Needs some advice

[Ackattack]

I'm on the fence with this decision, so I turn to you guys for your input.

Basically I have a 72 GMC longbed seen here:


The plan is to make it a shortbed.

So I bought this 68 SWB



and have began to strip it down.

So here's my delima. Basically the only thing that I would reuse off of the 72 is the cab, the front fenders, tailgate, and the bumper. Everything else is going to be replaced or upgraded.

The 72's cab needs some repair to the floor, and the doors probably need new skins. I also want to fill in the speaker holes in the B-pillar that the previous owner cut in there. It's also an AC cab (though I'll be installing a vintage air setup).

The 68's cab needs more work. New rockers, cab corners, the side kick panel vents are rusted (don't know extent), plus it's not an A/C cab, and I don't like the older ones as much as the 72s.

If I sell the 72 as is, first I don't know what kind of price I could get. I mean I have a little over $20k into this (over the last 10 years). See sig. for running gear. Also, I won't have to go to the hassle of tearing it apart, the hassle of haggling with multiple people over this part or that, the hassle of shipping this part here and there. But then again I will have to hassle with selling it...which can be difficult I'm sure.

I'm leaning towards just selling the 72 as is, and hopefully someone can enjoy it as much as I have.

I ran this by my wife too, and she politely listened and we discussed, but didn't help me make a decision. So what do you all think I should do?

[killer71]

I don't know ya or your situation but I would lean toward selling the 72 as is and start from scratch and build the truck you want. That way you get what you want and hopefully someone else will when they buy yours. Man I'm telling ya to me that's 2 nice of a truck to do what your talking about. But that's jmho!

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by killer71

Man I'm telling ya to me that's 2 nice of a truck to do what your talking about. But that's jmho!

that's why I'm having hesitations about it. Probably cause I cleaned her up last night, possibly for the last time.

[68chevy68]

Man, I am no long bed lover, but I would not touch that truck, You could sell it and have all the money you would need to pick up a nice running short bed. Really, don't cut er up,

[killer71]

Originally Posted by 68chevy68

Man, I am no long bed lover, but I would not touch that truck, You could sell it and have all the money you would need to pick up a nice running short bed. Really, don't cut er up,

I agree, hell don't even sell er...drive the hell out of er, looks great!

[RyanG]

Keep the 72 and drive it....it is such a nice look'n truck. Build up that 68 and then you will have two....

[CG]

It sounds like the 72 isn't quite as nice as the pics make it look. Rust repair etc. I doubt you are going to get your 20 grand back out of it. Like you said, parting it out would be a giant hassle. Why dont you just shorten the frame on the 72 and paint the shorty trucks box to match the rest of the 72. Were you going with the 68 chev style nose? You can do the body work and paint on it as you have time and then swap it out later.

You can use the vintage air set up with your present cab and use all the vents and controls that are already there. Plus your 72 has the upgraded disk suspension etc etc already.

[Ackattack]

I thought about cutting the frame down, but I also wanted the coil spring suspension.

I'll be using a 68 GMC grill with the 68 hood

the 72 does look nice, don't get me wrong, but it was painted back in 99 and has pretty much been outside while I've had it, so 8 years of weather takes a toll on a truck. There is a rust bubble in each door, above one of the wheel wells, the bottom of the doors aren't looking too great, the paint is right above the tail light, and there are chips in the grill. Its great from 20 feet and most may not even notice, but of course I've been over every inch of it many times. Also, when I had the body work done I didn't have them do anything on the inside of the cab (hence the rust holes all the way through.

As much as I'd like, keeping both just really isn't an option.

Basically now I'm building the truck I've always wanted, with little comprimise and so much of the 72 was built with comprimises as keeping it on the road and money was so muc of a concern. Now I have other vehicles and a monthly budget for the restore....so it can take however long it needs to, to get done the way I want.

[Ackattack]

Well I did some figuring today on the 72 and I think I'll list it for sale for $9,000. I need to put the stereo back in, and check the engine out (I think I either need a new intake air control valve, adjust the tps(throttle position sensor), or replace the tps cause its got a check engine light on)

Seems like a pretty fair price to me, with the nice wheels and fuel injected V8 with OD. Heck, I've gotten 16 mpg with mixed driving.