Asking for your opinion...on buying a 1970 Jimmy

[lks dcvn]

Here is the run down...(taken from the previous owner's description - not mine)

BODY
Has been painted once
Floors and rear wheel wells are excellent originals with no rot
Needs front fenders (used cost approx. $100 each)
Right front wheel well is rotted under battery (used: $75)
Needs doors (used: $100 – 125 each)
Needs tailgate (used: $150)
Needs panel over windshield (LMC Truck $100)
Bumpers, grille and glass are nice
Has some rust around rear wheel openings
Left front rocker was installed when I got the truck
Right front rocker (shown in photo) goes with truck for you to install

INTERIOR
Has all original upholstery
Dash pad is cracked
Needs seat covers and door panels (LMC Truck kit $300)
Has Kenwood AM/FM cassette
Has aftermarket tach
All gauges, heater and wipers work good

ENGINE & TRANS
Has built 350
Has Crane 290 cam and lifters
Has aluma-coated headers and full dual exhaust
Has Edelbrock carb and intake
Has H.E.I. distributor and Accell Super Coil
I gave it a full tune-up and oil change
I installed new thermostat and flushed cooling system
Has new belts
Has top loader 4 speed transmission
Has new Interstate battery

DRIVE TRAIN
Has 205 Gear drive transfer case
Has 12 bolt rears
I installed new brakes and wheel cylinders all way around
I installed new master cylinder and changed to DOT 5 fluid
Has new 235/75R15 white letter tires on blasted and painted original wheels
Has original hub caps

SUMMARY
I have worked on this truck to get it mechanically excellent to drive. It runs great; all lights, wipers, etc. work fine and the 4WD will tear a house down. It is not a show truck (see photos) but has a lot of potential.

END Previous Owner's description**

I am going to check it out over this weekend - what are your thoughts...

How tough is it to find used doors, fenders, and a used tailgate...(in somewhat decent shape)? I also see that Goodmark now also stocks the ''over the windshield' repair piece for ~$100 (Goodmark part #4143-495-672) - anybody done this yet? Good or bad experience?

Pix

[Jtrux]

I'd buy it if the price was right.

So how much???

[lks dcvn]

I am looking to spend $2500-$3500 on this Jimmy depending on the condition when I see it.

[Jtrux]

Is that what he's asking or what you're offering. You might say 2500 and he might be thinking 5500. For what you said, 2500-3500, i'd definitely go for it, maybe even a little more if the motor is as stout as he claims.

[bouncytruck]

For every small amount of rust visable, count on an equal amount hidden. It looks pretty rusty to me. I'd guess in the $1500-2000 range. The engine doesn't look original and the power booster on the brakes is missing which makes me suspect some creative parts shopping. It appears to have some AC parts, but not all - yet the listing states that all the heat works. Additionally, the radiator isn't stock, so I'd find out what that one is out of to make sure it can handle the engine.

True Blazer/Jimmy doors are hard to come by used. Double that cost. I'm not sure what the panel over the windshield is, but I don't think LMC sells it. Interior is going to be double that estimate.

The used replacement prices seem a bit low to me. It also doesn't include labor to install.

Overall, it looks fairly unmolested and would be a good project starting point. '70 Jimmy's are few and far between.

[lks dcvn]

He is asking in that range (3k-4k)...

The part on the Goodmark website indicates that it is a 'Inner Roof Patch Panel (above windshield)' - $99.95

[krue]

That part won't work on a blazer iirc.

[k-nuts]

Did you buy it? Looks like it ended early (yesterday) @$3800?

[Critter]

The rust over the windshield scares me. Isn't that what has made so many guys turn their noses up to otherwise nice tubs? I think it is a pretty hard repair for someone other than a very experience body man. Also, I have been looking for original doors as well and I have yet to find any decent ones for that price. If I had, I would already own a nice set by now! Just my $0.02.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by krue

That part won't work on a blazer iirc.

Correct, it's for a truck and only a truck.

[lks dcvn]

I asked to come look at it prior to buying and he pulled the auction (with me as high bidder) so that I could come check it out and make a final decision on it.

Keep the comments coming guys - I am sure there are plenty of things to look for on these old rigs and you guys have probably seen quite a bit over the years.

Any questions that I should ask specifically on the truck (other than the radiator source and brake booster questions)?

I am supposed to talk to him again tonight to figure out some sort of a schedule for the weekend - my GF has family down in that area so it won't be a wasted trip anyway.

[bigdon-70blazer]

You would be $ ahead if you spent twice that amount on a more rust free blazer. Looks too rusty to me but I have to buy my rust work! There were no pics of the interior, that concerns me. I was just lucky when I found mine!

[lks dcvn]

Pix over rear wheel wells:




Thanks guys for your help so far...

I was looking for a good running truck that could be used during nice weather (I don't off road) and that could be (somewhat) easily repaired rustwise - The tailgate would be an easy replacement (even using a panel from LMC, tabco, etc.), the doors a bit tougher to find...

[bouncytruck]

Repop Blazer/Jimmy doors are made now.

In my opinion, $3,000-4,000 is way, way too much for that rig. You can find something in better shape for that price in the Seattle area and have it shipped to you cheaper than fixing all those issues.

Here's a few listed on craigslist recently-
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/car/298552084.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/300070299.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/car/300692902.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/car/295435819.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/car/301804624.html

Try using Crazedlist.org to search multiple Craigslist sites.

[bigdon-70blazer]

Look at the top of the side rails, looks real rusty there. I agree with bouncy!

[bouncytruck]

Remember, Blazers have a "season" and it is quickly approaching. You will see more and more for sale in the coming months. Of course, the price tends to go up with the demand.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Unless you just gotta have it, I'd pass, JMHO

[bouncytruck]

Hey, I got an idea. Buy GQ from LUV! Just, umm, slightly more than that Jimmy you're looking at, but well worth the price.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Uhm thanx Bouncy, I think

[jaros44sr]

ROTFLMAO, you guys kill me

[Big Block]

Originally Posted by bouncytruck

Repop Blazer/Jimmy doors are made now.

In my opinion, $3,000-4,000 is way, way too much for that rig. You can find something in better shape for that price in the Seattle area and have it shipped to you cheaper than fixing all those issues.

Here's a few listed on craigslist recently-
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/car/298552084.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/300070299.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/car/300692902.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/car/295435819.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/car/301804624.html

Try using Crazedlist.org to search multiple Craigslist sites.

I agree unless you can weld and have a place to work on it pass, and look for something in the southwest or northwest. It's hard to find a blazer or jimmy with little to no rust back east.

[lks dcvn]

Okay everybody - I have officially passed on the Jimmy and the search continues - I guess I will have to start my searches out West...(or hope somebody in the MidWest got one out there and transported it back here).

Thanks for the assistance on this one - I don't want to get burned and spend more time/energy (and more importantly $) working and fixing things than enjoying it.

[bouncytruck]

This one looks like a good buy. http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/car/303303562.html

The guy just dropped the price which tells me he wants/needs to sell. You could probably have it shipped for $800 and still be into it for less than the other truck you were considering with all the repairs it needed.

[lks dcvn]

I saw that - I am still heading to Columbus tomorrow (but not checking out a Jimmy) - visiting the GFs relatives.

I saw the price drop - I have been watching Craig's List like a hawk for the past couple of days...

I have emailed about 10 people back about their ads - some were sold, some haven't responded yet, and the rest sent pix of a rust bucket that was about the same as the Jimmy I was looking at.

I will contact this seller over the weekend and see what can be worked out - I will likely find that it has been sold (but that just means that the one meant for me has yet to find it's way to me) - little silver lining mindset there.

Thanks again everybody for your help on this - I really appreciate it.

I have always wanted a 1st Gen - but just haven't been able to find one that I could 'pull the trigger on' yet. I am sure the day will come (likely the end of the season when somebody is trying to get rid of it before having to store it for another year...) when it will happen.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Tom
Toledo, Ohio

[ABLAZN]

Originally Posted by bouncytruck

This one looks like a good buy. http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/car/303303562.html

The guy just dropped the price which tells me he wants/needs to sell. You could probably have it shipped for $800 and still be into it for less than the other truck you were considering with all the repairs it needed.

Now bouncy if you were a real stand up guy, you would just go look at that one for him. I actually saw that one myself, but I was once again informed by my better half that the color was not right. It also looks like it might be a repaint, but it is very hard to tell from the picture. Repaints scare me since, someone can just slap body filler in it just to sell it before the rust starts to peak through again. I had a friend that is a former body man check mine out before I got mine. It made me feel much better about getting it.