Hot Rods Living in Hot Rod Darkages

I am living in the dark ages. I have been looking for a reasonably priced 50's pickup to use for a daily driver (must be reliable enough to go long distances) and have been floored by the prices. I think my expectations are to high for my pocket book. Has this type of hot rod taken a recent price hike or am I just living under a rock?

 

The popularity of the AD Chevrolet has driven the price so high around here. There a guy not far from me that does nothing but build those trucks and sells them, and he lives better than me. He quit his full time job as a machinist.

 

Anything over 30 years old is seeing gold like prices, even for junk. Pickups seem to be the worse, 60's and 70's are sky high, and 80's are going up every day. Of course the money isn't worth as much as it used to be, but that's another story....

 

Trucks are $$$, sadly

 

Sad.......and unfortunate......compared to the past......for some reason, early trucks have have moved into stupid money.
A guy can't buy/afford a decent beater/shop truck it seems like nowadays.
Even those OT trucks that are into the 70's/80's.

 

There's another thread right now discussing this. It's an age-old discussion, but I agree... it's gotten to be insane lately. You have to look and look and look, until you find sanity. And it's often other old guys who also can't wrap their head around some of the asking prices these days.

I've had to... I won't say lower my expectations... I'll say, change my viewpoint.
Maybe something other than a Ford or a Chevy.
Maybe take a cue from some of these other guys and build something from pieces.
Maybe mix and match parts.
Maybe hand-built portions.
Maybe a different era or model.

Gotta say, @krylon32
You're in Nebraska? I thought the south and west always had the best stuff for the best prices. But if you're starting to find it difficult, that says something.

I still say, don't get too discouraged. Keep on looking. And looking. Have cash on hand to move quickly. The reasonable deals seem to disappear instantly. The flippers are buying them and relisting them. I saw a 1941 Ford Business Coupe here in Michigan advertised for $1,500 end up in Ohio advertised for $4,500.

Good luck to you.

 

Correct me if I am wrong , but you sell hot rods for over a hundred grand , yet you don’t want to pay money for a quality, “has to be dependable “ truck ? Look at new truck prices from the dealership compared to prices of trucks. I would think you , who is in the business and decades of relationships, would be privy to all sorts of leads/connections. Not trying to step on your toes at all , but you profit off of others so everyone else has that right to a profit as well. When I sell something on here , I don’t worry about profit . I try to recoup my out lay or if I have a good vibe about a hamber I will take the hit to help them out . “ you have to pay, too play”. Like another hamber said , piece a project out and build it. You obviously have the talent, tools now you just need the parts . Your just like the rest of us .

 

Yea they are way up, along with "C10s" or any Chevy pick up from 49-through the 80's There are truck shows, vendors, podcasts, youtube channels, websites, cable shows and a shit ton of clubs ect dedicated to those trucks. Its like the mini truck craze all over again w full size Chevys...

 

Old pickups (40's-80's) in any condition have been extremely hot for last 5 years anyway.
Then add the effects of a weak dollar and crazy pandemic price hikes for everything and a reality check is in order if you're shopping for anything.

 

yep, everything costs more - like many deals, just have to be in the right place at the right time - sometimes do better with a trade

 

My oldest son has quit his job as a licensed electrician to flip cars. Frankly, I'm surprised at the prices he is getting for what most of us would refer to as "field cars". He specializes in certain year Impala's, convertibles, and AD pickups.

PS, remember twenty years ago when 65-66 Mustangs went through the roof?, it was a big fad for a while but those who bought late hoping to flip for a profit were left holding the bag.

 

My old 48 was given to me , city told my Buddy , remove the parts truck or we will and charge you . So he gave me the parts truck , I fixed the usual 48 Ford , front fender rust , it had a 51-52 bed on it . I installed a 302 - C4 , later model 9 in rear . Power steering and power brake with over head pedal . Drove the damn thing everyday to work for 80K trouble free miles .

A younger friend wanted to get into a Hot Rod . So I did him a huge favor sold it to him for $4500.00 . Two months later the Hot Rod thinking left him , he sold it for $8500.00 after never touching one thing on it .

One of the moves , I look back on and wish it was still being watched over by me .

 

Yea...I can see it happening.

Well when it comes to flipping cars, I concur with the sentiment.

Once again, what's the number? You must have a high, low, middle I'll be happy number? We kind of need that to figure out if those expectations are to high?
Maybe it just me, but you want long distance reliability, turn the key and go, your buying a fairly fresh or freshend ride. So if you bought a brand new anything vehicle, would $22,000 scare you?


Just thinking out loud, not looking to buy but rather spend to make it happen quick, $18500. Playing hard ball, market crashing prices, $14,000. The I think he's jammed up number and I have the cash to make it happen quick, $11,000. Average Joe who thinks he's getting a deal, almost like no one at the auction wants it, $6500.

Keep in mind, I don't need the truck. But it is for sale local if your interested.

 

Definitely a Seller's market right now. I have been looking for 6-8 months, trucks, rods, Vettes and the money keeps going Up, but every once in a while there will be One. Missed the last one by a few hrs. (!), a fellow HAMBer was going to check it out for me and someone else showed first. They are out there so be patient, Carp.

 

You should try buying one from the bottom of the planet! By the time I see the ad in the morning, it has been sold while I was asleep. Maybe I should have got a night shift job so I am awake when the ads go up in the U.S. I have been looking for an AD pickup for a couple of years, but after dealing with so many junkers, people who just won't answer any questions or ignore a "what phone number can I call you on?", I think I finally got lucky a few days ago. I found a '53 and still have both kidneys! Hopefully steaming her way south in a couple of weeks!!

 

Was at a cruise night this past Friday. On the Iowa-Nebraska boarder. A gal had a nice 5o Chevy pickup with the modern updates. A nicely done but not to over-the -top build. A guy mentioned he would trade a 2021 Chevy Silverado for it straight across. A few years ago, I said a running and driving stock 48-54 Chevy pick-up should sell for 3-5 thousand dollars. Everybody on the HAMB said they wouldn`t pay over 1500 because they were everywhere.

 

I'll apologize to the Moderator's if this is too far off topic but it's just an explanation of how things get so out of hand. If you decide to delete it, I understand.

It's 1960 and I just got my driver's license. I took the test in " Old Gangrene ", a 1941 Chevy pickup that my Father named after he bought it off of one of his construction buddies for $50. It was his daily driver, hauled hay, seed, lumber and whatever else we could load. When I was hand lettering names on friend's cars, "Old Gangrene" was my practice board. I told my Dad that I wanted the truck and he promptly sold it to another friend for $50.

It's 1969 in Southern California and I could buy a brand new 1969 Chevy half ton step side pickup, 6 cylinder, three on the tree, radio delete, vinyl seats and rubber floor mats from the Chevy dealer for only $1969. I'm still looking for a '41 Chevy pickup.

It's 1974 and I'm traveling almost constantly because of my job. I need a vehicle that's comfortable, gets good mileage and has room for my personal stuff and the load of tools I carry for the job. A station wagon isn't practical because you can't carry tall stuff and a pickup with a topper has the same problem besides being heavy and reducing your mileage. I've seen extended cab and crew cab Internationals, Dodge, Chevy and Fords used by the military, utility companies and railroads but no one in the public sector would be seen driving something like that. I go to the Chevy dealer and tell the salesman what I want, a crew cab, short box, small V-8, 4 speed, tall rear end gears. The salesman tells me that Chevrolet will not build me a truck like that because if I decided I didn't like it when it arrived, they would be stuck with a truck they couldn't sell. Ford dealer said the same. The Dodge dealer said, " Sure, we'll sell you a truck like that, what color do you want?" We go through the options, he writes the order up and tells me to expect the truck within the month. Two weeks later, he calls me and say that the factory won't build the truck for the same reasons as the others. I'm stuck with a single cab pickup or a large sedan.

Sometime in the '80s, all the manufacturers are building extended and club cabs with power everything, all leather interiors and every bell and whistle that you used to find only in luxury vehicles. They are selling them to people with mini-ranchettes and upper end suburbanites who need them to haul potting soil and planting shrubs along with the feed necessary to sustain life in their horses, goats, llamas or Oriental chickens. The prices of these trucks and their offspring, Suburbans, Excursions and Ramchargers, are going up and no one seems to notice.

It's 2017, I need a half ton utility pickup but not the ones I see that cost damned near as much as the $113,000 I paid for the first house I bought in 1968 in CA. I'm driving down the road and spot a man putting a for sale sign in the window of an OT ' 95 F150. No rust, interior not too bad, 351W with E4OD trans, odometer shows 159,000 but overall the truck is in good shape. He's asking $3500, I offer $3000 and twenty minutes later, I've got the title and headed for the courthouse to register the truck. Aside from gas and normal maintenance, the truck doesn't cost me anything for the next 5 years until the tranny craps out and they are not cheap to repair or replace. I find a donor truck in a salvage with an M5R2 5 speed, clutch/brake pedal assembly for $400, pick up a new flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, clutch master and slave cylinders for $600, rent a tranny jack for $50 for the weekend and at the middle of the next week, I've got a running driving truck again that I would take anywhere.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is, if @krylon32 has to have an AD for a daily driver, he better get ready to get out the big checkbook. If he wants a usable truck, they're still out there for a lot less.

 

I've been rodding for over 60yrs, and saw the pattern of hot rods availability and prices.
When all of the most desirable were scooped up, people turned to trucks or the 30's, then
the 40's and onward. Now trucks are pricey, and rodders are turning to station wagons.
Two guys came through Colorado about 10yrs ago with a large semi and purchased ever
Chevy AD that they could find, running or not. Took the load back to Texas and started
selling everything at escalating prices. Very sad for true rodders like us.

 

IMG_7020 by charleyw posted Nov 3, 2018 at 10:51 AM

The current market has me thinking maybe mine needs a new home. First time for that.

 

What’s an Iowa-Nebraska boarder? Someone who rents a room is a house that sits on the border?

 

where you live, you should be able to buy a decent old truck and modernize to your taste with virtually bolt-on parts....

 

Charleyw ,

You’re a wise man ,,,,,something is coming,,,and it’s not gonna be pretty.
At the end of every boom,,,,there is a bust .
And the way things are now,,,,,,it just might be much more than a bust .
Get good money while you can .

Tommy

 

Price will drop just before I finish mine.
But deals are out there, have the cash on hand and the trailer empty.

 

Nothing wrong with that truck except it sits too low. I'd be afraid to drive it across the pasture or put a load of hay or dirt in it.

 

And there's another problem. Around here, folks take what could be a decent truck, yank the body off and stick it on a Crown Vic frame. Then they scrap the original frame and running gear. I believe they're the same folks with the mini ranchettes and llamas.

 

Classic truck prices doubled overnight when the Covid lockdown started, esp. 4X4s & they continue to rise.
Was looking @ a '64 F-100 styleside Ranger project but passed when the owner tried to sell me what appeared to be a new set of oversized wheels and tires. I'm sure his head has swollen two hat sizes since then

Joe

 

Hello,

The prices of everything seems to have gotten a little out of control. Used car prices are higher than normal, the rarity of reasonably priced cars, old and new are still around, you just have to adjust your sights. “…Reasonably priced 50s pickup for a daily driver…” is still available, it is just what the level of your goal is at this time.

The days of a “deal” of the century is no longer viable. Homes that sold for $600k are now $1 million. Definitely over priced in any neighborhood. But, look at how your situation is and work to adjust. The lower cost of any hot rod or truck is not going to be your thing, unless you have the ability to make changes and conform to your daily driver/long distance cruiser requirements.

If you have the ability to make those changes, then start at the low end of for sale cars/trucks. There are some good old trucks still available…
$18,300 IDAHO 6 CYLINDER
In comparing the looks of the black Ford truck, it is a good buy for someone that has the skills to upgrade it for more power. A 6 cylinder may be ok/reliable for some, but having driven a very reliable 80 hp Flathead powered 1940 Ford sedan delivery for 5 years and thousands of no repair miles, it was underpowered.

Even the slightest of hills was a downshift move and if we were to start at the bottom of a steep grade in first gear, second was next, instantly. But, the underpowered Flathead/steep grade did wonders on the movement and necessitated a long climb in first. Not always the best or enjoyable.

But, with your abilities and skills, you can make it reliable.

On the other hand:

$39,900 SBC POWER Pennsylvania

This cool old truck has the work already done, looks cool and makes driving home from Pennsylvania a great trip. If my wife and I were looking for an old truck done this way, the cost is negligible, as it can be spread out over the coming months.

Unless you are one of those with a stash of cash ready for any purchase. The time it would take to make the black truck in Idaho up to par with the this one, will make up the time and effort. But, perhaps, driving home from Idaho is a better drive. YRMV

Sometimes, it is not the cost that matters. It is the overall idea that time and energy is more important. Besides, the cost can be spread out over 4-5 years at a low monthly cost in your accounting. It may be a lump sum sale, but the money is still in the monthly calculations for the next 4-5 years as if it were a "loan" from some source.

Jnaki

When my wife and I look at various old cars, trucks and hot rod sedans, we obviously look at the price, but there are circumstances that have to be taken into account. We, like a lot of people here on the HAMB can no longer make the “big” changes to fix up any old hot rod. Or at least old age and maladies make it harder to start, work for months and finish without further harm to our old bodies. So, the cost is relative to the enjoyment of driving home in a cool hot rod.

This 1940 Ford Sedan was going to be our next hot rod during these turbulent times for one last go at hot rod road trips and memories. (Candy Apple Paint and all...) We were willing to fly out to the Eastcoast and drive home back to So Cal in our next big adventure. AAA willing to help if necessary. But, it got sold.

So, this $32,000 1940 Ford Sedan would be the alternative to the Candy Apple version. The drive home from Michigan in the Northern states through Idaho would be different than the last time we drove on Highway 70 across to Denver from Kansas City. The cost was similar and the experiences coming home would have been similar for both Ford Sedans.

The key is to enjoy the moment and not worry about things like resale value or how much/little your friends will like the new purchase. It is your hot rod choice and whether it is a new custom build from you or a fairly complete build from someone else, it is your choice and decision.

If a teenage kid can live through 5 years of "Salmon Pink" chuckles, and then 10 years later, another unusual sedan delivery for a couple of 20 somethings living with "What kind of car is that?" "A what?" and at family gatherings, a a ton of comments like, "Why didn't you get a Chevy sedan? etc..." is part of adapting to your own styles and comfort. Smiles all the way down the coastline to our favorite beaches and campgrounds... makes it worthwhile... YRMV

 

In other words people with limited intelligence who are trying to appear to be something they aren’t.

 

YES!

Ben

 

The auctions have screwed up every buyer and seller of 60-80’s pickups. Yes I can see short bed 1/2 tons being desired but your typical 3/4 camper special is absolute insanity.