Lied and defrauded on 1971 c10 short bed

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by biggestjohn

Since he has now revealed how much he paid..........

$15,000

$15,000 or $11,800????

[Daaaanz67]

Man this sucks I saw this same ad on cl. I think he was asking 9,000.00. Still awesome truck you got.
Posted via Mobile Device

[tahoekid]

Just got off the phone from the previous owner (45 min)
Just as I expected, he had no idea it was cut down
I explained that this needs to be fixed, and best for me is my $ back
And as I expected he had loaned it from his parents so he dosen't have it
I explained that I don't want to involve legal counsil, but that I paid.....
$11,800 for a factory short bed Cheyenne that was grossly misrepresented..
He had to cut out for school/work so we gonna talk again Thursday morning..
It is a NICE C10, but hard to overcome it's not what it's suppose to be...

[Classic Bowties]

Originally Posted by tahoekid

I explained that I don't want to involve legal counsil, but that I paid.....
$11,800 for a factory short bed Cheyenne that was grossly misrepresented..
He had to cut out for school/work so we gonna talk again Thursday morning..
It is a NICE C10, but hard to overcome it's not what it's suppose to be...

In this day and age, its buyer beware and spending that kind of money should have warranted a thorough inspection before any cash ever changed hands. I was taught at a very young age that you dont take a used car sellers word as the gospel, as others have already said above chalk it up to experience and move on. Mel

[biggestjohn]

Originally Posted by tahoekid

Just got off the phone from the previous owner (45 min)
Just as I expected, he had no idea it was cut down
I explained that this needs to be fixed, and best for me is my $ back
And as I expected he had loaned it from his parents so he dosen't have it
I explained that I don't want to involve legal counsil, but that I paid.....
$11,800 for a factory short bed Cheyenne that was grossly misrepresented..
He had to cut out for school/work so we gonna talk again Thursday morning..
It is a NICE C10, but hard to overcome it's not what it's suppose to be...

OK, throwing all emotion out, that is a beautiful truck!! I'm redoing my Longhorn, and though I have not added it all up yet, I can guarantee you I have well over $11,800 in it.

I don't know what the modified short beds will sell for, but I don't think that you got hurt that much.

Learn to love her in spite of her hidden flaws, it might still turn out to be a wonderful relationship. Besides, If you can't prove fraud, and he's not fessing up to it, your gonna lose.

Maybe you can negotiate a partial settlement. Do some research into what these trucks sell for, and try to get the difference.

[lolife99]

Anything else correct about this truck?
Is it really a Cheyenne?

I would be afraid you would lose in court.
There is nothing hiding the welds on the frame.
They are obvious.
Also the blue overspray on the frame means it's far from a 100% restoration.

However,... I still thing you got a good deal on a sweet truck.
Have you priced paint, materials and bodywork lately?

If you get him to give you your money back,... that would be great.
If you have to hire a lawyer,... I think it will be a losing proposition.
(just my opinion)

[Harpie]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Anything else correct about this truck?
Is it really a Cheyenne?

I would be afraid you would lose in court.
There is nothing hiding the welds on the frame.
They are obvious.
Also the blue overspray on the frame means it's far from a 100% restoration.

However,... I still thing you got a good deal on a sweet truck.
Have you priced paint, materials and bodywork lately?

If you get him to give you your money back,... that would be great.
If you have to hire a lawyer,... I think it will be a losing proposition.
(just my opinion)

I hafta agree with above statement I got screwed on my truck but was my own fault for not looking at the spid and doing my research first. But now that I am well into doing my frame off I would have killed to pay that price for one that nice.

[lolife99]

I talked to a guy this year that had an original (so he thought) 68 swb truck at a car show.
This thing was (in my opinion), a perfect old survivor truck that someone had restored.
He had the entire story from the previous owner on how it made it into his possession.

Long story short,... I asked if I could look at the SPID on the glove box.
This '68 swb truck had 127" wheelbase listed on the SPID.
He was totally floored when I told him what that meant.
It did have an original swb frame,... but the cab and/or glovebox had been swapped.
Either the truck was genuine with a swapped VIN tag and glovebox door,... or someone had built a swb truck out of a lwb truck.
He had no idea.

[Lee H]

IMHO, that's a great truck for the price. Don't think you can buy a driver and make it like that for under 12K. Hope you can enjoy it at some point in time. Like I said above, for that price I'd plate it and drive, and not look back.

[CC69Rat]

An original SWB Cheyenne for that kind of coin is unheard of IMO. (at least from where I come from) I have that in mine and it's not even painted.

If that were an original he would have people beating his door in for $15k. IMO.

Probably not what you want t ohear and I understand principle / integrity but have you considered a SWB frame swap? Just sit it over on another frame and detail it out.. Maybe a full Porterbuilt drop member and just swap the Cab / bed / engine and trans over to the other frame? That would do away with the frame cuts and the uncomfortable feeling you have knowing it's cut down and not Z'ed. Just a thought.

Or re-sell it and advertise it correctly? It should still bring about what you paid for it. .. just my .02.

[no moa]

Does you bill of sale say "as is, where is"?

[OJ1988]

$11,800 and you never looked under the truck? Those welds should have been obvious.

If you didn't know what to look for, for that much coin I would have at least had someone else look it over.

With old stuff like this it usually is buyer beware.

[Smoothride]

i think it was listed for $15K but he paid $11.8K.... i say keep it and drive that nice truck... I paid almost that much for mine and isnt as nice as that for a short bed

[Coley]

....its looks like a really nice truck.
Do a good inspection of the join/weld and if it needs reinforcement do it or get it done.
Then, get out and drive it and enjoy it. Every mile you put under the truck....it starts to pay you back and the pain of the deal will subside.
Don't get too anal about this kind of alteration and event....a lot of stuff on any 'restored truck' including many, many trucks in this forum are not original from sheet metal to engines, upholstery, suspensions to added options, etc, etc so don't worry about it.
Again, nice truck...really, not too bad a deal IMHO.
All Good
Coley

[CC69Rat]

Looks like a ~$5k paint job on it. (?) But still, he thought he was getting an original SWB. I guess I can understand the bad juju.

[davepl]

The difference in value between a factory short bed and a cut down long bed is hard to establish, and it would be up to you to do it (in small claims court). Let's say it's 20%, though I have no idea what it really is. So you're talking under $2K. And if you won, all you'd get is a judgment, not cash. It's up to YOU to somehow turn a judgment into cash.

Whether the guy knew or not is somewhat beside the point. You didn't inspect it beforehand, and the SPID indicated its true status. I think the judge would ask if you checked the factory SPID and looked under the truck, and since you didn't, would dismiss it right there.

There was no forgery here... no fake SPID, no forged protecto plate, no restamping of the block, or anything overtly deceptive.

From the photos I think you got a decent deal. Wishing it were a factory shortbed at this point won't change anything. I'd weld a plate on the inside of the frame and drive and enjoy it. If you can't emotionally get past the fact it's cut down, sell it and take your lumps and restart the search.

All that said, at the price you paid it looks like a nice truck. A fully restored shortbed Cheyenne would be $20K+, so why not drive it with a big smile while thinking about the $10K you saved?

[tahoekid]

Everyone that has taken the time to respond to my thread, thank you.
Thanks for the support and lending an ear.
I appreciate all responses, those of support, and those of the harsh reality.
I'm taking the advise and going to ask around of a reputable shop that can reinforce the frame where cuts are.
After that I will evaluate my situation..

[CC69Rat]

Just dont jump any railroad tracks or anything till you get it plated .. but you should be fine.

I totally understand where you're coming from but honestly That's a sweet truck man. Original or not. .. I wouldn't be ashamed of $11,800 in that truck. You couldn't build it for that.

[LockDoc]

-
I would see if you can get a couple of grand back from him to cover the work it needs... Check the inside of the bed sides in front of and behind the wheel wells to see what the welds look like where they cut the bed down.

LockDoc

[original-71]

Originally Posted by CC69Rat

Just dont jump any railroad tracks or anything till you get it plated .. but you should be fine.

I totally understand where you're coming from but honestly That's a sweet truck man. Original or not. .. I wouldn't be ashamed of $11,800 in that truck. You couldn't build it for that.

I agree

[Rochlow]

You couldn't build a nicer truck for $11, 800

[406 Q-ship]

The weld quality does not look that bad in the pictures, grind the weld flat and finish where is in incomplete then put a diamond shaped reinforcement plate and weld it in. This is how big rigs are done and I don't think anyone would disagree big rig haul much more weight than a SWB 1/2 ton. Just chaulk it up to experience, with the frame reinforced the truck is worth the money and could be sold without a major loss.

[jocko]

if it helps.... I was just about to plop down 12K on a non-running, possibly siezed motor, cheyenne super shortbed. Had I done that, I would have had a well documented, somewhat rare (402 super swb) pile of parts that I still needed to sink another 10-20k into to get roadworthy and shiny. For less than the buy in cost on the one I was seriously considering, you are already on the road in a beautiful truck. Despite the unfortunate surprise (and I'd be as ticked off as you are too), I agree with all the other comments that this is a NICE truck and the price you got it for is, imho, just about right. So, instead of getting the awesome deal you thought you got, you got an average/fair deal money-wise. BUT, my guess is that you had your heart set on an ORIGINAL swb Cheyenne and thought you just got a great deal on one, now you are trying real hard to not view it as a turd. Trust me, it is not one - it is sweet. And you can do any mods you want to it to enhance it with an exceptional starting point (and not worry about originality, to boot - FREEDOM!!). That might not help, but I definitely think time can heal this self-inflicted wound. Truck is way nice - and although a Z-cut frame might be the ideal way to cut it, a square cut that is fish-plated will be more than you'll ever need. So add those plates, and hit the road with a smile. Ok, eventually with a smile!

[CC69Rat]

You could always bag it.

[BLAZERMAN]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

-
I would see if you can get a couple of grand back from him to cover the work it needs... Check the inside of the bed sides in front of and behind the wheel wells to see what the welds look like where they cut the bed down.

LockDoc

I agree, I'm sure hes not wanting any trouble and he's probably pretty scared with the talk of a lawsuit.

Originally Posted by 406 Q-ship

The weld quality does not look that bad in the pictures, grind the weld flat and finish where is in incomplete then put a diamond shaped reinforcement plate and weld it in. This is how big rigs are done and I don't think anyone would disagree big rig haul much more weight than a SWB 1/2 ton. Just chaulk it up to experience, with the frame reinforced the truck is worth the money and could be sold without a major loss.

Agreement here too, weld quallity is much more important than the way it is cut, like Qship said its been done this way on big rigs and straight trucks for many years. The angled or stepped cut allows for more weldment area and is a better way but takes more time and most shops go for the faster route. A fish plate on the backside should be all you need