17 and Buying a Truck! '72 C20 4X4

[Grumpy old man]

AWWW , Go for it your only 17 and have your whole life ahead of you , No mortgage ,No wife,No kids , No real bills , No rent , if nothing else it's a cheap education don't listen to nay sayers , GO HAVE FUN ! You have nothing but time to rebuild it !

[67swb72klb]

for $800 you cant get hurt but you can try to get him down some more seems how it is not running have fun with it!!

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by mechanicalman

Clarify what? So, if it's "partially right", what part of it is wrong? Be specific.

Upon a bit more research I was wrong. 327 was available in 69 Camaro, but it was early production (probably 1968 Calendar year). I apologize.

[Cam-Shaft]

When I am looking at the drip rail, what should I be looking for as "repairable"? Was it originally sealed with a sealant or is it one piece?

[67ChevyRedneck]

The area I circled looks like a giant rust hole to me and what's next to it looks like you can poke your finger through it. Same with what's above the windshield. A little drip rail rust is OK, you can removed the drip rail and install a repro or make one (it's just an angled piece of metal) but the area you have missing is not reproduced and would have to be "made" or cut from a donor truck... however, when the roof is that bad... the water runs down into the a-pillar, rockers, cowl... all those areas will likely be in bad shape as well.

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by MARKDTN

Upon a bit more research I was wrong. 327 was available in 69 Camaro, but it was early production (probably 1968 Calendar year). I apologize.

Read this and see if you can de-bunk it.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=263478

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by Cam-Shaft

When I am looking at the drip rail, what should I be looking for as "repairable"? Was it originally sealed with a sealant or is it one piece?

The more I think about it, the more I don't want you to drive this truck in it's present condition as I PERCEIVE it to be. I don't think it would be safe in an accident, the seat belts could pull out of the floor, the cab could pull out of the frame, and the cab would likely crush like a beer can in a roll-over accident.

You would need a roll cage secured to the frame to keep the cab from flying off and the seat belts secured to the roll cage. Otherwise:

I say parts truck only.

[stsalvage]

Just to post it the Alternator top bracket is on wrong but other then that Nice truck

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by mechanicalman

Read this and see if you can de-bunk it.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=263478

4-bolt factory 327 has been debated a lot. There is no such thing as a factory small journal 4-bolt block so that 65 Corvette motor was not a 4-bolt so to me that part is easy to debunk. Heads interchange on all these from 54-99 (generally) so early heads on later block or vise versa is easy to find 45-50 years later-as is later blocks in early cars. As far as I can tell, nobody has shown real evidence of a factory 327 4-bolt. They are no problem to build as the 010 block is common (and available as 2-bolt and 4 bolt) and a large journal 307/327 crank will go right in. I have heard boats, big trucks, and now combines but no proof. No reliable source that I have seen lists one either. To me it is urban legend.

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by MARKDTN

4-bolt factory 327 has been debated a lot. There is no such thing as a factory small journal 4-bolt block so that 65 Corvette motor was not a 4-bolt so to me that part is easy to debunk. Heads interchange on all these from 54-99 (generally) so early heads on later block or vise versa is easy to find 45-50 years later-as is later blocks in early cars. As far as I can tell, nobody has shown real evidence of a factory 327 4-bolt. They are no problem to build as the 010 block is common (and available as 2-bolt and 4 bolt) and a large journal 307/327 crank will go right in. I have heard boats, big trucks, and now combines but no proof. No reliable source that I have seen lists one either. To me it is urban legend.

To me, well, I don't think there were any small journal 4 bolts. I would be more open to a 327 large journal truck or industrial engine but I've not seen one either.

If someone had one of the three castings numbers that were 302-327-350 2 OR 4 bolt main, and it had a stroke of 3.25, I wouldn't call him a liar but I'd ask him to take a lie detector test!

Sometimes urban legends are true! Most are exaggerations or untrue. LOL

Do you think that three skyscrapers can be taken down with two airplanes?

I don't. PM me if you want to talk about that then I'll give you my e-mail and let the discussion begin.

[Cam-Shaft]

Thanks for the help/discussion everyone! I appreciate all the input!

Tomorrow is the day I get to poke around, I will certainly be looking at all parts of the cab looking for rust or rot. I will get back to you with my findings

[franken]

Maybe it's tolerable for CT, but there appear to be large holes in all body parts, (almost) nobody wants SBCs, the 4-speed, or the Rockwell TC when 205s are cheap.
Gonna drive swiss cheese all winter with no, or at best iffy heat?
I have a truck like this (better shape) but I see no upside to the deal. Not much left to drive, and not much money in parting it after labor.
Plus, the truck doesn't appear to be close to a 72.

[TheCougarine]

I don't know how prices are up in CT but the biggest problem I see is that you could probably find a much better truck for not that much more money. If prices are similar you could probably find something at least road worthy for lets say 1,200 to 2,000.

[catch2otwo]

Dont want to be the sour grape of the bunch, but at 17 I would want a driver vs a project. It sucks when all your friends are driving to the local hotspot on friday night and you have to leave the truck at home.

Unless your pops is a body guy or you have some great hookup, that cab is going to be one giant headache.

Id find one thats a driver with easier stuff to fix to get your feet wet. Its easy to get discouraged and hate the hobby jumping in the deep end.

[Cam-Shaft]

So I just got back from looking it at... in my haste, I forgot to grab the vin but have made up my mind. I am going to buy it.

The Good: The Frame/Under-hood area are in exceptional shape. The floor is solid, needs rocker panels only no floor pans. Even the brake lines are brand new! (must have been done in the last couple years and are coated). Transmission shifts great, the guy said he was driving it around the yard when he first got it.

The Bad: Rust. As predicted, it does need a bit of body work. The drip edge is a little leaky, however there is not any daylight in the cab. You can see a little rusty, flaky areas above the windshield that need some attention, but nothing severe. Doors and the rear fender area's are the worst of the mess...

I have never known much about body work, so I am looking forward to this "education". I'll take off one piece at a time this winter and while I might not restore it, I will make it solid and looking good again! Thanks everyone for the advice, I am sure another thread will start sometime in the next few weeks with questions I have about this.

[TheCougarine]

So is this thing in any kind of running condition? I ask because you mentioned the transmission was good but I'd imagine that being a difficult thing to tell without any load on it.

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by Cam-Shaft

...The Bad: Rust. As predicted, it does need a bit of body work. The drip edge is a little leaky, however there is not any daylight in the cab. You can see a little rusty, flaky areas above the windshield that need some attention, but nothing severe. Doors and the rear fender area's are the worst of the mess....

Drip edge "a bit leaky" is like the tip of an iceberg. Do not underestimate this. Ditto on "little rusty, flaky areas above the windshield that need some attention"-this is also a big red flag. Do yourself a favor and find somebody that knows a little about body work or a Board Member to go look at this with you. Sounds like a cab swap may be required. You really don't want to do that on this truck. Rusty rear fenders means a bed-side. I was 17 once too and a very wise mentor steered me away from a '68 Corvette convertible basket case. Knowing what I do now, I am thankful to him every time I see him. For about the same money I found a '64 Impala SS 4-speed. Much better car and I drove it more than I worked on it.

I am not saying don't buy it, I am saying be SURE you KNOW what you are getting into.

[67swb72klb]

there is no easy way to fix the area above the windshield fyi

[catch2otwo]

Originally Posted by Cam-Shaft

The drip edge is a little leaky, however there is not any daylight in the cab. You can see a little rusty, flaky areas above the windshield that need some attention, but nothing severe.

Leaky, flaky, rusty is the definition of severe.

Good luck! if anything you'll learn a lot.

[thepenguin99]

Gonna go against the grain a bit here and say go for it. I bought my fair share of basket cases with big dreams. Lost a little money on some of them. Made some money on some of them. Learned some lessons. All in all, I don't regret any of it.

[Cam-Shaft]

Originally Posted by TheCougarine

So is this thing in any kind of running condition? I ask because you mentioned the transmission was good but I'd imagine that being a difficult thing to tell without any load on it.

Yes, it runs and drives. The engine is missing some hoses and small parts, but it runs and drives.

Originally Posted by catch2otwo

Leaky, flaky, rusty is the definition of severe.

Good luck! if anything you'll learn a lot.

I'm know you are all right, I just have a hard time when I see a little rust... I've had so many tractors with holes through the frames mutilated body parts, I just can't get over the feeling that this is a beauty.

And yeah, that's about all I'm hoping... that I can learn some body work. If worst comes to worse, he has a spare cab off the same model/year truck (except stepside) that has no rust up there that he said he'd sell.

[Cam-Shaft]

Originally Posted by MARKDTN

Drip edge "a bit leaky" is like the tip of an iceberg. Do not underestimate this. Ditto on "little rusty, flaky areas above the windshield that need some attention"-this is also a big red flag. Do yourself a favor and find somebody that knows a little about body work or a Board Member to go look at this with you. Sounds like a cab swap may be required. You really don't want to do that on this truck. Rusty rear fenders means a bed-side. I was 17 once too and a very wise mentor steered me away from a '68 Corvette convertible basket case. Knowing what I do now, I am thankful to him every time I see him. For about the same money I found a '64 Impala SS 4-speed. Much better car and I drove it more than I worked on it.

I am not saying don't buy it, I am saying be SURE you KNOW what you are getting into.

Maybe I over spoke, there has not been water in the cab for awhile. I shouldn't have said "leaky". I am not looking to "restore" this. I want to make it mechanically safe and looking well enough to drive.

I apologize if I am driving you all crazy by going against your wisdom... I am too stuck up and stubborn. I'm sure I will be on here in a few months saying what a terrible decision this was, but for now... I'm 17 and have reliable transportation provided by my parents. I have been looking for one of these for a long time, this one is certainly the only one for 800 that I have seen in the area. I'm excited, that's all. Buying your first truck is a big deal for me.

[Grumpy old man]

WoW ! Lighten up a bit ! He's 17 and this is a dream project !. Let him run with it at least for a while !! Just because it's something you may consider to hard or to expensive for you to consider let the kid have his dream and stop bashing his "find " i rebuild trucks way worse than what he is considering so just back off and encourage his dream !Just because you may not have what it takes to start from scratch maybe he does !

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by Cam-Shaft

Yes, it runs and drives. The engine is missing some hoses and small parts, but it runs and drives.



I'm know you are all right, I just have a hard time when I see a little rust... I've had so many tractors with holes through the frames mutilated body parts, I just can't get over the feeling that this is a beauty.

And yeah, that's about all I'm hoping... that I can learn some body work. If worst comes to worse, he has a spare cab off the same model/year truck (except stepside) that has no rust up there that he said he'd sell.

Get a body and fender man to go with you and evaluate the cab, and if it's too bad then have him evaluate the other cab the guy said he would sell you. You sure the floor is really solid? Look real hard at the windshield pillars too in case of roll-over.

REMEMBER, it's illegal to remove a VIN tag. Hard to get the rivets to do a disguise, and best to cut away your entire cab leaving just the driver's side door jamb and replace the rest of the cab. Also, best to have the title to the donor cab to prove ownership, you don't want to take possession of something that has liens against it or is stolen.

Even better if you used more of the original cab.

No matter what, if you are going to fix that thing up, you are going to need a good wire feed welder and the ability to use it, some bondo skills to cover up the metal imperfections after you install all the numerous steel patch panels and bedsides plus clamps, nibbler, air compressor, paint sprayers, grinders, too much to list.

Might be a good learning experience if you want to become a body and fender man yourself.

At your age, you might just consider going to auto body school and make this a class project. Shoot, the cost of the class would probably be cheaper than the labor to fix it if you hired it out. But keep plenty of cash aside for supplies, they add up faster than you can imagine. And check with a school before you sign up to make sure they allow class projects and the terms of the projects.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by Cam-Shaft

Maybe I over spoke, there has not been water in the cab for awhile. I shouldn't have said "leaky". I am not looking to "restore" this. I want to make it mechanically safe and looking well enough to drive.

I apologize if I am driving you all crazy by going against your wisdom... I am too stuck up and stubborn. I'm sure I will be on here in a few months saying what a terrible decision this was, but for now... I'm 17 and have reliable transportation provided by my parents. I have been looking for one of these for a long time, this one is certainly the only one for 800 that I have seen in the area. I'm excited, that's all. Buying your first truck is a big deal for me.

GO FOR IT!!! When I was 16 I payed $1000 for my 1957 chevy 3100. It was a complete rust bucket. It got a complete new floor, rockers, cab corners,firewall patches,drip rail repairs, new motor, trans, complete frame swap, repaired bed sides, new stepside fenders, new front fenders, doors, and a million other things.

10 years later, Its been a lot of work but it is my pride and joy. I don't regret buying it all. Take the time to learn new skills. It's gonna take some time to fix the rust right. DONT CUT CORNERS. Rust isn't the end of the world, I actually have a bit of a sickness and would rather save a rusted truck from the crusher than use a rust free truck. It' brings a lot of satisfaction to me that I've now been able to save two of these trucks from their death.
Go for it and enjoy the oppertunity to learn and do new things. Don't give up and work on it a little at a time if need be so you don't get overwhelmed. Set realistic goals and realize it likely won't happen over night. These old trucks cost money and time both!
Good luck!!