Looking at a '54 GMC project...comments?

[PushnFords]

The story I have on this truck was it sat in a barn for years. The current owner pulled it out & soaked the engine for two years to get it free. He had it running & driving for a few years after that but the fuel pump & brakes are currently out. He is asking $1500 for this & an earlier Chevy that is back in the trees. I haven't seen the Chevy...and he doesn't seem too excited about cutting down the trees to be able to get it out. I guess the Chevy is missing the rear axle & other stuff. I may just try to get the GMC by itself & tell him to call me when he drags the Chevy out...or offer to help.

There is rust in the cab corners, driver's sill plate area, inside bottoms of both doors, and the bed is beat up. My plans for it would be to redo the drivetrain & interior, metal finish the bed & fenders, & leave as much of the blue paint as possible. Not sure what I'd do for paint/primer on the metal worked areas yet.

So...comments on cost, condition, etc?

[Katrina/10]

Like it!

[mr48chev]

Yep, that would be a good start. except for the grill and the left front fender you can pretty easily straighten every thing else.

Cab corner rust is normal and fairly easy to fix. It looks like no one ever backed into anything or got bumped from the rear as while that massive bumper protected the rear fenders they also tore the daylights out of them if you got hit hard.

You get a bonus as deluxe cab GMC's came with tinted windows.

I'd have to pull the rear bumper off and put something a bit simpler on it but if you left that bumper no Honda Civic would ever survive if it hit you in the rear and that might be a good thing.

I'd also have to slick it out and paint it but I think I'd go right back with that factory blue. I hate rust and after seeing 200+ "I'm too lazy to work on it" late 50's early 60's sedans at Billetproof last weekend the "patina" thing is way overdone. Nothing wrong with the " I got it safe and running and driving and now I am working on it as I go" look though. Back in the 50's and 60's most guys only had one car or pickup and the they worked on them and then drove them to work the next day with a new primer spot until all of the work was done and they could afford to paint them up right.

And for once I actually think the asking price pretty decent for that truck and what you get and don't have to hunt down. It's a whole lot more truck and a lot less work than this local one that is six miles from my house and the guy who has it about attacked me when I told him it wasn't worth the 2000 he was asking for it.

That is all there is to it and the floor is rusted clear out and the doors are rusted off six inches up from the bottom. I offered him 400 cash in the hand just because I wanted the running boards and he went postal on me. He would want 8000 for that blue GMC.

[sqrlnts]

Looks like the glass is all good..... Looks like a good jumping off point.

[STOCKISH]

My buddy Matt just showed me this pic. A split window on a 54-55? You can see the point(crown) on the roof is not there like the 47-53 trucks and it looks to be a one piece curved glass but with a divider. Anyone have any input on this?

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by sqrlnts

Looks like the glass is all good..... Looks like a good jumping off point.

Yep, that is several hundred bucks right there.

As I said before normally I'd be thinking "1500 bucks, that's a lot of money for a project truck" but the more you look the more you see that makes that one well worth he asking price. Most of the work needed is beating out dents that don't look too bad and fixing a few standard AD truck rust spots. you have to love long beds though.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I offered him 400 cash in the hand just because I wanted the running boards and he went postal on me. He would want 8000 for that blue GMC.

but...but...but it looks like its been clipped, and it has a license plate, and the engine is right there just needs lifted into place. He says its all there but unless there are a couple of tubs will well organized parts inventory I wouldn't count on it. With his great attitude and new exposure here he will have it a long time. Probably reflects other aspects of his life that have him pissed off as well.

[_Ogre]

looks like a good price for that truck alone, the bonus is a parts truck
you could probably part out the older one and recoup half or better
too bad that grill is so beat up

[solidaxel]

Throw 25K at and you will have a truck that you can enjoy and drive for another 50 years.
That is what I did 7 years ago, I hope I last as long as the truck !!!!