personally love the styling of the 67-72 GM trucks.

I can get a 1970 locally for under a grand and it's pretty rust free, though it needs some dent removal on the passenger side of the bed. It's a 350/350 I hear.

A truck like this appeals to me as a project because it's cheap and easy to build, and the aftermarket for these trucks is HUGE-- you can get anything and everything for them.

Also, the trucks are super simple-- little to no electronics, so that makes the build easier.


Mopars are still my faves, but the rich folks have priced them beyond my reach. In Mopar land it's hard to find a potential project for less than $5K, at least something remotely desireable.

So I'm looking to satisfy my resto/mod/hot rod itch in a cheaper, yet satisfying way.


I guy I went to HS with had a 72 with a Corvette engine swapped in (I believe it was 327-- aluminum!), and that truck was a blast!Please post pics of the 67-72 Gm trucks if you got em, especially ones already done w/ custom interior and all that....

Justin

 

Pic of one that's HEAVILY modded-- Boyd's, Buttera, Alan Johnson, etc....

 

Wait a second, YOu said Cheap. Get that thought ought of your mind cause it will not be, DId a 70 about 8 yrs ago. total body off restore, Blasted the frame , the whole truck, Repainted $ 5,000 for paint and body alone, two tone blue and white, Truck was sharp looking, The factory tach I had refaced for a stiff $ 100.00 bill It will add up and wait for the trim and emblems,.. I had over 16000 in truck and still had grille and few items left to do. Sold it for $ 8200. Guy finsihed it and won trophies many of them, But i lost interest and dollars. Do your research /cost first and set a budget and stick to it..

 

Cheap is relative. Compared to the 25K my '69 Coronet would have cost, 15K-20K for a p'up is a lot better.

I was assuming that people realized that NOTHING in the auto game is truly "cheap" except the way they built new trucks.

jmo

 

Hohn,
I know you are highly intelligent, but I would like to offer some words of advice. The 67-72 trucks are one of my favorites, with classic lines and overstated simplicity. That being said, when you are done you will have a 1970 Chevy truck. MAYBE worth what you have in it, maybe NOT. I know we all know going in that breaking even is a fantasy, I for one know it is a farce unless you do something collectable.

One the other hand, Mopars are appreciating in value. So if you were to do a '69 Coronet, you may have something that will pay for itself. I know Mopars are over my limited budget, so I chose a '71 Nova to build. Not to popular yet, but with Camaros and Chevelles getting pricier, the Novas will catch on soon enough.

Just some food for thought.

Tiny

 

This would be a labor of love, not of sense. I want to build something for ME, not for someone else. I'd be building a fun cruiser/hot rod for ME. (selfish, yes).

I'd still prefer a Mopar, but it's so discouraging to consider one.

Maybe I should go to the Mopar Nats this weekend and see if I can spy a project for sale?


I'm really partial to 68-70 B bodies. I don't need a GTX, when a Satellite is fine with me. I'll leave the Hemi Chargers to the rich guys-- I'll take the boxy B-bodies that don't have collector value (yet). Forget about any E-body Mopar for me.

Ideally, though-- I'd find an A- body (Dart, Valiant, etc) to mod, because they are compact and light. A big block Dart is an animal that has to be experienced to be believed. The same 440 that makes a Charger peppy is scary in a Dart!

I'd ditch the truck idea if I could pursue my first love (a Mopar).

 

I'm happy to believe that one of these days my Chevelle will actually be worthy of going to a show, not making a scene leaving a puddle of oil and fuel in the parking lot

I figure that once I get started, it will take an easy 5 years to finish...between financing and time, it's gonna take a while!! But I'm making the car for me, and me alone to appreciate, if someone else happens to like what I create, SWEET!!

I can understand where you're coming from Justin...I was lucky enough to be dumb, young, and a pocket full of cash when I found a car I liked

Chris

BTW, last week a local bus driver sold his original 1970 Chevelle SS LS6, 4 speed, LOADED, Red w/Black stripes with under 100K for $15K...This thing was in EXCELLENT shape for an original in this part of the country, most are pretty chewed up from the winters I was ticked that I know the guy, and he never asked me if I was interested

 

I just sold a Dart last fall for $2800, did not want to get into changing everything to get a 318/340 for it. It was a Slant 6 with a clean body, needed paint and speed parts. I was considering turbo'ing the /6, but ditched the idea. Too many projects and not enough money, most anyone who has built cars knows what I am talking about. Good luck in your quest, if I hear of any around here I will let you know.

Chris, the bus driver let the LS6 go CHEAP, car is worth 3 times that sale price easy if it was all original and clean like you say. Dang the bad luck, huh??

 

I'd say it was worth an easy $30-35K from what I'd seen...but in the right place, you're absolutely right!

Chris

 

I think it would actually be a great idea for a 68-72 Chevy pickup build-up. I actually passed up a heck of a deal on a 1970 Chevy pickup a few years ago, it was going to be FREE. My friend's dad had it for the 6 cylinder in it. He pulled the 6 cylinder out of the spare one, and put it in his work truck, which was a 71 with 3speed on the tree. The one he wanted to get rid of was orange, 2wd, in great shape, no dents, a little bit of rust. My stepdad told me no, I wanted to put our 396 in it, and get it right, a sleeper if thats what you want to call it. Later that summer, a hurricane come through, and a big pine tree fell over on the bed of the truck, and he gave it to somebody else.

I sit back and think about it, and I passed up a deal that not many people ever get; it WOULD have been different if I was living by myself, but at the time, being 17, you cant make many decisions about what kind of crap stays in your yard

I've got my eye on a 53 chevy I think I can get free from my girlfriend's grandma, but it has some serious rust, but stuff is kinda easy to come by for these trucks, but expensive. I think there is also a mid 50's chevy car with the truck, hopefully I can get both.

 

HOHN I'd do it if I were you!!! I freakin love them trucks and as a matter of fact my ultimate dream truck is a 1970 4X4 longbed.........those trucks are just awesome in my opinion. I had a 67' 4X4 and a 69' 2 wheel drive that I was gonna use the body and was planning on doing a build up, but sadly I was young and didn't have the funds to do it so I sold them.........been kicking myself ever since!!

You can make them trucks so sweet!!!


~Nick

 

Did anyone make it out to Indy to the Nationals? There was a early body style chevy, sorry not good with chevys, around 70-71 that had a cummins in it, NV4500 and gear vendors overdrive w/3.00 rearend. I've got pics I need to post. All I can say was clean, looked factory. I believe it had one of Don's cams in it and custom injectors by him also. Very, Very Nice!!

 

That truck defeats the whole purpose of buikding an older truck. IMO. All the squarness of the body is gone. I'm all for a clean looking truck but a origonal would stand out even better IMO.

I've been trying to restore a '79 f-150 for a while now and beleive me if you can do your project for under 5k your a god. But body parts on old trucks is what usually eats up money, if your body is pretty sound she should be a nice project!

 

So instead of doing my dream truck I settled for a nice little GTO ( once I got a nice paying job )..........so far with everything I've got into it including the price I bought it for, I'm around $26K......not to bad I guess!!

Sometimes I think why did I spend all that dang money, but then I open the garage and remember why


~Nick

 

well i've only got one thing to say on the GM sub. nothing beats a dodge deisel and a GM gasser. course if GM was smart and kept the straight axle and out bid dodge for the cummings you'd have the perfect truck. but then again this is just my opinion