Projects What’s the market like for AD trucks?

My buddy has one. Granted is has a blown 468 in it, but he should be able to help some, I hope.

 

Owned now for 30yrs. Bought sight unseen from a farmer in Wyoming for $3600. Drove it
back to Denver in the snow on bias ply tires. Everything worked. 235", granny low. Have
had it repainted 3 times now. Never wax it, and keep it outside. My daily driver for 10yrs.
Would ask $23k today in this area.

 

I watch that all of the time. The 1/2 ton's in my part of the world are picked over. There's some left but usually not buy-able. I see 5 to 10 grand for untouched somewhat complete trucks real common. You can buy big trucks for a reasonable price but few seem willing to do that. If you go to auctions or watch ebay or BAT, you will see very good demand for projects or stock trucks. The modified units with ls's will normally bring at least 40 and sometimes 80. I think the AD's are one of the more active categories now. Early broncos are crazy and mustang fastbacks from 65-70. It's real entertaining to watch but painful if you're a buyer.

 

I bought mine in 2014 for $5,700, and could have driven it home from Austin to Houston if I'd been brave enough to try. It needs a floor and the front panel of the bed, otherwise the rust is minimal. Every one I see posted up in similar condition, or with a similar price, I am further convinced that I got a good deal on mine. They seem to have gone up a bit in the last couple of years.

2014


2022

 

My brother just bought back his first AD truck that he built in the late 80's and early 90's. It had been gone about 24 years. It is a time capsule as it is nearly the same as when he sold it. It has different wheels, different steering wheel, and a different set of valve covers but that is about it. It still had his notes in the glove box for the wiring. He won a Boyd Coddingtion trophy with it at the second Rod and Custom Magazine Americruise and it was featured in a magazine. It dates back to the time before EZ Up tents and bag chairs. The times when you made stuff or adapted junkyard parts. We had a lot of fun in that truck and I am tickled he has it back. I do not know what he gave for it but at this stage in life, whatever amount he paid, it was a bargain. He had kept track of it through different owners. We have owned many of these trucks over the years but now we are back to both of us owning our first ones.

 

You two always have cool pickups.

 

It’s hard to go wrong with almost any American made pickup truck from around 1948 to 58.

 

Unless it is a Dodge!

 

To answer your original question. I traded a Vixen body file, for working sheetmetal, and a very used Sioux electric grinder, for the WZ JUNK truck in 1988. It was a cab and chassis without drivetrain and bed. The bedsides on it now were the original bedsides from my brothers blue truck in the picture from the previous post. He made new bedsides from scratch for the "Blue Heaven" truck.

 

Was discussing this with a friend of mine. He’s in the market for an old truck. 1 ton flat bed.
Told him to look at current prices. Then have cash and a trailer ready when a deal pops up.
That’s how ya get the deals. Don’t kick tires, don’t haggle. When the good deal you’re comfortable with comes up. Grab it.
They don’t last long.
Last month an nice clean AD came up. Listed at 10k. Sold in a week.
But these 2 beaters were $600 and $700 No takers when I left the show.

 

Depends when you bought that $300 project. That is exactly what I paid for my sons 51 1/2 ton short bed with pretty much no rust although blown apart.

 

Root have you bought it yet?

 

Well, I just got off the phone with the old guy. Apparently, the truck was wrapped up in a trust and one of the sons has laid claim to it. It’s a self solving problem, but I’m glad one of his sons is getting it.

 

Lol, I was young and skinny looking in the seventies too! Same hair style too, wish I had some of that back. I had a 49 in 71 bought for 50 sold for 175, if only knew then what I know now. lol Larry

 

Hey! I remember that kid.

 

Prices paid for trucks 20 years ago don't have much relevance today....

 

I started looking for one of these about 5 years ago ( very scarce here, so was looking in the U.S.). It seemed like every time I found one, the prices went up another $1000, so in about 5 years they doubled. I found one finally ('53), it gets to me next week, but after paying for it and shipping down here, my ass still hurts.

 

I think it reflects on the changes in the hobby. It went from a hobby where the common interest was in the building and enjoying a vehicle. Now days it has changed into a speculating market, much like buying and selling precious jewels.

Years ago, when swap meets first organized, it was a good way to get rid of stuff you did not need. Someone who had a common interest could buy something they could afford at a fair price. Today it seems people are trying to figure out how high to price something, so that they can make the most money, off of someone else who has a common interest. Buy low, sell high, screw your buddy. A hobby, and something that was fun, became a business.

I do not like the way things have gone, but there is no changing how things are. I do think the market will eventually change. When the group, that finds these things worthwhile, dies off, or moves on to other interest, investors will enjoy negative profits. There are some indications that this is already happening.

 

Pickups are the coupes of today. Most of the 28-36 coupes have been pulled out of the barns and weeds now, trucks were everywhere because most of them lived a rough life, and who wanted a used up truck? Now just about any pickup from 1946 to 1966 is pure gold, no matter how rough. Hell, even ugly trucks like Internationals and some of the Dodges are getting turned into nice rides. Lots of aftermarket support helps, too. You can buy a brand new AD cab now, maybe others too, so that rusted out old hulk just became easier to put together.

I tried trading for a 53 Chevy a few years back, didn't work out. Still like them, but think I like a 53-56 Ford better. Doubt I'll ever get one of those, either, they have pretty much gotten out of reach for a decent example.

 

You still got that haircut and jacket?

 

They do if you take the 20 year old price and see what the dollar value is today.

 

Just sold a '46 GMC 1 ton with pickup body. Rear wheels didn't turn and engine didn't run.

 

AD pickups are good for first timers as everything is available to build one from stock to autocross to 1/4 mile
terror. They are as basic a vehicle as any, and were designed so a farmer could fix it. They were the best seller
when they came out so fairly common, and sized so most of us can fit in them. They were not factory great fit and
finish and the interiors were very basic, though the stock seat can be quite comfortable. I paid 700 for a 3/4 ton
parts truck, repaired all the rust (floors, cowl, lower firewall, and fenders. Patch panels easy to get.) Swapped in
a 350, muncie 4 speed, explorer rear, vintage air/heat, wheels/tires etc. Expect to have about 7500 in it when done,
but I admit it is a budget driven build.

 

Well, seems @Roothawg wont be getting the truck.
Seemed like it was going to be a good deal for a hands on guy.

 

It's probably for the best. I have enough irons in the fire....

 

Yep, saved me money too in case you didn’t buy it.

 

I'm late to the party but there seem to be a lot of guys in the Kansas/Oklahoma area that are into flipping AD trucks or parts. I've alread seen one of those trucks that was in that big auction in Nebraska show up for sale at about twice what it went for at auction in that area.

Still the value in any project car or truck or bike is in the condition of the parts that you intend to use, the parts that you need that are included and if it has or doesn't have a clear title. Plus you don't want to pay extra for things you don't intend to use unless there is a ready market for said item.

Now I wish I had kept all of those AD trucks that I bought for between 25 and 100 bucks in the 70's and 80. and lined them up out back rather than parting them out or selling what was left after I pulled the parts I bought them for for little more than I paid for them in the first place. That includes the hood and bed on my 48. I bought one truck just to get the hood and another to get the bed, swapped parts and resold them.