"Buying the Body"

[SOUTHSIDE]

I was listening to some old episodes of the C10 Podcast over the holiday( shout out to Ronnie Wetch) and one of the builders he was interviewing used the phrase "buying the body". I understand that to mean the bodywork/rust will eat up a budget fast. So wheres the sweet spot?

I live in southern Illinois and every winter they throw enough salt down to pickle the asphalt. Trying to find a body/frame in decent shape is pretty hard, unless I want to travel south or west and transport something back.

I can buy rusted and busted c-10's here off of CL for 1800 all day, which seems like a waste. I will occasionally come across a real nice truck with minimum rust or repairs for 6,000-8,000.

So my question for the pro's out there is, where is the happy medium of cost/quality when trying to find a new truck project?

[Grumpy old man]

Buy south of I-40 . The cost of shipping will always beat the cost of rust repair .You can still find V8 short beds for less than $3,000 but they sell super fast so be ready to buy online and ask for as many pictures you can get before sending that deposit .I bought 1 parts truck last year online and I was lucky I bought it as parts and it came with a ton of extras but when I broke it down hoping to use the frame it was bent in so many places I didn't even consider sending it to the frame shop . I still did great on the truck parts wise but as always BUYER BEWARE these are almost 50 years old. Also if your building it yourself and have the tools,space and equipment you can spend more for a starter truck .But if your paying anyone else to build it look for the truck you want that's already finished and you'll be way ahead in the end . I buy unfinished project trucks regularly and always "steal" them from someone who just ran out of cash to fund a dream truck and lost interest after finding out it takes a LONG time to do it right. it's easy to get a good price on a truck TODAY if your willing to send a decent deposit TODAY , I'm up early looking for the deals myself this morning ...Tomorrow the prices go back up !

[71sierragrande]

I'd say a solid body/frame to start with is worth 3+ grand more than a north midwest truck. I lived in the Michigan salt for 30 years and I wouldn't pay much for a truck that has spent its life there unless it had been garaged for the winters. There are guys in the midwest though, that transport trucks from Arizona and such places that have some decent steel left on them. If I were serious about a new project, I'd search the sun belt craigslists, and go get a survivor that's never seen snow. Two days on the road and a thousand bucks in gas, but think of all that work you won't have to do.

[special-K]

That "Buy the body" could apply to those who buy these trucks for their style, then go about changing everything else. But, that's no news there that on old vehicles the condition of the body is number one. That's why we've gone far and near and do whatever it takes to get our hands on the best sheet metal clad steed. I never learned to repair rust in all the years I've had these trucks because I only bought rust free. It wasn't till recent years I had to learn.
There is no line, there is a grey area that puts treatment of the truck as a major factor between rust, no rust, or low rust. The arid region is the obvious champ for rust free. Then, as rainfall amounts increase, trucks started rust in more recent years, but not so bad. The more rain, the sooner you saw rust, like the NW and SE. Obviously, at the other end, any place they spread salt is the least likely area. The harder the winter, the worse.
But I know of rust free trucks, in recent years, coming out of MN as well as other states you'd never think. I still know of rust free trucks in my area. They weren't winter driven and were mostly kept under cover.

[haysonj]

You have to be very careful buying online without looking in person. I was new to buying online and got taken for $3000. The truck on Ebay was shown with very nice pictures and advertised as a newly painted Arizona truck with rebuilt 350 engine. I put in my bid to a max of $3000 and ended up not getting the high bid. Next day the guy sends Email saying high bidder backed out. (this is part of the scam as he had friend bidding up price) I accepted the deal and made araingement to meet him to pick up truck. I drove 8 hours to Pheonix and started calling when I was 2 hours away, he never answered his phone until after I had been there for 6 hours. (said his cell phone wasn't working) Got the address and met up Its 105 degree heat so I just want to load the truck and get going. Never looked under or around the truck. Long story short the truck actually came from Colorado was totally rusted out under the bondo and the motor was a cheap rebuilt bored .060 over. The only part of the whole truck that I kept was the short fleet bed and the old school lift kit and frame that was on it. I have not bought anything from Ebay since, they told me because I paid the balance on the deal I could not recover my money so I would say never buy without looking in person.

[davepl]

Go as wide and as far as you need. My rust-free truck, with big block and buckets and air and nicely optioned (but a longhorn C2500) was $6K. You can spend that on rust EASY. Even if I was building it into a C10 shortbed with a donor frame I would be ahead.

I've bought two cars sight unseen (one inspected, one not) from eBay and got lucky both times. But rust is too expensive to buy.

[SOUTHSIDE]

Thanks everyone.I guess i better start looking for a used car trailer so I can do some hauling in the future. Jeff

[72 tigger]

Originally Posted by 71sierragrande

I'd say a solid body/frame to start with is worth 3+ grand more than a north midwest truck. I lived in the Michigan salt for 30 years and I wouldn't pay much for a truck that has spent its life there unless it had been garaged for the winters. There are guys in the midwest though, that transport trucks from Arizona and such places that have some decent steel left on them. If I were serious about a new project, I'd search the sun belt craigslists, and go get a survivor that's never seen snow. Two days on the road and a thousand bucks in gas, but think of all that work you won't have to do.

Great advise! I've made several trips to TX- much easier than rust repair

[In The Ten Ring]

I saw the title and thought someone was talking about dating!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

I saw the title and thought someone was talking about dating!

And not fake boobs??

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by special-K

And not fake boobs??

That's a good analogy!

Unlike bondo, fake boobs are actually quite nice, done correctly of course.

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by haysonj

You have to be very careful buying online without looking in person. I was new to buying online and got taken for $3000. The truck on Ebay was shown with very nice pictures and advertised as a newly painted Arizona truck with rebuilt 350 engine. I put in my bid to a max of $3000 and ended up not getting the high bid. Next day the guy sends Email saying high bidder backed out. (this is part of the scam as he had friend bidding up price) I accepted the deal and made araingement to meet him to pick up truck. I drove 8 hours to Pheonix and started calling when I was 2 hours away, he never answered his phone until after I had been there for 6 hours. (said his cell phone wasn't working) Got the address and met up Its 105 degree heat so I just want to load the truck and get going. Never looked under or around the truck. Long story short the truck actually came from Colorado was totally rusted out under the bondo and the motor was a cheap rebuilt bored .060 over. The only part of the whole truck that I kept was the short fleet bed and the old school lift kit and frame that was on it. I have not bought anything from Ebay since, they told me because I paid the balance on the deal I could not recover my money so I would say never buy without looking in person.

Sorry that happened to you! I am fearful of buying from ebay (concerning expensive things) for just the story you told.

[72kool]

Alot has to do with what your situation is also. I bought my truck with the standard rust issues for 1800. It has a great engine in it and not may issues. I thought I was screwed after learning how much rust repair would be but then I found alot of people I know to help me do it. So for me I can deal with more rust now if its a great deal because I can do alot more work to it myself. But it never beats finding a great rust free truck for the lack of headaches