Thinking about selling my truck

[InkedGurl]

I have a 62 c20 fleetside,and I have let so many people take advatage of me now,that the truck still is not ready to get on the road and I am broke.I know this sounds bad,but if on more person takes advantage of me I might just take the thing to a damn junk yard.The engine is on a stand in pristine condition,but I cant do anything with it because I have no time or cash.Anybody have any advice?

[steverino66]

Originally Posted by InkedGurl

I have a 62 c20 fleetside,and I have let so many people take advatage of me now,that the truck still is not ready to get on the road and I am broke.I know this sounds bad,but if on more person takes advantage of me I might just take the thing to a damn junk yard.The engine is on a stand in pristine condition,but I cant do anything with it because I have no time or cash.Anybody have any advice?

Questions first: what needs to be done and what part(s) of that, if any, are you able to do yourself?

[Tim64]

Well, every time I get disgusted with a project and think about selling it off my wife says "it's not eating anything so let it be" If I were you that's what I would do. You'll get back to it. Oh, learn to say "NO". It will help with being taken advantage of thing.

[joe231]

so sorry to hear it....steve has the million dollar question....
if you are just needing it put together maybe some of the board members close to you could help with the manual labor and expertise to get you some help.

more info on what went wrong might help also

[sidthirteen]

Hey, Inkedgurl! Be patient! Don't do some thing you might regret later. I've thought about selling my truck also at times when I just did'nt have time or money for it. But, I 've also thought about how hard it was to find it and how long it took me to find it. For some of us on a limited budget, it's gonna take a while. Let me know what kind of help you might need and I'll see what I can do but don't give up!! I'm in Riverside......

[Dadsredwagon]

I ponder the same question, I have been in so much crud with the home owner assoc. heres a couple of things , it will take time....your goona be so pround when everthing is done, gather some of the people on this forum who live near ya, I own an jeep too , we do alots of wrencing parties....

last but not least, I took my daughter for a drive to the local cruise sopt, she 15 "hey dad that guy gave you the thumbs up" he was driving a new vette..... not a bad feeling for an old truck ;-)

hang in there,

[64c20crewcab]

Hey I'm in Alhambra, Not too far away from ya. I too have been burned a few times on certin projects over the years. That why i'm taking on as much of my own stuff as possible. I've done pretty good with project's in the past in the past and will do so again. So if ya need a hand with some of the stuff - just let me/us know what ya got going on. Maybe some of the other SoCal Locals can lend a hand too. Ya never know till ya ask. btw DONT GET RID OF IT! Ya may regret it. Been there - done that.

[sailed2japan]

My advice is to spend your spare time doing all the little things that are cheap, but very time consuming. If there are things you don't know how to do, this is a perfect oppurtunity to figure them out. If you have the time, but lack the money, spend the time. The little bits of progress that you see everyday will help keep you excited about finishing it. I know that sometimes if I don't have time to work on mine for a week or two I start to lose interest. Plus the more time you spend working on the truck, the less time you'll be out spending money on other things. Those $3 here and $7 there while you're out and about can add up to new parts at the end of a month!

Keep your head up and don't turn that nice old truck into tommorrow's Kias!

[justcuz]

Hey if Norm comes to help he can pick me up on the way! I live in Rancho.

[InkedGurl]

there is still so much that was supposed to be done already.I need to find someone who can redo the window seals.I am way too scared and nervous about touching a wrap around windshield since I have never done any glass work at all.I am not worried about paint at this point I just want to get it able to drive because the truck is at a "friends" house who was supposed to be helping me.I had started the interior but now I guess its not even close even though I have all the stuff.I had bought a drivers door from a guy in garden grove and did not know half the damn door is bondo and now its a pain in the ass to get str8.I dont know if the brakes are any good,but the Ebrake works great,lol.I found a 2 peice drive shaft which needs the usual stuff replaced,and I dont even know yet if it is going to fit.The truck originally had the straight 6 in it and I have a 350 with a 350 turbo tranny to drop in it.I dont know what I am going to do about exhaust,since the old stuff was rotted out and wouldnt have worked with the engine swap anyway.There is so much,and what kills me is that I cant even bring the truck to my house because I live in a housing association and the jerks threw a fit when my roommated had a dolly parked in the driveway for 2 days.So much to list.Being I know close to nothing about this stuff its getting frustrating.Along with other things I cannot list in public forum.If I could have the trck here it would probably be alot easier for me to do what I want to it.If anyone has any advice about the few things I have listed please let me know.Thanks ya'll.

[jonzcustomshop]

Here are some suggestions:
I would work on getting it running and driving first.
As long as you have plates and insurance, you should be able to do "maintence" on it in your drive way every day.
as long as you can move it every other day, they can't prove that you aren"t using it.
A quick fix for the exhaust that you could do is headers, and those cherrybomb header mufflers that bolt right on. since it is a truck that should be good for a quick fix, you can do tailpipes and exhaust hangers later.
for the drive shaft , maybe some of the local board members can help, you need to get the engine/trans in first, and then measure the length you need. maybe one out of a 67-72 auto would work if yours is the wrong length.
bolt the driver door on and use it as is until you find a better one.
I would get a glass shop to do your window seals, just use them as they are until you can get it there.

[joeys66pickup]

i was going to sell my 65'.... but as i thought about it, it felt like someone was kickin me in the nuts and so i decided screw it im swapping cabs and keepin the ol' gal.Never selling it is seeming more and more like a reality to me

KEEP IT

[suzq044]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

Here are some suggestions:
I would work on getting it running and driving first.
As long as you have plates and insurance, you should be able to do "maintence" on it in your drive way every day.

.. that depends; because our HOA, doesn't even allow us to change our oil on our own property. Hell, i'm sure they'd have a fit if we just parked the ol' ugly thing on the driveway. We have 5 cars at this house right now, 6 would be interesting; especially at night. When we HAVE to have all the cars on the driveway, because "it looks bad" -- who tf looks at a neighborhood at night?..

[/rant] - sorry. Our panel lives on a storage lot, where he's been sitting since we bought him; all it needs is brakes and a battery to get it drivable though. We just don't have time/money to do the job. There's apparently a linkage broken behind the firewall.

Anywho, I totally feel for your situation & I'm sure my boyfriend would be happy to help out if needs be. He's got all the books in the world on how to do stuff to these old trucks. Just PM We're in San Diego, but we drive up to LA on occasion.

[ed2552]

As long as your friend doesn't care that it takes up room, then leave it be. I feel bad about the whole HOA thing, i will never live in one, i swear they are worse than democrats...... (not trying to start a political debate, sharing my opinion.)

[justcuz]

You don't need to have a HOA to be hassled by the City. I've dealt with this crap for 20 years. I finally told the City Code Enforcement Officer that I was gonna sue the City for harrassment if they keep it up. He had the balls to tell me that they don't keep records for more than 2 years and it would never stand up in Court. I laughed and told him "I have the records" and went in the house and brought out a folder with all the little pink notice slips they leave on your door when you are not home and a log book with all the visits that were made when I was. He went pale! I then told him to leave my private property and next time you feel the need to come by, notify me by mail and make an appointment. That was a year ago.

InkedGurl, I would focus on getting it running first and worry about cosmetics later. You need a plan and a checkoff list. That way you will feel a sense of accomplisment when something is done. You are now very frustrated and I can understand that situations change, especially when you are the mercy of storing your truck away from home.
Concetrate on the driveline and getting it running.
One thing I have not heard you talk about is the transmission crossmember. The old truck hung the trans off the bell housing. The crossmember under the bell housing served as a rear engine mount and the trans just hung off the back of the bell housing. The turbo 350 has a tailshaft mount and as I recall the torsion bar crossmember is too far back to support the transmission. I put a 327 and a powerglide in a 61 pickup about 30 years ago. Replaced the 6and the 3spd, but my memory of the swap is a little foggy.
Brakes are another issue, after you get it running. Flush the lines and rebuild or replace the wheel cylinders and check the shoes. Once it is on the road you can upgrade the brakes. The glass work should be left to someone experienced, you do not want to break the windshield and those old window rubbers can be hard to get out. After all its been there for 46 years!
Lastly if you get too frustrated, you may be able to swap with someone who has an operable old truck that needs cosmetic work.

[ClassicAutoResto]

If you get it running, get a truck cover for it to put on it while in YOUR driveway. They can't say it's an eyesore if it's covered and has plates and insurance.

[Anthony Fremont]

Originally Posted by justcuz

You don't need to have a HOA to be hassled by the City. I've dealt with this crap for 20 years. I finally told the City Code Enforcement Officer that I was gonna sue the City for harrassment if they keep it up. He had the balls to tell me that they don't keep records for more than 2 years and it would never stand up in Court. I laughed and told him "I have the records" and went in the house and brought out a folder with all the little pink notice slips they leave on your door when you are not home and a log book with all the visits that were made when I was. He went pale! I then told him to leave my private property and next time you feel the need to come by, notify me by mail and make an appointment. That was a year ago.

Bravo, that's exactly the way to handle it. Don't knuckle down without fully knowing your rights and the laws surrounding the issue, they certainly won't tell you anything in your favor. They've hassled me for years, including chalking the tires of a DD on a daily basis. Looked pretty silly after a couple of weeks. I had to advise the police to stop letting someone use them to harass me. I didn't do it with those words, it was more like I stopped by to make sure that they were documenting all there special trips to my house. I also told them that I was tired of them vandalizing my vehicle by marking on it with a grease pen, not to mention what my neighbors must think with all the marks on the road.

Later the code guy started hassling me (because of the same individual making complaints) about this "junk vehicle":


It's dirty in the pic. 20K miles, 1 owner last year of the IROCs. A real POS that will run circles around any of the town's police cars. I still refuse to plate or inspect it just to spite them. They aren't the State, they're a pissant town. I just move it around regularly and they politely STFU about it. Beings as I don't like having my personal freedoms trodden upon, I promptly towed this home after the last go round:


I proudly displayed in the driveway just like that for a full 45 days (that being my rights within the law) whilest I worked on it. I have a garage, but f*** 'em it's hot outside. It's almost ready to inspect now, just needs some "little" things to finish it up. I fire it up and make noise to keep the battery charged and I drove it around the block the other day.

It will pretty much be my DD when it's done. All new brakes, looks pretty clean under the hood and excellent tires, but I think I'll keep the outside patina for a while; then I'll paint it flat black. Mostly because I'm sure it really bothers the town nazi that's trying to institute an HOA here in a "free" community. When I start driving it, I'll be sure to go by his house daily so he can keep a close eye on my progress. I know he's going to love the headers and glasspacks that dump right behind the cab. I know I feel better about things now that the code guy, the local nazi, and I all know where we stand each other on things.

There's lots of loopholes in the "letter of the law". You can keep HOA nazis crying on a continual basis without ever knuckling down to them. I now store a few "vintage/collector/special-interest auto parts" in my driveway in full view from the street. As long as I keep them neat and tidy, I'm allowed under the law. I told the code guy I was going to keep them in the garage, but since I felt my rights were getting squeezed, I thought I should exercise some more of them by storing them in the driveway for now. I'd like to have seen the look on the nazi's face when the code guy broke the news to him. The code guy thinks the whole thing is a hoot. He hates the nazi because the nazi monopolizes all the guys time him having to follow up on all the complaints the nazi files.

Am I a sick puppy or does anyone else think this is funny?

[salazar44]

Hmmm... I think about 90% of us have been there at some point. Dont get discouraged, with only 9 posts so far I dont think you are asking for enough help

Get a plan together that will get her running, then followed by on the road (safely). After that you can worry about body stuff. Im sure there are plenty of people here willing to help you out.

So now... What are you gonna do first? drop your engine in?

[salazar44]

2nd what JUSTCUZ said!

[64c20crewcab]

With these responses,I'm sure InkedGurl has seen the light. Don't get rid of it. Sit down, plan it out and let us know. I have some time on my hands and can possibly assit ya. Will stop off and grab Cuz and anybody else when this happens. At times all of us have felt the crunch. But with input of others - the light shines bright and the project(s) continue. Keep the Faith - things will get better!!!

[joe231]

^ I like it
funny stuff...too many people just take authority figures at their word and don't do the research to find the truth on their own.
way to go Anthony!!

[salazar44]

Joe... is that bad boy in green etch primer?

[joe231]

yeah Vic, I posted some pics in our '66 build thread
we used rattle cans, in hindsight, should have just bought a gallon and made scotts62 spray it

[TimE]

Originally Posted by joe231

in hindsight, should have just bought a gallon and made scotts62 spray it

That would have been the easy way, at least for one of you.

[joe231]