New looking for help

[98sonoma]

Hello, I've been looking for a C10 for a while that I can work on with my boys as they get older. I found a 72 C10 SWB for $2500. They guy said the ID in the glove box doesn't match the original VIN. How big of a deal is this? I'd like to eventually tear the whole thing down to the frame and build it from the ground up. Now the guy doesn't want to share the VIN for some reason. Should I be worried? It's a 4 hour drive to even check it out. I can post pics of that would help. Just looking to see if I'm being taken or not. Any advice would be appreciated.

[98sonoma]

He did share the first 6 of the VIN. Matches the description he gave me so far. CS142B

[mgm60]

Just like Firedemon says, the VIN tag should be on the cab in the drivers side door and on the frame by power steering pump. I've looked at some rough examples that still had the VIN on the frame. I've also seen some trucks that didn't have the original VIN tag on the door but had a "replacement" tag from the state where the truck was titled. For that price and with your plan to restore you should go take a look anyway and you may be able to solve the VIN issue while you verify if the truck is really worth the price. Probably a good investment in an 8 hour round trip. I've gone farther.

[98sonoma]

[jocko]

Unless you see the rosette rivets, I'd walk away. But I'd probably walk away anyway. There are projects just as nice for that price - not worth the hassle to deal with a hesitant seller and a mixed VIN soup. To register it, I'd remove the glove box door beforehand personally to avoid confusion.

[98sonoma]

Originally Posted by jocko

Unless you see the rosette rivets, I'd walk away. But I'd probably walk away anyway. There are projects just as nice for that price - not worth the hassle to deal with a hesitant seller and a mixed VIN soup. To register it, I'd remove the glove box door beforehand personally to avoid confusion.

Aww, not what I wanted to hear! lol, I'm having a hard time finding a decent shaped SWB truck within a day's worth of driving for under $4k that isn't a complete rust bucket.

[jocko]

Sorry. There's no guarantee it's a swb truck - could be shortened frame or a cab swap onto a swb frame, shortened bed, added real swb bed to a shortened frame, who knows. I'm not at home or I'd crosscheck the gvwr for a swb c10 - don't recall if it's the same as the lwb. I don't see any other way to verify it was originally a swb truck without a SPID unless you inspect it.

[Dmaxmoe]

Is it just me or does it appear that none of the body lines match up and the panels are all tweaked up?

[NoNeck]

In photo 3, I swear that I can see a faint vertical line in the area where a long wheel base would be cut to shorten(?).

Also, in that last photo, the rear wheel looks to be too far forward in the wheel opening(?). There is a LOT of filler behind the passenger side bed panel too.

I'm not bashing the truck, just making observations.

POP

[98sonoma]

Originally Posted by NoNeck

In photo 3, I swear that I can see a faint vertical line in the area where a long wheel base would be cut to shorten(?).

Also, in that last photo, the rear wheel looks to be too far forward in the wheel opening(?). There is a LOT of filler behind the passenger side bed panel too.

I'm not bashing the truck, just making observations.

POP

Bash away. This is what I need to hear to get educated. Thanks for the tips. The more I read, the more I worry about this truck in particular.

[98sonoma]

Originally Posted by NoNeck

In photo 3, I swear that I can see a faint vertical line in the area where a long wheel base would be cut to shorten(?).

Also, in that last photo, the rear wheel looks to be too far forward in the wheel opening(?). There is a LOT of filler behind the passenger side bed panel too.

I'm not bashing the truck, just making observations.

POP

The truck in this ad has the rear wheels forward in the wheel well also. https://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/6203885963.html

[Coley]

I agree with most of the other comments.
My observations relate to the pic of the full side of the trick, 3 things standout
1) The paint forward of the rear wheel well looks new and in great shape ...possibly signs of the 'shortening' process?..where it would be cut/welded/filled and repainted, etc.
2) The wheel well looks likes its about 1"-2" too far back relative to the wheel centreline.
3) Its a leaf spring truck...instead of a trailing arm coil spring. Nothing wrong with this but these might have been easier to shorten than the trailing arm style? ...experts can weigh in on that.

So:
Ask the seller if this truck was shortened/modified down from a long wheel base truck?...and if he isn't sure....then prompt him to take 15-20 seconds and check the frame for patches and the strapping plates or post a couple of quick pics of it under there for you.
If he isn't up to this....then he isn't a seller to deal with. Move on and be patient there are a lot more trucks out there.

All Good
Coley

[98sonoma]

Originally Posted by Coley

I agree with most of the other comments.
My observations relate to the pic of the full side of the trick, 3 things standout
1) The paint forward of the rear wheel well looks new and in great shape ...possibly signs of the 'shortening' process?..where it would be cut/welded/filled and repainted, etc.
2) The wheel well looks likes its about 1"-2" too far back relative to the wheel centreline.
3) Its a leaf spring truck...instead of a trailing arm coil spring. Nothing wrong with this but these might have been easier to shorten than the trailing arm style? ...experts can weigh in on that.

So:
Ask the seller if this truck was shortened/modified down from a long wheel base truck?...and if he isn't sure....then prompt him to take 15-20 seconds and check the frame for patches and the strapping plates or post a couple of quick pics of it under there for you.
If he isn't up to this....then he isn't a seller to deal with. Move on and be patient there are a lot more trucks out there.

All Good
Coley

Thanks for the input. I'll see if he can get me some frame pics.

[midniteblues]

Without seeing it in person it's hard too tell.

I don't believe the bed was cut as there is no indication of any stake pockets or welds inside the bed.

Most times the rear wheels always look too far forward but this one seems "off" just by the pic. It could also be the angle of the pics but the cab-bed gap looks off too. But if someone put the bed on a short end frame then why didn't they try too push the front panel back better than it is.

One thing is for sure that driver side rocker looks way off.

I would certainly check the driver and passenger side inner cowl for rust as some is evident on the firewall.

I'm curious as too why the power booster isn't hooked up.

The fenders definitely weren't lined up.

This could be a good deal for a swb but a good look around it would really tell the story.

[98sonoma]

Originally Posted by midniteblues

Without seeing it in person it's hard too tell.

I don't believe the bed was cut as there is no indication of any stake pockets or welds inside the bed.

Most times the rear wheels always look too far forward but this one seems "off" just by the pic. It could also be the angle of the pics but the cab-bed gap looks off too. But if someone put the bed on a short end frame then why didn't they try too push the front panel back better than it is.

One thing is for sure that driver side rocker looks way off.

I would certainly check the driver and passenger side inner cowl for rust as some is evident on the firewall.

I'm curious as too why the power booster isn't hooked up.

The fenders definitely weren't lined up.

This could be a good deal for a swb but a good look around it would really tell the story.

More pictures added to this album.
https://imgur.com/a/52xtb
Looks like the frame hasn't been cut to me. The rivets look good too...I'll head down Saturday AM and check it out in person. Anything else I should look at?
If I pick it up, I'll have to get a build thread going along with some ideas on where to even start! lol
I can't thank you all enough for your help though.

[GASoline71]

Any seller that won't be up front with anything when it comes to numbers should be avoided at all costs. There is a reason why they are being shady as hell.

The alternator is on the wrong side so the engine is either a later model transplant with a long water pump, or it could be a later model frame and engine combo.

When someone won't divulge numbers it means you're about to get a crap deal.

Gary

[98sonoma]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Any seller that won't be up front with anything when it comes to numbers should be avoided at all costs. There is a reason why they are being shady as hell.

The alternator is on the wrong side so the engine is either a later model transplant with a long water pump, or it could be a later model frame and engine combo.

When someone won't divulge numbers it means you're about to get a crap deal.

Gary

He's been pretty good about answering my messages and giving me pics of whatever I ask for, he just didn't want to send the full VIN for whatever reason.
What I did see of the VIN said it was a 6 cylinder truck originally, so the 350 is definitely not original. Guy claims he is asking for what he paid for it because he has medical bills. I did get a video of the engine running. I couldn't detect any odd sounds from it while it was running.

[98sonoma]

I'm not really thrilled about the vodka bottle or whatever it is under the hood, lol.

[GASoline71]

Tell him to send you a pic of the frame under the cab and also a pic of the VIN stamped on the frame.

Gary

[98sonoma]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Tell him to send you a pic of the frame under the cab and also a pic of the VIN stamped on the frame.

Gary

So there should be a VIN near the steering box? From what I read the one above the cab is not visible while the cab is on...

[Mollzyie]

My 2 cents .... it gets to a point where it is what it is ... esp at that price and it's running ..... looking for a good father son project ... there u go .. plenty to do there ..... few things that are good to know like if bed was cut down ... if it was it's not that big of a deal ... so long as u know . Is frame straight ? ..... hopefully vin number matching title works out .

[98sonoma]

Originally Posted by Mollzyie

My 2 cents .... it gets to a point where it is what it is ... esp at that price and it's running ..... looking for a good father son project ... there u go .. plenty to do there ..... few things that are good to know like if bed was cut down ... if it was it's not that big of a deal ... so long as u know . Is frame straight ? ..... hopefully vin number matching title works out .

He said he has a clear Indiana title on it. I'll be sure to check as much as I can when I get to see it in person.

[66clow]

I wouldn't waste your time going to look at it. Rust repair may be easier. Everything is way off. That rocker is about 1-2 inches lower than the cab corner. Like others have said the wheels are not sitting where they are supposed to sit. I think you will be repairing or replacing everything you would as if it was a rust bucket because things aren't put together right. The way the seller is acting it could be a nightmare trying to getting it registered. I'd keep saving or keep looking.

[randy500]

The bed was almost certainly not shortened as the front of the wheel well at the bottom is square and there are no center stake pockets on the bed rail, nobody ever fixes those things and most certainly not both items

[98sonoma]

Originally Posted by randy500

The bed was almost certainly not shortened as the front of the wheel well at the bottom is square and there are no center stake pockets on the bed rail, nobody ever fixes those things and most certainly not both items

Thanks for the info.
I'm getting some mixed signals from everyone, lol. Is this worth pursuing or should I look for something else?