What's Your Truck Worth?

[Bob_Koch]

These all sold in 2012 at Mecum Auctions

 

 sold Price: $15,750

 

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=SC0512-125511

 

1949

 

 

 

Sold Price: $11,500http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?CFGRIDKEY=AN1112-138926

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Picture:

Sold Price: $13,500

DESCRIPTION

- 1951 B3 series, 5 window Dodge 1/2 ton pickup
- Very rare 218 CI 6 cylinder engine with Offenhauser intake and 2 carburetors
- 90% original
- New paint
- New windshield
- New wood bed
- Is in great shape

[ggdad1951]

As usual one you work on is worth more than one sold at auction....FEF is priceless in my mind

Edited March 9, 2013 by ggdad1951

[HanksB3B]

So I'm in line at McDonald’s.  This lady must have seen my truck in the parking lot, rushes in and ask’s me “Is it for sale?  If you want to know how much your truck is worth to a person, the reply should be something like “Are you offering to buy my truck?, what do you think it's worth?” 

 

But what I said at the time was….”Well if Jay Leno….She murmured something like “Oh big bucks” and disappeared out the door and out the parking lot.

 

So Mark, here I am trying to get Jay to leave his car, let me fix it and drive it back to the Leno Garage.

 

 

I called Grandma and she's is driving up the mountain now to pick up Jay and get over to your place…(well it might take a while...when I think about it). 

 

 

Jay asked me “How much does ggDad1951 want for Fef?  “Fef….I said I have no idea.”

 

 

Hank  

Edited March 9, 2013 by HanksB3B

[Apittslife]

Mine is priceless, atleast until someone comes allong & offers me enough to sell it, (Even unfinished).

I have estimated that I will have something in the nieghborhood of 15,000 to 18,000 invested in the truck when finished.

[52b3b Joe]

Mine is priceless, atleast until someone comes allong & offers me enough to sell it, (Even unfinished).

I have estimated that I will have something in the nieghborhood of 15,000 to 18,000 invested in the truck when finished.

 

I agree 100% with you. I am also in the same boat but I think $15,000 is the high side of what I'll have in it including the purchase cost of the truck. I'm not restoring it to make money, but rather to drive it and enjoy it. BUT if someone did come along and offer me a lot of cash for it that I couldn't refuse, it could possibly be sold. I'd buy another old mopar to tune in my skills and knowledge. I know the last time I sold one of my old cars, I was pretty upset though....their like one of your friends after a while.... or is that just me???

[B1B Keven]

Mine is my first car ( or vehicle actually). Does that add value?  

[Apittslife]

I agree 100% with you. I am also in the same boat but I think $15,000 is the high side of what I'll have in it including the purchase cost of the truck. I'm not restoring it to make money, but rather to drive it and enjoy it. BUT if someone did come along and offer me a lot of cash for it that I couldn't refuse, it could possibly be sold. I'd buy another old mopar to tune in my skills and knowledge. I know the last time I sold one of my old cars, I was pretty upset though....their like one of your friends after a while.... or is that just me???

 Mine is a complete custom, I want a cummins 4 bt engine, Auto trans, Vintage Aire, Aire ride, Leather interior, Power windows, Power entry, Tinted windows, LED lites thru out, new guages, Sterio system, & Show quality paint job.  Good thing I can do most of it myself, the Glass & Interior are the only things I will have to pay others to do! So that cuts my Build cost conciderably.

 I paid 600.00 for the truck plus some tyme. I paid 700.00 for the Dakota & recuped 600.00 by selling parts I didn't need, & I recieved 200.00 from scrapping the original frame & drive train. I spent 150.00 on sheetmetal, & 150.00 on the wiring harrness. so to date I have 800.00 invested in my truck.

 

 Every one that KNOWS me, knows I am a collecter not a seller!

 I have a friend that buys & sells, just in the last 30 days he has had 4 differnt cars, sold 2 this week & is having one delivered tomorrow.

[MBF]

I probably have $15K total in all 3 of my Dodges in a financial sense, and I have a ton of time in them.  The payback on my investement is the enjoyment I have taking them to cruises and truck shows or just driving them.  I don't compete for or want any trophies.  When I'm gone and its time to disburse my stuff I don't know or care what they'll net my estate.  Its all about fun and memories.  American Pickers, Gas Monkey, Chasing Classic Cars are all taking what was once an affordable hobby into a Wall Street mentality.

[pflaming]

What my truck is worth is entirely dependant upon the buyer. If I wanted to sell it, I would take it to as many small town car shows with a for sale sign. I then would ask this question from those who show any interest. "what are you willing to offer". After about six or seven offers I then would have a reasonable figure. I don't have very much money in mine, but then I don't consider it a "RESTORED" truck. To me it's a cleaned up or reconditioned truck.

 

I do not like the light blue/black/red rims truck. Too many colors, to my eye, makes it look wimpy. The black truck is a looker, but too far the other direction, for my taste. It looks more like a trophy than a truck. But they sold, so someone liked them.

 

The creativity that is available in truck restoration just really interests me. I also like the personalities of the owners. I read this forum like a living history book and a very good one at that.

[Jeff Balazs]

I suppose the simple answer today would be 12K to 20K or so....... for a good running "restored" example. But as we all know there is nothing simple about this question. There is just so much time and effort that goes into bringing one of these trucks back to life that a number can't possibly address.

 

Last weekend I went to the Pomona automotive swap meet. It is huge.....literally thousands of vendors and around 2500 cars and trucks for sale. Guess what? Not one Pilothouse......and no parts either. The closest thing I saw was a street rodded 54 panel truck and it was taken way too far for my taste. Now to put this into perspective if you were building a 52 Chevy truck you would have been in hog heaven as there were certainly parts galore there and lots of choice as to how nice. Literally every build level had all the bases covered for one of these trucks.

 

I sought out and spoke with some very knowledgeable vendors while I was there. All these guy's were 30 to 35 year veterans of this meet. When asked about parts for Dodge Pilothouse trucks they all said the same thing......once in a while and never much. And based on what I saw I believe it. I am so glad I joined this forum and did not go to one of these swap meets at the beginning of my truck project. I think if I had gone loner...... and tried the swap meet route to begin with I would have been so discouraged I probably would have given up very early on.

 

So how do I put a monetary value on all my friends here who have helped me so much with parts and advice? And what is the value of having a project like this? It is my escape valve. Certainly something fun to dream about. A real challenge at times. There really isn't a number that is going to cover all this.....and I haven't even driven the truck yet.

 

Jeff

[HanksB3B]

Last weekend I went to the Pomona automotive swap meet. It is huge.....literally thousands of vendors and around 2500 cars and trucks for sale. Guess what? Not one Pilothouse......and no parts either. 

 

Maybe I should have told you before you went, but that was my exact experience about three years ago.  The days of the Rose Bowl "All Mopar Swap meet" with a 100 vendors and thousands of NOS parts are all but a fading memory.  

 

Oh well,

 

Hank 

Edited March 9, 2013 by HanksB3B

[Scruffy49]

In my world, priceless, it has been in the family since it was new and will be passed down to one of my nieces (the triplets are only 2 years old, I have some time).

 

Real world? About 5 cents per pound if I junked it out. Which I won't.

 

Resale? Not much, it doesn't run at the moment, needs pretty much everything cleaned up, refreshed or replaced, painted...

 

 

Push come to shove I'd make a farm stand out of it. It isn't going away from the family.

Edited March 9, 2013 by Scruffy49

[Jeff Balazs]

Maybe I should have told you before you went, but that was my exact experience about three years ago.  The days of the Rose Bowl "All Mopar Swap meet" with a 100 vendors and thousands of NOS parts are all but a fading memory.  

 

Oh well,

 

Hank 

Hi Hank;

Honestly my expectations were not very high. I was a little surprised though that there was absolutely nothing. I figured I would at least see some engine parts or maybe some small items.

 

The real reason I mentioned the meet was to put emphasis on how much more difficult it is to build one of our trucks from a spare and repro parts standpoint. Compared to a Chevy of the same period it requires exponentially more effort. And if one is trying to determine a actual monetary value this should certainly be part of the equation.

 

It wasn't a total loss though. I did come across some vendors that have some decent deals on supplies that could be used on any restoration. And I had a real interesting talk with a license plate vendor regarding the 1952 California commercial plate situation.

 

Jeff

[55 Fargo]

Well my 1955 Fargo is probably not worth much. I bought the 108 inch frame, with engine,trans, and diff, in 2006 for $100.

In 2011 I bought a 1 ton 1955 Dodge cab, and chassis for $200, and then bought a 1956 Fargo 1/2 Ton parts truck, for the doors, seat, 1952 box, and a bunch of other things.

I have the correct rear fenders and running boards at work getting welded up. I plan to do a fast cheap paint job, and use the truck for fun and some work, I live on a very dusty dirty gravel road. I may tear it down for the deluxe treatment in retirement.

Probably worth nothing, and maybe not liked by many, but I do love and enjoy this truck, she runs very well, and is quite reliable.... PS I have many hours in this thing already...

[48Dodger]

Obviously what I paid for parts on my truck are irrevelent to what its worth at the moment. And at the moment, my truck isn't for sale. But for insurance reasons, "The Brick" is insured under the shop policy for @25,000.

 

48D

[Phil Martin]

3 years ago a guy offered me $5000 for my 53 dodge pickup. Like a  fool I took it been sorry ever since. It wasn't perfect by any means but I did everything myself. Bought 50 coronet. It is a lot better to drive which I do all the time. But I wish I would have kept the truck.

[ggdad1951]

It's official, I've had FEF "judged" by an appraiser and got a rating of #1, which per the book is $25000...nice to know I didn't quite hit that number on my input costs....yet...

[41/53dodges]

Mine is my first car ( or vehicle actually). Does that add value?  

Same here! but if someone dropped $3500 cash, I'd take it and go build another with the moneys, and then someone will buy that pile, and so the cycle continues!

[Bradley S.]

I have no clue what my old truck is worth.  Considerably less than a pick up I am sure.  With a top speed of 35 - 40 mph, not something you can drive very far or on many roads without getting run over.  I does have some appeal as an old farm truck.  Good for parades.

 

I don't think I would sell it anyway.  It was the first truck I ever drove.  I was 13.  It got sold and passed around the neighborhood for a decade or three before dad bought it back and we restored it in 2009 - 2012.  Maybe restored is not the right word.  We spiffed it up.  Looks great from 10 ft away.  New sheet metal, new skins, fresh coat of paint, new flat bed racks but it was not a complete tear down.

 

I researched and documented the owner history from talking with the old farmers in the coffee shop.

 

 

Glen Guyer

1948 – 1950

Del Kirkland

1950 – 1960

Jim Hofer

1960 – 1967

Bernard Schmidt

1967 – 1979

Graydon Kranz

1979 – 2006

Orin Rockhold

2006 – 2008

Bernard Schmidt

2008 – 2009

Bradley Schmidt

2009 – Present

[HanksB3B]

Someone wealthy told me $100,000. I just laughed but it made me feel good.

 

 

                    "One million dollars"

 

Hank 

[Dodgeb4ya]

My trucks are worth nothing. I have never sold any of them.

[Ram Man 02]

i never wanted to sell my truck but i had it appraised at 5k earlier this summer. i did it just for insurance purposes because ive heard of people getting a case of beer when it gets totaled. so know i have documentation to back it up should the day ever occure

[Stumpy(NH)]

Don't really know. Mine is a worker. So after dumping a load of scrap metal off I go to the Case IH dealer to get some baling twine. The owner says, "I love that truck, you wanna sell it?" Nope, but I'll trade you for that new inline baler outside....even up. I can call for a ride. "Nope", he says. Guess it wasn't worth the almost 20K LOL! To me it's worth more. Hate the thought of being without it now! 

[wallytoo]

no idea what it's worth. probably less than 5K, but i wouldn't sell it for that. it's worth more to me, because i put it to work, and i couldn't find a reasonable alternative, in similar condition, anywhere near that price.

[Stumpy(NH)]

no idea what it's worth. probably less than 5K, but i wouldn't sell it for that. it's worth more to me, because i put it to work, and i couldn't find a reasonable alternative, in similar condition, anywhere near that price.

This weekend I have hauled 3500 lbs of scrap, a 3400 lb scrap car, 2 loads of wood chips, one load of logs, and is now sitting with half a load of scrap metal in it again. There is no modern truck out there that I would like more or could afford now! Once I get rid of the scrap I have to load a bunch of rotten planks and scrap wood to clean up the backyard. Wait 'til you see my new pintel plate I had installed! A bit of wiring, a brake controller and this truck will be more handy than a swiss army knife!