Don't really wantto BUTTTTTT...WIW post

[kbs71]

OK last year I wrecked my half ton LWB 71. At first it looked like all I would need is the front clip. Well, after removing the clip and several nights of intense (read drunken) scrutiny of the truck. I've found that the frames tristed back to the fire wall. Now I could spend about $1500.00 bucks getting it strightened, or get another frame. Well a good friend of mine that is a car swapping whore found me a 3/4 ton frame for it for free. I havent been able to get it due to too many reasons to list here (well I could but you guys would click off the post before you got through it). This week at work my friend came up and told me the guy who I was gonna frame swap with decided he had too much going on and was going to get rid of his entire truck project. This is what he tells me he's got (there's probably more but I'm an another frame of mind right now, so I may miss a few things).

1969 parts
Complete 3/4 Frame, Poly rebushed trailing arms for the rear end, Completely rust free AC cab (I've seen pictures), Rust/dent free front clip, 350 SBC 4 bolt (unknown condition), TH350, Freshly rebuilt 3.08 rear end, Factory tach gauge cluster, Origional AM/FM radio The Title.

Misc parts.
68 sand blasted and freshly primed SWB frame(missing rear end and front end), 1987 front end (removed in 1990), Set of 97 buckets removed in 99 (unknown color of materials), Rebuilt 68 console, Short fleetside bed with no rust or dent (well probabaly minor), 1968 complete front clip, 327 with blown head gasket, TH 350.

I have enough parts to put my former 71 DD back together, and parts to build another complete SWB truck. albiet a few parts.
So here's my plan. Buy all this stuff. Put the 71 back together, and sell it. Build the SWB the way I want.

The problem there in lies, what do I ask for the 71. It will be on the 3/4 ton frame with the 71 1/2 ton front and rear end on it. The 71 cabs a non A/C but is completely rust free. Origional dash, the 69 AM/FM, a stright LWB metal floor bed. The 350 SBC that's got an edelbrock torquer, Holly 680 Dominator, rebuilt chevy HEI with all MSI parts, TH350 rebuilt (about 1200 miles) with a B&M shift kit installed. the interior has a 7 hole gauge (they all work), newly recovered bench in white, all door hardware (window crank, regulators and handles). All new door gaskets, Swap over to an internaly regulated altenator, H2 head lights with relays. Everything works and is clean and rust free. I'll probably put a fresh coat of paint and carpet, but other than that, ensure everything is mechanicly sound and works.

So fellers and gals, WHATS IT WORTH after I did all that to it.

[Tynee]

Being a mix and match deal, gonna be VERY hard to get out of it what you put into it. Don't expect to get anything for your time. You'll have to be able to do all the body and paint yourself in order to get anything for it at all. Solid rust free trucks aren't as hard to come by down there as they are here.

In my opinion, its a killer idea that'll be hard to execute. Good luck.

[duallyjams]

Ship the truck east and you will get top dollar and then some.
PICS

[Gray Ghost]

North is also a good direction....they are always looking for rustless trucks up there. My buddy took a '73 3/4 ton frame and cab/bed/doors off my hands for $400 and once he got up there he got $1350 for it.

[rambler]

Aren't the 3/4 ton frames the same as 1/2? Just different axcels and trailering arms? It all depends on what it costs to buy the other truck and do you have time and money to rebuild two trucks before you can sell one. We all have dreams on our dream truck lots like me have seen it sit in the shop for years as other projects take priorty. The main issue is the time and money you have to invest to sell it. Good luck and what ever you decide. Take pictures!

[kbs71]

OK this is the plan. Buy all this stuff for $2500.00 + 2 months storage. Bring the 3/4 ton frame to my house. Swap the 71 front end and rear trailing arms with the axle. Clean and paint every thing while I'm swapping it. Then swap the 71 cab and bed to the newly painted frame. Also use the engine & tranny from the 71. Put the 69 front clip on it and install a 71 used grill, that I can get for @ $150.00. Using as much from the 71 as I can. The way I've got it figured I can get a running truck minus the inital investment of $2500.00 for @ $500.00. Then a $1000.00 paint job, and I'll have probably like $2000.00 max in the truck. The question is will the market in the mid south get me enough to make it worth my while? I've seem some "nice" trucks down here that were being sold on car lots for 5 to 7 grand. They only lasted a few weeks. I've been checking (not e-bay, that's like looking at a Barrett Jackson magazine) and haven't really seen any completed trucks for sale. Anybody got any ideas, I know there's a couple of shops here in east Texas thats done some really nice trucks. Hoping someone will chime in with their opinion.