Short Bed VS Long Bed Fleet Value

[GMC71V8]

So, I am in the market for a fleetside. I am fighting within myself on how snobbish I want to be on the difference between a short bed or long bed. Truthfully, it will not be a work truck so the difference of space will not build a case for me.

All things held equally if you restored an equally optioned 1972 Cheyenne Short vs Longbed heck even LongHorn what are the price value differences?

If I do get a nicely optioned long bed, should i take it before considering a no or low optioned short fleet of the same caliber of build need?

$5,000? $10,000? what is the average sell difference? (not that I am in it for money, just so I know when money being put in is actually being tossed away)

That is just fleetsides, I don even want to steps in the mix!

[glock35ipsc]

Are you looking for one as an investment, or as a sweet driver? If you are looking for an investment, I would look elsewhere. If you are looking for a sweet driver, who cares about it's value? It's worth what you are willing to put in to it.

I would take a no optioned short fleet, then build it to what I wanted. Because in the end, it would be what I want. You are the only one who can say what money is being put to good use, and what is being thrown away.

I've got an easy five figures into mine, and it's not even close to being finished. But so far, every dollar was well spent!

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

I would take a no optioned short fleet, then build it to what I wanted. Because in the end, it would be what I want. You are the only one who can say what money is being put to good use, and what is being thrown away.

I've got an easy five figures into mine, and it's not even close to being finished. But so far, every dollar was well spent!

Here's the deal: On passenger vehicles of the era, the body style tag said a lot about what the vehicle was when new. In that, I mean whether or not it was an SS, or a GTO, for example. To that end, if you know your style codes, you would know if a GTO was a clone or if it was legit. On these trucks, the VIN says whether or not it was a V8 or a 6; whether it was a long or a short bed; whether it was 2 or 4-wheel drive and whether or not it was a stepside, fleetside or a Longhorn.

Many of the options of the day could be ordered from the git-go. But, there was a fairly extensive list of dealer-installed items that one could buy/install to make his truck distinctive and personal.

There have been numerous magazine articles done on shortening a LWB to a SWB; converting a 3/4-ton to a 1/2-ton. Upgrading the suspension, with air, hydraulics or static suspensions is a personal preference. Drop it or not? Jack it up? Got air? In my opinion, we are the lucky ones in owning this series of trucks because we CAN modify, restify, hot-rod, customize or restore and feel good with what we have. I don't know if the 67-72's will ever attain the status of a '32 Ford, or a Tri-5, or not, but they have achieved icon status per several magazine editors and writers.

As long as you are comfortable with where you put your money, let it be to your liking.

[GMC71V8]

Like I said, I am not thinking investment however it is probably better than the market nowadays! However even awesome projects need limits on money put into it before moving on to a new project. I guess I am more a purist in the 67-72 trucks. I really want to build a truck true to what it was new and only improve things in the name of safety (disk brakes, suspension, ect). So in relationship to short versus long, what would the end value difference be? (thats why I said on an equally optioned truck like a cheyenne)

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by GMC71V8

So in relationship to short versus long, what would the end value difference be? (thats why I said on an equally optioned truck like a cheyenne)

I think Barret Jackson has really skewed the perception of what true value is to any 4 wheeled item lately! But seriously, I stick to the "it's only worth what you thinks it's worth, or what someone will give you for it" credo. In other words, value matters only for resale and insurance premiums. What you will actually have in to it will matter how you built it; do everything yourself, or outsource the majority, or half and half. Use OEM parts, or used refurbished parts, or aftermarket parts of varying quality.

I prefer short wheel base trucks, so long wheel base trucks have little value to me. But I know that I can cut one down to make a short wheel base and the value of the truck goes up for me.

My truck is priceless, to me. But you might not think it is worth squat. So value is irrelevant, unless you intend to sell it. I don't think it's possible to determine the difference in perceived value of the two in dollar figures IMHO, as opposed to real estate or something that.

I hope I'm not coming across as a d*ck, but I think you are looking for an answer that would be purely hypothetical, and the answer would solely depend on the person you ask. You could have $15,000 in to the build, but the market will only accept $9500 for it. This guy has a really far out perception of the value of these trucks: http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/925141479.html . Since it had the "the rarest and fastest engine chevy made for these trucks", the 327, and a long bed, it is somehow worth $20,000-$25,000 in his mind.

About the only thing I can say is that short beds or not as common as long beds. But a lot of people hate short beds......

[68shortstep]

Someone once said: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder............. "

When it came time, I really-really wanted a short bed stepside, especially with a fender-mount spare, & I wasn't settling for anything less.

So, I maybe paid "too much" in some peoples' mind. Maybe it's even ugly. But not to me. To some, they wouldn't even want it at all, maybe, unless it was a real-steal price-wise.

I'm a licensed real estate appraiser, and though they don't directly relate to each other (the Value of Trucks Vs. Real Estate), there are some basic-basic-basics of the concept of "Value" which relate to ANYTHING.

Hopefully, this isn't a long-winded lecture, but, if you always ask yourself the W questions about anything, then that will help you define the value at any given point in time:

1. "Who it is." --- rich guy, poor guy, famous guy, as either the buyer or seller.

2. "What it is." --- what model of vehicle is it that the buyer most wants.

3. "When it is." --- good times or bad, or the day before (or after) payday.

4. "Where it is." --- worth more in North Vs South, East Vs West, etc.

5. "Why it is." --- are you forced to sell, really want to buy something NOW, etc.

6. "How it is." (how is really just who, misspelled)--- this is a condition-related question --- good, bad, ugly, bent, rusty, blown motor, fully restored, etc. The better, the more $$$$.

& the thing you really have to remember is that something's almost ALWAYS worth more to the seller than it is to the buyer. Until it's yours. Then it changes, & the value instantly goes up somehow.

[GMC71V8]

I totally understand the personal value one places on their own truck. I do not think you are a D$%k. I just think we love the same years of trucks but hve different thought approaches on spending into them. My 1971 GMC is sitting in Florida waiting for me to restore it. But it would cost a just about 2000 to get it to me (in Texas) due to the gas there and back, the uhaul truck rental and the hotel on the way back, plus my time off. So another 2000 in that truck is not a value to me for the end result (restored). I would rather spend the 2000 on a project here that will be a better start and end result than my no option in pieces 1971 GMC. I am sure that someone has seen two similar trucks that only really differ in bed lengthe and can remeber the price difference? I hope or this thread is worthless! hahaha

Did I mention I majored in economics....which is probably why I keep tacking value on everything and creating the cost-benefit question we have here! hahaha

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by GMC71V8

I totally understand the personal value one places on their own truck. I do not think you are a D$%k. I just think we love the same years of trucks but hve different thought approaches on spending into them. My 1971 GMC is sitting in Florida waiting for me to restore it. But it would cost a just about 2000 to get it to me (in Texas) due to the gas there and back, the uhaul truck rental and the hotel on the way back, plus my time off. So another 2000 in that truck is not a value to me for the end result (restored). I would rather spend the 2000 on a project here that will be a better start and end result than my no option in pieces 1971 GMC. I am sure that someone has seen two similar trucks that only really differ in bed lengthe and can remeber the price difference? I hope or this thread is worthless! hahaha

Did I mention I majored in economics....which is probably why I keep tacking value on everything and creating the cost-benefit question we have here! hahaha

I take it the truck is not drivable? If it is... drive it to Texas

If you look too much into the $$$ aspect of this hobby, maybe this isn't the hobby for you?

Long vs short... I think everyone can agree in the exact same condition/options the shortbed will go for more (not a lot more) but it's damn near impossible to find two identical trucks like that to compare. Usually, price will come down more to what the owner has done to it, condition, quality of work, options, etc.

[PHAT TONY]

Location plays a role as well;I'm in Canada and we pay more for junk than people south of the boarder pay for nice stuff.I think an extention of your question may be the value of long vs short vs long cut-down to short. Any appraisal is done based on comparibles and that always changes.

[tinlid]

I don't know of the value when sold but what I am thinking is, in talking to friends,the short bed is more popular and some seem to think it is evern more popular than a stepside. I won't argue the point but value is determined by how many people are in the market for a given item. I always considered the long beds to be a work truck. The short beds more of a hobbist truck. I don't like driving long beds mainly due to the parking. So I doubt I would ever buy one except for a quick turn for profit. Why not check on prices to have your truck shipped to you?

[GMC71V8]

Yeah the truck is not drivable or this would be a non-issue!

I am surprised at the feedback. Really no one sets a realistic budget to ensure they build correctly the first time and within their means? Maybe it was the time I spent in a restoration shop working within time and budget constraints? I must whole heartily disagree that keeping a good head about where my money (and time) goes has anything to do with not loving this hobby or appreciating the joy of it.

I am not looking to flip a truck. However, should I want a new project or be forced to sell, I do need to be mindfull of the value.

[BB72CHEVKT]

There is no reasoning behind my statement but my guess would be $2000+
in value for the SWB.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by GMC71V8

I am surprised at the feedback. Really no one sets a realistic budget to ensure they build correctly the first time and within their means? Maybe it was the time I spent in a restoration shop working within time and budget constraints? I must whole heartily disagree that keeping a good head about where my money (and time) goes has anything to do with not loving this hobby or appreciating the joy of it.

I never set a budget for my truck. I paid/pay cash as I go, and the dollar amount is not really an issue to me. And since I don't plan on selling it, I'm not worried what I might be able to get out of it. But usually when a customer brings in a vehicle and says "I have $10,000 to do this project with, and this is what i want done" then you are placed within those constraints.

Some on here have set budgets for their build, and keep within them. Others come close, but end up going over. I worked in the custom vehicle industry for years building vehicles to the customers specs, and still had to stay within a budget. If they liked what I was able to do with their money, then they felt they got great deal for their money. But for some of the things I built, I would never personally spend that amount of money on it.

I get what you are asking, but I think one would be hard pressed to get a $$$ figure for an answer. A more realistic answer for these would be which one would be preferred more? Even that will get varied answers.

I prefer a long bed 4wd over a short bed 4wd, so I would pay up for a long bed 4wd between two otherwise identical trucks. Likewise, I prefer a short bed 2wd over a long bed 2wd, so I would pay up for a short bed 2wd over an identical long bed. I would also prefer a cloned 68 Camaro SS over a real one, because I just want one that looks good, and I don't care about the correctness and numbers matching aspect and all that jazz. Plus, the clone would probably be cheaper. But I'm just starting to repeat myself.....

If you can afford to build what you want, do it. If you can't afford to build it, look for something that is built like you would build, that you can afford.

[70cst]

I guess I am more a purist in the 67-72 trucks. I really want to build a truck true to what it was new and only improve things in the name of safety (disk brakes, suspension, ect). So in relationship to short versus long, what would the end value difference be? (thats why I said on an equally optioned truck like a cheyenne)

If you took a SWB and compared it to a LWB with identical options...normally the SWB might bring a little more money. I have a 70cst LWB with a lot of factory options and it will be completing a 12 month resto in about a month. I like the LWB because everybody seems to be fixing up SWB trucks. I am keeping my truck as close to factory as possible except I switched out the brakes, suspension, steering box and will have 16" Torque Thrust wheels. As has been said...buy what makes you happy. There is a saying that is going around, "Rare doesn't make it desirable" or even in some cases more valuable. I guess I like all 67-72 Chevy/GMC trucks. LWB or SWB, loaded with options or bare bones...they are all sweet.

If I do get a nicely optioned long bed, should i take it before considering a no or low optioned short fleet of the same caliber of build need?

Another point...If I had a choice between a SWB with low options and a LWB fully loaded with options for the same $$$....LWB hands down. Read the link below and it will also give you some insite to these great ICONS that we own and drive.

Read the article below and see why these trucks rock!
http://www.sporttruck.com/techarticl...cks/index.html

[GMC71V8]

Originally Posted by 70cst

If you took a SWB and compared it to a LWB with identical options...normally the SWB might bring a little more money. I have a 70cst LWB with a lot of factory options and it will be completing a 12 month resto in about a month. I like the LWB because everybody seems to be fixing up SWB trucks. I am keeping my truck as close to factory as possible except I switched out the brakes, suspension, steering box and will have 16" Torque Thrust wheels. As has been said...buy what makes you happy. There is a saying that is going around, "Rare doesn't make it desirable" or even in some cases more valuable. I guess I like all 67-72 Chevy/GMC trucks. LWB or SWB, loaded with options or bare bones...they are all sweet.



Another point...If I had a choice between a SWB with low options and a LWB fully loaded with options for the same $$$....LWB hands down. Read the link below and it will also give you some insite to these great ICONS that we own and drive.

Read the article below and see why these trucks rock!
http://www.sporttruck.com/techarticl...cks/index.html

Thanks! That does make a lot of sense! Thanks for the reassurance and article!

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by 70cst

Another point...If I had a choice between a SWB with low options and a LWB fully loaded with options for the same $$$....LWB hands down.

Same here! But, I would chop the LWB down to a SWB, and end up having a nicely optioned SWB!

[Stock72c10]

I would say a SWB is worth 10% more than a LWB IMHO. Another way to look at it is how much would it cost to make a LWB into a SWB? That would be about how much the difference in price should be.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Depends on your budget? If you worked in a resto shop you had budgets of 10-20K and up??? You also got to "play" with "other people's" money.

Most peeps round here have a 3-5K budget

The is typically used after a sarcastic remark, lighten up

[GMC71V8]

Yeah, I am really not too upset about the remark. It just seemed that the intent of the question was being missed. The real estate post was really great too! I like the last part because it does seem funny how value increases with ownership!

[tinlid]

If I buy a new $30,000 + truck and drive it for 10 years, I will loose a bunch. If I buy an old truck and put $5-10,000 in parts and drive it for 10 years I don't loose as much, if any. I am talking parts only. I can sometimes break even or a bit to the plus on a car but that's not counting my labor. My labor on my vehicles is what I love to do. It's a hobby to me. If all I wanted to do is make money in the field I would open a body or upholstery shop. But then someone tells me what they want done. Now, if you are dragging your build from shop to shop a budget is probably more important than if you are scrounging or building your own parts.

[67-72crazy]

I know you have heard this before but you can get a little more out of a shortbed then a longbed.but then again some people have there own views for example the bed size does not matter to me as long as it is a chevy i will drive it, where as my dad only likes shortbeds.

[OLDIRON69]

It has been my experience that every time I see a SWB, it is sometimes 2X the price of LWB. I use my LWB to haul tons of firewood each year, now I just wish I had a 1 ton or at least 3/4 ton.

[GMC71V8]

Originally Posted by OLDIRON69

It has been my experience that every time I see a SWB, it is sometimes 2X the price of LWB. I use my LWB to haul tons of firewood each year, now I just wish I had a 1 ton or at least 3/4 ton.

Wow...I was thinking more along the lines of what I saw before like $2000 to $5000 difference.

[glock35ipsc]

If two restored, completely rebuilt 67-72's were sitting next to each other, and the only real difference was that one was a LWB and the other is a SWB, and otherwise are identical (paint, wheels, options, interior, etc.....

And I wasn't concerning myself with buying either a short or long bed.....

I would have to go over the trucks with a fine tooth comb and compare all the details of the build. The one with the best paint, the best interior, the best suspension, the best {blank} to my liking would get my money. Regardless of what the seller has sunk into it.

[GMC71V8]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

If two restored, completely rebuilt 67-72's were sitting next to each other, and the only real difference was that one was a LWB and the other is a SWB, and otherwise are identical (paint, wheels, options, interior, etc.....

And I wasn't concerning myself with buying either a short or long bed.....

I would have to go over the trucks with a fine tooth comb and compare all the details of the build. The one with the best paint, the best interior, the best suspension, the best {blank} to my liking would get my money. Regardless of what the seller has sunk into it.

Still fighting the question I see.