ls swappers opinions needed

[sbc10guy]

Hi guys i have been looking into an ls1/t56 swap into my 69 c10. I wasnt able to get my donor car last weekend as he just let me know he had a loan on it yet. The kicker is i am able to buy my last truck back right now. My deal is im torn between doing the swap or buying my old truck back. My last truck is my dream truck i was forced to sell. Its a 71 cheyenne shortbed ls1/4l60e. Frame off restoration with my favorite color combo. He wants 21000 and its ready to go. This or build mine i figure il stick 15000 into the swap to do it the way i want it. The truck looks like i just pulled it out of a field which i know is in right now but im sure is not worth what it could be. I just want to make the right decision financially and not have 18000 into a truck worth 5 or 6 when its done. what would you guys do? The blue and white truck is the 71 and the green is a pic of the 69 last weekend at my hunting land

[HotRodPayne]

Get the 71 back!

[BR3W CITY]

Swap vehicles are gray area when it comes to value. Its a newer phenomena to have modified cars worth more than their all-original counterparts. While I think the first truck is very nice, and probably insured value of 21k or so, its really only worth what someone is willing to pay. With the weather here in WI, he is running out of time this season to sell the truck. If you really like it, then you may be able to leverage getting it back for $17-ish...BUT if the current owner knows how you feel about it, then they will probably try to drive you to spend with your heart.

Now in my opinion....when things are gone, they are gone....if you ever get them back, its just not the same. Anyone thats ever had a drunk hookup with an Ex-gf can attest to that fact.


That second truck looks good! For the right money, I'd take it out of the field, put about $5k into the swap and have a nice truck for under half what he's asking. If the truck is solid, you can probably get more selling a Patina'd ls-swapped truck, than you can for a "done" truck.

That being said; if your worried about the resale value, then your not really looking at it right. Up until the recent upswing in truck values from culture (the tv auctions, lambrecht, Twilight, scarcity), most of us would never really see money back on a swap.
If I sold my truck, I could make a profit, but only if you don't factor in a few hundred hours of labor.

[Daaaanz67]

Buy the blue white it's converted and ready to enjoy. Think it will cost more to for full restoration and ls on the green. Just my opinion of course.

[sbc10guy]

Yah im not looking to sell the green truck ever or ever do any body work to it. I have about 3500 in it now and im sure its not worth that already i just love the truck. Its relatively solid originally from az. It has a great running 400 smallblock and a brand new rebuilt muncie m21 right now and i drive it daily. Just dont want to spend rediculous amounts on it and end up needing to sell it someday and getting virtually nothing out of it. I know the blue and white one will be worth a good amount because of the newer paint. He has 20750 into it because i saw the reciepts plus i know what i sold it to him for. He will go no lower than that. I could also do a 5.3 in the green truck to save money over the nice 5.7/t56 for 5500.

[sbc10guy]

The reason im looking at the swap in the first place is for decent milage/reliability so i can drive it daily. It has a 4:11 rearend and sucks the gas plus i feel bad running it down the interstate at rediculous rpms. Also the 400 has been burning a decent amount of oil the last couple years so i would like to do something different with it anyway.

[jorgensensc]

Sounds like you have already made up your mind . In my opinion the other truck is your dream truck. If the first truck is exactly the way you would want it built, and the conversion is top notch and not a thrown together concoction that doesn't run right and throws codes, I would try and get it back. Your going to spend about 20k getting the green truck in equal condition, if you include painting it. If you can afford to buy the old truck back, do it and then slowly build the green truck. If you can't really afford getting the old truck back then work on the green truck. The green truck could be a sweet low budget build. 21k sounds like he's looking to recoup what he has in it. If he needs the money, or isn't really into the truck, I would try to start at around 16. Why is he selling?

[sbc10guy]

The blue and white has some paint issues nothing to terrible but im picky unless its original paint. An original paint blue and white is my real dream truck and i would prefer a manual to the 4l60 thats in it. Other than that its very nice and he will not go ower than 21000 and thats better than he will do for anyone else because he would like to see it go back to me. His wife complains about the colorr so hes looking for a different one and is parting with it. Im still unsure on what i will do but im leaning towards not doing an ls swap in the green truck and just rebuilding the 400 and replacing the muncie with a 5 speed.

[BigRed76]

I'd rather put money into the '69 towards a swap and make it exactly how you want rather than dropping 21K on the blue and white one and then wanting to change things right away...

[Billett]

No way I'd spend 21K on that thing. Not saying it isn't nice, but what you put into it isn't what you get back. You put money into a truck because you love it, not to flash receipts and expect to get paid the same price you paid for an obscure part 3 years ago. An LS will increase price, but my swap cost me around $6k. Around here I couldn't sell my whole truck for much more than that.

[Clyde65]

I agree with Billett, it is a nice truck and I am sure he spent that amount on the truck, but....We all know even tough we put 21K in a truck or car, we will never get half that out ( in most cases) so I would offer 12k max and see what he says ( I mean no disrespect to the guy, just speaking the truth!). then I would put me an LS in the other one and build it like I want it. good luck.

[sublime1996525]

I really like the 71 but I would rather save some cash and put the money into the 69.

[mooseknuckles]

save your money and invest it in the 69.

[suxtobu65]

Buy your old truck back... If I had the chance to buy back one of my vehicles that I sold because of a stupid mistake, I'd do it in a heartbeat. My problem is I know the vehicle I sold isn't in better shape, its worse. Your case isn't.. Buy it back.