1970 C10 SWB Value

[YoungHandyMan]

Hey everybody I have some pictures of a C10 that is right down the road from me and I was wondering if anyone could give me some honest advice on the value that they would pay for it.

From what I gathered in the 5 minutes that I got to look at it, it's a 1970 C10 SWB Stepside with a 350 engine and presumably a turbo 350 behind it. All of the glass is there and in good shape, the stepside is rusted to hell but seems to mostly on the surface. The front clip is in good shape and so is the grill. It is being sold as not running so I have no idea what shape the 350 is in. The tires will need to be changed undoubtedly and I have no idea what sort of shape the frame is in. It's a non A/C truck, didn't catch if it has the tilt steering wheel and it does have PS but I'm not sure if the 350 is original so it may have been an add on. I can try and answer anything that I didn't cover but I didn't have that much time with the truck so my knowledge of it is limited (seller is a little goofy).

What do you guys think is a fair price to pay for this, given that it is a short bed?

Pics:

[indymachinist]

First things first... I'm in indy also and looking for a short bed step side.

That being said you obviously found it first so I have no intention of trying to snatch it from you.

What is the story on it? It looks pretty rough from the pics. Based on what I see under the hood someone tried to fix it up not too terribly long ago.

Do they have an asking price or is it a make an offer type thing?

[YoungHandyMan]

Originally Posted by indymachinist

First things first... I'm in indy also and looking for a short bed step side.

That being said you obviously found it first so I have no intention of trying to snatch it from you.

What is the story on it? It looks pretty rough from the pics. Based on what I see under the hood someone tried to fix it up not too terribly long ago.

Do they have an asking price or is it a make an offer type thing?

Well from what I gathered, he operates a business and someone owed him some money a few years ago and this is what they gave him to settle it. I think it has only sat out there this summer because I drive past the particular location on a regular basis heading back down to Bloomington for school.

His asking price was $1700, but it started as a kind of make an offer thing, I had no number in mind at the time because he literally gave me less than 90 seconds to look at the thing, where I snapped those pictures. He "had to be somewhere" at 8:45PM on a Tuesday, but nevermind that.

My uncle and I have been trying to find a truck in this era that we could fix up, or rat rod for a couple years while I finish school then really give it some love and $$$.

At first I felt like that was a fair price but now after sitting on it a few days I feel like the truck is in rough shape, but then I feel that the SWB is hard to come by.

[indymachinist]

It is probably a fair price but it depends on the rust. It is hard to tell from the pics just how bad it really is. How are the cab corners and rockers?

[YoungHandyMan]

Originally Posted by indymachinist

It is probably a fair price but it depends on the rust. It is hard to tell from the pics just how bad it really is. How are the cab corners and rockers?

Well the cab corners didn't seem to be rusting through or anything but with the limited time I got to look at it, it was hard to tell. Should I be worried about the floor pan being to far gone?

I guess I just feel like, 300-500 bucks for the power train, especially considering it's not running, then the remaining 1200 for the body. Rarity factored in, I'd say maybe 1000. I really just need more time to check things like frame and things, but I don't feel like this guy even wants to meet about it again.

It was last Sunday that I talked to him and he said "Someone was going to come in the morning and buy it if I wasn't interested." I said I needed a better look at it and he said "I'll pass thanks".

Still sitting out there, still no for sale sign.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by YoungHandyMan

It was last Sunday that I talked to him and he said "Someone was going to come in the morning and buy it if I wasn't interested." I said I needed a better look at it and he said "I'll pass thanks".

No buyer existed. None. Common practice when selling a vehicle to get you to "buy it now."

A dealership I bought my 65 Mustang from told me they had "numerous calls" about the car all morning. Then while I was trying to close the deal they mentioned a couple more times, "got an interested buyer coming in"... I finally told them that if I hear anymore of their BS sales ploys I'm leaving. I got the car for the price I wanted to pay.

The frames on these trucks are pretty tough, except when they do rust through, it's almost always where the cross members and frame meet, especially the ones under the bed. Bring a flash light and look at where all the cross members meet the frame.

Bring a magnet, I'm from the rust belt and it's not uncommon for a truck to look OK, but in reality be a bondo covered turd.

Gently pull back the windshield gasket along the top, and gently push on the area above it, if you hear a crackly sound the cab is probably crap, or at least the roof is.

It does look to me like it was a pretty nice truck not too long ago.

[LockDoc]

-
Be sure and check where the cab bolts to the frame, above the windshield on the inside, and around the top of the firewall under the hood. (take a good flashlight with you)

LockDoc

[cdowns]

me I love cheap i'd offer him $400 for it and maybe go up to $500 after awhile then walk away from it and see if he thinks about it and gets back to you

[hamjet]

Looks like it was a 6 banger originally, engine seems to be far back. it was painted at least once. Also appears to have an electric fan. I think for your area $1700.00 is a bit much by the pics. just my humble opinion....

[YoungHandyMan]

Originally Posted by hamjet

Looks like it was a 6 banger originally, engine seems to be far back. it was painted at least once. Also appears to have an electric fan. I think for your area $1700.00 is a bit much by the pics. just my humble opinion....

If it was originally a straight 6 would that bring in anything I should be concerned about?

[Mmorgan32]

People are asking a lot for short beds now days. Take a magnet to it and see how bad the rust is and if you want to deal with all that. It sounds like every system in it needs to be gone through ( brakes, steering, suspension, wiring, fuel all of it) if it were me I'd start at like a grand and go up if u really want it. Mines a 70 I love the front end on 70s. It's probly worth 15 hundred bucks. You just have to be prepared to do the work put in the money and time for a project like that. Plan out what you want to do and what you want the truck to be when you are done and figure how much it will cost you. Then see if it's worth it

[TheCougarine]

Thats super sketchy, I think I'd pass on the truck if the seller refused to let me look it over. Reminds me of a local used car place we have here that won't let you test drive a car before buying it. That being said I think Mmorgan32 is right, figuring how much time and money you want to put in to it and see if its right for you.

[YoungHandyMan]

Originally Posted by TheCougarine

Thats super sketchy, I think I'd pass on the truck if the seller refused to let me look it over. Reminds me of a local used car place we have here that won't let you test drive a car before buying it. That being said I think Mmorgan32 is right, figuring how much time and money you want to put in to it and see if its right for you.

Well I wouldn't call him sketchy. He owns and operates a fair sized business and he's definitely not a car guy and I contacted him on a Sunday evening.
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[TheCougarine]

Maybe he's not, you're really the only one who can decide that having dealt with him. Just sounds weird to me personally. If I'm selling a vehicle and someone wants to look at it I'm going to set up a time that works for both of us so they can look it over.

[1968aj]

$1700 is just a drop in the bucket compared to what you will spend getting it running and driving. what im saying is if a $1700 initial investment worries you walk away.

[boraxman]

Does it include a clean title? Not sure of value but 1500 to 1700 isnt a terrible amount of money - compared to what you will likely put into it but that may not too bad if your a DIY kinda guy/

[YoungHandyMan]

Originally Posted by boraxman

Does it include a clean title? Not sure of value but 1500 to 1700 isnt a terrible amount of money - compared to what you will likely put into it but that may not too bad if your a DIY kinda guy/

I am a DIY kind of guy. I don't expect this to be cheap. I also believe it has a clean title. I am going to give him a call this evening and arrange a better showing of it so I can get a better idea of all of it.

Is there anything I should look for underneath it? Frame-wise or whatever that would make it an easy no go?

[YoungHandyMan]

Originally Posted by 1968aj

$1700 is just a drop in the bucket compared to what you will spend getting it running and driving. what im saying is if a $1700 initial investment worries you walk away.

I'm not worried about spending $1700. I just want to pay a fair price for it because let's say it's worth $1500, that's $200 bucks that can go straight to getting it running.

[indymachinist]

Good luck to you man. Interested to see how this plays out for sure.


PS: If I was the seller I would find 400 bucks to be offensive and would probably move on with finding another buyer. I try not to offend sellers with huge low balls.

[cdowns]

he hasn't found a buryer for it in the few years he had it I doubt that they are lining up around the block for it

if you automaticly offer him $2000 or so for it you'll never get it cheap

I would not ever worry about insulting him with a loball cash offer let him try out his big boy pants and fix something on it if he thinks it's worth big money

[indymachinist]

Did you hit this guy up again?

[YoungHandyMan]

Originally Posted by indymachinist

Did you hit this guy up again?

PM me

[indymachinist]

I want and looked at this truck for myself this evening. It's pretty rusty.

The outer rockers have been replaced at some point and the ends are screwed to the body. They are rusting again so they have been there a while. The driver inner rocker was gone. Passenger inner rocker was there, but rusty.

Driver cab corner was beat up and rusty. It had been bondo'ed over at some point and the bondo was cracked and coming off. Passenger cab corner was intact and in remarkably good condition.

Floor pans were rusty on both sides where they met rockers.

Both doors had considerable rust at the bottoms.

Drip rail area was fair. Some light rust present.

Front fenders looked decent.

Bed had a ton of surface rust all over. Bed rail on drivers side was thin enough to start having holes show through. The wood was long gone, inner bed sides where they met the wood were rusted. Tailgate was starting to rust through very slightly. Driver rear fender was rusty inside but not bad. Passenger rear fender had serious rust inside the front.

The interior was mostly complete. May have been original rug, even though it was trashed from getting wet and being covered with crap.

Apparently the truck has not run since about 2005. I grabbed the crank pulley and was able to get it to turn a small amount so the engine is at least not totally locked up.

I said it was pretty far gone for me and wasn't super interested. He wanted me to give him an offer anyway so I threw 1000 at him. (With younghandymans blessing) He countered and held at 1200 so I walked away.

[boraxman]

Originally Posted by indymachinist

I want and looked at this truck for myself this evening. It's pretty rusty.

The outer rockers have been replaced at some point and the ends are screwed to the body. They are rusting again so they have been there a while. The driver inner rocker was gone. Passenger inner rocker was there, but rusty.

Driver cab corner was beat up and rusty. It had been bondo'ed over at some point and the bondo was cracked and coming off. Passenger cab corner was intact and in remarkably good condition.

Floor pans were rusty on both sides where they met rockers.

Both doors had considerable rust at the bottoms.

Drip rail area was fair. Some light rust present.

Front fenders looked decent.

Bed had a ton of surface rust all over. Bed rail on drivers side was thin enough to start having holes show through. The wood was long gone, inner bed sides where they met the wood were rusted. Tailgate was starting to rust through very slightly. Driver rear fender was rusty inside but not bad. Passenger rear fender had serious rust inside the front.

The interior was mostly complete. May have been original rug, even though it was trashed from getting wet and being covered with crap.

Apparently the truck has not run since about 2005. I grabbed the crank pulley and was able to get it to turn a small amount so the engine is at least not totally locked up.

I said it was pretty far gone for me and wasn't super interested. He wanted me to give him an offer anyway so I threw 1000 at him. (With younghandymans blessing) He countered and held at 1200 so I walked away.

^^^ Sounds like you made him a fair offer, surprised he would say no over a couple hunderd bux

[indymachinist]

Here is the spid. A lot of the info didn't seem to match the truck. However, the door tag Vin matched the spid and still had stock looking rosette rivets. The old registration I found on the flood also matched.