47-59 Possible Project Candidate

[damnyankee36]

You guys probably saw my previous post with questions about my unfamiliarity with this style. I am starting to branch out a little so I am also looking at the earlier years.

Can anyone look at this truck and tell me their opinion? He's asking $5800. I really like how the grille looks to be in perfect condition.

Has cracked head. No biggie as I will be installing a SBC. If it is the original engine I would hate modifying an original truck but if it's is trashed I won't feel too bad... It comes with an S10 chassis. Never done a frame swap but that seems to be a popular mod.

Questions:
Is the grille a heavy gauge metal?
Is that the original radiator? Looks like it would fit within the side brackets.
Would a SBC really fit? Sure looks narrow, especially with the steering column shaft.
Is the chrome center dash piece available?
The bed and frame looks like they might be tweaked based on the rear view photo.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...2111112l%22%7D

https://www.facebook.com/messenger_m...05956229500554

[damnyankee36]

...

[damnyankee36]

...

[damnyankee36]

....

[gsinon]

Pretty solid looking truck! While I'm no expert I would say that looks like an original radiator. Yes a sbc fits with ease in that engine compartment. The grill does look good, and yes it is a heavier gauge metal then the rest of the truck. Not sure what gauge though. As for price, that's not terrible but I would try and get to for less if possible. Depending on where in the country you are the prices on these vary considerably.

The dash center piece is a speaker cover and it along with the glove box door are readily available and not expensive.

[damnyankee36]

Thanks Glenn, I'm waiting on a response from the seller on the condition of the S10 Chassis. If it's complete roller, I think I could go with his price if he won't budge.

Hmmm, what's an 91 S10 chassis worth these days?

I still have to see what's involved with a chassis swap on and AD as I wasn't planning on doing that if bought a Task Force, just an F-Body subframe mod.

[vintovka]

If you haven't already i would take a hard look at what parts cost (plus shipping) and budget accordingly. Even if the S10 is in great shape asking seems high.

[e015475]

The link to the seller's ad says he's had it for sale for 32 weeks, which tells me it is overpriced.

If it was for sale in a major metropolitan area, he might stand a chance of getting that price, but it is still high.

There's a few junk S-10s around and most are worth scrap value, and I think with a little diligence you could find a scrap truck with a suitable frame for a few hundred bucks.

If I was looking, I'd be a buyer for $2500 - 3500

The plates say its been in Kansas, so I'd be concerned about rust, at least in the cab corners and the floorboard. The tight gap in the passenger door plus the big gap in the hood make me wonder if the body's been tweaked. The bed is supported on wooden blocks that rot out, so I'm not as concerned about the tilt of the bed.

My opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it.

[leegreen]

It might sell for that much ($8k Canadian) around here, but not overnight.

Looks like a nice intact truck with everything there and mostly usable sheet metal. I'd do some serious rooting around the cab for rust. Driver's cowl has been hit and fixed, is it rusted under there? it looks like a series of square holes hidden by Driver's door near hinges, not sure what that is about. Crack in filler above Pass side cowl vent? Looks like filler at floor, pass side kick panel? how is cab around windshield, above doors and the beltline seam at back? The floor must be gone with all that wet looking junk on it. Rear cab corners look to have been patched up once already
A cab like this can end up needing just as much new metal as one that looks rusted out and sells for less.

The grill bars are thin stampings, it is not thick metal at all.
the bed will straighten out without too much effort

[damnyankee36]

Thanks guys. After looking looking at the work to do a frame swap I think I'm gonna pass on the AD series. While this kind of work, (frame swap and rust repair), doesn't scare me, I want this project to be an easy one. I've built a couple vehicles that were over-the-top with lots of bells and whistles.

I hope that a Task Force truck would do the trick if I can find one relatively complete.

You guys agree?

[NWA58]

AD vs Task Force either one can be equal work. The better the truck when you start, the easier it will go. I’ve seen polished turds bring big money and solid trucks going for cheap. Unless you really want to do a lot of paint and body, find a good complete driver that just needs updating. The sale listings and auctions are full of older builds that could be transformed easily with updated wheels, interior and stance. Maybe doing an LS swap also if you really want to go crazy without doing a full redo.

[vintovka]

Either way finishing costs (Parts and labor) will decide the outcome. This has always been true BUT the reality of todays runaway inflation it is already affecting decisions and must be taken into consideration to avoid disaster.

[joedoh]

put a battery in it, tap on the carb with a hammer to get the float unstuck, coax it to life and enjoy it. worrying about rust repair and swapping this or that when you dont even own it yet is what I like to call bench racing, where you think about all the costs and quit before you even start. it happens with all projects not just racing but racing is a fast way to turn 20k into 1k so it really does apply to these projects.

if you want something fast and fun lots of done trucks for sale. i know i know, why should you pay if maybe you apply yourself you can get it for "free"? because the time spent on the project would be super interesting to us, really, but wouldnt save any cash.

Originally Posted by damnyankee36

Hmmm, what's an 91 S10 chassis worth these days?

depends on the chassis, i see longbeds regularly for 800-1200 bare frame

[mr48chev]

I'd say that by the time you get done sanding and grinding you are going to have about 50 lbs of bondo dust on the floor and a lot of dents to fix.

Very honestly for 5800 I expect to get in an AD truck and drive it home without any real issues. That is maybe a 2500 truck. Don't go into this stary eyed, figure what you have to do and what it needs to make it the truck you want.

The left front fender has to be replaced simply because it is beyond most guys abilities and probably around a thousand in shop charges to fix. That kinked cowl that was filled with bondo that is a half inch in spots and then kinked again is an issue. If they cut corners and didn't fix that right what else did they do scab work on?

[dsraven]

I have to agree, the truck looks good from a distance but could easily be hiding some expensive repairs. maybe look into something driveable for that kinda money. like mr48 says, I would kinda expect to drive it home. otherwise, if you're gonna do a frame swap, pm joedoh, he builds the frame swap kits for the s10 AD trucks and could probably do an overnight swap by himself, at night, in a snow storm, with no power tools. lol.
if serious about this one, and ready to shell out the cash, I would ask that tha owner be kind enough to drag it to a spot where you can take a good look in it, under it and around it. he could also spend some time with a vacuum cleaner so you can see what you have to work with. maybe then a reasonable offer would be entertained. right now it is more like one of those storage locker auctions, maybe you pay and get a good one, maybe you pay and its nothing useable. its a gamble. better to be informed.
if you check a few AD builds on here you will quickly see the common rust issues. check online for the available replacement panels as well because they don;t make panels unless there is a call for them, that points out the common problem areas.

[mr48chev]

I could see paying more for a truck that had it's very tired but original paint that wasn't telling any fibs or hiding any suspect body work. That thick bondo in that spot tells me that theree is probably a lot of bondo in other spots on the truck where they spread filler rather than fix damage.

It's not a "patina" truck by any stretch of the imigination with that bondo in it. If you are bent on buying it, put your cash together so you have bargaining power and wait him out for a few weeks. That truck isn't going too sell any time soon and cash greenies under the nose will talk a lot louder a couple of months from now.