1946 Chevy pickup

[Buckthetruck]

About 7 months ago I made an offer on a 1946 Chevy p/u that is all original and has run within the last 2 years. They didn't get back to me then, so I ended up buying a 66 c10 that love. Well, today, the officially accepted my offer if I am still interested. I offered $3500, it is all original, and has run within the last 2 years. It has since been stores in an open end barn. Does this seem reasonable? A steal? A waste? The only photos I have of it are from a wedding I photographed for the farmer's daughter. I have been obsessed with this truck since then.
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[Dan in Pasadena]

Seems VERY reasonable to me if its all there and not severely rusted. I had a '46 before my '55 that had a 350/350 combo and Jag IFS & IRS. I had it professionally rewired but sold it before I finished it. Yes, though I love my '55 I have regrets.
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[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Seems VERY reasonable to me if its all there and not severely rusted. I had a '46 before my '55 that had a 350/350 combo and Jag IFS & IRS. I had it professionally rewired but sold it before I finished it. Yes, though I love my '55 I have regrets.
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Oh and PS, You posted this in the wrong forum.
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[mr48chev]

Dan's right it should have been posted over in the 46 and older forum to get the best responses.

My take:
Is this the actual model of truck you really want to build or are you just settling because there is no truck of the actual model you want for sale in the area? Over the years I have seen way too many guys pay good money for a project vehicle and quickly loose interest in it because it wasn't what he really wanted to build.

Price depends on it's actual condition and and how complete it is as far as what you want to do with it. Paying extra because it has a compete 216 that you won't use and may not be able to sell for a decent sum because the seller thinks that having a non running stock engine in it adds a lot to the value isn't good business. buying one at that price that has a damaged grill or bent fenders or what not means that you will have to hunt down and buy those items or spend a lot of time doing repair work.

To me a $3500.00 46 Chevy half ton pickup should be one that fits the guys idea of a "patina" truck in that you should be able to winch it on a trailer, haul it through a car wash and have an almost presentable truck without a lot of rust out, big dents, damaged grill or missing parts and pieces that you need. And it absolutely needs to have a clear and transferable title. I'd even encourage the seller to update the registration and get the plates current before finishing the deal even if I had to pony up a few bucks to do that just to make transferring the title easier.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Dan's right it should have been posted over in the 46 and older forum to get the best responses.

My take:
Is this the actual model of truck you really want to build or are you just settling because there is no truck of the actual model you want for sale in the area? Over the years I have seen way too many guys pay good money for a project vehicle and quickly loose interest in it because it wasn't what he really wanted to build....

He's right on the mark. I DIDN'T " lose interest" it's just that after awhile I realized I was into my '46 for decent money and though it was waay cool and solicited comments everywhere I drive it, my dream truck it was not. It was a big window '55 because I'd helped my dad do a lot of work on his '59 Fleetside as a boy and because my Dad had bought a brand new, black '55 two door hardtop Belair that he have me when I turned 16 and stupidly didn't want. I wanted a van! What a friggin moron, huh?! So I sold the '46 realizing I probably shouldn't have bought it as I'd have gotten much further for the same money if I'd waited & searched for my dream truck.

Originally Posted by mr48chev

...To me a $3500.00 46 Chevy half ton pickup should be one that fits the guys idea of a "patina" truck in that you should be able to winch it on a trailer, haul it through a car wash and have an almost presentable truck....

The only part if this I disagree with is IF the contention is $3500 oughta give you an all-there, drive able or almost drive able '46, they don't exist in SoCal. I don't know about South Carolina. Also, 216's are nice little engines if you're restoring, but otherwise they have little value for a vehicle that will ever be driven at sustained highway speeds. Last, the '41-'46 grill is a biyatch to install and have line up properly. I found a local guy here that was pretty much an expert on these trucks; has or had several and have me a lot of info. You'll need someone like that if you can find one. Best of luck!
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[mr48chev]

OOps I didn't mean drivable, I meant complete with what he needs to do the build with. No missing fenders, grill or the sheet metal in the cab or bed so far gone that he has to pay as much for repairs or replacement parts as he paid for the truck.

I see too many guys paying premiums for trucks or cars for projects that really need a lot of work and a lot of sheet metal replaced because the vehicle is the only one they can find for sale in their home area and they aren't willing to drive a few hundred miles in search of something that would be a lot better start for a project. Or just as important the exact model they want to build in the first place and not something that they settled for because they couldn't find anything else close by.

[Buckthetruck]

Thanks for all the replies. Sorry for the wrong forum, I am typing in my phone and didn't realize I clicked the wrong forum. Can the moderator move it?
This (the '46 style) is my ideal style of truck. This particular truck that i have the option to buy is THE truck that made me start wanting to get one 5 or 6 years ago. My '65 was my compromise, though I have since realized how much I do like it and that it is a more realistic driver. At least right now, it is. I am a photographer, and my truck is a drivable prop. I want it old and easily movable. My idea of "restoring" is not to new condition, but drivable original looking condition.
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[Dan in Pasadena]

Mr48chev, you're right. It's a lot like buying a "turn key" house with new paint and carpet, countertops, etc except you don't like any of the colors. You PAY for all the stuff you're gonna repaint or rip out.

The same applies to project vehicles. If you know you're gonna redo all the suspension, drive train, why not buy a low rust hulk for cheap? For some reason a lot of guys just don't see that.
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[Buckthetruck]

Quick correction, and proof that there is not a specific year that I am after, just a style that I like a lot. The truck is actually a '49, as I found out going through some photos from a couple wedding I photographed that it was "in". These photos were not to check on the overall status of it, but for documenting during the wedding.

So, if the moderator reads this, I am sorry for the mislabeling. The question is about a '49, and not a '46. Ooops

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ah.....that would be different then, huh?! Lol.

Since you're new (I assume) to vintage Chevys I'll tell you the '41-'47.1's are called Art Deco trucks and were quite a bit smaller than the next era; the one you just posted. Those went from '47.2 through '55.1 and are referred to as Advanced Design trucks. We write "AD" a lot but obviously that acronym COULD apply to the Art Deco trucks. Last (for THIS forum) are the '55.2-'59 trucks called Task Force trucks.
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[55dude]

$3500 seems kinda steep considering its been sitting. I would do some shopping around or just pursue your current project!