Looking for opinions for finishing my truck

[VA72C10]

I have had about 20 things happen lately that are going to lead to me selling my truck as soon as I complete it. I am not going to part it because 1) I want to finish it and have most of the parts. 2) I see how bad the market is for projects and parting out....and how nicely done vehicles still sell for decent money. The truck will be an all out show truck when completed, shaved with custom metal work, frame off nut and bolt restoration, and have some of the best products on the market on/in it. The interior will be custom as well with a custom dash, center console, and box behind the seat.

My dilemma is this: Everyone knows resale on a short bed is on average much better than a long bed. I am buying new sheetmetal and making a wood bed for my truck anyways...and I have a couple options for cheap shortbed frames locally....

If I made my truck into a shortbed I would have a nicely finished longbed frame, a nice metal bed for longbed, and front end parts from a 67-68...just need a cab and an engine/tranny combo (several cheap on my craigslist) and I have a good shop truck...so my options are...

Keep going as is and have a very nice longbed that I am going to sell....

Or...

Swap things out to a shortbed frame. Most likely would do the Porterbilt trailing arms and trailing arm crossover if I did the shortbed to even step it up another notch...maybe even tubular control arms.....

Or...

Step it up another notch and complete the show truck theme on the shortbed chassis with an LSx motor and use my current motor/tranny for my longbed shop truck (have a line on a decent deal on a truck with an LSx)



I know trucks/show cars aren't an investment. However, I have done well with the purchase of parts on this build and sale of other parts so I don't need a fortune to break even and at this point what I make selling the truck is a good chunk of change to pay off my wife's recent doctor bills, have in the bank in case of emergencies, and some will go to make the longbed cool

So mainly, I'm looking for advice from those that really watch the market and/or have sold full on show trucks recently. What will sell for more? Please don't make this into a longbed vs. shortbed debate...this is a which one makes me more money when I sell it.

If I go shortbed I will pay to have someone sandblast the frame. The next question would be powdercoat or not....is it worth the money?
I have lots of thoughts and no clear vision of what to do at this point other than to get this truck on the road one way or another by spring in time to show it a couple times and then advertise it for sale.

[VA72C10]

The link to my build is in my signature and here's a photoshop skorp did

[gcburdic]

Sorry to hear you gotta get rid of it so soon Jonathon, but God and family first.....I truly think if you decide to finish it...move as planned but as a SWB....just my lousy 2 cents worth
Maybe just cut down you existing LWB frame........save the cash!!

[jim zag]

I would take the shortest route to get it finished if you are going to sell it. A nice long bed can be used as a daily driver and can also haul more stuff. Use the parts you already have. You know the "NEXT GUY" will work you down on the price anyway!

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by gcburdic

Sorry to hear you gotta get rid of it so soon Jonathon, but God and family first.....I truly think if you decide to finish it...move as planned but as a SWB....just my lousy 2 cents worth
Maybe just cut down you existing LWB frame........save the cash!!

Well, since the LWB is a finished frame I planned to use it to make my shop truck to keep. I can justify having a truck to use around the house. I can't justify having a $50,000 show truck sitting in my garage.
As far as saving money, there's a SWB frame for $125 locally and I could always clean and paint myself as my longbed frame looks awesome how we did it.

Originally Posted by jim zag

I would take the shortest route to get it finished if you are going to sell it. A nice long bed can be used as a daily driver and can also haul more stuff. Use the parts you already have. You know the "NEXT GUY" will work you down on the price anyway!

The problem with that is I'm not looking for daily driver prices when I sell it. This is a full on custom show truck. I truly feel it will be worthy of a magazine feature when done with some of the custom pieces and the quality we will be doing/attention to detail. I see trucks in magazines all the time that have a lot of small areas they should have paid more attention to.

[71 super]

You will b e able to sell a short truck much quicker than a long truck. My own personal prejudice but long trucks are work trucks. You are appealing to a niche group in the first place with shaved drip rails and other custom sheet metal- basically you made it for yourself, and that is also going to make it hard to sell as everyone does not share your asthetic vision within the market long or short. Think about all the trucks people pick apart on here- someone somewhere made that vehicle for themselves, personal taste whatever and there are people waiting in line to question their thought process and taste. I read your entire build thread the other night and the work is very nice and will be a nice custom truck ,but I believe you need to finish simple to cut total investment easier to recoup and swap to a short truck for easier sale. This is just my opinion, sorry you have to sell and good luck.

[nuke1]

i say, just get it done and sell it, money is more important than a truck just sitting there in pieces, i know.

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by 71 super

You will b e able to sell a short truck much quicker than a long truck. My own personal prejudice but long trucks are work trucks. You are appealing to a niche group in the first place with shaved drip rails and other custom sheet metal- basically you made it for yourself, and that is also going to make it hard to sell as everyone does not share your asthetic vision within the market long or short. Think about all the trucks people pick apart on here- someone somewhere made that vehicle for themselves, personal taste whatever and there are people waiting in line to question their thought process and taste. I read your entire build thread the other night and the work is very nice and will be a nice custom truck ,but I believe you need to finish simple to cut total investment easier to recoup and swap to a short truck for easier sale. This is just my opinion, sorry you have to sell and good luck.

Thanks for the well thought out response. I understand some of the touches are personal taste....I just have to find the right buyer

Originally Posted by nuke1

i say, just get it done and sell it, money is more important than a truck just sitting there in pieces, i know.

Oh, it will be finished one way or another....and hopefully sooner than later...

[leddzepp]

A shortbed will be a much easier sell, and will bring more money than a long bed. That's a fact....especially if you are planning on making it a show truck. I voted for your second choice in the poll above. I am also a fan of keeping things simple. It will make it a lot easier for the next owner to add his own personal touches to it, as well as keep your out-of-pocket expenses down. Good luck!

[StinkyDogCB]

If you need to sell your truck to pay for your wife's doctor bills, you might want to consider selling your truck "as-is." Regardless of the work you put into any truck, somebody will always find something that isn't to their linking and use it as leverage to push the price down. Don't waste your money and efforts... take your time with your truck restoration plans and buy a short bed truck when your wife is healthy and all her medical bills are paid off.

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by StinkyDogCB

If you need to sell your truck to pay for your wife's doctor bills, you might want to consider selling your truck "as-is." Regardless of the work you put into any truck, somebody will always find something that isn't to their linking and use it as leverage to push the price down. Don't waste your money and efforts... take your time with your truck restoration plans and buy a short bed truck when your wife is healthy and all her medical bills are paid off.

That's not an option as the truck as is is in a million pieces.
My wife is fine now and I can make payments on the bill.
The truck will be worth at least 3 times as much finished as in pieces

[nds1968]

If your looking to get $50,000 for a truck it will need to be a shortbed in my opinion. Hope everything works out.
Nate

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by nds1968

If your looking to get $50,000 for a truck it will need to be a shortbed in my opinion. Hope everything works out.
Nate

Wasn't thinking $50K, but that'd be nice

I do know that someone couldn't build the truck I'm doing for under 50K if they bought the parts retail.

[N2TRUX]

If your looking to build it so you can sell it to recoup your cash outlay you may as well sell it now.

If you spend 50k to finish it, plan to get about half of that back.... if your lucky.

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

If your looking to build it so you can sell it to recoup your cash outlay you may as well sell it now.

If you spend 50k to finish it, plan to get about half of that back.... if your lucky.

I have my costs on a spreadsheet including current, future (parts needed) and labor- both to date and estimated by the shop doing it. I won't spend 50K to finish it.....only a few thousand left to finish it...everything else is waiting to go on the truck when ready.
If it were finished today, I would probably put it on ebay with a 35K reserve and see what happened....

I know I will need a specific buyer looking for a shaved truck. This thread was started to see what the consensus was on a shaved shortbed vs.shaved longbed selling for more...and whether it was worth the extra time/money