72 Cheyenne Super

[cam]

Just found a 72 3/4 ton Cheyenne Super 2X4 parked in front of a trailer out in the middle of nowhere. I talked to the older lady (and her 40 cats) and found out that her husband apparently dropped something inside the block when he was changing a fuel pump and it hasn't been run for several years. It has a 400 small block. Not much rust, the doors had extra holes from trailer mirrors being mounted and later removed, but overall it looked pretty darn good. She is going to discuss with her husband how much they want for it. This is where I need help... I have no idea what this pickup is worth?

Thoughts, advice, words of wisdom, laments?


Thanks!

[CPNE]

Are you saying 400 SB because the emblems say 400? If so, it's a 402BB (or was) and if complete would be worth more than a comparable small block truck if all accessories and brackets as installed by GM are present.

[cam]

Yes, I didn't look under the hood, I asumed (I know, I know) that it was a 400 SB. The gal called me back a few minutes ago and wanted to know if I would be willing to pay $3000 for it. They are not the original owners, is there a way I can assure that this pickup was a Cheyenne from the factory and not a later conversion? She had the back (under a brahma canopy) and the cab full of bags upon bags of clothes, I'm supposed to take another look at it on Saturday after she cleans it out.

[CPNE]

The hardest thing to fake would be the headliner trim clip holes. All cheyennes had headliners and the cab should have one. The headliner trim should not only have screws but also clips that insert into the aforementioned holes. The holes are more like slots and would be hard to duplicate on a non-headliner cab.

This is no guarantee but it's the best clue I can provide.

Also, if it's a 402 factory bb, it should have a high hump cab and a 3:54 dana 60 rear.

That price seems very steep to me, but I'm a cheap b@stard

[CPNE]

Other Super items:

Woodgrain applique on glovebox and dash cluster. Glovebox should have super emblem, if fleetside, tailgate handle will have chrome or stainless handle cover.

[griesel72]

what about checking the glovebox options sticker?? and check the vin listed there to the vin in the driver's side door jam.

Good luck
(I'm with CPNE, i think that is a little high for a non-running truck, i was thinking something around 12-15 hundred)

[jku72]

I'd say that if it was a cheyenne super, it is likely a 402, and automatic. And that means low hump. Anyway, $3K is high. I would guess that the thing that dropped was the fuel pump push rod. There is a plug that has to be removed to push the push rod up into place while bolting up a new fuel pump. It takes 10 minutes to fix this problem, IF thats all it is. It happened to me when I changed my fuel pump, thought I was screwed, but got out the manual, and saw what I had done. It is certainly plausible that it is just that.
If you remove the fuel pump, or it is not there, you can look in the hole with a flashlight, if theres a round rod in the way, thats it, and you could fix it quickly.

[griesel72]

Originally Posted by jku72

I'd say that if it was a cheyenne super, it is likely a 402, and automatic. And that means low hump.

Factory big block trucks with an automatic came with a high hump.

[jku72]

Mine doesn't. And it is factory, but hey, there are no absolutes with these trucks, are there?

[Hooter]

well, get some pics, cuz we are all excited to see em, 3k is kinda high, and they do live in a tralier and who knows what they would spend the money, possibly more bags of clothes perhaps gotta try and bargain man, find everything thats wrong with the truck and tell them so

[cam]

Hooter, that is too funny, I wish I had pictures to show you guys.... The lady is supposed to call me either this afternoon or I'll go take a look in the morning depending on when she get's it cleaned out... I don't know where she is going to put all those bags of clothes. I'm hoping the truck has some unusual options.....

Scott

[Stepsides 4Ever]

Be casual...don't let them see your eagerness. Drag your feet, hem and haw, like you really can't decide what to do. More than likely they are thinking how nice it would be to convert that non-running vehicle into some ready cash...

Good luck!!!!!

[toddtheodd]

also let us know if it was just the fuel pump rod that had dropped. I will laugh my ass off if the guy thought he messed his truck up over that. If that is what it was you should play it up like it's even worse than they thought. Then try to get it running by the next day .

[Hutch]

cam
Put a bunch on single dollar bills in your wallet or check book with just enough showing that they will catch a glimpse.
People will bargin if they understand that green money is involved.
As far as the pics or options, try not to be too intrested or know too much.
When you start to walk away they will make their best deal.

[cam]

Okay, this is the update. I got the call an hour ago that she had cleaned out the pickup. The first thing I did was look in the glove box and verify that the pickup had the options listed. The items I most remember are:

400 big block
auto trans
4:10 rear end
tachometer
rear slider
air conditioning
two tanks (factory)

I crawled under the truck and the only place I found rust was at the very bottom of the cab corners (just starting) and the cab mounts where they fit next to the rockers. The rockers had no rust.

The issue with the fuel pump: The metal pin is actually stuck in crooked above the fuel pump hole. I have no idea how this happened or how to pull it free? Anyone ever had to deal with this?

The truck is straight, as mentioned before, the only issue is the doors where there were once mounted camper mirrors so the holes remain and have rusted a bit.

The wood grain on the trim has peeled off on most of the lower trim.

They are talking $1500 right now, I told them I would think about it over night. He told me the engine didn't use much oil when it was running but since his fuel pump accident the pickup has sat for 18 months. He told me the previous owner used penzoil (I've heard this isn't a good thing).

I have no idea how much it would cost to put it into excellent condition but I'm guessing a couple grand for an engine rebuild and about that for a paint job.

[Cruiser71]

I would say that $1000 for the truck would be fair since it isnt a runner

[cam]

what about this fuel pump issue, anyone have experience dealing with this on a big block?

[Baradium]

Originally Posted by cam

what about this fuel pump issue, anyone have experience dealing with this on a big block?

Metal pin?




Offer $800, maybe lower if you feel like it. Take $1000 cash and if they say a number above $1000, show it to them and tell them you'll give them $1000 right then.

It's a non running vehicle. Hasn't run for a few years. They aren't trying to sell it so much, but it's also not a running vehicle and they aren't getting anything from it right now.

It might be worth more in parts, but I'd be hard pressed to put down more than $1000 for a non runner. But that's just me. Get it running and enjoy it. If it has a major problem they hid, you aren't out anything. If they won't give you a reasonable price, walk away and give them a phone number in case they change their mind.

[cam]

it's not a pin, it's a metal rod internal to the engine.

I offered them $800, they said they weren't interested. I received a call a few hours later saying they would take $1100. I told them I would think about it over night. I know this p'up is going to cost me some buckage and the inside of the cab smells, it makes me wonder if some of the cats weren't in there using it for a litter box. So that alone would mean I'd not only have the mechanical issues to deal with but also the seat, carpet, and floor insulation would certainly need to come out and ultimately replaced after the cab was cleaned with bleach.

[Baradium]

Smell probobly means mice... and they will usually have either eaten the seat or the wiring... or both...

Take $1000 cash if you want it and think it's worth that much, come with a dolly or something to take it away with. If you hold $1000 in front of them, they may just take it. They've already told you $1100 would work, $1000 isn't asking them to take much less...

If you don't think it's worth $1000 to you, offer them $900 or something... but they may be reaching their limit on how low they'll go (hard to tell without being there).

[jku72]

I'm working from memory, but I think there is a plug in the block below the fuel pump mounting location, and yyou could access it from there. If there isn't, or you cant, you can access it by removing the timing cover. To me, there is a certain risk, but I'd be optimistic. The engine may not need an entire rebuild, and the stink should be able to be lessened at least to a tolerable level by steam cleaning, and or other cleaning products. It sounds like a very nice truck, and even if you ended up paying some shop a few hundred bucks to solve the fuel pump issue, think of what it costs to buy a truck optioned like that. If you had to put $500 into getting the truck running, you still have a $3000 truck. I've had trucks, and cars, sit for a lot longer than 18 months, with no detriment,(of course, I've also had some than did have issues) so there is good reason to believe that there may be a good truck there.

[cam]

I bought the truck for $900. After work I'm taking a tow truck and picking it up. Since I don't have a clue how to deal with the rod / fuel pump issue I'm taking it to a mechanic friend to see if he can help me out. He has a 72 donor truck so I might be able to buy it cheap for some of the parts I need. I'll let you know how that turns out, thanks for everyone's help. The engine is black rather than red or blue so I may actually have a 454 in there rather than the original 402.... I wonder if that will impact the value much?

[Stepsides 4Ever]

$900? Nice score! Take some pictures when you have time...I'd like to see it!

[Stepsides 4Ever]

Oh, yeah...I was visiting a friend one time and one of her cats jumped in my Toyota truck and sprayed around the heater area, up where you couldn't see it. Every time I ran the heater or if it rained I could smell cat p*ss. I finally tracked it down and washed it real good with Simple Green...no more smell.