What's it worth: 71 Cheyenne

[70cst]

Plus it has the right colors

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by 70cst

Plus it has the right colors

I agree and immediately thought of your truck when I saw the pictures.

[sduckworth13]

Good luck I hope you get the truck and start a build thread so we can follow the progress.

[WIDESIDE72]

Ouch. Too bad about the engine damage. At least you know it going in. Broken timing chains are pretty rare on these. I would have to figure in a full rebuild, worse case scenario. IMO, taking the engine damage into consideration, i would be willing to pay $3000 for it as is. if you figure $2000 getting the engine rebuilt, going through the brakes and fuel system, adding the tailgate band, misc trim add another $2000 After all this youd have a truck worth around $10,000.

[WIDESIDE72]

About 10 yrs ago my dad came across a 71 cheyenne super c10 lwb, 72k miles, 400/400, original faded copper and white,factory AC, am fm, tilt, tach, cruise (!) bedside toolbox and dealer installed air shocks and onboard ac delco compressor/ controller for $3500. About all it was missing was bucket seat and 4x4. It would also have been a little more rare if a swb, obviously. My brother bought it, installed new tires, shocks, got the headlights working (fuses) a better front bumper (original bent). He had $5k in it, tops. He used it to haul his air compressor and tools from texas to virginia and put it on ebay and figured he might double his money if lucky. He got $14,000 for it! Deals like that dont come along much anymore. I didnt hear where the truck came from originally but it must have never sat out as it was bought in port lavaca tx and the salt air has eaten up almost all of the old iron around there.

[dubds10]

With the 402 most likely needing a rebuild that'd put that at a $2g truck now for me. Just too many drivers around the $4-6g range to pay more. They can be $2-4gs to rebuild & you don't know till you're into it. You could easily spend $6gs getting it road worthy so you may end up having $8gs in to it & only get that for it if you sell it. I always look at resale when buying trucks. Rust has started on that truck so it needs some work.

['68 Newtricks]

If long beds sell well in your area, 4k or more, even with the engine needing rebuild. You can't build the truck for that, even with sucky reproduction stuff, everything is there and the interior is beautiful.

I can find drivers all day long, with little to no rust in Los Angeles area, but I can't find an unmolested truck. ZERO unmolested trucks. Even if all original and running, they are still basket cases or pos buckets. I would much rather deal with a questionable original BIG BLOCK engine, costing me 2 grand (or less) to get running.... than deal with the BS all the POs have done with the truck. Questionable modifications/ parts swapping/ body work/ missing pieces/ trashed interiors or butchered interiors......nah, no thanks, bring on the engine work please

Any truck I buy, no mater how "driver" looking it is, I still rip apart all the important things and change all fluids. Whether I drove it home or trailered it from a garage where it sat for 10 years I have a hard time trusting engines too, even if they are running. I tend to rebuild them quickly or replace with LS motors.

[Coley]

I agree with the other guys on the engine being in damaged state being a game changer for value.
There are several routes you can go to get it back running...some expensive (rebuild) some less money (replacement-used B.Block).
That said, this is an opportunity for you (or anyone) who is handy and has access to an inexpensive big block and who isn't afraid to invest some mechanical labor. Its a pretty straight forward endeavor.
I would now put the value somewhere in the $4-5k range at this point...not more. It is a very well optioned, collectable truck and needing a motor is a lot more desireable to possible buyers than a rusted out truck with a running (or new) engine....those are the ones that are the money traps.
If you can score it for $3500, go for it.
My two bits.
Coley

[ho70]

Originally Posted by Coley

I agree with the other guys on the engine being in damaged state being a game changer for value.
There are several routes you can go to get it back running...some expensive (rebuild) some less money (replacement-used B.Block).
That said, this is an opportunity for you (or anyone) who is handy and has access to an inexpensive big block and who isn't afraid to invest some mechanical labor. Its a pretty straight forward endeavor.
I would now put the value somewhere in the $4-5k range at this point...not more. It is a very optioned, collectable truck and needing a motor is a lot more desireable to possible buyers than a rusted out truck with a running (or new) engine....those are the ones that are the money traps.
If you can score it for $3500, go for it.
My two bits.
Coley

I agree. 3500 is a great deal but upto 5k with heads being done and timing chain is still good value

[cooperhw]

I think for me with the motor being hurt (don't know how bad) as well as the additional damage/rust I would drop my valuation down to about $2500 to $3000. For me that's all the money. I would pass on it even for that price.
I look at what does not need replacing when I access potential vehicle purchases usually (don't count Homer) and deduct them from what I could sell it for price to come up with offer.

[dubds10]

Paying $4-5gs for a non-op truck with rust, dead engine and sitting 10 years is questionable. Even if stored properly it still needs a going through as rubber cracks, becomes brittle, degrades etc so without getting deep into it and getting it up in the air to check everything under it you don't know what joints, hoses, lines etc may need to be replaced. It could need a new rearend, maybe that went out with the engine but you don't know. There's so many variables when buying a non-op truck that they have to be bought cheap, especially a LWB one if in your market they don't sell fast. Now of course location determines that and because is could just be minor surface rust some guy in New England will pay $4-5gs for just the shell lol I don't know one guy on the west coast that'd pay $4-5gs for a LWB shell despite it's originality. Only a SWB will get that price here and even then that's hard to get as most in the $5gs range are fairly rust free and drivers out here if you know where to look.

[GOPAPA]

And the rubber all over it has been set in place for 10 years,, probably wont bounce back properly ,,then rattles start.

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by '68 Newtricks

If long beds sell well in your area, 4k or more, even with the engine needing rebuild. You can't build the truck for that, even with sucky reproduction stuff, everything is there and the interior is beautiful.

I can find drivers all day long, with little to no rust in Los Angeles area, but I can't find an unmolested truck. ZERO unmolested trucks. Even if all original and running, they are still basket cases or pos buckets. I would much rather deal with a questionable original BIG BLOCK engine, costing me 2 grand (or less) to get running.... than deal with the BS all the POs have done with the truck. Questionable modifications/ parts swapping/ body work/ missing pieces/ trashed interiors or butchered interiors......nah, no thanks, bring on the engine work please

X2. This truck is way more enticing than your typical driver for exactly those reasons.

[sodly]

Yeah, it's a bummer about the bent valve/engine work. But this truck seems too clean and unmolested to ignore. Nice, original paint and low miles go a long ways in my book. That can't be replicated for any price.

What's the simplest way to bring the ride height of this truck down to a reasonable level? The lower the better but no C-notches and nothing that can't be undone.

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by sodly

Yeah, it's a bummer about the bent valve/engine work. But this truck seems too clean and unmolested to ignore. Nice, original paint and low miles go a long ways in my book. That can't be replicated for any price.

What's the simplest way to bring the ride height of this truck down to a reasonable level? The lower the better but no C-notches and nothing that can't be undone.

ECE 4/6 drop kit.

[60-66]

X2 . These guys have great customer service and quality parts. Ive used them 3 times now with no issues.

http://www.earlyclassic.com/catalog....ry=Drop%20Kits

[sodly]

Setting the engine work aside, how difficult do you feel it would be to fix the body? How successfully can a color like dark olive be blended into original, factory paint? Can a good shop make these repairs invisibly? I'd hate to disturb any more of the factory paint than absolutely necessary. What do you think? Any body guys out there? Here are a couple more pics of the rear bed corner and tool box.

[Already Gone]

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[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

By the looks of it @ 9K I'd still feel pretty good about the deal. Anything less than that is a bonus.

The body and bed look exceptionally straight, the parts are reusable. That engine may go another 50K before a rebuild. Just need to flush every thing out, tires, distributor parts and seems it's ready to drive away. Note: They took the wood grain band off the tailgate. That's why it's not painted.

[Already Gone]

I'd pay 4000US for this truck the way it sits without hesitation. As a footnote 4000US for me will turn into 6500/7000CDN by the time I get it home. Even if I spent 5/6000 to get the truck cherry again its worth 15/16,000 up here,. That truck is an unmolested basically rust free Cheyenne with a BB and Factory A/C plus other nice options and trucks like this are getting real hard to find in this condition. For me the value is in the fact that it hasn't been molested and everything is there including the factory A/C parts.

[JasonLS1]

Id buy that in a heartbeat, rebuild engine and drive as-is. I wouldnt trash a nice original by lowering it or any other "mod", the more original it is the more desirable it is to me.

Id offer $4k and totally be happy with it as-is

jason

[Already Gone]

Did you buy it ?

[sodly]

Not yet. Still waiting to see if the niece wants it. I believe I'm next in line after her.

My concerns aren't with the engine work or the mechanicals. I'd like to know what people think about the cosmetic/rust repairs while preserving as much of the original paint as possible. I've heard that metallics are difficult to color match. I suspect that the entire passenger side of the bed, below the lower trim, would have to be repainted after the repairs are made. That's a lot of ground to cover and have it match. What do you guys think? Do-able? Am I worried over nothing? Keep in mind, I am a bit of an original-paint snob so any body/paint work disturbs me!

[sodly]

No paint gurus out there? Bummer.

['68 Newtricks]

I would try to stop the rust from spreading and drive as is. At worst, if it does spread, it will only be into an area covered by the patch. Clean, wax, engine work, drive