Is building a long box a bad invetment?

[evan]

I remember seeing an old car show a few years back and the host was discussing the money side of building muscle cars. He said that it will cost almost the exact same amount of money to build a 4 door as it would to build a convertible, but the convertible with end up with a much higher value. Is it a similar situation with long and short box trucks?

I have a long box right now and I like the way it looks. My only complaint is that it's sometimes awkward in a crowded parkinglot. I'm a little concerned that if I keep it and put a lot of time and money into it, I won't get out as much as I could have if I had just started with a shortbox.

What's your opinion?

[bigblock73]

Short beds seem to be more desireable than long beds, and generally bring more money on the market (when comparing two identical trucks). I believe however, this is more true for the pre 73 trucks...I don't really see that big of a difference in the 73-87's...at least not yet.

It all boils down to what you like more. Either way, selling cars abd trucks usually ends up in a loss...you almost always never get what you have into them.

[Ziptar]

Building old cars and trucks is never a good investment. No one restores an old car to make money despite what you see on "wrecks to Riches" or whatever that show on TV is called. They are built out of love...

Build what you want, build what you love...

Ziptar <--(Currently restoring a 1979 C10 Silverado long bed with and Oldsmobile 5.7L Diesel )

[bigarmzz]

Originally Posted by evan

I remember seeing an old car show a few years back and the host was discussing the money side of building muscle cars. He said that it will cost almost the exact same amount of money to build a 4 door as it would to build a convertible, but the convertible with end up with a much higher value. Is it a similar situation with long and short box trucks?

I have a long box right now and I like the way it looks. My only complaint is that it's sometimes awkward in a crowded parkinglot. I'm a little concerned that if I keep it and put a lot of time and money into it, I won't get out as much as I could have if I had just started with a shortbox.

What's your opinion?

yes, in my opinion, a short box is worth more, and will sell more easily than a long box.....lets face it, try and find a rust free 6' bed...it aint easy... , but there's still rust free 8' beds out there

[moneyeater]

I´m putting all my blood,sweat and tears in my longbed for 12 years now,so don´t tell me they are out!
I think you should build what has the most value for you and not for the used truck market!You´ll never get back what you put in!
Besides that i think the proportions of the longbed trucks are nicer and the place to haul whatever you want is more too!

[SlapFish]

I think the shortbeds and longbeds may bring in a similar price, but more people are willing to actually buy the shortbeds, so they go much quicker and easier. Longbeds, guys end up having to lower the price just to sell it.

[kylejamers]

short beds usually bring more dough but it really boils down to what you like or
prefer, because like all these guys mentioned you'll almost never unless your chip foose get what moneys you invested in a vehicle out of it in the resale process

[bodydropped]

i built a lwb and ever regretted it but what sucks is that its just long but i rather a swb for like a show truck and a lwb for a daily/ work truck because u can always do more with a swb but then theres not that many lwb show trucks out there

[C&C Chevy]

I prefer lowered 4x2's and jacked up 4x4's..

[bwright]

IMHO it's a bad "investent" to build any post '73 pickup. There's just too many of them still out there. As for the long vs short bed, a similarly built short bed will bring more $ 99% of the time (of course 75% of all statistics are made up )

If you're building a vehicle to sell for profit, just look at the auctions/trader papers/ebay/etc...most often the big $ is in pre-72 Chevelles, Camaros, Corvettes, tri-5's, etc. Trucks typically don't bring in the major dough, although they do cost as much to restore as those cars.

[evan]

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that I'm building a vehicle just to make profit. I plan on building one of these trucks because I like them, but I am just trying to cover all of the angles. I love my truck now and I'm sure the more progress I make the more I'll love it, but there is the possibility that down the road I might need to sell and I'd rather get 60% of my money back rather than 40% if it were as easy as that.

I think I'm going to hang on to my lwb. I doubt it will ever get to show truck status and I do use it to do work a lot so the 8ft is handy. The biggest reason I think I'll keep it is because I like the long and low look, so hopefully someday I will achieve it. Right now I'm stuck with long and rusty.

[79BIG10]

I love my LWB over a SWB. I've owned both styles and prefer the LWB on a daily driver etc. On a show truck like mentioned I'll take a SWB. I can place a tool box in my truck and still have plenty of room for hauling stuff. When you have one in a SWB then you're hauling is shot.

[87burb]

Pick up hotrod mag and take a look a few pages in...there's a story about this that i was reading today. Hot rodding/restoring cars has turned into an "investment"...which drives prices of parts up. They said something to the effect of, At a car show people used to say, that looks nice or how fast is it, now they say, whats the value? That's not what this is about...its about what you like. GM made millions of trucks all the same, its the people who customize them that value them. Most would sell for a high dollar amount, if offered, but in all reality its just another used truck that may be nicer then the one next door.

I dont know what my point is here, i'm just venting its been a long day..lol

Do what you think looks good. That's all that matters.

[N2TRUX]

Let me turn this around a little because everyone has already covered the question as it was originally asked.

If your going to build a truck decide what you want in the end "before" you get started. DO NOT invest you hard earned money and time in a truck just because it's what you have. Do it because its what you want.

If you want a long bed truck build the one you have. If you want a short bed truck, sell the one you have and buy a short bed.

[SSC's76]

I agree with building what you want. It's for you not some one else. Of course if your going to sell, a SWB will be a better choice.

The way it works in colorado is a clean LWB is worth less then a not so clean SWB. I seen a sharp looking 79 LWB (rebuilt engine) for sale in front of K-mart a few years ago a couple days latter a failry rusted 77 SWB was parked next to it for the same price $2300. The SWB sold in two days and the LWB sat there for 2 more weeks before it disaperd. That 77 actualy showed up at my shop and I asked the person who purchased it why they dident get the other truck. "I dident want a farm truck!" I ended up rebuilding that engine and the guy still was happy with his choice.

[84 400]

Well i am a firm beliver in the fact that a long box is more usefull( for me) it is above all a truck and no matter how nice it is it is always nice to be able to haul that big screen home(i wish lol). But as a freind once told me "your truck is in nice shape for a truck!" and no matter how we build them weather it be trail, strip, or street above all it is still a truck. They will almost never bring the same as a 70 chevelle or a 29 model A or a 49 Merc. Also when building you have to think about the fact that you put alot of your time in it. and that you can never get back. So i would say BUILD IT HOW YOU LIKE AND NEVER MIND WHAT OTHERS SAY CAUSE AFTER ALL IT IS YOUR TRUCK! Also I think if you build it nice it won't really matter but i tend to think the shorty or step side will bring more then the fleet 8 foot. Anyways above all have fun with it and get what you want out of it

[84 400]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Let me turn this around a little because everyone has already covered the question as it was originally asked.

If your going to build a truck decide what you want in the end "before" you get started. DO NOT invest you hard earned money and time in a truck just because it's what you have. Do it because its what you want.

If you want a long bed truck build the one you have. If you want a short bed truck, sell the one you have and buy a short bed.

N2TRUX you hit the nail on the head man

[TexasJeff]

I agree with most of you, build what you want and what you like. I know the whole time I have been building my 3/4 ton 2 wheel drive lwb, people would ask me why you building a work truck. I would tell them that is what I want, I love the outdoors, camping, fishing, so I tow a camper and boats all the time. The truck gets loaded down with gear, a lowered 1/2 ton short bed just would not cut it. Its mine and I love it, you don't like it don't look at it.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by TexasJeff

I agree with most of you,.....

This is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. Jeff built his truck with a plan. He wanted, and needed a heavy duty long bed truck and ended up with a very nice one....

[Gary]

How else can I haul 4x8 sheets of plywood/sheetrock/etc with the tailgate up and look this good doing it:



All longwheel all the time

[Bowed]

Originally Posted by Dixiesys

How else can I haul 4x8 sheets of plywood/sheetrock/etc with the tailgate up and look this good doing it:



All longwheel all the time

And the longbeds ride better too !


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