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K5 Collectability

wazzabie

wazzabie

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I'm figuring what I've put into the K5 cost wise at these prices I can now break even if sold. Not that I'm selling.

Anyways do you think stock K5s are more collectible or highly modified K5s? Is a lift OK and if so how much of a lift to still retain collector value?
 
If Facebook Marketplace is any indicator, all squarebodies are worth a minimum of $8000 regardless of condition. :rotfl:

Seriously though, I would think a modified truck would more easily sell / have a higher value than stock. I think the "average buyer" likes to be able to see stuff / modifications when the price is higher than average.
 
I’d rather buy stock at a price that reflects it too. I’ve seen some good deals on already modified rigs that you couldn’t build for the money asked but I’d much rather do like I did every day and buy a stock truck and create my own money pit. Buying already modified would take the fun out of it for me, I’ve got projects for days on my K5 and that’s exactly what I wanted, something to tinker with.
 
Dive down the rabbit hole on many of the builds here. If they started out modified by the previous owner, a good chunk of the build is reversing the stupidity from that previous owner. Those threads that start out more stock tend to get down to the business of the build without having to reverse dumb stuff done by others.

To most buying an unmolested stocker is worth the premium to a point. Problem is Squarebody K5's are gaining in the collectible market behind the first gen K5's that are starting to get unrealistic pricing for junk now. People see the TV shows and Auctions and think the everyday run of the mill K5 is worth the same as the TV and auction prices. Which is why @nvrenuf 's joke about facebook marketplace is so dead on.

What it really gets down to, is they are only worth what somebody is willing to buy it for. If what you have done to your truck is done clean and the right way where somebody can tell it wasn't put together by a hack, they might give you more for it. Keep this in mind, short of the high end big-dollar builds, not many make money on anything they build. If one thinks they will break even on a build they are way more optimistic than I am.
 
I think modified if done right will be easier to sell, as long as you don't expect to get any money for the modifications :)
i paid $4k for my rust free suburban and i know i can get at least $5k for it now, only thing i've done to it is put in 383 stroker motor, oh and new interior, oh and cross over steering with hydraulic assist,
Well then there was the new tires and wheels, DIY rear bumper and tire carrier, redid the ac, lockers front and rear
oh and a stereo
But if i just consider that stuff fun and not think about it, then is worth more than i paid for it


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I would rather have a stock vs one already done.
After all once you start going the custom route, you are building it to fit YOUR needs.
Not saying I dont appreciate all the work done to a rig especially if done right.
My all my rigs are DD with the occasional fire break/ forest service trail rides.
An dont need all the extra strength beefying up that most builders add.
 
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Perhaps I am delusional. I have kept all of the receipts for my K5 build but have never added them up. I would guess I have about $6500 to $7000 invested which probably means I have about $8000 not including my labor. While I do not believe it would sell right away I really think I could get $8000 for it.
 
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Sold to the right person (a gearhead) I think modified can be a good thing. I have always weighed what a person has done to a truck
and based upon the overall quality of the entire rig it usualy sways my decision.

If the owner is a good wrench, then most of the time it shows in many ways...what does his garage look like, does he take pride in his work, are there wires everywhere, is half of the stuff on the truck bolt on crap from jc whitney.... or did he fab solid good looking things that add value,, and did he do good work installing them.

I'm always leery of rebuilt engines, unless it was done by a reputable local engine shop or something like GM performance, summit, Jegs... same for the trans and transfer case.

If it's a solid rig and the guy dropped some serious coin in building it, then yeah, it's a worthy modified truck....and I would pay a higher asking price over a stocker of the same year/model..
If it looks like it was driven down the tacky aisle at JC Whitney with the crap magnet turned on,,,then I'll pass.
 
"It's only original once"..
That is why stock,unmolested vehicles always seem to bring the most money at sale time,and collectors want them badly enough to pay top dollar..

I do not mind some modifications,if done right and tastefully,but given a choice between a truck that is a low mile 100% original,unmolested one,or a truck that has been lifted,mudded,"whipped" and is put together with hundreds of parts off other trucks and aftermarket stuff,with many body panels replaced or patched,I would prefer the one that is closest to the way GM made it..and not molest it,just drive it and enjoy it..
 
Clean resto mod trucks bring more money than clean original stock without a doubt. Both have a strong value right now, but take 2 rigs, lets say a 1985 Blazer one just a clean stock original truck and the other with a cosmetic restore, new interior, small lift, tasteful wheels and tires, 5.3/6.0 and electronic OD trans. The modified truck will sell for more every time. We all have our preferences, but thats just my analysis on what I see in the market.

Now it can go the other way if the mods are crap.. you know block lift, rattle can paint, carb'd TBI motor with a 400/203, wire nuts, house carpet..every Peb Boys chrome add on.
 
While an LS swap is coveted by some,due to its better efficiency,in my opinion, they don't belong in an older truck...if they were a direct bolt in swap like a SBC or BBC,that would be one thing,but SO many things must be modified,I wouldn't consider it worth the effort...or an "upgrade" really...you just added more potential troubles,with an ECM and sensors,emissions stuff etc,all the crap most people buy older trucks, to get away from..

They destroy any "originality" the truck once had..
It's being overdone too..seems like every make & model vehicle is considered "junk" until it gets an LS swap done..then all of a sudden its "cool"..:surepal:..

To each his own,as they say,there's an ass for every seat...some people will pay more for a modified vehicle mostly because they lack the means or skills to do it themselves,and mods aren't cheap..so they must ask a higher price..
 
diesel4me said:
While an LS swap is coveted by some,due to its better efficiency,in my opinion, they don't belong in an older truck...if they were a direct bolt in swap like a SBC or BBC,that would be one thing,but SO many things must be modified,I wouldn't consider it worth the effort...or an "upgrade" really...you just added more potential troubles,with an ECM and sensors,emissions stuff etc,all the crap most people buy older trucks, to get away from..

They destroy any "originality" the truck once had..
It's being overdone too..seems like every make & model vehicle is considered "junk" until it gets an LS swap done..then all of a sudden its "cool"..:surepal:..

To each his own,as they say,there's an ass for every seat...some people will pay more for a modified vehicle mostly because they lack the means or skills to do it themselves,and mods aren't cheap..so they must ask a higher price..
Click to expand...


Sure, thats why I said everyone has their preferences. I get what you're saying about modern engines, but no different than the "383 stroker" of years past. Still the most overhyped motor in the hobby IMO.

Even take away the LS swap. Take the K30s that CA Jeep Resto does. Clean original 80s K30 restrored with GM parts and updated with EFI 454s and 4L80e. The last one I looked at sold for like 65k. No clean stock K30 is bringing 65,000. The high end resto mod trucks bring more money as a whole. I also prefer buying clean stock trucks, but when we're talking what brings more money, the "clean" modded rigs do.
 
AT least a 383 stroker bolts right in and "looks" stock..
Unless someone ran the engine code,no one would be able to tell it wasn't a 350 or other stock SBC with a few external mods like an intake & carb..

I have no experience with those engines,never had one or even got to drive anything with one..probably not much different than a SB 400,and I've had one of those in a '74 GMC...it came from a '78 K10 Suburban and replaced a 454 that had a weird wrist pin type rattle--I think the 400 was actually a bit more peppy than the '74 454 it had when I got it,from a Malibu..

After reading up on how many things an LS swap requires as far as new motor mounts,P/S pump issues,and a hundred other "little things",I think dropping the old truck on the later chassis the LS came on would be quicker & easier..
Doesn't matter really--I'll never be able to do such a swap now,or buy all the things needed anyways..:surepal:..
 
I'm always leery of heavily "modified" rigs just because of all the hack jobs I have seen over the years. While well done modifications and resto mod type rigs are really nice, it's just that the more mods done the greater chance something isn't right.
 
With the supply of rare unmolested all original,low mileage well maintained vehicles dwindling more with each passing year,collectors will be forced to pay top dollar for the few remaining examples ..

The supply of modified,hacked & butchered ones will not be as limited,so they may or may not bring big money--it all depends on the buyer...
 
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