Noob looking for 55-57 purchase advice

[jayoldschool]

First, great forum. I've been reading like a madman for the past few days, and have learned a LOT.

I have decided that I need a 55-57 Chevy (or GMC) pick up. Not going to be picky and say I need a V8 or a big window. I also don't want a modded truck (basic updates are fine, but no frame swaps, IFS, etc). I have a few classics already, ranging from dead stock to very modded, and I want this one to just be an old truck. Not picky on paint or dents, but would like as much trim as possible to be there. Running/driving would be great, but I don't mind doing work on it. I know there are a ton of options out there, but what should my budget be for something like this? I'm in Canada, BTW, so there are less choices around here than SoCal.

Also, can you give me some thoughts on this one? It is pretty much exactly what I am looking for. Used, ready to be used more. Nice enough to drive, and not to have to worry about parking it anywhere. I think it is priced high, but I want to see what the community says. Original Canada build 1300 (equivalent to the 3100), went to the southern US before coming back ten years ago. Owner says "minimal rust, lots of dents." BTW, if you own this truck, send me a PM!

[OrrieG]

That would be a good truck to just buy and drive as you cleaned it up. First thing I would do is get door gaskets to keep the water out of the step, big rust place. Check the window cats whiskers at the bottom of the glass too. Make sure the drain holes in the bottom of the door are open. Next would be to pressure wash out all the places crud accumulates (cab corners, inner fender and step braces, headlight buckets). also at the bottom of the cowl inside the fender there is a little flap with a screw, if you have undercoating might be hard to find. Unscrew that and pull the flap back and clean it out good, that is supposed to be a drain for the cowl, but gets filled up and rusts out the lower cowl and lower hinge area.
Of course you will check out the brakes, fluids, belts, lights to make sure it is drivable. That is about the shape mine was in when I got it in 1976! No guess on price.

[Daze57]

great advice ^

[mark '87 930]

I'm in Toronto, and got my pickup last year from someone in Newmarket, so i was very happy it was local sale. I think i paid more than what i would have gotten one for in the US, but as you say, the market is slim here in Canada.
I like the truck you're looking at... it does look beat up with the dents, but big deal, the rust is more of an issue as well as the mechanics. I drive my truck about 8-10K KM's a season (as i did this year), so proper mechanics were the driving force for me (as they seem to be for you as well). I have an original V8 badged truck with a big rear window, so i got lucky not even knowing about these things first hand (I come from the european sports car world..)

I am extremely happy with my purchase. I'm in the process of rewiring the truck now as well as putting in a 5 speed OD transmission in. Most of my driving is on the hwy to and from the cottage so I wanted to be revving closer to 2000-2200rpm.

I don't know what this person is asking for their 55/56 that you have pictures of, but if you want to PM me i can give you more info about my experience if you like.

[mr48chev]

Personally I'd rather go for the truck with the really solid body with little or no rust or damage that might be a bit suspect mechanically than one in great mechanical shape that had suspect body.

I'd look that one over close though all around every seam and corner and if you can get it up on a hoist spend some time under it looking for repairs that might be hiding something. The paint is old enough so most rust would have bled through it though and that works in the truck's favor. Once you really go over it it's time to bargain if you have the ready cash to back up the bargaining effort. If he won't come down to the price you think is right you might just try waiting him out to see if he will bargain if it's still for sell a few weeks later. I got my Model A project car for less than half of the original asking price by watching it on Craigslist for several weeks before I went and saw about it. That was mostly due to my money not coming through right away but it saved me several hundred dollars in the process that went into part for the car.

One thing I see and like on that truck is that there aren't any "added value" items on it that the seller is expecting to jack up the price with. No fresh set of wheels and tires, no sound system that has just been installed and no other just added items that are intended to raise the price but may not be what a prospective buyer wants.