Nobody has mentioned that it is the desirable 5 window cab? simple to work on and they made that engine up until the sixties. The military used those engines in WC,s parts are avialable. Remember one mans junk? OldWolf
And tough as old boots. A big 413 Flat head six would make a reasonable tow vehicle out of it and you would never see yourself coming the other way too often either.
save it!if not for you for humanity.i remember a time when nobody wanted 4 door 50's cars either, now there's lots of young guys fixing them up.they don't make this stuff anymore man.
That trucks has still got alot of life in it. IF you want to see a truck that worse go look at my 46 Chevy 3/4 ton it looks like hell.
It's probably too far gone to restore and make money - or break even. However ! - There is a buck to be made ! I could use those front fenders. there are guys here - http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18 - that need the rear fenders, running boards, instruments, trim pieces, etc. That little piggy bank could be the seed money for your next project. Did I mention that I could use those front fenders ?
It ain't any worse than anything I started with. Then again, living up North, you don't have a whole lotta choice, lol. I say get it. Get it running, then decide what you want to do. If nothing else, it would make a good parts runner. Besides, scrap value right now is really low.
i think those things are ugly. and the fact that you're asking if it's "to far gone" tells me that you won't be doing anything with it. save yourself the time and headache and let somebody else grab it who might do something with it.
I hate that soul-less, gutless, resale mentality too. If you're that worried about resale value, get a stamp collection, or better yet, invest in the stock market. If the truck doesn't work out, you could paint it flat blue, put an "Old Navy" logo on the door, and sell it to one of those same people for 3k.
I have to ageee, some of these guys only see any vehicle as "what it will bring when you go to sell it.' What plans would you have for it if you did get it? I can't see spending a lot of money to make a hotrod out of it but I could see getting it running good, fixing the brakes and other needed mechanical items and then doing the body work yourself to get it in shape to be an occasional driver and maybe even leave as a bit of a workhorse and actually use it as a truck. If you want to learn body work to use on later projects it would be a good challenge but could come out pretty nice. If the bed is too rotted away you could always put a flatbed on it pretty easy.
5 windows are rare, go for it. I love old Dodge trucks, those Pilothouse ones are so ugly only a true freak could appreciate it.
Bah the naysayers! yeah, no value, a clean one sold on B/J less than 2 months ago for 40k. I agree, that was a bit high, but fact is, it was clean and it sold. How many do you see at the local car shows? rarely, they are out there, but rarely...I always see tons of fords and chevies. These will come into their own money soon enough. go ahead and rebuild it and have something different. Any old car now a days that has been done right will always fetch decent money. especially with B&J driving them prices way up thar'
I've seen some of those rodded and they make damn cool little mopar rods. One of my friends has a bright orange 4 wheel drive one with a big block chevy. and it was your grandfathers! You dont have to spend a lot of money a volare front clip, and mopar parts are usually cheaper.
To far gone? I could only wish my truck was as straight as that one. I don't have one straight panel on my whole truck. If you started on that truck now you would be done before me and I have been working on mine for 2 years. I would get it!! Get it now!
I am working on a 75 Ford PU that came from my family that is much worse. Just going to make it safe to drive and I don't care what anyone thinks. I know I am spending too much $$ but so what. If you like it fix it and drive it. I look at over chromed , over restored cars at shows and think they can't get their money back either
Count me among those who say buy that truck! A guy showed up at our last cruise-in here with a '51 Dodge pickup that looked much rougher than the truck you're looking at, and he was driving the thing. He said it had been sitting for years, he did a tune-up on it, replaced belts and hoses, redid the brakes, put new tires on it, fresh gas and new battery, said he's been driving it all over the place with no problems. It was considerably rougher looking than your truck, but the sweet thing is--he had it up and running, safe and reliable, and he was having FUN with it. There were as many people looking over that ragged old Dodge as any of the pretty cars with their slick paint jobs.
Rust or rot? My screen doesn't show things real clear. Rot is a lot of work to repair, rust 9as in surface rust) is much easier to over come. But geesh, with the price of scrap now (here) at about 35 a ton, you can't really go wrong with a C-note for the truck.
I got my '38 Ford pickup in 1966 by outbidding the scrap man. Scrap man offered $10 for it, I offered $15.
AMEN i had a 5 window....i miss it so much so if anyone down in the south has one in like shape theyd sell for cheap send me an email!
GET IT NOW. We don't need another one dragged off to the scrapyard...lol And man, it is NOT too far gone. Not in the least. Looks good. Of course, I have a Dodge myself, so I'm a bit biased...lol Grab it up!
Just because something is rare does not make it worth anything. I think a lot of people get so caught up in the "thrill of finding something" that they neglect to realize how worthless it is, no matter how old or rare. Unless these models are your "thing", why not find something on Ebay that is in the same condition, but actually desirable? To illustrate the point, on my local Craigslist this week I saw a 1972 Dodge Dart with 28 original miles (not 28,000, TWENTY EIGHT MILES). The original owner purchased it, drove it 28 miles to his house, and died. It sat in a garage for the past 37 years. It's blue, 4-door, and barebones. The thrill of finding something like that is huge, however what is the true value? Definitely not what they were asking for it ($5500).
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