A Question of Dollars and Sense

[SmokinStanley]

I'm sure I'll get a wide range of answers to the following questions, but as someone who has not yet, but would like to, buy a Pilot House truck to drive occassionally, I have to ask. If one were to buy a structurally sound 'restorable' B-series truck, what can I reasonably expect to spend to bring her to mechanically sound condition? Initially, I wouldn't be too concerned about paint, re-upholstering seats and headliners, etc. In essence, my goal is to buy a restorable truck and make it road worthy.

Have most of you driving these beasts rebuilt your engines and drivelines, or have you mostly been able to perform some level of regular repairs such as brake and fuel lines? Having never restored a truck of this age, I have no idea what to expect for parts costs, availability, and the extent to which I'd need to rebuild a truck to make her road-worthy. Again, all this assumes I can find a truck that's original and structurally sound.

I'd appreciate input from those of you who have restored one or more of these trucks (B-series or C-Series) and how badly your bank account has suffered in the process. Of course, it almost never makes financial sense to restore a car or truck, but I'd like to get into this as a hobby and as something I'd simply enjoy over the course of X number of years.

Thanks in advance for your valuable input.

Smokin' Stanley in RI

[ggdad1951]

I'm doing a total tear down and "resto" (some here would say "mod") and I'll be over 20K into it when I'm finished.

Figure brakes will be a coupla hundred

Engine could be a coupla hundred to several thousand

Rad work could be 0 to several hundred

Tranny in the hundreds

rear diff in the hundreds

redoing the wiring (doing the harness yoursel if cheap, buying premade harnesses up to 1000)

I'd say you might be looking at $2000-6000 depending on what you find.

[JBNeal]

Tackling the restoration of one of these trucks will be an educational experience. If the truck isn't running, determining the root cause helps in getting it back on the road. This can range from wouldn't start (bad carburetor/electrical issues) to poor compression (engine wear) to mechanical failure (cracked block/no brakes). A truck that has been sitting awhile will require thorough examination as corrosion will pit machined surfaces and affect electrical performance. Corrosion can also make sheet metal repair questionable if the damage makes the part too far gone to save.

Mechanically, I reckon $5k can get a chassis rolling under its own power with a large majority of the work being done on your own. Cosmetically, the sky is the limit...it is tempting to start making the beast look purty before fully making it functional, and that can be a problem when it is realized that the motor has so many problems that it would make a better boat anchor.

What is important when starting is to have plenty of patience. Parts can be hard to find. Vendors may seem like they are dragging their feet when taking weeks on end to return parts. Learning new skills when doing the work yourself can be frustrating. Knowing when to take a break is an acquired skill.

Also important is to stay focused. Taking on too much at a time, then taking an extended break while building up cash or dealing with life or whut have ya is a recipe for losing interest. Stay organized and tackle what you can handle can lead to satisfying project results. How many people have seen one of these trucks get completely dismantled and then show up on eBay or Craigslist as parts, or turned into a trailer-load of scrap yard material...

But if you are on this site asking questions, you're off to a good start. There is a ton of information here on a wide range of topics, and lots of experience to back up opinions voiced. Doing research here, on other websites, in books and manuals, etc. will save $$$ and time in making repairs one time instead of repeatedly and fewer parts (and knuckles and eyebrows) will be sacrificed.

[Young Ed]

Marks estimates seem good. I'd plan on doing all the brakes, having the radiator and gastank gone through, and at least some engine work. As he said wiring isn't bad if you do it yourself. I did mine for about $40 with modern wire it will be more if you want the original style. My trans is untouched except for a new rear seal. I put new axle bearings in the back and swapped in a 3.90 car diff for a little better top end speed. I would also expect to spend a 100 or more on the bed wood as its pretty rare to find one that isn't rotten in a project truck.

[Dave72dt]

The big question here, or variable, is how much you can do yourself. I'm expecting to have less than 10G in a truck that's already had a lot of mods done to it but I've got almost 40 yrs in the repair business. These trucks are pretty simple so basic skills will get you through 90 % of any repairs.

[Merle Coggins]

It all depends on what you can find. I got my truck with a completely seized engine that was partially disassembled. I didn't track every expense when I built my truck, because I didn't want to know how much I spent, but I have a rough idea of the big items.

Engine rebuilt was around $1500, including machine work, new pistons, new valves, guides and seats, water pump, fuel pump, gasket and bearing sets, and etc. All disassembly and assembly labor was mine.

I had to have my radiator recored because mice took up residency in the tanks after it had been removed and thrown in the bed. Corrosion from them damaged the core beyond repair. That cost around $400.

I spent $400-$500 on the brakes with all new lines, master cylinder, wheel cylinders, and new shoes. Then a couple of years later I spent a couple hundred more to convert the fronts to disc brakes.

Trans and axle just got fresh oil, cleaned and repainted. Later I swapped the diff for one with a 3.73 gear set. I was under $100 on that one.

I also made my own wire harness. I don't know how much I spent on wire and tape, but it wasn't that much and I now have several spools of wire in stock in my garage, for future projects. I don't believe it was much more than $100. But like others have mentioned, you can purchase ready made harnesses that use cloth covered wire, like the originals, for much more.

Then I had several hundred into the body work and paint. Or maybe it was a couple of thousand, but who's counting? Oh, and a few hundred in new glass and rubber molding.

So, like I said, it's all in what you find. You may find one that just needs a new battery, oil change, and tune up and it runs good. Then go through the brakes and redo the electrical system and you'd have a driver for under $1000. Or you may end up looking at an engine overhaul and more to the tune of over $5000. It also depends on what you can do for youself and what you have to farm out.

Good luck in your quest, and welcome to our little family.

Merle

[pflaming]

Stanley: I bought my truck for $300. Got lucky, it's a CA Valley truck, NO RUST! Head was in the bed, had sat for 17 years. BUT it is a complete truck. I had NO experience in fixing cars but with this forum I'm about on the street.

First: do you have a GOOD set of tools? I do.

Second: do you have space? I do.

Third: do you have TIME. I do now.

Fourth: Old trucks are like boys: one is an asset, another may be a liability. Look at a truck thats for sale: Make a list of all the parts YOU would want to or have to replace. Write them all down, the go to Vintage Power Wagons.com and go shopping. You can get a lot of the parts for less by shopping, but that will at least give you an unbiased price(s). Every truck costs are different.

Fifth: do you have a good camera?

Sixth: exterior: Maco, roll on, original patina, or $$$$$$$$$$$$

Seventh: Read the thread: "Suggestions for beginners".

Finally, the first $2,000 will go fast, even if you have a complete truck. Tires alone are $400.00 +/-. Glass is $200, bed floor is $100, if you use plywood, etc.

It's a great hobby, and the Forum is your life jacket, guiding light, and source of inspiration.

EDIT: It might be a very interesting poll: "How long did it take to finish your truck; from purchase to license.

Edited March 30, 2012 by pflaming

[Rusty O'Toole]

Stanley that is a very good question. I wish more people thought things through this way, it would save a lot of heartache not to mention save a lot of old trucks from getting messed up.

The best advice I can give, is to buy the best truck you can find and afford. It is possible to find quite good trucks for under $5000. It is not possible to buy a bad one and fix it up for that kind of money.

Having said that you should expect to spend $1000 or $2000 the first year on things like brakes, tires, etc. Deferred maintenance if you will. It might not cost that much, on the other hand you might run into something real bad, but it is smart to be prepared.

You probably already know this but old cars and trucks require a lot more upkeep than new ones. Things like grease jobs every 1000 miles, oil change every 3000, tuneup once a year, brake flush every 2 years etc.

On the other hand the work is usually easier and cheaper than on a new truck. But if you want your truck to last and run trouble free you have to do the maintenance.

This is also pretty obvious but a Pilot House truck is a low speed truck. You can take it on the interstate if you have to but will be a lot happier if you don't. Engine, suspension, brakes, gearing, are biased towards a more utilitarian approach.

So keep looking until you find a good truck you can afford, maintain it by the book and you will have a lot of fun at minimal expense.

O ya most parts for the Pilot House trucks are available from your local auto parts store and they are cheap. Otherwise there are specialists like Vintage Power Wagons , Andy Bernbaum and Roberts Auto Parts. Things like brakes, fan belts, etc are surprisingly available for such an old truck but there are still a lot of them in service in small town and rural areas. Dealer only things like body parts, sheet metal, chrome trim, etc. not so much. The only source for a lot of these things is junkyards, swap meets, Ebay etc and the supply is getting a little thin in spots.

Edited March 30, 2012 by Rusty O'Toole

[Jerry Roberts]

Take a guess on how much it will cost to fix it up and how much time it will take . Then double those numbers and you will be about right . If it was only about money , it would be cheaper to buy one already fixed up . If you fix it yourself , when there is a problem , you will know right where to look for the solution . I'm pretty much done with mine , I have had it for 12 years and recently replaced the bed wood , about $400 for bed materials and 5 days labor . I recently updated the insurance value from $10,000 to $11,000 as that is what I have into it . The additional insurance was only another $7 a year .

[austinsailor]

here are some real time costs I've seen recently.

Engine rebuild at a local machine shop - new pistons, crank grind etc, assembled $1600

clutch, pressure plate rebuild $80, flywheel resurface $30

brakes all around, all new cylinders, lines and shoes $500

all new seals in rear axle (5) about $100 (no labor)

[SmokinStanley]

Thanks to all of you for the wealth of info and numbers based on your experiences. On the whole, it seems like the general consensus is that parts are available for the most part and a few grand (maybe less) might be enough to put a truck on the road that's 'all there.'

There are a few trucks in my area; a '52 asking $1750 and a '54 asking $2800. I haven't seen either truck yet, but the '54 is being sold by its original family, with only 70k miles. Unsure of the history on the '52, but it's supposedly intact with all the original parts.

It's great to have a resource like this, even though I don't own one of these bad boys just yet. Thanks to all of you!

[Reg Evans]

54 was the first year for the optional 241 V8. Do you know what engine the 54 is equipped with? Buying a truck from the original owners would sway me towards buying it especially if the sellers would include a little history and maybe even some early photos of the truck.