71 or 72 Blazer

[spencra]

There is this 71 or 72 blazer sitting in front of this house close to where I live. This truck has been sitting there for years and amazingly is in pretty decent shape. It has a nice lift on it so I assume it's a 4x4.
Now, this truck has not been moved in a long time, and I've never seen a for sale sign on it. It just occured to me the other day that maybe I should go there and ask if they are willing to sell it.
I hate knocking on a strangers door to ask them if they are willing to sell their vehicle. I've done it before and feel really stupid doing so. But hey, what have I got to lose I guess.

[lukecp]

Yeah i have done that many times. Sometimes they will be nice, other times they will be terrible.

I was with one of my friends once and we saw a '69 Mustang in decent shape dead in a guys lawn (i didn't want it...my friend did! ). We stopped and knocked on the door....some crazy old man with evil looking eyes came out and practically ran us off the place. I thought he was gonna kill us, lol.

Proably not what you want to hear before you go ask about the blazer though, lol.

You could always leave a piece of paper in the mailbox or at the door or something with your name and number

[1972ChevyGuy]

I tried that once down in Concord. I'd seen a nice '72 just sitting there for like 5 years so I decide to ask the guy if he would sell it... He proceeded to cuss me out and then say #$ no it aint for sell boy. LoL, what a day

[da-burb]

You aren't a true addict if you don't go and ask. I will usually leave a business card that I had made up for my collecting hobby. To date I have had many callers. The longest time lag was 3 years between handing the card out and them finding it when they were moving and giving me a call. Turned out to be a 4x4 suburban with tow hooks and bucket interior for a great price.

[spencra]

Other than the possibility of getting killed I think you guys have me convinced. I'll just have to bring some ammo and back-up just in case. Oh yeah and a little money too, just in case I get lucky.
I think that I'll try for the weekend.

[boraxman]

I would and have asked. No problem.

[Longhorn Man]

Go on friday night, they may be drunk and not realize they are selling a blazer for beer money.

[bow-tie-bandit]

Its not what you have to lose but what you have to gain!!!

[JimKshortstep4x4]

A lot of times when you see a vehicle setting like that the guy is going to "fix it up someday".

Not too far from me there is a 1955 Thuderbird sitting in the front yard and lots of people have stopped to ask about it. The owner is a jerk about it and lets people know that he is going "to fix it up someday". It has been sitting there for over 25 years now and it is slowly sinking into the ground. It is a shame but it happens all the time.

I still think that you should ask about it.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

Jim

[spencra]

Will do

The one thing that I would say that is going in my favor is that the house is a little run-down looking and it is in a pretty nice neighborhood.
So the way I figure it is that it is owned by an older (elderly) person, or one of the kids just dumped it off on their lawn and just left it there to rot away. Hell I've done that before (left my 57 chevy 3100 at my brother-in-laws) and ended up getting rid of it after sitting 2 years.
Or the house is a little run-down because the household income is going into the restore the Blazer fund

[spencra]

yellow72custom

Oh I forgot to say that there's nothing wrong with wanting a classic mustang. Coincidentally I have a 69 or 70 Mustang mach 1 on my want list too (it's a very short list). I've been searching for the "right deal" for a few years now.

In my defense I must also add that a classic mustang (64 1/2- 70) is the only Ford that I will turn my head for.

[cdowns]

nothing ventured nothing gained
just remember you're on their property and no matter what you percieve their attitude to be treat them with respect !! i've had people curse at me and run me off their property and later ran into them in a store and remember me and tell me to come over to talk about it a second time, ended up getting the truck(39ford) just cause they thought about how i treated them

[Huck]

The neat thing is you never know. I tried on a 71 2 years ago. It has a tach dash, good doors but the rest is junk. "He's going to fix is one day soon!" Yea right. Looked at 2 -71's a while back that the guy wanted $800. a piece---looked and walked but called him a week later and offered him $800. for the pair----and he did the deal. Then there's the 71 I tried buying for 3 years leaving notes on the guys windshield every couple of weeks. He thought is was someone he worked with and it was a joke. Finally caught him in the truck--we talked---I offered--he countered offered--I countered his counter---etc. See the red truck under my name---! Would have paid $1000. more if I had to.
Just be prepared to do the deal if the owner is willing as once you put the idea into their head---you got to act then---and cash waved is often a motivator.

[krazy_texan]

i used to do it all the time
there is a trailer park across the highway from me and some of them are abandoned but i try to hunt the owner down and see if they will sell it, like the 68 gmc short step i tried to buy about a year ago, it was just sitting in an old mans yard kept saying his son was going to fix it up, now his son has picked it up and is fixing it up for his daughters first ride, lucky her.

[1969 GMC]

yeah, GO FOR IT MAN!

there is a mid '70's Ford F-250 4x4 like that by my house, except it was last registered in 1991. It only has 6,xxx miles on the odo!!! I believe its original too, as there is NO rust through on the body except for lower tailgate. Underbody is clean enough to eat off of. There are still plastic bags on the pedals inside, and the Ford script piece of paper on the floor to protect the carpet. Hood is cabled shut so you can't see what engine it has. I have left notes many times and tried to get a number, but the house its at is abandoned, but yet the property is kept up for some odd reason (lawn mowed, trees trimmed, house painted, etc). If I can't get the truck I'd at least like to hear the story why its like it is.

[lukecp]

Originally posted by spencra
yellow72custom

Oh I forgot to say that there's nothing wrong with wanting a classic mustang. Coincidentally I have a 69 or 70 Mustang mach 1 on my want list too (it's a very short list). I've been searching for the "right deal" for a few years now.

In my defense I must also add that a classic mustang (64 1/2- 70) is the only Ford that I will turn my head for.

Yeah i do like classic Mustangs. My great-uncle has a '66 he let me drive. Was a fun little car with a 289/auto. I also helped one of my good friends (the one who wanted the '69 i mentioned) put a new engine and tranny in his '71 'Stang. I would kill for a '67 fastback....damn, those things look sweet! Just as good as a Camaro of the same vintage IMO. Of course the Chevy's had far superior engines, maybe with the exception of the 4V 351C

[zyggy72]

Go for it!!! Nothing to lose and a possible truck to gain!
I've done it a couple of times and gotten lucky, an original 69 GMC 3/4 ton 4x4 w/350 4-speed combo, a 69 Chevy wrecker in need of restoration and a motor, and a 70 chevy 1/2ton stepside.
Once, while waiting outside my girlfriend's work in my 72 Chevy waiting for her to get out and a guy pulled up beside me and said he had a truck like mine and I could have it if I could get out of his back yard. 2 weeks later I had the truck, a 68 chevy 3/4ton 2wd for parts sitting in my friends yard to be stripped.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Do it or it will haut you as I shoulda went and asked and now someone else has it for a song.... Life's short have no regret's..

[CG]

there used to be a 57 chev bel air 2 door hardtop a few blocks from where i lived. it had been there for several years. i told a buddy about it and he said lets go ask if its for sale but i was to chicken to go. he went without me and asked them. couple hours later i owned that car for 200 bucks. sooooooo it never hurt to ask.

[TexLonghorn]

I would sure knock on the door!

[spencra]

I'm definately going to do it. The only problem is that my wife gave me the "We seriously have to budget" speech yesterday. I didn't even mention to her my intentions about the truck. Damn it, I still want to ask but if the owner says that he is willing to part with it I will be in the "I have to act fast" mode before he decides to change his mind. Or I could just wait a couple of weeks when I know that I will have a few bucks in my pocket and hope that someone else doesn't scoop it up.
It's been there awhile so I don't expect it to go anywhere, but you know how Murphy's Law can work against you.

[nightmare]

if he does decide to sell it, you could always write up a little contract, have him sign it, you sign it, and have a witness sign it with the details. you could put a down payment on it, and give a time frame as to when you could be back there with the rest of the money. written contracts, when money is involved, do hold up in court.

[spencra]

Thanks nightmare, that was one of the scenarios that I was considering. Either that or if the owner isn't asking much for it I could possibly borrow a little from my father-in-law. Hell, he's the one that is pushing me to ask about it. Maybe he could front the money for me till I can pay him back.

[biglou55]

Hey spencra if you want to wait until spring I am coming to berlin to put a new roof on my sister-brother inlaws house. I will have five crazy roofers with me . we all show up they will give you the truck and the house. ( HA_HA) seriously though go ask it couldn,t hurt.

[Blue Beard]

If you don't go, someone else will and you'll kick yourself for missing the chance....

If you decide to go, let us know the outcome......