Buying soon

[flipster23]

Hello everyone, I'm new to these truck boards but not to boards in general. I'm looking to buy my first father son project truck. Something for my dad and I to work on that will involve my son when he gets old enough to work on a car. I've always wanted a father son project but was never in the position to get one but now I am.

I found a 71 Gmc 3/4 ton for 500 bucks or best offer about 2 hours away from sacramento ca tonight on Craigslist. According to the description it's been sitting since. 87 (kind of scared with that, but I know people who buy cars that were sitting since 55)

Owner indicated too that he took the front clip off to replace the motor so I shot him an email to ask questions ie: if he ever replaced the motor or did he stop half way through. Hopefully the motor was replaced so I won't have to worry about that. Hopefully I will be able to report back with good news, I've been debating on if I want to get one that's has no issues under the hood, but what kind of fun would that be.

Anything I should worry about besides rust. Hopefully if it's a CA truck it has no rust or very minimal,

Thanks
Kevin

[RenoKeene]

Welcome aboard from Florida!
I suggest you sit down and start making notes since this is going to be a life long project.
1. Initial budget-Final $$$$$$$$$$$
2. Style...pre 67, 67-68, 69-70, 71-72, 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, 2WD, 4WD etc., they all have their own look.
3. Style 2.0....Restored Stock, Modified Stock, resto-mod, Custom etc.
4. Performance....(pending above) I6, SB, BB, Crate etc.
5. Purpose....Daily Driver, Trailer Queen, Show Stopper
6. End Game....What do you want to pass down to your son, and his son?

Take your time and look at a lot of trucks, you live in the land of plenty (rust free) out there and you already found this forum so you are one up on those who haven't.
There are lots of stories in here about 'buying the wrong truck' to start with.
Good luck, hope this helps.

[71swb4x4]

What are your talents? That should give you some direction on your project.
For most people their weakest point is body work. So they want the most solid truck they can get. Most people can figure out how to bolt things together, so the rest of the truck isn't that big of a deal.

What's the end goal? If it's a complete restoration then it doesn't matter how long it sat. You will be replacing brakes, fluids, wiring, etc anyway.

[flipster23]

Originally Posted by RenoKeene

Welcome aboard from Florida!
I suggest you sit down and start making notes since this is going to be a life long project.
1. Initial budget-Final $$$$$$$$$$$
2. Style...pre 67, 67-68, 69-70, 71-72, 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, 2WD, 4WD etc., they all have their own look.
3. Style 2.0....Restored Stock, Modified Stock, resto-mod, Custom etc.
4. Performance....(pending above) I6, SB, BB, Crate etc.
5. Purpose....Daily Driver, Trailer Queen, Show Stopper
6. End Game....What do you want to pass down to your son, and his son?

Take your time and look at a lot of trucks, you live in the land of plenty (rust free) out there and you already found this forum so you are one up on those who haven't.
There are lots of stories in here about 'buying the wrong truck' to start with.
Good luck, hope this helps.

Thanks for the information.

My idea would be to buy a truck for no more than 3500, and then put work into it over time. I've just debated on buying one that has a newer motor and tranny which would be more money. I really don't have a budget, my purpose is that I want to take to it Hot August Nights over here in Reno, NV. Lowered,paint, and wheels. Then after that, that's when I'll dig deeper into it.

The style I like is 67-72 LB,SB Im not a fan of the step side though.

I want to go for a custom/modified type exhaust wheels lowered paint touch up the interior to make it look decent. Something that people would say, WOW nice truck.

I just want to pass down the memories of the truck with my son, something that I can say yea your grandpa, dad and yourself worked on this truck and had fun doing it.

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

What are your talents? That should give you some direction on your project.
For most people their weakest point is body work. So they want the most solid truck they can get. Most people can figure out how to bolt things together, so the rest of the truck isn't that big of a deal.

What's the end goal? If it's a complete restoration then it doesn't matter how long it sat. You will be replacing brakes, fluids, wiring, etc anyway.

Body work isn't a big deal to me, good thing about being on forums is that you meet so many people, and I now have a friend that owns a body shop, and he has agreed to give me a hand whenever needed. Also my dad and I are very handy and can work on the mechanical issues of the truck, plus we have a good family friend who is a mechanic and also has a couple of cars in his garage that he is working on, 69 Challenger, Cuda, he has a fully restored GTO as well.

It won't be a complete restoration, well maybe later on it will be. Like I said early just something that looks nice. Wheels, drop, exhaust, paint, brakes and fresh fluids throughout.

[68bowtie]

make sure the title is clean and registered in the sellers name (amazing how often thats not the case). the rest is just time and money!!

[hugger6933]

Just do it I have owned a body shop since the late 80's. My dad was kinda up in age then [or so I though at that time] and he was a retired farmer who was a head greens keeper at the local country club cause he got to mow 80 acres of grass he said. Soon after I had been in the shop maybe a year or less, he started coming around watching the wrecks come apart and go back together. He had no wrench time in as a car guy he never cared about that stuff much until he hung out at the shop. One day a wreck came in he decided to pitch in and help take one apart and he has been hooked ever since. He loves getting to take apart and help put together these trucks he says it reminds him so much of his love ,farming. Taking apart is pitting in a crop and putting them together is gathering to see what has been done.Every morning now I go by his house and pick him up to go to the shop he is raring to go every day still at 84 he lives for that stuff. The only thing that made it more special was when before my other brothers died I had one of them working for me and my son would come work as well and some truck or car project was truly a family effort. Those are memories that will last me a lifetime that I treasure. So after all this time we have built and junked maybe close to a thousand [or so it seems, I would really like to know the real number] each one is more special than the one before. So I cheer your effort and hope that you and your dad enjoy a tiny portion of what my dad and I have over the last few years, it is not only about the truck but also you and he. Good luck Jim