat is shot but has a cover. Box has some pretty good dingers in the rear by lights and in tailgate(possibly from me). There is rust bubbling up on inside corner of drivers door.
This was all I could really see as I couldn't get to the other side to look. The truck is nothing fancy and has no frills but the parts that I can see look pretty decent. Couldn't see in the box as it was full. Very clean under the hood. The black around the chrome on the front trim was faded and some missing. I have done some research as to what it would be worth to a normal unattached person but want some more thoughts from you guys. What other problems may I encounter from it sitting for so long (tranny, engine, tires)? What price range would this be worth???? I hope I am allowed to ask that!? Like I said it is priceless to me but I can't pay what he told me he would like. I would have to do some serious selling of a lot of stuff and still be very short! I could go on for every on this but it is too long already. Let me know what you think!?

Thanks!

[68350]

To me it sounds like a thousand dollar truck based off of your description. Non running long box with dents and rust. Not worth a ton if you don't include the sentimental attachment. What is he asking?

[pdawg]

Originally Posted by 68350

To me it sounds like a thousand dollar truck based off of your description. Non running long box with dents and rust. Not worth a ton if you don't include the sentimental attachment. What is he asking?

I'd have to agree - you've got to anticipate an engine tear down as gaskets tend to dry out when it's not driven. As you said the carb will have to be rebuilt but that's no big deal. Sitting that long the coolant has no rust inhibiting left so rad, water pump, block would have started corroding so it'll need a good flush to clear that stuff out. Hope you can put the deal together as that sounds cool! Just don't show your sentiment to the seller. I always try to ask them what they 'need' out of it. It's not quite as firm as their 'bottom dollar'. When negotiating always get the seller to start the price first, no matter what he's asking. Good luck!
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[DPowers]

You said that you did some research as to what it may be worth. Realistically, can you afford that amount? Doe the current owner know the your history with this particular truck?

[RichardJ]

>> Seat is shot but has a cover <<

That alone says it has 177k miles or more.
Chances are it DIDN'T run in 1999 and that is why it was parked.
With cash in hand, offer what you think it is worth to you and can afford. If he says no, turn and walk away. Remember, he called you and a good chance he'll call back.

If he really is interested in selling it and is in good of shape as he would have you believe, he can pull it out, clean it up and get it running.

[RustyBucket]

I'd think it's value to you would depend a lot on your finances & how sentimental you are. If I could bungle into my Grandad's '59 or '67 El Camino I'd want 'em pretty bad. Only drove the '59 once but the '67 quite a bit. One of my uncles sold the '67 back to the dealer when my Grandfather died in '69.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by RichardJ

>> Seat is shot but has a cover <<

That alone says it has 177k miles or more.
Chances are it DIDN'T run in 1999 and that is why it was parked.
With cash in hand, offer what you think it is worth to you and can afford. If he says no, turn and walk away. Remember, he called you and a good chance he'll call back.

If he really is interested in selling it and is in good of shape as he would have you believe, he can pull it out, clean it up and get it running.

I don't know about that. My bench seat was pretty well shot on the driver's side when I bought it in 1989. It was at approx. 90K miles. The springs on the LH side are bad as well. I suspect the original owner was a big fellow. The visors, arm rests, dash pad and panels are near mint.

[belldar]

All good responses. I have known the guy since high school. Was my basketball coach at one time. Nice guy and he already knows what the truck means to me. He himself has some attachment to the truck. He doesn't really want to sell it but said he would sell it to me. He Has had offers sight unseen for the truck of up to 8k. That's way higher then what I was willing to go. He thought about double that is what it should be worth. I was thinking in that 3-5 k range before and knowing how long it has sat. The truck dose look real good and means a lot to me but I am unfortunately thinking I will just have to walk away from it. Would love for my daughters to have their great grandpas truck down the road but because of them I should probably just let it go. I am a good haggler with things but I couldn't even come up with a counter for him and said I would have to do some thinking. It's a fricken emotional roller coaster!!!

[cypressbog]

Originally Posted by belldar

He Has had offers sight unseen for the truck of up to 8k. That's way higher then what I was willing to go. He thought about double that is what it should be worth.

No way!

[hugger6933]

I would call BS on the 8K offer.sounds like $1500 should buy that truck twice. I know they are high but a truck that you can see that much wrong and can't even see the other side Well it just screams total redo.
In all reality with the ties you have it sounds to me that 2 grand would be a very top dollar offer. Of course I'm not seeing the truck so I picture the things being on the bad side of the spectrum. Like when you say it needs a cowl piece that to me means rockers and inners probably corners and pillars too. That runs up real quick when your paying to have that fixed.

[35boulder]

Even with the family connection I'd have to pass for that amount. Like one of the others said start your own connection with one of the trucks you already own.
Just my opinion.

[belldar]

Yeah the smart thing is to start from scratch. Just figuring out what it is worth so I can make an offer. The other side looks good but I couldn't see it up close. The body is very nice and it still has a lot of the under coating on the underside. The rockers and cab corners and fenders all look good from what I can see. I know the mileage is right on it. The dash and interior is immaculate. If it was running with new tires I figure it would be about that 5-8k range? But sitting that long who knows. The trouble is with shows like gas monkey and other high end building shows people get a bad sense for what things are worth. When you see a truck going for 30-60k fully restored and modernized people think everything should be worth a lot if it cost that much in the end. I can rebuild/restore my super for I figure 5k from ground up maybe a plus or minus because of paint. If I had someone else do it it would be over 20k.
What is worth more ? A factory original with some minor flaws (little rust/few dents) low milage barn find, or a back yard frame up restoration?? I should post a pic because it dose look real good but don't want to get that far into it. This is going to drive me nuts (wife is getting upset with me being weird about this)!!!

[68350]

You could always buy another 67-72 and start making new memories in a truck that could be handed down. Family heirlooms have to start somewhere

[belldar]

68350
That was the original plan. I have a hashed 71 super c10 and a 72 c15 that I was planning on fixing up before I found grandpas pickup. May have to go back to plan A and forget grandpas.

[leddzepp]

I would walk away. He knows what it means to you so he will try and rip you off unfortunately. I would find another truck and just make it look like your grandfathers.

[Ta12sec]

You can buy a running driving lwb for 3000-5500 in the classifieds here, I don't think a rusty one that doesn't run is worth any more then that. My .02

[flashed]

I think the guy is fishing for a buyer and thinks you are on the hook ,I would walk away .Look at some of the trucks on the Ceaigslist Find thread and you will see some realistic prices on some nice trucks .

[belldar]

Yeah priced out lots of trucks. I know what it's realistically worth. I am willing to do a little more then What it's worth just because of what it means to me but I figured that would be still be under 5k.

[12secondnova]

If he didn't take the 8k offer hes got to be nuts. I'd offer him AT THE MOST 3k. Its a 1k-1500 dollar truck but the sentimental value would add the extra 1500. Any pics?

[belldar]

.

[belldar]

That's all I got. I was to flustered to take more.

[71swb4x4]

That is no $1,500 truck, unless that's the best side and the other side has been through a silage chopper. I am not making fun of those that said $1,500, all they had was your description, that picture changes things IMO. From that view I think you have a $3,000 truck, up to ????
In order to answer the "up to" part get us some more photos. If you can give us pictures we can give an accurate price.

[belldar]

I know it's worth over 3,000 for sure. Won't be able to get anymore pics. Other side looks the same. The rust is in the back bottom inner part of the drivers door(just a big bubble now). Also kick panel on the drivers side about an inch or so up is rusted brown and the door sill plate is rusted up thorough if that makes sense. Was not able to remove the rubber floor to see anymore then that. There are two 1/4 to half inch dents on outside corner of drivers side rear tail light about 2-3 inches long. A big post size dent In the tailgate towards pass side. That was all that I could see and or notice at the time. Grill and front chrome looked all straight just faded.

[Already Gone]

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

That is no $1,500 truck, unless that's the best side and the other side has been through a silage chopper. I am not making fun of those that said $1,500, all they had was your description, that picture changes things IMO. From that view I think you have a $3,000 truck, up to ????
In order to answer the "up to" part get us some more photos. If you can give us pictures we can give an accurate price.

I too call the 8000.00 offer BS. I'm not saying no one offered him that what I'm saying when its time to get that 8k cheque ready the person that made the offer will do the chicken and come up with all kinds of reasons why they can't buy it at that time.

I do agree with Shawn that the pic sure changes what I had perceived to be the condition of the truck. 3/3500 would be good and it sounds like you know what to do to get it running once you get it.

[hugger6933]

I would like to after looking at the one pic amend the price guesstimate I had made. I had said 1500 I would like to raise my bid to $3000 to somewhere around $4500. I think that is a lot for a long bed [nothing wrong with a long] but they just don't bring the premium that the short will. that is a really nice example and I think next to nothing would be what it would take to get it running again.