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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SK, Canada
Posts: 488
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Is building a long box a bad investment?
I remember seeing an old car show a few years back and the host was discussing the money side of building muscle cars. He said that it will cost almost the exact same amount of money to build a 4 door as it would to build a convertible, but the convertible with end up with a much higher value. Is it a similar situation with long and short box trucks?
I have a long box right now and I like the way it looks. My only complaint is that it's sometimes awkward in a crowded parkinglot. I'm a little concerned that if I keep it and put a lot of time and money into it, I won't get out as much as I could have if I had just started with a shortbox. What's your opinion?
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Evan B. Last edited by evan; 07-20-2006 at 01:12 AM. |
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#2 |
yeller
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Twin Cities
Posts: 13,826
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
Short beds seem to be more desireable than long beds, and generally bring more money on the market (when comparing two identical trucks). I believe however, this is more true for the pre 73 trucks...I don't really see that big of a difference in the 73-87's...at least not yet.
It all boils down to what you like more. Either way, selling cars abd trucks usually ends up in a loss...you almost always never get what you have into them.
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Jeff 73-87.com 73-87.com Facebook page 73-87 cab corner 6x9 speaker brackets for sale 67-72 cab corner speaker brackets for sale 47-54 cab corner speaker brackets for sale |
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#3 |
Diesel Addict
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Beyond The Sun.
Posts: 144
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
Building old cars and trucks is never a good investment. No one restores an old car to make money despite what you see on "wrecks to Riches" or whatever that show on TV is called. They are built out of love...
Build what you want, build what you love... Ziptar <--(Currently restoring a 1979 C10 Silverado long bed with and Oldsmobile 5.7L Diesel ![]()
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1979 C-10 Silverado w/ Olds 5.7L Diesel |
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#4 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Elkins, West Virginia
Posts: 2,542
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
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1987 350 TBI lowered 5/7 |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern Germany,near Bremen
Posts: 684
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
IŽm putting all my blood,sweat and tears in my longbed for 12 years now,so donŽt tell me they are out!
![]() I think you should build what has the most value for you and not for the used truck market!YouŽll never get back what you put in! Besides that i think the proportions of the longbed trucks are nicer and the place to haul whatever you want is more too! ![]() |
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#6 |
Real Men Wear Orange
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: NC
Posts: 89
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
I think the shortbeds and longbeds may bring in a similar price, but more people are willing to actually buy the shortbeds, so they go much quicker and easier. Longbeds, guys end up having to lower the price just to sell it.
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: washington
Posts: 133
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
short beds usually bring more dough but it really boils down to what you like or
prefer, because like all these guys mentioned you'll almost never unless your chip foose get what moneys you invested in a vehicle out of it in the resale process |
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: beaumont,tx
Posts: 757
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
i built a lwb and ever regretted it but what sucks is that its just long but i rather a swb for like a show truck and a lwb for a daily/ work truck because u can always do more with a swb but then theres not that many lwb show trucks out there
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...ropped/sig.jpg |
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Midwest City, OK
Posts: 1,001
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
I prefer lowered 4x2's and jacked up 4x4's..
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Robert Current: 1986 SWB Silverado 4.3 / TH400 Past: 1985 SWB Silverado 305 / TH350 - sold 1995 1987 1/2 ton Silverado - FI 350 / 700R4 sold 2007 |
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Dickson, TN
Posts: 141
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
IMHO it's a bad "investent" to build any post '73 pickup. There's just too many of them still out there. As for the long vs short bed, a similarly built short bed will bring more $ 99% of the time (of course 75% of all statistics are made up
![]() If you're building a vehicle to sell for profit, just look at the auctions/trader papers/ebay/etc...most often the big $ is in pre-72 Chevelles, Camaros, Corvettes, tri-5's, etc. Trucks typically don't bring in the major dough, although they do cost as much to restore as those cars. |
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SK, Canada
Posts: 488
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that I'm building a vehicle just to make profit. I plan on building one of these trucks because I like them, but I am just trying to cover all of the angles. I love my truck now and I'm sure the more progress I make the more I'll love it, but there is the possibility that down the road I might need to sell and I'd rather get 60% of my money back rather than 40% if it were as easy as that.
I think I'm going to hang on to my lwb. I doubt it will ever get to show truck status and I do use it to do work a lot so the 8ft is handy. The biggest reason I think I'll keep it is because I like the long and low look, so hopefully someday I will achieve it. Right now I'm stuck with long and rusty. ![]()
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Evan B. |
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#12 |
I'm back with 2nd truck!
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,775
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
I love my LWB over a SWB. I've owned both styles and prefer the LWB on a daily driver etc. On a show truck like mentioned I'll take a SWB. I can place a tool box in my truck and still have plenty of room for hauling stuff. When you have one in a SWB then you're hauling is shot.
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1979 Chevrolet Bonanza Big10 "Tootsie Roll" 1985 Chevrolet Silverado (wife's) Member of the Southern Bowties Club "Don't underestimate how sexy a fat man who drinks to excess can be." Homer Simpson |
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#13 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 95
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
Pick up hotrod mag and take a look a few pages in...there's a story about this that i was reading today. Hot rodding/restoring cars has turned into an "investment"...which drives prices of parts up. They said something to the effect of, At a car show people used to say, that looks nice or how fast is it, now they say, whats the value? That's not what this is about...its about what you like. GM made millions of trucks all the same, its the people who customize them that value them. Most would sell for a high dollar amount, if offered, but in all reality its just another used truck that may be nicer then the one next door.
I dont know what my point is here, i'm just venting its been a long day..lol Do what you think looks good. That's all that matters. |
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#14 |
Happy to be here
![]() Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Cypress, TX
Posts: 39,023
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
Let me turn this around a little because everyone has already covered the question as it was originally asked.
If your going to build a truck decide what you want in the end "before" you get started. DO NOT invest you hard earned money and time in a truck just because it's what you have. Do it because its what you want. If you want a long bed truck build the one you have. If you want a short bed truck, sell the one you have and buy a short bed.
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Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @N2trux.com Articles- "Jake" the 84 to 74 crewcab "Elwood" the77_Remix 85 GMC Sierra "Scarlett" "Refining Sierra" |
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#15 |
No No
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Pueblo Colorado
Posts: 1,781
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
I agree with building what you want. It's for you not some one else. Of course if your going to sell, a SWB will be a better choice.
The way it works in colorado is a clean LWB is worth less then a not so clean SWB. I seen a sharp looking 79 LWB (rebuilt engine) for sale in front of K-mart a few years ago a couple days latter a failry rusted 77 SWB was parked next to it for the same price $2300. The SWB sold in two days and the LWB sat there for 2 more weeks before it disaperd. That 77 actualy showed up at my shop and I asked the person who purchased it why they dident get the other truck. "I dident want a farm truck!" I ended up rebuilding that engine and the guy still was happy with his choice. ![]()
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1976 Custom Deluxe SWB Med FMB.3/4 Drop. Gen VI 454, Muncie HD 3 speed With Modified OE Hurst Shifter, 3.73 12 bolt, GMPP HO roller cam, Hooker headers, Performer intake with modified Q-jet, Accel distributor. Best 1/4 12.3 @108. Funnest run 19.84 @88 full 1/4 mile burn out. 1997 K1500 ext cab 5.7 stock except muffler |
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#16 | |
Sb 400 club
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: NH / MA
Posts: 2,741
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
Quote:
N2TRUX you hit the nail on the head man ![]() ![]()
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![]() ![]() 77 K10 Project / daily driver "The Grinch" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=318363 1956 Willys Wagon (327 chevy) Project (Now Buick 225) 1980 Corvette L-48 4 speed 1992 Mustang GT built 5.0 5 speed ![]() 1985 C10 LWB Sold 1982 K10 SWB plow truck Parted out 1986 D30 M1028 fire brush truck Parted out |
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#17 |
Don't Crush em Restore em
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pinehurst, Texas
Posts: 764
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Do what you want.
I agree with most of you, build what you want and what you like. I know the whole time I have been building my 3/4 ton 2 wheel drive lwb, people would ask me why you building a work truck. I would tell them that is what I want, I love the outdoors, camping, fishing, so I tow a camper and boats all the time. The truck gets loaded down with gear, a lowered 1/2 ton short bed just would not cut it. Its mine and I love it, you don't like it don't look at it.
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TexasJeff 2009 Silver with Linen Interior Cadillac DTS 1990 Red with White Top and Interior Ford Mustang GT convertible 1998 Red with Gray Interior, C3500 Chevy Crew Cab Dually ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#18 | |
Happy to be here
![]() Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Cypress, TX
Posts: 39,023
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Re: Do what you want.
Quote:
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Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @N2trux.com Articles- "Jake" the 84 to 74 crewcab "Elwood" the77_Remix 85 GMC Sierra "Scarlett" "Refining Sierra" |
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#19 |
Sb 400 club
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: NH / MA
Posts: 2,741
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
Well i am a firm beliver in the fact that a long box is more usefull( for me) it is above all a truck and no matter how nice it is it is always nice to be able to haul that big screen home(i wish lol). But as a freind once told me "your truck is in nice shape for a truck!" and no matter how we build them weather it be trail, strip, or street above all it is still a truck. They will almost never bring the same as a 70 chevelle or a 29 model A or a 49 Merc. Also when building you have to think about the fact that you put alot of your time in it. and that you can never get back. So i would say BUILD IT HOW YOU LIKE AND NEVER MIND WHAT OTHERS SAY CAUSE AFTER ALL IT IS YOUR TRUCK! Also I think if you build it nice it won't really matter but i tend to think the shorty or step side will bring more then the fleet 8 foot. Anyways above all have fun with it and get what you want out of it
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![]() ![]() 77 K10 Project / daily driver "The Grinch" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=318363 1956 Willys Wagon (327 chevy) Project (Now Buick 225) 1980 Corvette L-48 4 speed 1992 Mustang GT built 5.0 5 speed ![]() 1985 C10 LWB Sold 1982 K10 SWB plow truck Parted out 1986 D30 M1028 fire brush truck Parted out |
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#20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Harvest, AL
Posts: 545
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
How else can I haul 4x8 sheets of plywood/sheetrock/etc with the tailgate up and look this good doing it:
![]() All longwheel all the time ![]() |
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#21 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: where it's hot
Posts: 1,059
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Re: Is building a long box a bad invetment?
Quote:
And the longbeds ride better too ! ![]() . |
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