Barn find - Should I be nervous??

[Derby]

Hey everybody. I know there are lots of you with tons of experience so I need to pick your brains. I have found a 1970 C10 lwb with about 78,000 miles. It had gone through a restoration over 20 years ago. It was bought at an auction and has basically sat in a shed ever since. The VIN shows it should have a straight 6 but was at sometime swapped with a 327. The engine and brakes were recently gone through. Small amount of surface rust on bottom of the right door, otherwise clean and straight.

Question 1 - What "hidden" issues may this truck have sitting so long?

Question 2 - Is $3,500 a reasonable price to pay?

Thanks so much!

[Derby]

another pic

[Daubs]

Buy it NOW! Take it home!

[hopped up]

looks like a good deal for the price. be sure to check for hidden rust first. wouldnt matter to me if it has low miles but the engine was swapped.
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[Lee H]

I'd buy that in a heart beat.

[Harpie]

Buy it!!!

[tlcrz1972]

Even if it has a few hidden rust problems overall the pictures show it to appear solid. Just check the rockers, floor in the passenger side, cab corners, radiator support under battery. Just so your not surprised.
3500 dollars for a complete semi rust free possibly lower mileage truck isn't a bad deal.

Buy it get rid of the topper, the running boards, the mud flaps and maybe the visor. Put some rallie wheels on it tune it up and drive it.

[19stepSide72]

Check under the visor. Maybe a problem area around window and drip rail.
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[bonehead]

Sitting for 20 years.... I'm sure the brake system will need some work.

[Ol Blue K20]

Huh!!!!! you haven't bought it yet!!!!!

[MidLifer]

Agree with all the previous posters - the asking price is fair if the truck is as stated. Of course you can see if you can negotiate, and you should.

HOWEVER, if you think you will pay $3500 and have a truck that you can drive without investing more money, you may be disappointed. When you say "engine and brakes were recently gone through" do you know what that entails other than a seller's claim? Are there receipts? You are buying a 40+ year old vehicle, you really should be prepared for unexpected surprises that may cost money. E.G. the 327 may be tired and need rebuild/replace ($2000 for a new crate engine), it's a 1970 and the original front drum brakes should be swapped out for disc if you want to drive at highway speeds and hope to stop (couple of hundred if you go junkyard or upwards of a grand with new parts), wiring harness may be cut up, rear diff may be worn, trans might be shot, front end may need rebuilding, etc.

Not trying to be a wet blanket but many of us got our "experience" through our wallets. You can't eliminate uncertainty when you buy an old vehicle, and for many of us, that is the sick and perverse challenge that brings us back to the watering trough for project after project. If you read all my scare stories and are thinking, o.k., I can handle any of that, then by all means go for it. If not, and you are not sure of your ability to assess the condition of an old truck, then find someone who is and have them crawl around in the truck for a while and do a proper inspection. Even if you have to pay them.

To reiterate, if the body is dry and straight, that alone makes the truck worth $3500. But that doesn't mean the truck runs well and is safe.

Oh, and if you don't buy it, be sure to send me the seller's phone number ;-)

[Mister-B]

It looks good, other than you're going to have to unbolt all that crap the previous owner installed. Bug guard, hood emblem, mud flaps, roof visor, running boards, camper. Jeez. Anything left to bolt on? I'm guessing the interior has lots of similar stuff going on. Problem is, when you remove that stuff, you're left with holes and/or glue lots of the time.

So, hopefully by "restored 20 years ago", they don't mean the guy just bought all that crap from pep boys, bolted it on, put in a different motor, and called it a day.

Also, in both pics, I see a farm cat. That can be good and bad. Good, that they eat mice that could infest the truck. Bad, because they can pee inside the truck, have kittens, etc. and cat pee is one of the nastiest smelling things in the world.
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[MidLifer]

Agree with all the previous posters - the asking price is fair if the truck is as stated. Of course you can see if you can negotiate, and you should.

HOWEVER, if you think you will pay $3500 and have a truck that you can drive without investing more money, you may be disappointed. When you say "engine and brakes were recently gone through" do you know what that entails other than a seller's claim? Are there receipts? You are buying a 40+ year old vehicle, you really should be prepared for unexpected surprises that may cost money. E.G. the 327 may be tired and need rebuild/replace ($2000 for a new crate engine), it's a 1970 and the original front drum brakes should be swapped out for disc if you want to drive at highway speeds and hope to stop (couple of hundred if you go junkyard or upwards of a grand with new parts), wiring harness may be cut up, rear diff may be worn, trans might be shot, front end may need rebuilding, etc.

Not trying to be a wet blanket but many of us got our "experience" through our wallets. You can't eliminate uncertainty when you buy an old vehicle, and for many of us, that is the sick and perverse challenge that brings us back to the watering trough for project after project. If you read all my scare stories and are thinking, o.k., I can handle any of that, then by all means go for it. If not, and you are not sure of your ability to assess the condition of an old truck, then find someone who is and have them crawl around in the truck for a while and do a proper inspection. Even if you have to pay them.

To reiterate, if the body is dry and straight, that alone makes the truck worth $3500. But that doesn't mean the truck runs well and is safe.

Oh, and if you don't buy it, be sure to send me the seller's phone number ;-)

[slow-1]

Looks like a great truck, were you able to test drive it? A cruise around the block, long enough to get the truck up to operating temp will tell you a lot about its mechanical condition.

That being said. rusty heaps with half the parts in the bed can go for not much less than $3500 so buy that thing!

[Lattimer]

Originally Posted by MidLifer

Agree with all the previous posters - the asking price is fair if the truck is as stated. Of course you can see if you can negotiate, and you should.

HOWEVER, if you think you will pay $3500 and have a truck that you can drive without investing more money, you may be disappointed. When you say "engine and brakes were recently gone through" do you know what that entails other than a seller's claim? Are there receipts? You are buying a 40+ year old vehicle, you really should be prepared for unexpected surprises that may cost money. E.G. the 327 may be tired and need rebuild/replace ($2000 for a new crate engine), it's a 1970 and the original front drum brakes should be swapped out for disc if you want to drive at highway speeds and hope to stop (couple of hundred if you go junkyard or upwards of a grand with new parts), wiring harness may be cut up, rear diff may be worn, trans might be shot, front end may need rebuilding, etc.

Not trying to be a wet blanket but many of us got our "experience" through our wallets. You can't eliminate uncertainty when you buy an old vehicle, and for many of us, that is the sick and perverse challenge that brings us back to the watering trough for project after project. If you read all my scare stories and are thinking, o.k., I can handle any of that, then by all means go for it. If not, and you are not sure of your ability to assess the condition of an old truck, then find someone who is and have them crawl around in the truck for a while and do a proper inspection. Even if you have to pay them.

To reiterate, if the body is dry and straight, that alone makes the truck worth $3500. But that doesn't mean the truck runs well and is safe.

Oh, and if you don't buy it, be sure to send me the seller's phone number ;-)

Agree with this. If its anywhere near as good as it looks, runs, drives, steers, and stops, definitely worth it. Check the common areas for rust issues, and expect to at least need a tune up and brake work to put it on the road unless you get recent receipts showing this work was done.

[JAA]

Looks to be a solid truck for a good price. As far as answering Question 1. The only thing you really have to worry about beyond the obvious mechanical things, is the items that would have been replaced as normal maintenance in the time that the truck has sat. ie: belts, hoses, steering and brake components, tires, etc. So once you start driving the truck, look for these type parts to begin to wear fairly quickly or not function properly in the first place. These parts have sat, without lubrication, stiff and without movement. Nothing that is too major. Sounds like a good buy. Enjoy it!

[PanelDeland]

I would crawl around and under it to look for body mount rust and such.Also a refrigerator magnet will let you know if the body work was done oor if it's a bondo queen.
Looks like a good solid truck for th money.

[Derby]

If the 327 is solid do you see any problem keeping it or would you rather see a 350 or 396?
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[alsriv2]

I would have bought that and then posted what a great deal I got.
Don't let this one slip thru your fingers. But do a strong and thorough inspection to verify the rust issues first.
My '69 that I bought in Nebraska is in fine shape, EXCEPT the fresh air inlets in the cab. Farm dust, dirt and rodent food scraps sat in there and rotted the bottom hinge area of the vent doors badly.

[Lattimer]

Originally Posted by Derby

If the 327 is solid do you see any problem keeping it or would you rather see a 350 or 396?
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327 is a great engine. I have one in my truck now and another I just finished building about to go in. Just like any small block, you can build them any way you want. If you install right cam and heads they can turn 6500 rpm all day long too.

[cdowns]

i'd climb under it an make sure that it is not a chopped and streched short bed tryin to b like a longbed

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by cdowns

i'd climb under it an make sure that it is not a chopped and streched short bed tryin to b like a longbed

..sometimes you just aren't right.....but it is hilarious.....my eyes are watering from laughing

[bigmac73]

Did you buy it yet?????

[Derby]

Originally Posted by bigmac73

Did you buy it yet?????

Well being this would be my first c10 purchase, I wanted to be well armed with info to make sure I do not make a "rookie" mistake. With the great feedback and advice I can't wait to go look at the truck again. I will be sure to post if the deal goes down.
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[plumber36757]

I would buy it
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