Help me value and decide wether to buy this truck

[orville]

Hey all,
I am a new member and just put up a small introduction thread in the welcome area, I don't have a 71/72 K20 YET but I hope to soon,
well I've been looking high and low for a good example of one as I have another hot rod resto project going and do not have time for another so I want a nice K20 not a project.
A nice original or well restored one is my plan.
So this is where I need help, this truck came up and I want to decide if it's worth the money and would like to get some members opinions as to how much they would value it at.
I am gonna post some pics and as much info as possible after the pics are up.
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[orville]

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[orville]

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[orville]

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[orville]

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[orville]

So heres what I know for sure,
This truck went under a frame off restoration, but it has a cab,bed and frame set that are from two if not three trucks and had a new vin code applied by the state patrol/domv.
The title matches the new vin witch was applied to the drivers inner door frame/b pillar by the door strike area.
The cab is in great shape, and shows signs of cut out areas that had patch panels welded in with quality work,
The bed is in very good shape maybe all original with a little straightening and mud work.
No rust to be found anywhere on the truck.
It has a big block chevy, reportedly a 454 but I could not get to the casting numbers to clearly identify it, and I'm not a big block expert but heres what I know about the motor,
The motor appears to be in the stock location.
The cab has been modified heavily in the firewall area with a firwall setback kit/fabricated set, it easily clears the big block heads and an HEI style cap.
it has an edelbrock manifold and 1411 eddy carb electric choke,
it has a Jacobs ignition mileage master and coil setup hooked to an HEI style distributor but the cap has a coil wire coming right out of the area a regular HEI style cap would have its coil and that odd wire goes to the fender where you can see the Jacobs setup.
It has Hooker ceramic coated full length headers and aluminized 2.5 inch pipe exhaust with flowmaster 50's

[JointTech]

my guess is the guy wants 18-20 for it. He probably has 30 in it.
I'd give him 10-12 for it.
restorations are a money loser.

its a really nice truck. looks like a full frame off.

[Tuff Gong]

If you were to buy a truck that needed restoration and fix it up to that condition I guess you would spend at least 10k to 15k, perhaps more. I'm not sure because I have never personally restored a truck, but it looks like a really nice truck you would be happy with for a long time.

[70blackfish]

nice truck if you ask me, i think that was someones baby....

how much does he want for it????

[71veronica]

I'd say 12- 18 k looks very nice. That's my dream truck.

[orville]

Originally Posted by 70blackfish

nice truck if you ask me, i think that was someones baby....

how much does he want for it????

It was somebodies baby for sure!
I'm gonna wait a bit and let everybody take a couple guesses as to the value so I might kind of get some unbiased opinions at the the price, but I'll let you all know.

[orville]

Wheels and tires are,
16" Modern brand wheels with 255/85 R16 tires, I looked at an online calculator seems they are 33's
The truck has 4.10 gears and a reported locker in the rear.
;
It has a Goodmark all steel 2"cowl hood.

[orville]

How do I tell if its a high hump 4x4 cab or if they used a converted low hump 2wd cab?
How do I tell what year the frame is? Can I measure the space between the rear leaf springs and the overall length of each spring? Is there a shape difference in the frame from year to year?

[midniteblues]

dang thats a nice truck. well done an doesnt look like it needs anything.
i bet the price is pretty high on it.
if your looking for a daily you better consider that bbc is gonna drink heavy,
of course if ya want my opinion i say buy it.

[YBNORML]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the fact that 4x4's of this generation were not available from the factory with a big block. Although I do not have any first hand knowledge of what it takes to do the swap, I have seen some crazy hack jobs on here as well as some sweet ones. Just pointing out a possible problem area that you may want to look at.

As far as value goes, that is a very regional question. Up here a truck in as good a condition as that one appears to be would easily go in the $20,000 range. But that means nothing.

[orville]

Originally Posted by YBNORML

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the fact that 4x4's of this generation were not available from the factory. Although I do not have any first hand knowledge of what it takes to do the swap, I have seen some crazy hack jobs on here as well as some sweet ones. Just pointing out a possible problem area that you may want to look at.

As far as value goes, that is a very regional question. Up here a truck in as good a condition as that one appears to be would easily go in the $20,000 range. But that means nothing.

I was reading that GM started building their own four by fours as early as 1960??

[YBNORML]

Originally Posted by orville

I was reading that GM started building their own four by fours as early as 1960??

Sorry I meant to say no big blocks in 4x4's. I fixed it.

[John H.]

My guess with the second vin, the title is "rebuilt" or branded.

Ask the owner.

[JointTech]

yea they did. no big blocks though in these years with 4x4.

[orville]

Originally Posted by JointTech

yea they did. no big blocks though in these years with 4x4.

big firewall setback on this truck for the bigblock swap, the motor is in the stock location as is the trans and tcase.

[orville]

I'm just gonna put out there that I have looked at three others of this vintage for sale in the greater Seattle area and all three have been very rusty, clapped out motor and interior type rigs, ranging in price from 5500$ to 7500$
If a guy could get this truck for 10,000 of 12,000 I would have bought one already.
That body and paint alone is worth a big portion of that ten large, plus a purchase of 5000
big block swap several thousand
coated headers and new custom exhaust 1500 easy
new interior, all new stainless lines, new shocks, radiator, mastercylinder. good brakes, good tires, absolutely no rust???
If anyone out there has a comparable truck to this for 12,000 I'll be at your door in ten, just PM me.

[1971 cheburban]

If I had the money I'd go 20k on it but you've got to realize that you might pay 20000 but what does a new truck cost, plus it's way better built then anything you could buy. I would definitely go for it but I'm biased to the truck four speed, four wheel drives.

[coueshunter]

Very nice truck. Only downside is tires are old. Easy 18-20k truck

[Grumpy old man]

Nice truck, Looks like good work , But the title issues and questionable insurance coverage would stop me from paying anything over $12,500.00 and for myself I can build it cheaper than that . But for a shop to build it for someone I would think you'd be in the $25,000 - $30,000 range done and finished right .

[Sicklajoie]

All I know is, that is one beautiful truck!
With the workmanship and it being a bb 4x4, it's easily 20k.