Projects OK, Realistically What is My Buddy's 34 Ford Truck Worth?

Here's the link to the Craiglist ad:

https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/6173752265.html

I listed it for him on CL. He doesn't do internet stuff, but he says he saw auctions results of one like it for over $23K. But he has gotten lowballers calling him saying its worth $5K.

Its been inside since he's had it, and probably was stored inside most of its life. Might have an old paint job on it, other than that its original. The truck ran when he parked it but since then he has never done anything with it. The stake sides are sitting next to the truck in the garage. There's a load of wood benches still in the boxes sitting on back of the truck - have no idea what he is doing with those.

PS - I have no financial interest in the truck, just helping him out. He needs to sell this by spring of 2018, moving to his retirement home.

 

$5k isn't that far off.

If you got it running and driving for him, and maybe gave it a bath, it would help the value quite a bit. It's still a big truck, not a pickup...

 

The lowballers are closer to reality...

 

$23k is for the guy who promised his wife he'd TRY and sell his truck.

$5k if he REALLY wants to sell it.

 

Just passed on a '35 Chevy truck this weekend. Same size truck. Not running recently. in a barn shed. Sold at auction on Saturday $1800. I know a Chevy is worth less than a Ford. Just an example.

 

So it would be worth the time to get the truck running?

 

Being a big truck does make it worth less than a normal pickup. These days, a lot of guys that buy these trucks end up using just the cab/doors and maybe hood/grille shell to build a hot rod.

 

Like Jim said it not a pickup,and the 5 grand is a reasonable offer considering it's a big truck.

The money it would take to bring it back to life wouldn't be worth the time it would take,it's not a desirable truck.

Most guys would buy it for the cab,hood,headlight bar & lights and grille shell,and possible the front axle,even running it's not worth much more.

The rest of it is useless for most people. HRP

 

OK, thanks guys. I'll tell him. He did not want to see it parted out or turned into some kind of rat rod.

 

I wasn't suggesting spending money to bring it back to life, just put some time into it, get it running and moving under it's own power, and make it look as good as it can.

Be careful with the tires.

 

This truck,a 1932 Ford, is advertised,get in and drive completely restored for 19,ooo but was told it could be bought for less.

This one would be worth considerably more than your friends barn find. HRP

 

I'm in 5k range also.

Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Around here I would say 5k to maybe 8k cleaned up and moving under its own power. 5k isn't a bad offer, maybe on the low end but fair.

 

Ive done this albeit with a 34 Grain Truck. Keeping it a restored original truck, maybe worth it if the cab is mint and the motor buildable. As a pickup conversion, NO. The kicker is the frame, bed, running boards and rear fenders. I paid $2500 for my bed, 1500 for rear fenders, and about 400 for new boards. If the cab is rusted you are looking at door skins, bottoms, and cowl patches plus the metal work to install. You will have to have a fabricated frame or if you want a real Henry title, a decent stock frame. A stock frame with pink slip is PRICEE here.
In my state you can't used the truck title to register the pickup builder, have to go bonded and have receipts for all you parts. If you are just going to build a fenderless hot rod with custom box, its a good deal at $5K, as it will part for that with the motor and selling the iron as scrap. If you want a full fendered stock pickup buy a pickup.

 

that would make a nice truck like this one

 

Check out the American Truck Historical Society. There you will find a more targeted market than Craigslist. They have classifieds there as well and you might be able to get a better feel for the value of the truck. Like others have mentioned, the big trucks don't seem to have the widespread appeal of a pickup. As it sits, that $5k mark is likely not too far off, sorry.

 

Well its not rusty in the cab or doors. Still has the original wood in the floors. This will run down the road with minimal work, albeit slowly because of the rear gears. He's thinking it over and will adjust the price tomorrow.

 

I have one in the shop rite now, same condition and usable parts, paid 5K for it and drove round trip to Wisconsin to get it. We saved the sheet metal and couldn't recoup anything from the rolling chassis. To make it into a pick up will cost you 3-4K for a bed and around $1200 for rear metal fenders, not to mention you will still need a stock frame IF doing it rite................................

 

What a load........twenty years ago, I bought a Bellingham Washington airport fire truck 36 ford. Body was mint, stored inside it's whole life, took it home, sold the front fenders and running boards to a restorer on the other side of Canada, set it on a 52 ford pickup frame, hunted down some wrecked pickup fenders, built the box myself for about $300, chev drivetrain, a ton of labour and about a total investment of ten grand. Still got her.

 

On top of everything else the market has been soft the last couple years.

 

Unfortunately, it is probably worth more parted out as it sits. Over the last 2 years I've bought several 32-34 trucks. Not saying I'm an expert, still learn something new everyday. I just sold a really nice solid 34 complete cab. If your cab is a 9 this would have been a 7.5/8.0. Got $1500. Best offer in over a month.
Get it running and try the ATHS (antique truck historical society). Post it there, but even running and cleaned up, it's not worth more then $8500 in my experience.
PS. Again in my opinion, lose the last photo of it covered with crap in the shed. It tells me it was stored by someone who did not really believe it was a "cool antique " truck worth $18000

 

Looking at the hood and grill, not seeing the back of the cab, I think it's a '33. No emblems on the hood sides like a '34 would have. Still not much difference in price. Looks real solid. Your friend needs to accept the fact that there's good chance it will be used for the cab, hood and grill to build something other than a "big" truck.

 

I agree that it looks like a '33 which makes me wonder if it has a title. Without a title, $5K would be a gift. It's definitely a neat old truck and what's there is in good shape but there's not much market for big trucks as has been said.

 

The hood side panels are 33 Ford and I can't see the rear of the cab but if there is a wide band above the the double ribs across the back the cab is a 34,if it's just a double rib it's a 33,same as a 32 Ford.

The 34 tags are cool but doesn't mean it's a 34, being a 33 is not going to affect the selling price. HRP

 

So many things could have been changed along the way, Its worth exactly what a willing buyer will give a agreeable seller.
Does the firewall bolt in ? it is vertical, does the frame angle upwards from the firewall forward? does the grille/radiator bolt on top of cross member, looks vertical to me,
'33-34 mount AHEAD of cross
member, lotta other differences i.e.> see the 1/2 body line above the visor, '32 the cabs can be used effectively for a pickup. but you need lighter duty frame..

 

I bought a driveable 32 very similar to this one for $2500 a couple years back, a banger model but still a more desirable year so reality 5k is more then I think it's worth. I love old big trucks but the real world they don't have much value, too small of a buyers pool. I assume the one he saw sell at auction was restored? Big difference there.
FWIW I ended up getting around $7500 for mine... by parting it out. Most of it came from selling the cab, being a rust free 32 with nice doors made it an easy sell. Got good money for the running banger as well, more then I ever got for a flat head V8.

 

Value may be a sum of it's parts.
Cab....$1500-$2000
Hood...$350
headlights and bar..$300
engine and trans..$350
grille..$600-$1000
fenders and running boards...$600
wheels, tires, axles and frame...$600-$1000

somewhere around $4000-$5500
Just my take.

 

I had a 33 about 5 years ago in very similar condition, I paid 2500 bucks for it. it had been for sale for a few months and everyone lowballed it since it was a big truck. If it was a pick up I would say 5K would be pretty accurate. But for most of us we would steal the cab hood and grille and sell off (if you can get any one to buy it) the rest. The best thing about that truck is the doors look real good. I say more like 2500 to 3000 would be accurate, at least around where I am.

 

this is why I cringe every time I hear someone is going to part out a car. I guess you will just throw the rest away?

 

You might also post your question on fordbarn. I expect the answer will be about the same but the base of people will be coming from a different perspective. This second source might help your friend accept the information. There might also be a truck forum you could try.

Charlie Stephens