47-55.1 WIW? 53 super short bed stepside

[GFY]

Hello all

Just trying to get an idea what I might be able to get for this? I know it's not for everyone, but I'm hoping I find someone who had one in high school, or their friend's dad did, or.....
Anyway, here's the list of what it is, and what's recently been done. Any help with how this is worded, or what I should add or delete, feel free to comment!
400 C.I.D. w/ Turbo 400.
Holly vacuum secondary 4 bbl. with a Lokar throttle cable.
Flow master mufflers with block hugger headers.
The front end is an IFS Camaro clip.
Disc brakes in the front. Dual master cylinder with a vacuum booster.
All new fluids, belts, and hoses.
Lift/"dump" bed (air lift)
Shortened bed (~5’ inside length)
Widened front and rear fenders
Tubbed
Ford 9" rear with new axle bearings and rebuilt rear drums. The rear end is coil spring with a Pan hard locating bar.
Power front buckets with matching door panels. Power seats NOT connected to power.
Tilt column.
Gas tank moved from in-cab (behind the seat) to under the bed.
Fulton style steel sun visor.
Power steering with a Borgeson box.
Electrical was updated with an ATO blade fuse box. 12v electrical.
One wire alternator.

And a picture of it while it was still in the barn I got it from. I'll have it cleaned up with real pics soon.

[MARTINSR]

Didn't we just see this truck here on another thread with someone talking about buying it?

Brian

[GFY]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Didn't we just see this truck here on another thread with someone talking about buying it?

Brian

That was me. I just bought it at an estate sale. Got it running and driving, and now I'm going to sell it and build the other barn find I picked up (63 Nova). Can't afford to fix up and keep all of the toys.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by GFY

That was me. I just bought it at an estate sale. Got it running and driving, and now I'm going to sell it and build the other barn find I picked up (63 Nova). Can't afford to fix up and keep all of the toys.

Got you, and I respect you for it, sounds like a plan!

Brian

[Shinysideup]

How much did you pay? I know you just got this.

[GFY]

Originally Posted by Shinysideup

How much did you pay? I know you just got this.

I'm into it $16k-ish so far. Going to replace the bed wood, and do a couple more things to it, so I'll be under $17k (plus time) I hope. Including registration, title in hand etc.
Not sure it's smart to reveal that, but I've never claimed to be a rocket surgeon.

[Shinysideup]

Id say you arent in too deep price-wise. Im curious how personal-taste specific this build was, and if that and the build quality will shrink your buyer market. Was this a finished truck with the PO
(RIP) driving this around? Doesnt sound like it.
Some may have different eyes but many of the mods turn me off and most on their own weight make me walk away. The more people interested makes it worth more.
Im sure you will find a buyer that loves it but how much profit is there I dont know.
Waiting for pics

[GFY]

Originally Posted by Shinysideup

Id say you arent in too deep price-wise. Im curious how personal-taste specific this build was, and if that and the build quality will shrink your buyer market. Was this a finished truck with the PO
(RIP) driving this around? Doesnt sound like it.
Some may have different eyes but many of the mods turn me off and most on their own weight make me walk away. The more people interested makes it worth more.
Im sure you will find a buyer that loves it but how much profit is there I dont know.
Waiting for pics

It looks good, runs good, drives good. The mods will make a "purist" puke, but not every car is made for every person. I'll get it finished, and get some good pics soon. The truck was used on weekends, and driven to shows, before the PO got sick about 2.5 years ago, and passed away in 2017. The PO bought it from his uncle, so it was in their family for a long time. Someone will love this, and weather I make money on it or not, I can't control that now. It will be on to the next project!

[mongocanfly]

I agree...im sure it's not what you want to hear,but that may be a hard sell with all those mods....

[MARTINSR]

Post more photos, let's see this thing outside.

Brian

[mr48chev]

I'd bet even money that the builder started with a 3/4 ton pickup and took out the section of the bed in front of the second stake pocket.

First photo is a stock 3/4 ton where you can see that stake pocket in relation to the fender. Second photo is the truck one of my friends built back in the late 70's using the 3/4 ton bed off the truck I bought for the cab. We bought two trucks to build our trucks with and ended up trading beds. I have the 3100 bed off his truck on mine.

[4544speed]

Mr.48 - those two pics make me want an extended cab short bed.

[special-K]

If someone likes it they may be willing to give what you have into it. It's really not a very good choice for a flipper IMO. Most of us would want one untouched over one someone 'did their own thing' with. People misuse the word 'purists' these days. There are plenty of hot rodders who wouldn't want that.

[BobaFett]

Third thread this month on this truck, let’s see if you can make it 4 by the end of the year.

[GFY]

Originally Posted by BobaFett

Third thread this month on this truck, let’s see if you can make it 4 by the end of the year.

LOL. Sorry to crowd your board with my truck stuff. Merry Christmas!
Posted via Mobile Device

[mr48chev]

GYF as nice as that truck is the short box is going to really limit the market for it.

If you do plan to resell it I would take care of the safety issues and do what it takes to have it run as close to great as you can get, Detail it out super spotless and take some high quality high resolution photos of it out somewhere were the background isn't a detriment. and put it on Ebay with a reserve that is high enough to make a bit of money on it and a starting bid that is low enough so guys will bid on it.

I'm afraid though that you just flat are not going to be able to recover what you paid for it. That shortened box and wheelbase pretty well kills any real resale value. I've been around these trucks since 1973 and odd ball stuff usually is a turn off for most folks, The outdated 80's look isn't that big of a deal as a lot of guys can see past that and figure that they can do some remove and replace parts swapping and bring it into 2019. The sad thing is that the workmanship on it looks first rate and outside of the shortened bed there really isn't any personalization that most guys would see as a turn off.

[GFY]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

GYF as nice as that truck is the short box is going to really limit the market for it.

If you do plan to resell it I would take care of the safety issues and do what it takes to have it run as close to great as you can get, Detail it out super spotless and take some high quality high resolution photos of it out somewhere were the background isn't a detriment. and put it on Ebay with a reserve that is high enough to make a bit of money on it and a starting bid that is low enough so guys will bid on it.

I'm afraid though that you just flat are not going to be able to recover what you paid for it. That shortened box and wheelbase pretty well kills any real resale value. I've been around these trucks since 1973 and odd ball stuff usually is a turn off for most folks, The outdated 80's look isn't that big of a deal as a lot of guys can see past that and figure that they can do some remove and replace parts swapping and bring it into 2019. The sad thing is that the workmanship on it looks first rate and outside of the shortened bed there really isn't any personalization that most guys would see as a turn off.

I cannot disagree with anything you say here! The box is quite short (5'2" inside length). The workmanship is very nice, and it runs and drives very well. It will be on the market within a few weeks to a month. Thanks for your $.02!

[DransportGarage]

Where are the pictures?

[GFY]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

Where are the pictures?

I'm having issues with them turning sideways. These are a few I took the other day at the shop the truck is at.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by GFY

I'm having issues with them turning sideways. These are a few I took the other day at the shop the truck is at.

I've heard others say that can happen when you take them with your phone.

[mr48chev]

Yep normal phone photo issue. If you have transferred them to yo computer you can go in and edit the photos and rotate them but you have to actually edit and save

Looking at those photos the real market for that truck might be the guy who has a nice stock wheelbase chassis already in the works who is looking for the rest of the pieces for it and would only have to buy the bed sides from Mar-K and a pair of nice stock running boards and fillers and new bed wood and rails have one sweet truck. Match the paint on the bed sides and some assembly required.

[GFY]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Yep normal phone photo issue. If you have transferred them to yo computer you can go in and edit the photos and rotate them but you have to actually edit and save

Looking at those photos the real market for that truck might be the guy who has a nice stock wheelbase chassis already in the works who is looking for the rest of the pieces for it and would only have to buy the bed sides from Mar-K and a pair of nice stock running boards and fillers and new bed wood and rails have one sweet truck. Match the paint on the bed sides and some assembly required.

Thank you for fixing the pics! I tried to edit and save them but they still showed sideways....
Someone will want it for something.
If I had to sell it for $0, it still wouldn't be close to the most expensive lesson I've learned!

[joedoh]

I wish I could start a project with a body that straight. but really my niche is taking stuff people would normally throw away and making it nice enough to drive every day.

If I had this truck I would shine it up with some torque thrusts and spend the relatively small dollars to make it a standard bed length, a shortbed, a couple running boards, a driveshaft, and the relatively scary frame stretch (you can probably add right where it was removed). probably 2-5k worth of work if you did it yourself.

or just drive it and enjoy it.

[whitedog76]

I dig it, myself. I know from the comments, it seems everyone thinks it should be OE length. When you already have a truck that’s running, driving, and looks good, why mess with it? You might get 6 inches out of it on an original chassis, not enough in my book.

As far as the original question. What is it worth? That’s a tough one. Since it is shorter and obviously on a different chassis, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. These trucks have gotten more valuable, especially ones with clean bodies. Some are going to be critical of the chassis swap. Since, we haven’t seen under the hood or underneath, I’m assuming it’s done well given the good bodywork.

My best guess is anywhere between 5-15k, it all depends on the buyer.

[DransportGarage]

Barrett Jackson opens Jan. 12th. San Jose isn't that far away.