Deve,
......how sad........I'm glad ole trucks don't possess a true
spirit, for I fear this one would be crushed. I
respect your diligence to restoring a truck to it's well deserved
glory, but I hope that someone will have the
funds to satisfy your labor of love and free this truck from a
"look, but don't touch" existence. Then maybe
both you and your truck will be fulfilled.......you, knowing you
did the job "right".......and someone else can
breath new life back into the true nature of this ole truck, to
run down the road as a free spirit, a reflection
of the spirit of it's owner and driver. Maybe I'm too
dramatic.....afterall it is just a mass of mechanical
metal assembled to humbly do a simple task. ........or is it?
You decide. Either way, you're right......what
ever floats your boat! It is your truck and you can do what you
want. We can all agree that at least you
have saved this truck from the fate of so many others.....your
truck will live again to "fight" another day.
Allen
Deve Krehbiel wrote:
I mean 15 thousand. But that includes some pretty expensive
tools I didnt
have. There is about 10K in the truck itself and it isnt even
close to
finished yet. Thats what it costs to do it right. I am not so
much worried
about the money.. its not as if I am rich or anything.. I am
just at a point
where I needed to replace a vehicle and rather than dropping
$25K on a new
Chevy truck, I bought tools and restored the 50 (as well as
purchased a
running 49) for about $6,000 less. In the end, I will have a
truck to drive,
and a truck for its investment potential that will far exceed
the price of a
new truck.
Heres the thing.. its whatever makes your boat float. For me,
meticulous
attention to detail, exacting specifications, and seeing things
through are
really big kicks. Will I drive it when I am through? NO! Will it
sit in a
hermetically sealed, dessicant chamber for the rest of its life?
Probably.
This particular truck is only one of many projects I intend to
do. This one
is special for its perfection, while the next project will be a
daily driver
that will be special for its modern ride, higher speed, and
smoother looks.
Its all about knowledge and what I dont know but intend to
learn.
It will be a trailer queen as much as I hate trailer queens. It
will really
belong in a museum with ropes around it to keep people away. Its
to be a
pristine example of years gone by for anyone to appreciate. Its
not
practical, makes no sense to own one like this because it takes
up valuable
space, and its expensive, but someday, someone will come along
with a check
large enough to take it home for themselves and the investment
will then be
worth it. Since it isnt my grandfathers truck and I have no
personal
attachment to it other than the sweat (a little blood even) that
went into
it, the investment potential over a period of years is as good
as money in
the bank. Right now, these trucks are going for around $20K-
$25K frame up
restorations. I wont sell this one for less than 40. Someone
will want the
high quality and pay it. Maybe not for another 10 years, but it
will go for
much more than I paid. Meanwhile the learning experience is
priceless. And
believe me, I am having a real blast doing this! Thats really
the measure of
the truck.. how much fun you have rebuilding it. Also....
remains to be seen
yet if I have the talent to learn how to do that good of a job.
I am a true
amatuer. But then again, I dont like to lose! :)
Deve
50 3100
49 3600
www.speedprint.com/Deves50/index.html
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