Frustrated...Need to Vent...

[jorgensensc]

I need to vent... I recently started a business and decided I needed to get back into these awesome trucks. I also considered getting a burb as that would probably work even better for me. (I need to carry finished products that should be covered, hence the Burb or a truck with a tonneu cover). The problem I have is that I CAN work on these trucks and I actuallyLOVE working on them. However right now I need to get one in pretty good shape so that I can have it be my daily driver and my customers won't be embarassed to have me in front of their houses.
I have readily noticed the rising prices of the Short Beds. Okay.. I can deal with that. Lets take a look at Long Beds... I have noticed that a lot of people are asking exhorbinent amounts for average trucks with rust. (this is NOT directed at anyone on this board. This is ALL outside the board.) With the exception of one fantastic truck found on this board, I can't seem to find what I want. The one truck I did find is a 3/4 truck and I really want a 1/2 ton. I would like coil spring rear also...
Which brings me to my rant.. I was reading the thread discussing where everyone got their truck. I noticed someone asked a neighbor and it was thiers... free. well I found one in the backyard of a neighbor who had their house for sale. It was a rusted out truck that I thought would be okay if it was free. Well i call the guy, he says that truck is not for sale, but he has another one that is a 1/2 ton cheyenne super long bed. He says it has some rust in the rockers and cab corners, but He just put a new rebuilt motor and rebuilt tranny in it and it drives great. He says that he was going to get the rust "bondoed" and repaint the truck himself then sell the truck for 3500-4000. I said " well could I buy it from you and fix the metal the right way myself. He says sure I'll take 2000.00 the way it sets. I rush over there this afternoon only to be coompletely disappointed . What I find is a Cheyenne with no usable body panels, rust in the cab and rockers, floorpans gone, rusted out holes inthe rain gutters, rust through all around the lip of the windshield, The back window is rusted out around it too. As for the motor and tranny, I don't know where he got the idea that the engine was rebuilt as it looked horrible. The tranny was the same. Then he tried to tell me the Q-Jet carb was from a '95 corvette. That's interesting since the '95 vettes were fuel injected LT1's.
Have I lost my mind? Have these trucks gone up soo much that you can't find a good daily driver for 3-4000? I can't seem to find a long bed let alone a short bed (what I REALLY want).I even like stepsides which noone else seems to dig?! And it seems the Burbs are either all rusted out or perfect and a small fortune. Sorry for the Rant, I just came home really disappointed!! I feel like hope is slipping away.
Thanks for the ear(eyes )
Shawn