Hot Rods 1950 Chevy 3100 What's it worth?

So - I'm a sucker for backyard/barn finds... and I just couldn't let this truck continue to rust away in a neighbor's backyard. I convinced him to let me help him get it running again - so it's easier to sell as a running driving truck. He spent a bunch of money on it in 2008, but he's let it sit again for 3? 4? years - and it's "gone back to its natural state" - yard art. He's 84 now - and this truck needs to go.

What I know: 1950 Chevy 3100 Shortbed - appears to have original Stovebolt 6 (216 cu in) and three on the tree transmission. Engine has the triangle sheet metal cover next to the generator - so I think it is a splash oiler. All original as far as I can tell - 6 volt electrics and oil bath air cleaner (not that I'm old enough to know what that is ) I bought plugs for it - but they were wrong - it uses tiny (5/8") AC Delco M8 Marine plugs - so I don't know if the head was swapped or ???

After a new battery it will crank - but it doesn't have spark - I've replaced wires, condenser, coil - tried to replace points but Advance Auto sold me the wrong ones - will try new points and plugs when I get them. Set and cleaned the old points but still no love.... it has been a few years since I've had to set points...I shot for .016 gap - looked close to a match book gap. Also wasn't getting fuel to the carb, but I put a new fuel pump on it - and that seems fixed.

Rusty... as you can see in the pics. Mostly surface rust - but it is everywhere.... the back cab corners have started to rust thru - and there are holes about mid cab near the belt line - small ones. Bed wood is gone - someone put a diamond plate insert over the wood. Brakes go to the floor and the master is empty - so something in the brake system is leaking. All suspension looks original. Interior is shot as you can see - floorboards look OK - as do the front and rear fenders - but I haven't been able to crawl under it. I know the cool thing is to leave the patina on these old trucks - but there's no paint left to patina - it's rust EVERYWHERE !!! (and maybe there was only primer before it rusted?) There is a nice green moss growing on it for you environmental types...
All the tires were flat and dry rotted. They hold air for a day or two - but I wouldn't drive it more than 25 mph with these sidewall cracks...

I would love to drag this one home, but since I'm between jobs at the moment, bringing this peach home, given the current state of marital relations, would probably result in me sleeping in it...

So what's it worth? If I can get it running and driving, I will help him throw it on Craigslist - but I need a price range... I was going to guess $2000 to $4000? Yes? No? It will be a good rat rod or the start of a complete restoration for someone.

 

That is a really solid looking truck. I think you are in the right range as long as it has a title and you can get moving and stopping on its own power. Where is it located???

 

Your guess is on. Personally I wouldn't give over $2500. Those were $700-1200 trucks 10 years ago


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Depends on where you are located. Higher than your prices here in Northeast Pa. This summer I chased a few trucks like that, Chevy and Ford, at local farm auctions. All in that same basic condition, not running solid trucks. All over $6,000. I would expect in the southern states your price might be about right.

 

$ 3217.59 ish

 

It's in Central Texas... As far as I know he has the title - it was running and driving in 2011 according to receipts he showed me... Ran when parked... but it sure doesn't run now !!!

and I've chased my no spark problem to a bad set of points. The problem is that the two sets of points that Advance Auto has ordered for me... don't fit - I've tried part # A40 and A40P - both are too long and the hold-down screw and adjuster screw holes are not in the right location... Going to go look on Rock Auto and see what I can find...
These darn points are amazing - they look clean - but there's no electrical connection. I filed them - and they worked in my hands - but not in the dizzy - I am dumbfounded.

 

Wow! I'm cheap....to me that's a $500 truck....$750 MAX. Must be a different market down there.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Rust holes in the cab at belt-line height? That sounds bad. It doesn't look bad in a pic, but people will bitch about that.

Sold a couple of these for a friend this summer, doesn't seem like anyone cares if they run or not, the guys who seem to want them want to swap engines or sometimes complete chassis.

If it has a title, you could probably ask $2K and hope to get $1500. Being a shortbox helps. But I have to wonder, there's gotta be lots of these things around Texas that aren't that rusty.

 

2nd picture (from tail gate looking at rear window) See the dark spot on the seam between upper and lower cab sheetmetal? About 12 inches from driver's side of the cab? That's a rust hole. Another one about 2/3 of the way from the left edge of the rear window - also on that beltline seam. We're talking about holes with 3-4mm diameter max.
I know Speedway sells patch panels for the rear lower cab corners, and also a large 5 window upper cab panel that would replace that section of the cab (I think). I suppose someone could do that if they wanted it to be perfect and convert to the more valuable 5 window cab. Major surgery - too much for me... but someone with metal fab talent might do it.

I suspect some rat rod guy will buy it - put a drop spindle axle it it - and then throw an old ratty small block and TH350 trans in it - and call it good. It's still got the old enclosed driveshaft and rear axle in it - that might complicate things.

 

...I wouldn't mess with getting it running/driving, most like the next owner won't want it as a stocker and you probly wouldn't get your time/money back with everything it needs,...looks very solid and strate,...around here it'd be worth around $2G's + or _
lot's of guys would love finding one in this condition.

 

I would agree, it's a far more interesting project for someone as is. I think, in order to get that $4k-6k think you would not only need to get it running but get it roadworthy, tires, entire brake system, probably a good chunk of the electrical system, at least some sort of interior work, who knows how the drivetrain is, or why it was parked.


Here's one up here I found in just 20 seconds, as an example. This is a cool old truck that would get my $1500, if I had $1500, so maybe an ad like this on Texas CL would get some folks interested. If you handled that for the old man, that would be a great service.

Even here in New England there is no shortage of old beat PU's for $1500 like that one.

If he sells it as is, someone might be excited to have a $1500 (barn find), they might replace the drivetrain, or try to fix it up or even make a rat rod or something that might make them happy, and save it from the crusher.

To the O.P. : It's nice of you to try to help him out, man. I hope your work situation improves, things do suck out there for a lot of us, and I'm sure your spouse digs you no matter what.

 

Try running a wire direct from the battery to the coil and see if it will light off....

 

Price wise you just have to figure out how much he thinks it's worth or how much he will take. The price seems go up every year even on ones that have sat for years on end like that one due to too many guys looking for them. Since the engine is orange and has the screws around the side holding down the valve cover I'm thinking it is a later 235 rather than the stock engine. Nothing bad about that though.
On those it can be a bit tricky to get the lead from the condenser and the tail off the points in the right spot so they don't ground out or miss making contact when you connect them up inside the distributor.
This is the distributor that came with my 51 1-1/2 ton flatbed but the concept is the same.
You can see where the insulating block keeps the condenser lead and the lead to the points off the bare metal of the distributor. I have no idea how well versed you are in setting points but if you look close you can see that the rubbing block of the points is on one of the lobes or points of the distributor cam and the point gap is open. This is where you adjust the point gap. I've gone out and fixed who know how many of these where the guy tried to set the points with the block on the flat and the points never close but open wider and that doesn't work.

 

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the advice - especially you, Clunker. My Sugar Momma is keeping the lights on, and I have something lined up in Jan.... hopefully. I keep picking the wrong start-up to work for... And I ain't allowed to bring home any more strays...especially rusty old trucks...

Mr48Chev - I have been setting point gaps since my 1975 Honda XR75 dirtbike but it's been more a few years since last time... I think I've figured out my problem - the truck is a 50, but the dizzy part number is 1110090, which appears to be from a 47 216 motor. So the points I bought for a 50 don't fit at all - the adjuster hole and lock down screw don't line up. I tried to modify the BWD A70 points, but they won't work. The book says I need to use BWD A61 points. Had to order so they won't be here till Tues. Anybody got any experience here? Tried to file the old points but they are worn all the way down - no dice. When I get new points I will try again - frustrating - was hoping to have it running by Christmas so he could drive his daughter around in it. It's also cranking really slow - and he a brand new battery - and we're using a 6V battery booster box... Think I'm going to try some new battery cables and clean connections.

The new fuel pump is working because the carb starts to gush fuel after about 5 secs of cranking... guess I gotta see if the float is stuck?

On the good news side, we filled the master (it was dry) and the brakes pumped right up. One of the rubber brake lines looked newish - and he showed me an invoice for a lot of brake work... in 2008.... Only problem is the plastic cap on the master shattered into a thousand pieces - and the only cap I could find in $15 + $15 shipping - and a new master is only $45 on Rock Auto, so we might be buying one of those.

On the 216 vs 235, he'll be very happy if the bigger motor is in it - but I think it's a splash oiler either way... I need more education on the valve cover thing - I only see the two studs in the middle of the rocker cover, no screws at the edges, unless I'm missing them... Here's another shot of the motor from the Carb side.

Thanks - and Merry Christmas Everybody !!!

 

And oh yeah - I've got a wire running direct from battery + to the coil + , doesn't seem to help...

 

The Standard Motor Products part number for the points is DR2227p. Get the so called parts guys to interchange the number and they should be able to get you the correct points.

 

Are those points for a 50, or a 47? I just looked up a pic of DR2227P - and they look too long - like the A70 or A70P points that I've already tried... I need points for a 47... I think. Rock Auto calls them DR1823

 

Looked at pics of a 235 and I think this truck has a 216. Can someone look at these DR1823 points and tell me if they will fit a 47 dizzy?

Sent from my SM-G920V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

OK - I finally got my 1947 Model DR1823 points today - and they fit the 1110090 Delco distributor - the adjuster and hold down holes line up - finally !!! Gapped them at .016 - and we have spark.
The engine has always cranked slowly - so I scrounged up some used battery cables and cleaned all the connections - that helped a bit - but it still seems to crank slower than I would expect - especially with a battery booster box on it.
Crank, Crank, Crank - still no start. So I call over my neighborhood car wizard - and we take the plugs out - and I crank it... so almost no compression in 3-4 cylinders - and the two good holes don't have alot. He suspects stuck intake valves - so we pop the rocker cover off but everything seems to moving up and down - no loose pushrods or collapsed springs

So we spray a bunch of WD40 in the plug holes - and compression kinda comes back to most of the cylinders- but it isn't great. The really wild thing is that the engine SPEEDS UP (with the plugs out) as we continue to spray WD40 and crank it three to four rounds. From this I can only guess that the cylinder walls are REALLY RUSTY? And we just now have begun to unstick the rings? (I gave each hole a quick shot of WD last week when I was changing the plugs) Put the plugs back in and quickly spun it - it does slow down with the plugs in it - so we must be getting some compression now, right?

Anything else we should try? Regular 10W/30 Oil? Marvel Mystery oil? We're letting the WD40 soak in over night - and I will take a compression gauge with me tomorrow. Does anyone know what good compression is for a 216 Stovebolt 6? I'm surprised the rings are this stuck - I mean this is Texas - not Seattle - but the engine has been sitting since 2011 or so.... And there's just an open road draft tube letting the moisture in... Maybe I shouldn't be surprised..

Stay tuned for updates - either we get compression and this thing runs - or it gets sold AS IS. But I really want to see the old man drive it one last time before he sells it.

.

 

Best of luck to you on this and your job situation. The price of oil has killed off a lot of jobs here in the Rockies.

 

s55mercury66 - I graduated from the University of Texas in 1986 - right into the worst oil recession since the great Depression - at least it felt like that. So I moved to Arizona (airplanes) and then Michigan (cars) to get away from it. When cars started to go bust (2006), we moved back to Texas - and now I work for small companies that go bust every 2 years !!! (or at least it feels that way). I'm a Houston-born kid who's never worked in the oil industry - and that's probably OK right now. I like cheap gas at the pump - but it sure does kill the oil/fracking economy when it happens. If OPEC and their other buddies can agree to cut production, then maybe oil will stay above $50/barrel.

For now it looks like I'm back into high tech once again - see you at the CES show in Vegas? Hopefully with a job !!!

I know one thing for sure - if I made my living as a 1950 Chevy Stovebolt mechanic... I'd be starving right now !

 

They just did.

 

Even though it has cost me a bunch of lost wages, The price of fuel and transportation is good for us.

 

In my 52 Chevy, 216 engine, it was running fine one day then it wouldn't start for anything! I cleaned and gapped the points, used a known good condenser and coil, cleaned and gapped the plugs... still nothing. Even though I had "spark" it would not start. I finally bought a new set of plugs and threw in it. It fired off like a brand new one! Just my experience to share....

 

Thanks RMONTY. I put new plugs in it last week - and it seems to have OK spark now with the correct points in it. It has always cranked slowly (until yesterday's WD40/plugs out session) - so I think the cylinders were crusty/rusty. Hoping some combination of WD40/Marvel Mystery Oil/5w30/Seafoam engine treatment will bring back the compression - and free it up enough to get it started. I'm hoping that once (if?) we get it running, the heat and vibration will help free up the rings and clean up the cylinder walls.

 

The internet says the compression spec is 100-100 psi - but people have seen them run fine with only 50-60 psi as long as it is even cylinder to cylinder. We will see today - really hoping that I don't have to pull the head off this thing... Will check the exhaust valve lash too - he's been running 100 low lead AVGAS in it - so I'm hoping the valves are still sealing OK...

 

A thought----If you decide to buy it, check the vehicle number on the title to the vin tag number (vin tag is vertical on the body, you see it when you open the DRIVERS door). I'm curious as to the actual year of the truck. '48 and '49 trucks have solid windows (no vent windows) and the flip out vent on the side of the cowl between the door and the hood is not on a '50. Could be a '49 sold in 1950 and sold as a '50. None of it makes much difference as long as the title matches the truck. Bill

 

Well - I guess the rings are toast. Maybe some of the valves are too tight... but the best cylinders are 55/60 - and number 3 went from almost nothing to 30 psi with some oil squrted in the hole, and some Seaform that I let soak for 5 min. One and two are 55/60, 3 is 30, 4 is 45/50, 5 is 35/40 and 6 is 45/50. We put the plugs in and it tried to cough a few times but no cigar. (on both Ether and gas poured down the carb) The other strange thing is the tiny plug holes - I'm going to take a closer look tomorrow - my buddy suspects that the strange plugs are the by-product of some plug shields/anti-fouling extenders that may be screwed into the original holes. I've never looked that closely but I don't remember seeing any kind of hex sticking out that would allow me to unscrew the extenders. That could explain alot if this thing has had bad rings for a while... My hopes of ever getting this engine started took a nose dive today - don't think I'm up for a hone and ring job while the engine's in the truck.... Oh well - at least we can prove the engine isn't locked up - it just ain't got much compression...

As for the 49 vs 50 - that's real interesting info. The owner swears that it's a 1950 because he graduated high school in 50 - but he's also not much of a car guy... I like the no vent window look - and the side vent and cowl vent are cool. The passenger window will need to be replaced in any case. And the dizzy seems to be from a 47, but maybe they used the same dizzy from 47 to 49? Is there a digit in the VIN that tells you what year it is? I will ask to see the title too. He bought special 1950 antique plates for it, so he's going to be bummed if it's not a 50.

Anybody know where I can buy a good but cheap 235 or 261

 

If you can put some air to the cylinders through the spark plug holes, you can see where the problem/problems are. Your compression tester may have an adapter with 1/4" NPT threads, a handy item for these situations.

 

Hey s55mercury - I've even got a leak down tester... but these damn tiny spark plug holes are screwing me over - none of my compression tester adapters fit - I had borrow one with a rubber tip and jam it in the hole. I'd really like to know how these tiny 10mm??? Delco M8 plugs holes came to be in this 216 Stovebolt... If they aren't part of some anti-fouling device, then I have no clue...