Projects What’s the market like for AD trucks?

I went to an old guys house last night to pick up some Olds caps I bought.

He told me that he had a 53 Chevy 3 window pickup in storage that his father in law had started disassembling years ago and never got around to reassembling.

He doesn’t have the title, so I would have to deal with that. I haven’t seen the truck, but the guy seems to think it’s original paint/ not much rust etc. Now, we all know that is relative to your skill level…..

What’s the going rate for a project truck? I definitely don’t need it, but sometimes things just fall into your lap.

 

Mine was bought as a project 20 yrs ago. Paid 4000 for a solid steel one that needed blown apart but was a driver. Nowadays I can’t see the price increasing much. The corner window cabs do bring more money.

 

This is from the Hagerty price guide. My understanding is the values on their site are based on actual recent sales prices.

1953 Chevrolet Series 3100 1/2 Ton 2dr Pickup
6-cyl. 216.5cid/92hp 1bbl

#1 Concours condition $57,400
#2 Excellent condition $42,200
#3 Good condition $29,300
#4 Fair condition $17,800

These are for running and driving trucks. One that's disassembled and without a title will be worth much less, of course. It will also depend on location, for example a truck in OK is probably not going to be worth as much as one in CA or NY.

 

I have a lady that does the title work here in Oklahoma and between her fees and the states it's about 250.

 

Sandra Fuller?

 

If it's a half ton short wheelbase, with a title and in one piece that rolls and steers, with original paint and not a whole lot of rust, that would sell around here for $5k pretty quickly. But if it's partially taken apart in a barn/shed, title missing, possibly not rolling, half of that. Long wheelbase or 3/4 ton would hurt it too.

Selling price has less to do with actual condition and more to do with how presentable it comes across in pictures and how much fucking around it's going to be to get it home. The one you describe should be on sale based on the disassembled state and lack of title. Undoing those things would double the value.

 

I'm the first to admit ignorance of meaning, in re: the hoi palloi of acronyms & abbreviations spawned by the internet, and to a lesser degree by the Military. It was 2 months on here til I became aware what OT was. I've deduced
that it involves early pick-up trucks & others not within the "parameters" What do the letters stand for?

 

I think we are in the $800-1000 range.
It’s a half ton short bed.

Hector, AD stands for Advanced Design. Built from 47-55 Check this out. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-chevy-and-gmc-truck-pictures-thread.1240667/

 

AD stands for "Advanced Design" a moniker given by GM to the new 1948 GM truck body style. The body style was available from late 47 to mid 55.

 

OT =Off topic

 

Plus that $5000 lein still on it from the 80's lmao!

 

I think 1k is a safe buy unless it's a pile of rust. I have a friend who has been buying 39-46 GM trucks that are projects for around 2500, and he's been making a little money on them, and those are arguably less popular than an AD.

 

Root unless it's got some sentimental value, or it's the nicest one in Oklahoma, I'd say $3k should about do it, that's generous seeing that without a title, it's a parts vehicle to any non automotive type person. I get titles for rocks and potatoes around here, it's no big deal, but the person selling that car without a title doesn't know that. I've bought 2 trucks, plus a cab and doors, and I'm still under $3500, and I have a title.

 

I may go and check it out tomorrow. I’ll
Take some pics when I go. He’s an old guy and is skeptical of folks. He won’t give me his phone number…….but he gave me his address…

 

Thank you.

 

that makes sense in person he can see your not is granddaughter kidnapped and held for ransom, on the phone you could very well be her

 

Asking and selling are 2 different things.
Here’s the asking around here

 

I know Ford prices. GM stuff and I am lost. I think if I showed up with $750 and a trailer I would leave with it.

 

Bought my 49 gmc in 99/8 ish.
2 owner low mile solid truck. $2500 and drove it home

a few years later, idiot me took this apart and blasted it.
What a moron I was

 

I think the 3W is SOOO much better looking than those afterthought corner window types. But that aside let's assume the usual suspects of condition. Cab corners weak at best, cowl bottoms are a water trap so they go too unless it's a sun baked SE truck. Bed wood? Gone. Fenders are probably decent, seat is in shreds but there. Who really cares about the motor, right? You'll have a cpl hrs in getting it ½ assed assembled for transport. I wouldn't give more than 12-1500. The good side is that almost anything can be replaced new or used. They have a following.

Shit, didn't see your 750 post. Get it...

 

As you know I am building an AD right now. Annnd Brian Logan runs the worlds largest page for them. ADs are hot right now. Rough projects are going for a few K. If you are lucky you can still find one for under 3k. The days of $300 projects are gone, I know, I bought the last one!

 

A driver like that today is an easy 7-15k

 

That seems dirt cheap to me. If I were you I'd be all over it. Even if you don't want to build it, you could drag it home, bolt it together so it looks like one piece, figure out the title, and tack on $3000 come springtime for your efforts.

 

Maybe it’s just me, but I think those Hagerty figures are ridiculous across the board! And that opinion would hold even if I had one to sell. Over the years, the various price guides have always seemed out of touch with reality.

Ray

 

I had a '53 in college back in the 70s. $150. Drove it from Nebraska to Oklahoma and back to Nebraska. Back then, few people wanted one. Now it seems everyone wants one.

 

They are going pretty high any more. Funny I remember when you could not give one way.

I think that the last project that was a solid truck I saw was in the 3500-4500 range. I would not want to drop that much on one but they make good rods if you have one to play with.

 

The price guides, as stated above, are based upon recent actual sales. Of course, they are just guides and give an idea of what one might be worth if the right seller finds the right buyer. The Old Cars Report Price Guide Sept/Oct 2022 gives these values for a '48-'53 Chevy half ton:
1. $70,000
2. $49,000
3. $31,500
4. $14,000
5. $ 8,400
6. $ 2,800
From the Old Cars Report Price Guide itself: "Our prices come from compilations of national/regional data by the editors of our weekly publication, Old Cars Weekly News & Marketplace. These data include prices from collector-car auctions, verifled reports of private sales and input from experts."

 

Kinda why I was looking at it. Just didn't know what the market would support.

 

I bought mine about 12 years ago for around $1000. In NY now, one in the same condition is going for around $5000.
I am amazed at the current asking prices of these trucks - it has sky-rocketed recently.
Fun trucks to work on, tho!

 

If you’ve never taken one apart and put it back together, before you go pick it up get an assembly manual for it.
That way you can kind of study up on what parts to look for that might have been scattered around over the years.