Thread: Trying to value this '31 pick up

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The ad says chopped 3.5", Speedway axle, chevy spindles, chevy rear end (not mounted). Not too informative. Before I even contact this guy what would you guys roughly value this at? I am mostly interested in the cab, but as a whole what would it be worth from what you can tell. Also what would your main questions be to the seller?

As with any car the first 3 things to consider are condition, condition, and condition.

In this case, how much rust in the cab (if none visible, how was it repaired) and is the chop well done, or crappy, and hidden by gallons of filler? Is the bed savable? Again, rust repair done or needed? And with p/u beds, how many dingleberries are there? Usually those are small stretch points, the more there are, the longer and harder it is to repair if you want straight panels. Repops are available, but if you have to replace most of it, then it's worth close to nothing.

To my viewpoint this is basically a pile of parts and should be valued accordingly. If that low end tube axle isn't what you're going to use, then it's only worth what you can resell it for, typically half or less of new price, depending on demand (and geographical markets, some parts of the country some stuff will be worth more, or less). So, here are some high points. If the cab is decent it might be worth somewhere $15-2000. Bed, if nice say $500. Frame, ballpark $200. Rear axle, maybe $75-100. The grille shell $100-150 if not too many cracks/dents. Radiator, not much unless it's something like an unused Walker, otherwise scrap metal value. The ralley wheels might be of value to the muscle car crowd if they are originals with the proper factory markings, but you'd have to research that or get feedback from someone knowledgable about those...........I haven't paid attention to that stuff for over 10 years. Does it have a matching title? Depending on how much trouble it is to acquire a title in Va. a title by itself costs $250-350, or whatever the state titling hoops cost to do without a title. Add up all the probable used value, then discount 25-50 percent for taking it off his hands as a package deal. That would get you to just about what the cab alone, or plus the title value, is worth coincidentally, the rest being value to reimburse you for your trouble.

Very good points Bob. I'm a little worried about the pictures since it has primer so who knows what that is hiding. I would take a magnet. I wouldn't use fenders, but that's one big thing I can't sell and get my money back. I would like to maybe use the front end from the '35. The title was a concern of mine. We went through some of that when we thought the title to the '35 was lost. Then we found it after all. It is an hour away so it's not too far, but far enough to where I don't want to waste time dragging a trailer out there. He is asking $2500 (I was going to wait for some more responses first but what the heck). I was thinking if the metal is decent and i could get it for under $2000 I might take if off his hands. I am not dying for a project right now so I am in no rush, but if I get a deal I can disassemble it (not much there anyway ) and store it.

I'd guess there aren't any interior panels on it, so you can also inspect the backside of the body panels for signs of repairs. Typical rust areas are bottoms of cowl, doors, cab corners, bottom of back panel. Also, how much hacking done on subrails (if they're still there). Likewise for the chop. If it's a hatchetly looking on the inside, expect lots of filler on the outside surface. One problem with the stock '35 front end is that it's a spring ahead of the axle configuration as opposed to the stock Model A being a spring over axle, and if it's got a suicide perch (or if you're switching to that style frame) that would be a spring behind axle.

Thanks again Bob. I guess I have a rough price in my head now so it's all up to seeing it it person I guess if I am interested. I will look at all those spots for rust. As for the subrails I was figuring on chanelling it a bit if I think I'll fit so that may not matter too much (although it would drop the price I suppose). I would guess the axle center line would be further back with the spring ahead of axle, but what exactly are the disadvantages there? It looks like this frame has a stock style crossmember, right? I don't have a strong desire to go with a suicide perch. It would just complicate things more than I need.

Originally Posted by 35fordcoupe

...... I would guess the axle center line would be further back with the spring ahead of axle, but what exactly are the disadvantages there? ....

That's it. If you went with a stock style A frame you'd be shortening the wheelbase 3 or so inches, and the radiator to wheel center visual would be off. Similar to the odd look it currently has with the rad/grille mounted too far forward for whatever reason.

Take the pics and zoom in on them......the p/u bed looks lumpier than a diaper at bedtime. The cab looks kinda funny at the bottom edges. Firewall is funky.

If you assess what you would be buying, it appears that maybe a title....and some parts to sink money into.....A brookville roadster pickup body new for $4500 is a better and cheaper deal......unless you are an acomplished body man with LOTS of free time and a penchant for punishment.

Like Bob said.....condition, condition, condition

mike in tucson

Hmm the pictures are not very clear on this computer without zooming in so I'm not sure if I'll be able to see. I am no body man. I suppose if it is that bad you are right, but I'll just have to decide if I want to go take a look and see what it looks like in person. What do you see funky about the firewall?

Yea the radiator is mounted in an odd place and I'll keep that in mind with the '35 front end. I was just hoping to use what I have.

Then I think about everything not included here and of the three options - this for cheap, new body for more money or a more complete truck for more money and this looks more like a black hole. Things like window mechanisms, dash, door handles. This truck appears to have none of that. I have to think some more, but I'll probably email him to night and feel it out.

Thanks for the input guys!

Yeah, I'm not sure what Mike is seeing. Based on his post I blew up the screen to 400% which pixelates it a bit, but it actually looks pretty clean to me. It's the late '31 firewall with the teardrop indentation where the fuel outlet/filter hangs, but other than that it looks pretty normal, but I could be missing something I suppose.

As for your other thoughts, they're reasonable. The trade off in my eyes would be the quality of the chop if it's the amount you're comfortable with. If it's well done then it saves you a bunch of your own labor or cost if you hire it out. The flip side is buying a more complete car that you can sell off a bunch of parts to recoup your money. Depending on what you start with, the quality of the disposable parts, and your marketing skill/patience, you could end up with a body for close to no cost..............but that's the ideal, not necessarily reality. That's where I am with the '30 coupe in my shop. It was a fairly complete car, the parts were just okay, not nice or real nice, and I should end up with a complete coupe body for roughly $1500 once I'm done. But, sales of parts will probably end up taking up to a year by the time the last stuff leaves, unless I get "lucky" and some guy does a lot buyout............a somewhat rare occurance. However, Model A coupe bodies have been hot the past couple years and I've seen a few sell for upwards of $3500 (just the main body, none of the rest of the car). So in that context it's worth the effort to me to jump through the hoops to sell off the un-needed parts. To each his own.

Well I didn't get a chance to email him last night and today the posting says the truck is sold, but he has listed a couple engines, etc. I'm a little disappointed, but I don't need it right now and I'm sure something will turn up when I'm ready. I do wonder what he got for it though..

how well if at all does a '30 chevy cowl fit on a model a frame? I found a listing for a 30 chevy grill shell, hood, cowl and bed and also a model a frame and front suspension. Even if I don't use it all together or at all he's asking $250 for it all so I thought I might stash it away..

If the frame is good (intact, no excessive rust, square, not cracked) it's worth around $200 by itself. After that it's tape measure time. Offer less, then sell off individually and build your car fund.

I'm sure starting with just a cowl is too ambitious for me in the near future, but I could always hang on to it. This stuff won't be getting any cheaper. The model A stuff is more what I was looking for. What in the front end worth assuming all original with 80 year old dirt and rust? He was asking $300 at first so I think I could get it all for $200 pretty easy. Then I would just need a body

The front end stuff is a little harder to pin down. Smaller group of potential demand. The perch pins, spring, wishbone and axle might go to someone building an ultra traditional car, or a rat. Restoration guys only need that stuff if their breaks or they bought a really trashed car to restore. The brakes might bring some money depending on component condition, the drums being the most valuable part if they're still within spec. Sold off, the front stuff could bring anywhere from around $50 to $200 depending on what's good, and if buyers are available.