Looking to buy a truck, but really need help/advice

Hey y'all.
So if you haven't read my introduction, I'm entirely new to this. I've loved classics all my life, but haven't really been around them much. I just recently got a job (haven't started quite yet) so I am looking to get a truck. Something in the like 47-55 year range, GMC, Chevy, pretty much whatever, and I can drive a stick so manual or automatic doesn't matter. I live in Colorado now, but will be moving to Georgia in October, and won't really have much time to work on a project, which is why I wanna get one now.
There are a lot of great looking trucks on CL such as:
http://cosprings.craigslist.org/cto/1733542902.html
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1721369139.html --
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1706891608.html
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1720181786.html --
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1723208862.html
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1730917415.html
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1730876140.html -
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1719136017.html
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1703590585.html

I’m not worried about how much whatever I wind up getting is gonna be worth whenever I get finished with it- its just gonna be for me, ya know? I guess what I am wanting to do is customize? Like, I love the way they look restored/original, but I don’t think I’m gonna have that kind of money to be able to put into it (at least not all at once)

I’m looking for something that runs, or only needs a lil mechanical work to get it running. My husband’s a mechanic so that won’t be much of a problem.
I could care less what the body looked like- I’m willing and ready and -eager- to work on that, as long as I don’t really have to replace panels due to rot (I have no welding skills, though I could learn if someone were willing to teach, and I don’t know how much it would cost to get them replaced at a shop).
I’m looking to sell/trade my car which is valued at 1800, and I’d love to find someone who would be willing to take 1200 cash (so I’d have a lil money to work with) and take payments. I’d do a contract or whatnot, but I could probably get a personal loan if needed. If its possible, I'd like to not go over $5,000 (is this realistic??) in the purchase- obviously I'll be spending more to restore/fix it up.
Our military base here has an auto shop, where you can take your vehicle in and work on it yourself, and get help from the guys that work there, along with tools, for a nominal charge, so I have someplace to work on it.

I've already gotten great advice and help from a couple of guys on here (who were all just wonderful), but I could really use any and ALL help I can get.

I need advice on:
Body work- like removing rust, or replacing panels if they are rusted through- maybe an idea how much it would cost to get it done by somebody.
Paint jobs- I have a couple of ideas- I'd love to get a color shifting paint job, or do a black, or a cherry red color.
Typical (though I realize no two vehicles are exactly alike) problems to look for
Work on the inside of the cab- reupholstering the seat (if needed), carpet/no carpet on the floorboard? etc
And any other tips/advice would be soooo greatly appreciated.

If this is in the wrong spot, I'm sorry! Please let me know where it should be posted, and I will put it there, this just seemed like where it should go?

Thanks!!
DA

 

Why not wait until you make your move to Georgia?,,you will have more time to decide what you really want and the are always trucks for sale in Georgia and near by states. HRP

 

I would, but I actually won't have time to work on one. I'll be working for my father full-time in his bar, and plan on going back to school- which will leave very little leisure time.

 

In that case why not post an ad in the classifieds,,wanted section?

Most Hambers are honest and if it's out of state you could get another Hamber to check it out or somebody here might have just what you want. HRP

 

If you can get a true farm truck from CO, it will have less rust - look past the Denver CL to Pueblo, etc. After that it's a matter of the luck of the draw. And careful inspection too of course.

Also, get a mainstream truck - the Studebaker, Plymouth, etc look great but parts availability is slim; stick with Chevy/GMC and Ford. (Dodge = maybe, others can chime in there.)

 

I hadn't really thought of that.
And I'd like to buy something close to me- I'd prefer to not have to pay to get it shipped, plus I'm gonna have to sell my car so I won't have anything while its in transit. But I'll see if somebody has something here in Co.

Thanks

 

I'd been lookin in the Co Springs one too, but I'll expand to Pueblo and beyond too =)

I will most definitely stick with a Chevy, GMC or Ford, and -maybe- a Plymouth then.

Thanks,
DA

 

The last truck looked to be the best one out of all of them.

 

It sounds like you are looking for a running truck, something that you can drive as you work on it? There are lots of things that make these older trucks very unreliable as a daily driver (in the range of price you posted)....just something to think about, not saying i wouldnt go for it.

 

why is that?

DA

 

pretty much. a lil mechanical work is fine, as my husband is a mechanic.

like what kind of things can make it unreliable? anything super serious that wouldn't be a fairly easy fix?

Thanks,
DA

 

Well, just by looking at the pictures it looks to be the cleanest truck of them all. Cleanest, being that there hasn't been a whole lot done to it so you wont be buyng some one elses project that you have to go back and repair. It looks fairly solid but they are just pics I am looking at. It's a 50 Chevy so that means you can find parts for it pretty easy. The add says it has a 235 in it, so hopefully it is the full pressure 235. And ultimately I love the look of an old farm truck and this one screams old farm truck.

That's just my opinion take it for what its worth.

 

Thanks

 

Here are 98% rust free trucks on Colorado's high plains waiting to be saved!!

 

I can't tell if they're all flatbeds or not.. How much do they need to be able to run?

DA

 

OK, so I will play devils advocate...
Why do you want an old truck, that will require some hands-on, when you admit that you will have little or no time to allocate ? If you perceive the need for a truck, to haul stuff or whatever, then with your budget you could move into a much newer rig.

.

 

I have plenty of time now to work on it, its just when I move I won't have that much time.
And I don't want anything newer. I love the look of the years I've stated, plus they have so much class and personality- you don't really get that with newer vehicles. No, I don't need a truck, persay, but I haven't found anything else that I've fallen quite so in love with- other than 65-69 mustangs, but those are far out of my reach, and I actually like the trucks better.

 

I agree. Buying an old truck without any mechanical skills can be very frustrating and if time is a concern, it's even worse. Owning an old car has to be a love affair, sometimes they won't start when you need them the most, things can go wrong at the most inopportune times and you may not have a clue what's wrong. Of the ones you found on CL i think this one http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1730917415.html has the most potential, IF it's done right. Take somebody along that knows old cars to check it out. Good Luck.

 

I understand your concern. I have the time right now, along with someone who has mechanical skills, in October I won't have the time to work on it as much.

Thanks for the advice

 

One thing about these trucks is that they can be rather difficult to drive in stock form.

Not making light of you being female...for all I know, you can bench-press more than me......but you are not going to have power steering or power brakes, at least to begin with. The steering is probably livable...you can just find parking spaces with easy access & get used to the additional walk...but the lack of power brakes can be a real problem, especially in modern traffic, where people routinely tailgate, cut others off, and brake at the last second. You may find yourself standing on the pedal with both feet in order to stop. Given all that, you can probably figure on around $700-$1000 in parts to install a good front disc kit and a power booster with double master cylinder (that's with you and your other half doing the work, not a shop). It can be done for somewhat less, but be very careful as to what you buy...i.e., research.

Another thing to consider is that, typically, truck transmissions are difficult to shift. I don't know much about the Chevrolet trucks in question, but the Fords of that time frame use several different transmissions...some car-based which are fairly easy to shift, and some from medium trucks, which are a PITA. Maybe not an issue for you but something to think about.

I bought the '55 F-100 I currently own from a woman in Oklahoma City. She bought it as a "barn find", more or less, and wanted to use it as a daily driver. After about two months she couldn't bear it anymore, and didn't want to spend the money to make it bearable. It must be kept in mind that neither she nor her boyfriend were really mechanically capable, and would have had to pay for the work.

I don't want to discourage you- all of us in the hobby were beginners once- but I do want you to understand, as best you can, what exactly you are stepping into. It is almost always better to spend a little more money to get a better vehicle, rather than buy a low-$$ project and hope to fix it up. Figure on 2x the money and 3x the time you think it will take. The first car is always the hardest, because of too-high expectations and too-low assessment of the true work necessary.

 

Homespun-
That's great to know about the brakes- I have knee problems and it might be a lil hard on them.
I know I'm gonna spend probably more money than I want to lol, but that's ok. Whatever I wind up gettin is gonna be my baby. I don't mind spending a bit more to get a better running truck, or to make it a 'bearable.'

Thanks for the advice,
DA

 

My little lady loves driving my manual steering, 30"x10"x15" tires, manual brakes, and manual tranny equipped 1957 Chevy truck. I think she'd like power steering on it, but the big 'ol stock steering wheel helps.

My advice? Find a 1949-1959 Chevy truck that you can take for a test drive and drive home. Try to avoid cobbled together piles of crap, but if it needs parts that bolt on, that's okay, these things are LIKE Mustangs. Nearly everything is a available new.

 

It sounds like you need a real, running, driving truck. Even if your husband has the mechanical skills you may not have all the time needed to work on an ongoing project. Old vehicles always end up requiring a lot more money invested than you first thought. I suggest you either start with a much newer model, like at least a 60's model or get one that has had a mechanical updating already. Trying to use a total project vehicle as a daily will be maddening. But good luck.

 

Dragonashes, they are out there, I picked up my 52 Chevy AD for $5500, its sitting on a 70s Malibu chasis with power steering and power brakes with a 350/350 combo and is a pretty reliable truck that I havent really touched since I picked it up. Keep looking and you will find what you want.

 

a good friend of mine just restored a 37 ? plymouth truck for a customer. a very beautiful truck, but he was pulling his hair out trying to find parts. really nice when he was done but he said never again and he was getting paid to do it.

 

Aside from your budget expectations, I don't see any reason you can't treat one of these trucks as a daily driver. 50 years ago men and women drove them everyday. Is your mechanic husband happy with this idea? He is the one who will get the short end of the stick if it doesn't work out well....

I have a '55 1st GMC Suburban, which is very close to what you're looking for. I paid more for it than your budget and have spent lots more to update the wiring and brakes, wheels, tires and rear axle and seats.

I'd guess without any body work (which it needs) I'm about $7000 into it over the last eight years.

I still have the stock steering and manual brakes and believe someday I'll have to convert because I'm turning into an old man, but as long as I think ahead about where I'm going to park, and maintain reasonable following distances, I feel its manageable on the road.

I've not driven it as far as Colorado to Georgia, but there is no reason to think it would not make the trip. As long as your expectations are in line with what an old truck is, you should be fine. If you are driving a sub-$2000 car already I can't imagine you are used to a new car ride or reliability.

Go for it!

If you were my wife, sister or daughter my advice might be completely different!

 

Theres definitely deals to be made here in the Springs. Drive the back allys of Old Colorado City, run down older neighborhoods and industrial areas. Theres a ton of the 47- 54 chevy/GMC trucks (by far my favorite). Don't limit yourself to CL. Also, as recommended, I would get something thats already in driving condition that you can drive home. Then you have a "somewhat" reliable base to upgrade and make more reliable as you deem necessary. However, this will also cost you more. for a pretty good runnin and solid truck in these years you'll be foring over at least 3k and thats a good deal. Also remember, these are hard times be aggresivley negotiable if you find what you want, unless it truely is a great deal already. Look around and compare prices, see what a "reasonable" amount is. Pretty much , do your research. As someone suggested, it may not be such a bad idea to wait until you move to GA. Give yourself time to really become involved and find exactly what you like and want from motor and tranny combos, to minor customizing, to paint selection. Go to car gatherings (which will be picking up as summer hits) and look at trucks and talk to there owners. Knowledge is power.

 

Thanks y'all.
OldSub- I definitely don't intend on driving it from Colorado to Georgia lol. It will be pulled behind a moving truck or something.
So do you mean you've spent $7000 total on it, including what you paid for it, or is that in addition to?
And I am definitely not used to a new car lol. And mine has had some problems, true, but all in all its been a pretty good car.

Thanks so much,
DA

 

http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/1734475919.html

 

I've been tryin to find other sites other than CL.. but just wind up finding dealers, which I've been told to try and avoid.
I have been tryin to compare the ones I've found, and it seems like 4k would get me a decent running one, that only needs some minor work, and body work, which would be fine with me. I just don't want to go and look at it, and decide to but it, and wind up with something completely subpar. I'd like to be able to get someone who knows alot about them to go with me.
And I would go driving around in the areas you said, but I don't really know them that well, and would probably get lost lol.

Thanks,
DA