This is a bit of a read, but I felt like writing about my thoughts and possibly receiving some input. THE FACTS: I own a 1964 Ford F100. It's an antique vehicle; ALL ORIGINAL in very decent condition. I've been working on and driving it for about a year now since my dad pulled it out of storage; it has been in the family for a couple decades. The truck is my first vehicle, and so far it has been loads of fun to work on and drive. THE ASPIRATION: Naturally, as with anything, I have big plans for the truck. I've seen some of the spectacular vehicles that people have built with the help of imagination, creativity, sense of design, and fabrication skills. From experiencing this I have developed a few of my own ideas of how I would like to build my truck. Some of these ideas include physically modifying different aspects of the frame, suspension, body, etc. etc. (You know what I'm talking about; lowering, frame notching, chopping, anything that has to do with cutting up and reengineering parts of the vehicle as to make it no longer STOCK or ORIGINAL.) THE HINDRANCE: If I were to follow through with my ideas and how I would truly like to build the truck, wouldn't the monetary value of it decrease substantially? I mean, aren't unmolested original vehicles much more desirable, and if the time came that I wished to sell the truck, I could get a much better deal for it? THE CONDITIONS: The truck is in very good condition, as it had been stored in a temp.-controlled warehouse for a couple decades. It was originally a Texas truck, and therefore has no rust, besides the general overall light layer of surface rust. The body is all straight except for the entire front end (including the grille, valence panel, hood, radiator support, and left front fender). Apparently someone had hit a pole pretty hard and banged it in pretty good. Luckily nothing was bent/broken past the radiator support, even the original radiator wasn't harmed. Also, the truck still carries its original coat of Academy Blue paint. Since I first began working on it, and bringing it back to its glory, I have occasionally on the way made some non-destructive upgrades and modifications. For example, I replaced the entire exhaust system from the heads back to rid the truck of the previous hideous manifold crossover design (which restricted the engine tremendously). Another example would be exchanging the oil bath air filter for a more modern paper element filter. Although these are but little things here and there simply for the sake of improving the truck for the modern road, I have made it a point to keep all the original parts that I removed stored away, so that if I ever desired to sell the truck, I could possibly also send all the original parts along with it. I would think that including any original parts with an antique vehicle would increase its value enormously. _____ However, if I were to notch the frame in order to lower the truck some, for example, this would be destructive to the original physical form of the vehicle, as well as its resale value. Maybe I am just too caught up in the notion that original antique vehicles can call for a much higher price come selling time than a vehicle which has been hacked up and altered in every which way. Here are a few pictures of the truck: (obviously the front bumper was replaced after the crash, and someone had attempted to pull the grille out some, but besides that, most of the front metal has been bent up pretty good) So, to sum it all up, this is my query: Should I keep my truck original or should I build what I desire? What sort of decrease in value can I expect if I destructively modify various aspects of the truck (by the word 'destructive' I mean for the most part physical one-way alteration)? It's obvious that the truck is no where near concours condition, or even pretty nice, straight condition, but it is all original. I'm just not sure which path I would like to take. If you have any input or advice, please share! Thanks for reading.
if you have to think this out, you're in the wrong game. (grin) trust me, original, unmolested cars that need a complete restoration are really not that big a deal. that right there is a work truck that needs alot of work that you could never get you're money back on if done RIGHT. you'd be in the same boat than if you spent a butt load of cash modifying it. do what you want. if this one has too much sentimental value, get another one that you wouldnt feel so buggered out about hacking up. enjoy your hobby. really.
It's your truck... are you planning on building it the way that you want to and then sell it? My 53 belair i am building it to suit me i don't care what it's really worth later on. To me it is my first hot rod and because of that i will hopefully hold onto it forever.
Good taste never goes out of style. Well thought out modifications can raise the value of a vehicle. Lots of chopped mercs sell for big cash and I wonder if their stock counterparts sell for the same. Maybe they do, I don't know. I like those trucks as 60's customs but it looks cool stock too.
"The body is all straight except the entire front end" I had to laugh a little when I read that. Seriously, do what you want to with it. Have as much fun with it as you can. I think pretty much everyone here is going to agree with that. You're on a hotrodding forum remember? Besides that truck isn't really going to depreciate if you modify it as long as you do a good job of it.
I don't think a '64 is really something considered "antique". There are thousands of them out there still, so you shouldn't feel too guilty doing what you want to it. It would be a shame if you butchered it up and wound up with an unfinished mess, but if you take your time and do it right and do it like you want it, you'll have something you can be proud of, and you shouldn't feel guilty about it at all. The frame looks a little bent. If you look down the side along the body lines, you can see the frame looks a little sagged down in the middle (the bed is tilted at a different angle than the cab. It also could just be shot rubber body mount bushings or bed mount bushings. A '64 isn't one of those "unibody" trucks I hope (that doesn't have an actual separate frame)?
Yeah That's the other thing I thought of when I typed this up here. "Wait a minute, I am typing up my concerns on one of the biggest custom hot rodding sites in the world; I think I already know the answers I'm going to receive!" I thought that any vehicle over 40 years old is technically considered "antique." Either way, I see your point. Its not like this truck is super rare or anything. About the frame; I've been under there a billion times, measuring this, checking that, learning about this, finding about that, I doubt it is bent, and more possibly that the bed mounts are messed up (evidence indicates in this favor). But this could just be wishful thinking... This cropped pic better displays how perfectly it all lines up :
I hate to see a rare, or nice car destroyed by some idiot trying to "improve" something over factory. Now with that said, to me trucks are in a diffrent catagory than cars ( this coming from a guy who cuts up late model trucks for a living ), mainly because there are so many of them, and you can pick up a old truck cheap everyday. Unless it has some sentimental value in stock form do what you want to it, and dont think twice. It seems like you are placing value of your truck into alot of the factor, and I'm not trying to be an ass or anything, just trying to be honest w/you. That truck just aint worth much like it is anyway.
well...either way your goin to sink money into it and not to insult or anything like that but those trucks dont go for thattt much...so id just do what you want to do with it...my opinion though...get it running and driving real well and everything mechanical in good shape and leave it the way it is, i like the look of the beat up work truck kinda thing uno...maybe get some wider tires though good luck jimmy
I'll tell you the same thing I would tell a customer who wants to add granite, a jacuzzi and an inground pool to their house - As long as it's for YOUR PERSONAL ENJOYMENT and you will get some use out of it then go ahead, if your only/main concern is resale value and you plan to sell it next year then don't do it. In the case of your truck, unless you really hack and bastardize it I don't see how it can hurt as you'll likely be improving it anyway so go ahead and enjoy yourself. Hope this helps. Al in CT
Thanks for being honest. It actually helps me see the light better. You guys are right, the truck isn't anything very special. It's just an older 60's truck. I shouldn't be so concerned about value over a basic truck like this. I think the primary reason why I think there might be some greater monetary value attached to it is because it is my first vehicle, and an older, less common vehicle at that. Plus this truck is really the vehicle which got me into the hot rodding/antique customs scene. I definitely have a vision which I would love to see this truck become the end result of. I guess building what one desires, and doing a thoughtful job of it, could not only increase personal enjoyment, but also the overall end value if done well.
Matt, In my opinion the truck is a perfect project for learning on. Its not too valuable to worry about. As long as you dont give up midway thru a chop or something, you'll be fine. Put as much work into it as you want, but dont throw too much money at it (you wont get it back). Most of all, use it as a learning experience. That's why I bought the '65 F-100 for my now 18 year old son to work on. He just finished putting a knob grille on it. Turned out pretty cool. Tom
>>>the truck isn't anything very special.>>> Not neccessarily true, the truck is special, it's YOUR truck. So make it in your vision and enjoy yourself Al in CT
I've always liked that body style. However, as far as resale value goes, they have never been high. A well customized one would probably be worth more at resale time than a restored one, dollar for dollar spent fixing it up. On the other hand, if you get in over your head and end up selling it in pieces, you'll take a real bath, so keep your skill level in mind before starting anything major.
Rather than hack it up, perhaps you should work on the basics for awhile. Fix the front end dents, and get the sway out of the middle. It looks as if it could be a nice truck, with some effort and a little money. Then use it as a parts chaser, to build something more radical. That way your first vehicle is going to stay the way you have it, and you won't loose sleep over how much money you might loose if you start hacking away at it. You can always pick up another cheap truck if you really want to go at it. But one thing sticks in my mind. If you have to worry about what it could be worth, then you are in the wrong game. Cars tend to be money pits, like it or not. So do what make you happy and try to enjoy the challenges.
A lot of builds get stranded because the builder bit off more than he could chew. Those unfinished projects are worth less than a unmodified running one ( unless they come with a lot of good parts, but you'd loose money on those as well) Same goes for one that wasn't built right. A well built vehicle is probably worth more than a stocker that needs some work. ( like yours does. ) But if you are already thinking about possibly selling it, this one is probably not the right one for you. Get rid of it before you spend a lot of Time and Money on it...
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