Need help

[rubigade]

Ok guys and gals,
Here's the deal. I'm definitely a GM truck guy. I've owned several (9) including the 07 Z714x4 Sub I have now. Project-wise, I'm into Jeeps right now but this is definitely a cool place to hang.
The reason I'm here today is because I am an Insurance Agent and a client of mine needs your help. I can't give alot of details because of privacy issues but I can say that I recently had a client pass away that was into these trucks. I've considered he may have been a member on this or other similar forums so if you know him or know of him, please PM me and do NOT put any info about him on here publicly.
He had a 57 GMC longbed (small window) he was in the process of restoring. The widow took me into the garage and showed me pretty much everything we could get to about his truck. He was very organized having everything bagged and labeled and from the looks of it, he was going back to original with the truck. I'm working to help her ID a price for the project as neither her or her kids plan to pursue the project to completion.
Having said all that, I should give some details on the status. I know that the project would be worth 20 to 30K if it was done and done right. The problem is, it's NOT CLOSE; maybe 5 to 10% overall. The frame has been blasted and painted black and looks really great- very detail oriented guy. He also installed new brakelines thus far. The body is sitting on the frame and is clean but there are a few dents, NO RUST... overall very clean from a body work perspective. He just recently had the original motor (V8)and 3 speed (on the column) tranny completely redone to the tune of 3K (she said based on what he told her). I can't imagine spending that kind of money simply to rebuild the original (was it a 283 or 262?) motor and tranny but who knows. I couldn't see the guts of it. It is mounted to an engine stand, has been painted and wrapped tightly. It looks like he has pretty much everything needed to put the truck back together, assuming you understand that this is a one family/two owner truck (uncle to nephew sale). What I mean is, he has all the original fasteners, fixtures, bezzles and so forth, all of which I personally (if I was the builder) would replace with stainless or new ones painted to match. He has the original seat with original seat upholstery, bracketery, and so forth as well as all new window and door seals and brand new Oak bed floor stained ready to install (long way from actually installing that). Glass is in good shape and, aside from a few dents, the truck has likely NEVER been wrecked.
My questions are:
1. What is a project to this extent worth, just like it is? I'm not looking to give her any personal perspectives because I don't want her to think I'm trying to take advantage. As fun as it would be to build, I'm not in the market for such a project and most likely wouldn't buy it regardless of the price because I don't really have the money. I just want the numbers and info to come from an unbiased source with alot of input. (I'll probably print out all this and your responses to show her that)
2. What is the best way to market it and get top dollar?
3. What are your recommendations for her assuming your wife was in the same position and considering how much you can have into a project even though it looks like nothings been done? Unfortunately, the sum of the parts don't really add up to much value until its completed. I just don't know if she understands that fully
Thanks for any and all your help.
Matt