What does $3,000 get you?

[TwoFiftyShifter]

I usually mess around with 73-87 4x4s but have been looking for a LWB C10 driver. I am looking for a truck to drive now, and fix and improve as I go. I have looked at a half dozen trucks on Craigslist. All of them misrepresented. "Minimal rust" trucks without a single good panel on them, "good tires" that are dry rotted and so on.

I found a 72 that I actually like. It's a long fleet and a 350 3OTT. Runs strong and smooth with new headers and duals, good brakes. Body is pretty good for an East coast truck - solid cab with some pinholes on the floor near rockers. Cab supports and the rest of the floor is good. Rockers welded in, not too bad. Bed is pretty solid. The interior needs work in the way of a better seat and a steering wheel. All gauges work. The truck could use a paint job pretty badly but that doesn't freak me out in the least.

Couldn't get the seller below 3,000. I agreed and went to drive home and the shift linkage binded up. I couldn't get it out of first. We messed with it for a bit then decided to hold off. The seller does a lot of work on the old stuff and said he'd work on adjusting the linkage and would drive it to my house (45miles) for the agreed price, or if he can't get it right we would renegotiate.

How does that sound to you all? What do you normally expect for 3K?

[TwoFiftyShifter]

This is the only picture I have.

[tommys72]

Not a bad looking truck.

[CG]

That old 3TT is notorious for binding up.

[In The Ten Ring]

My truck is 3OTT and that binded up for dad when he drove it but it never once binded up on me.

I think my shifting style has something to do with that but I cannot be sure.

[Grumpy old man]

"Finding neutral" in between gears works when the 3ott is tired , a new set of shift rod bushings and a few adjustments and she should be good to go .

[special-K]

That's about the best you can do. Sounds like bushings are worn. They shift nice when they are right.

[flashed]

Tats a pretty nice truck for our area .

[flashed]

Now if you want a real true survivor truck a friend of mine has a 72 short bed stepside ,6 cylinder and 3 on the tree that is nice but it comes with a nicer price ,$10,000 or close to it .I looked at it Saturday ,very nice truck .

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by flashed

Now if you want a real true survivor truck a friend of mine has a 72 short bed stepside ,6 cylinder and 3 on the tree that is nice but it comes with a nicer price ,$10,000 or close to it .I looked at it Saturday ,very nice truck .

6 months from now it will be $15,000.00 with so many guys jumping in then finding out what it really costs to pay a body shop to rebuild hidden rust ...Well lets just say buy what you can afford now because their only going up .

[1970 charlie]

I was told years ago "three in the tree and a fifth under the seat" how could you go wrong.

[custom10nut]

Great looking truck. It's a twin to mine with the Medium Olive/white paint. Get the 45 years worth of dust, grime, and gunk out of the shift linkage, and you should be on the road.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I think you did good, and with the original paint you can see just the areas that are screwed up, unlike if it was all covered up in flat black, etc.

Very nice of the seller to fix the issue after the sale was completed.

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

6 months from now it will be $15,000.00 with so many guys jumping in then finding out what it really costs to pay a body shop to rebuild hidden rust ...Well lets just say buy what you can afford now because their only going up .

So true!

It's the main reason I'm just cutting rust out of my old cab instead of trying to buy another truck. I bought my truck (1972 GMC C15) back in '07 and yarded it out of a field. Paid $800 dollars for it. I was able to get it running and drive it almost 2 hours back home. Nowadays... the same greasy, floor rusted truck, in the same condition would be closer to $1,800 bucks. It's straight up lunacy...

Gary

[Coley]

Don't sweat the 3 OTT binding up...they all start to do that when the bushings in the linkage go.
If it binds up, shut if off, put on the emergency brake, slip a piece of cardboard under the truck, get under the truck, pull the trans linkage rods free....and you are good to go again.
If you want it go away.....buy $20 worth of bushings and put them in all of the shift linkage rod to rod connection/pivot points.
As for $3000.....looks like reasonably good value for $3000.

All Good
Coley

[MidLifer]

I'm gonna jump in and say that I don't think that truck is worth $3k. Value like beauty is in the eye of the beholder but if you are willing to be patient and look at a lot of ads I think you can find better. Also if you are willing to travel and trailer something back or have it shipped (cheaper than you might think). Have a look thru this thread to get ideas:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=693849

I just saw that Jocko just posted a 72 C20 missing a bed that looks more solid than the truck you are planning to buy and it's got a $1500 asking price. You can find a decent bed for $500-600.

It's legwork vs. wallet work imo. I've always been willing to do the legwork. Your mileage may vary.

[mike16]

I love my 3ott. it never binds. I lube it up regularly. I would never trade it or a 4 spd or an automatic. I would prefere a 4 spd or an auto. but the 3ott is classic american . the key to good gas milage is a 308 rear. mine is a 373 rear and even with the 307 2 bbl it get like 12 miles to the gallon.

I am sure you will love it. keep it all origonal and save it for the next generation.

[Dirt's72]

As you shift from first to second hold the shifter w/pressure toward you till you get to neutral and push forward and up into second and see if that helps. Maybe he will come down in price a tad. If it runs really good though you might do it.

[Coley]

Originally Posted by mike16

I would never trade it or a 4 spd or an automatic. I would prefere a 4 spd or an auto.

.....sounds like you are bit undecided there...lol.

all good
Coley

[garyd1961]

You need to learn how to shift these old 3ott trucks. Pull up on the shifter until you feel it slip out of low gear then move the shifter over but let it drop down toward third before you move it up into second gear.
I grew up driving these old trucks and what I described works almost every time.

[Mrturner1]

For 3k you're not getting ripped off and you're not stealing the truck either. It's worth that easy. Could you find another one cheaper, usually yes. But this one shows the flaws because there's no paint and you know the brakes are good, doesn't seem to have much to hide, I'd jump on it.

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by Dirt's72

As you shift from first to second hold the shifter w/pressure toward you till you get to neutral and push forward and up into second and see if that helps. Maybe he will come down in price a tad. If it runs really good though you might do it.

That's how I drove my 3OTT and I never had any binding. I believe it has a lot to do with the "art of shifting," at least on my truck.

The 3OTT is a classic shift design and being so different, it really makes it fun. Also, it allows more control as it's a manual and with a bench seat, lets you sit your honey right down next to you. Finally, it may give you a bit of anti theft....most men my age (40's) have never seen one so you know the basic thief hasn't either.

[CG]

I had a 63 Nova 3TT and it was an art, but once I had it down, no problems. One of my 57 Chevys was also 3TT, but I converted that to 4 on the floor (lol, ages since Ive said that).

[davischevy]

My dad bought a 68 brand new with a 3OTT, and the first time I drove it (I was 16 years old) I got it hung up. After I "learned" to drive it, I had no problem.

[dabruce15]

My 3 OTT was binding like crazy when I first got it too. I put a Hurst kit in the floor and haven't looked back.