Trade all my junk for a driver?

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AZRodDave

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2014
Messages
1,017
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Motivation, skills, tools and equipment lacking, I thought I would put up all my junk for trade (or sale?) for something I could be driving and enjoy. It seems my "talents" are for buying stuff and taking things apart, but when it comes to re-assembly, it just doesn't seem to happen.

Looking for a '40s, '50s or '60s cruiser - a car or truck, or '70s Chevy trucks. Chevy, GM or Dodge preferred, and might even consider a Ford, although that would be last choice. Doesn't have to be pretty, just drive-able, and not necessarily a rat rod. So, here's the list and some pics and "Build" links.

1) Hodge Podge tow rat pickup:

P7080193_zps528e49cd.jpg


http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32175&highlight=Hodge+Podge

This is a '56 Chevy pickup on a '94 fullsize truck frame with 4.3 V6 and auto trans. Haven't touched it in months ...

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2) 1959 Chevy 3/4 ton rolling chassis:

P6300176_zps9d516624.jpg


http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32277

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3) 1950s IH cab and doors and other stuff"

49IHcab_zps7ea1a06f.jpg


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4) 1954 Pontiac Chieftain:

P7170207_zpsa330ddf2.jpg


http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32531

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Also have a 235 stovebolt, 3 spd trans and other accumulated parts that could go with any of these if wanted. Will help with transport if needed.
 
Yep Dave, the stuff you have requires a lot of work. I am helping you look for something you can get going in this hobby with that will be cheap, easy and fun. My '37 Chevy truck was running when i bought it for $1500 and i put maybe $600 more into it. It is my daily right now and so fun to drive it makes going to work fun. :)
 
OH NO! this is why I have not allowed myself to buy any more projects since the first one isnt done..

too many going at once.. means nothing gets finished.. at least for me
 
No more scratch builds for me[cl
They cost too much and take way too long.
The next one will be a strong runner that is 100% legal or I won't buy it.
I figure I paid my dues already
 
Yeah, you guys are right. I've put it all up on craigslist for sale, so maybe some of it will go away. Should have done my due diligence in the first place, but got a little crazy. Actually a LOT crazy, not realizing what I was getting into, not realizing what is really involved. If I can get it down to one, maybe two, that would be good. We'll see ...

Got a guy coming to look at the '56 cab and the '90 Suburban. Fingers crossed ... :)
 
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Good luck ,,, when I'm looking for something like that theres none to be found and when Im not I trip over them .. I cant finish the ones I have for buying more to work on ,,, and I get them almost done then I quit on it till later ,, hmmmm later dont seem to ever get here ..
 
They say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem
Sorry AZ just teasing.....I admit I need to thin the herd also and try
to complete at least one.......good luck
 
Wish I could afford it, E-man!


A cool truck for sure, but one too many zeroes for my (lack of) budget. I see cool running stuff all the time, just don't have the money. And yes, I really DO want a pickup! That one would be perfect! :D

Seems like a lot of us have the same problem; buying stuff that never gets finished. I got the front end, hood and the door trim pieces off the Pontiac today, and showed the '56 cab to a guy, so that is something! Progress feels good, even if it is just something simple like that. Now I need to fix my sleep cycle so I see more of the daylight. Perfect weather for messin' with cars lately. :)
 
to many zeroes for me too ... I give $75 for a 49 chevy with the locked up engine and put a 327 in it with the original trans and rear end still in it ....it didnt go about 50 mph but you could start out in 2nd if you wanted ... I could have fixed it on up with another $1000 with paint or wheels but I drove it for a few months then traded for another project .. If you can get a $1500 runner and then fix her up as you drive it I believe you will be happy ,, keep looking dont jump on the first one you see ,, a good deal will show up some where ,, take your time .. I always get took when I jump in and get the first thing I see...just my smelly ol 2 cents :D ps ive had over 80 some odd cars and trucks in the past,, some nice some just fixer uppers,, but I got the best deals on the ones that I wasnt really looking for ,, and I have pictures of 99% of them .
 
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My problem is being impulsive and not thinking it through!

to many zeroes for me too ... I give $75 for a 49 chevy with the locked up engine and put a 327 in it with the original trans and rear end still in it ....it didnt go about 50 mph but you could start out in 2nd if you wanted ... I could have fixed it on up with another $1000 with paint or wheels but I drove it for a few months then traded for another project .. If you can get a $1500 runner and then fix her up as you drive it I believe you will be happy ,, keep looking dont jump on the first one you see ,, a good deal will show up some where ,, take your time .. I always get took when I jump in and get the first thing I see...just my smelly ol 2 cents :D ps ive had over 80 some odd cars and trucks in the past,, some nice some just fixer uppers,, but I got the best deals on the ones that I wasnt really looking for ,, and I have pictures of 99% of them .

Man, I'd KILL for $75 '49 pickup, even $750! Don't see many of those around here, thanks to Barrett-Jackass and the other greed mongers, and these idiots who think their junk is worth big bucks. Guess that's why I bought cheap stuff with no title and not much else, and that was the wrong approach. Now I know. Was just adding up what I spent last year on parts and pieces and could be driving a nice old somethin' ! Ah well...

Maybe someone will learn from my/our mistakes. :)

On the bright side, I could put together one hellofa pickup with the parts and pieces I have out back. I just wish my skills and talents were half of what I see on this site. Could also have a nice Poncho de la Rauncho too! If stuff sells, it sells. If not, then I just have to dive in and DO something! :D
 
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I guess it sold ...


Tonight I emailed at least a dozen running and driving Chevy pickups from around 1960-1980, under $2500. Avoiding projects, except for one that just may be too cheap to pass up (needs engine)! Looks like I'll end up in a '70s C10 pickup for now (sold the Ford) and then have a bunch of parts and a little money to continue on. All my "junk" is still on craigslist with no bites, and that's okay. :)
 
Well, you got this thing kinda figured out a lot faster than some of us did, and some might never. People sometimes think I'm a crabby old fart, negative or just plain a-hole when I'm really trying to be the voice of reason (from lots of experience) but I am often the pointing out that this is how dragging home junk most often ends up.
Good plan to find a runner. I got my 56 Sedan DeVille for a grand and it didn't take much at all to get it running. With all new brakes on, and just needs a new $220 water pump and a complete exhaust to be burning up road. Prolly be in it less than $2000 and it's been a fun car to work on.
 
I appreciate the advice WB. Got it through my thick skull that you are right, so made a lot of changes since. The voice of reason and experience worked!

I sold off a lot of stuff and found a '78 Chevy 3/4 ton that is a lot of fun to drive! Been de-bugging previous owner "rigging," and got the firewall sealed up, changed trans out, exhaust fixed, etc. Did some wheelin' and dealin' and picked up an '84 Z/28 that I am sorting through. It also had some really BAD "mechanic" work done on it, but now runs and drives and getting some hot rod fun with that! So yeah, your "kick in the butt" got me back on track and off the buying junk syndrome! :)

I also picked up a '90 Miata roller, put a '99 engine in it, and getting the rest of the running gear back together. My buddy Don will be coming over since he is the wiring genius, and it should be up and running this week. It'll get my "recipe" of suspension mods and setup, and be my canyon carver and autocross toy.

Still have the '59 Apache for "one day," and the old F1 cab, though both are for sale. Once all these other toys are up and running, I'll get back on the Apache if it is still here.
 
Yeah, kinda why I started shying a long time ago from chevys for trading, after 20 or so years, so many of them have been owned by one or more hacks. Don't find that near so much on other makes.
 
Is it the car or the former owner?

Yeah, kinda why I started shying a long time ago from chevys for trading, after 20 or so years, so many of them have been owned by one or more hacks. Don't find that near so much on other makes.

I've had bad hacks on lots of different makes. Doesn't seem to make a difference what it was, more of who owned it. I drove the Chevy truck home, then the trans started going. Friend of mine said they had used Ford AT fluid because it was cheaper, and that is notorious for eating GM transmissions. Well, it sure did, as the silver milkshake with chunks in the pan proved. Lucked out with a good used one and put the Lucas treatment in it at refill. Then there was the hack job exhaust, wiring, etc. It's good now!!!

I got a pile of receipts with the Camaro, and looking through them, found the same shop rebuilt the Q-jet THREE TIMES in two years! They finally buggered the fuel inlet so badly that it is junk, so luckily had an Edelbrock that was the right one. Of course that means I now get a CEL, but going to remove all that junk and go full MSD ignition, fix some more leaks, and some other things.

Friend of mine always says go with what you know, thus the Miata project. A snag with that, as the guy I bought the engine from took the alternator off. We are now in discussion of what to do about that. Used to be a trusted fellow, but tell me who removes the alternator from a "complete" engine? I always sold them complete from intake to exhaust and nothing missing. He seems to think that a long block IS a complete engine. No trust left there...
 
brother i use type f in all my th350's and 400's. it used to be the best there was. if you put dextron in a old c4 or c6 it will die a quick death. on the other hand if a gm was slipping we would put in a new filter and type f so we could keep it going a while longer. sounds like what was done to your trans.
 
Oh, I've seen buggered up cars of every make too, but the buggered up chevys count for more than the rest put together. I've probably owned 2 or 3 hundred cars and worked on thousands. I've lots of unmolested Fords, very few unmolested Chevys. What's you count? 2 for 2 on the pickup and Camaro?
 
Haha, yeah, you are right; 2 for 2 on the recent Chevies. :D I've had around 300 cars and trucks too, and most have had hacked dash boards to fit a crappy radio and the resulting mess of wires, or have had shoddy work, or simply lack of maintenance. I guess that's what you get when you buy cheap cars? Guess that's why they were cheap.
 

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