I wonder if shipping and reselling rust free trucks to the East Cost would be a valid business idea. There are tons of older rust free trucks out here in the West Coast.
CK5
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Rust free trucks...
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2High4U
1/2 ton status
I dont think that would be a bad idea the earlier k5's stock in california go for 7-10 grand or so in good shape around here at least thats what ive seen them go for around here in pennsylvania when i lived out in california i bought one and brought it back to pa with me no chance in hell im selling it tho
i bought mine for 2 grand and it needed a tranny out in california
its a 73 little rust holes above the rear wheels and one rocker but the floor is perfect and the wiring is almost factory except for the newer steering column and hei setup not to mention that everythign works on it
i bought mine for 2 grand and it needed a tranny out in california
its a 73 little rust holes above the rear wheels and one rocker but the floor is perfect and the wiring is almost factory except for the newer steering column and hei setup not to mention that everythign works on it
There is a 1984 single-cab K20 right down the street from me that is going for $2000 O.B.O. It is a rust free, one owner, never crashed, unbutchered, and completly stock Pick-up with 120,000 miles. There are thousands of trucks just like this one for sale on the market here in the South West, in places like Phoenix AZ, Las Vegas NV, and Southern CA.
You could make money. Yeah bring here in MI too. They go for good coin.
Only problem with bringing them here,not a problem for you I guess, the buyers though, the ungalvenized sheet metal in the older rigs rust in 1 winter. I know, I brought a rust free '73 here in '94, and 1 year later, rockers, wheel wells gone, 2 years, windshield posts, floor supports....cancer spreads quuuuuick...
Only problem with bringing them here,not a problem for you I guess, the buyers though, the ungalvenized sheet metal in the older rigs rust in 1 winter. I know, I brought a rust free '73 here in '94, and 1 year later, rockers, wheel wells gone, 2 years, windshield posts, floor supports....cancer spreads quuuuuick...
2High4U
1/2 ton status
personally for me if i was to look i would look in the west and have it shipped well worth the money. I used to live in california I didnt drive mine cross country cause of gas prices so i called das and they gave me a quote of like $650 which was good cause gas would have been way much more
people in my area pay 700-1000 for a sweet 99% cherry box. and are looking for more stuff. but the price of fuel and econemy now i dont know.
gravdigr
1/2 ton status
LIES!!!!111!1!!! Rust free trucks do not exist. They are a myth like unicorns or chupacabra.
That's about correct. I think my '73 was rusted from the inside when I bought it.
already being done..
There are a few places here that do exactly that..one was a salvage yard a few towns away that hauls ONLY chevy and GM cars and trucks back from AZ to MA..they sold cabs for 1 to 2 grand easy,if they were 100% rust free,which 97% of them were..a rust free bed sells for about the same here too..
That yard made so much money,the owner sold it last year and retired--he's only my age or slightly older (I'm 48!)..he was tired of dealing with the climate here,having to freeze and basically starve 6 months of the year while it was snowing and cold here..plus all the hassles of dealing with the EPA ,being a junkyard--that and titles and RMV problems,because of them he'd cut up perfect cabs and bodies rather than sell them as a whole--more profit that way,but many people would have rather bought complete trucks than peices....I cant say I blame him for leaving here..
It would be a profitable bussiness,--IF you could get the vehicles here for a reasonable price..I'd guess you'd be very fortunate to get a truck hauled from AZ to MA for a thousand bucks now,maybe even more!..thats why the guy I mentoined HAD to get 2 grand for the cabs and beds he hauled back--otherwise he'd only be breaking even..and its not easy driving a semi with 5-7 vehicles 3500 miles every few weeks..
If they had freight cars on trains that ran from the west coast to here,that might be cheaper..but I'd say the possibility of them being damaged en-route is pretty high too..you'd need insurance,etc..
Another thing is its a rather limited market here for antiques now,as far as I can tell...My 79 C10 isn't mint,but its a very rust free truck for its age ,and being from MA(best I've owned so far)-..way above average!--and I can't even get anyone to LOOK at the dam thing,never mind buy it...I see 4x4's in the paper from 1988-95 for 500-1500 bucks every day..none are rust free,but people want newer stuff now it seems..I think everone who wants an antique Chevy truck here already has one..
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There are a few places here that do exactly that..one was a salvage yard a few towns away that hauls ONLY chevy and GM cars and trucks back from AZ to MA..they sold cabs for 1 to 2 grand easy,if they were 100% rust free,which 97% of them were..a rust free bed sells for about the same here too..
That yard made so much money,the owner sold it last year and retired--he's only my age or slightly older (I'm 48!)..he was tired of dealing with the climate here,having to freeze and basically starve 6 months of the year while it was snowing and cold here..plus all the hassles of dealing with the EPA ,being a junkyard--that and titles and RMV problems,because of them he'd cut up perfect cabs and bodies rather than sell them as a whole--more profit that way,but many people would have rather bought complete trucks than peices....I cant say I blame him for leaving here..
It would be a profitable bussiness,--IF you could get the vehicles here for a reasonable price..I'd guess you'd be very fortunate to get a truck hauled from AZ to MA for a thousand bucks now,maybe even more!..thats why the guy I mentoined HAD to get 2 grand for the cabs and beds he hauled back--otherwise he'd only be breaking even..and its not easy driving a semi with 5-7 vehicles 3500 miles every few weeks..
If they had freight cars on trains that ran from the west coast to here,that might be cheaper..but I'd say the possibility of them being damaged en-route is pretty high too..you'd need insurance,etc..
Another thing is its a rather limited market here for antiques now,as far as I can tell...My 79 C10 isn't mint,but its a very rust free truck for its age ,and being from MA(best I've owned so far)-..way above average!--and I can't even get anyone to LOOK at the dam thing,never mind buy it...I see 4x4's in the paper from 1988-95 for 500-1500 bucks every day..none are rust free,but people want newer stuff now it seems..I think everone who wants an antique Chevy truck here already has one..
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pvfjr
1/2 ton status
That is the east coast in my mind.Drey said:
And I think it's a terrible idea. All those trucks who've lived such nice lives...condemned to a slow, ugly, cancerous death out in the flatlands.
It's just wrong.
mtrdrms
1/2 ton status
I live in Connecticut and I'll tell you its not easy to sell a K5 here even if its rust free. There's just such a small market in a place that doesnt have that many places to wheel and the money is so plentiful that people jsut buy new now! Must be nice.
Thanks for the replies. Lots of good input. I just wanted to put the idea out there, and see if anybody had some input that I had not thought of.
That's pretty much how I got my truck. There is a guy who brings cars up from Phoenix to his dad's place in MI. He usually gets older trucks, 60's/70's muscle cars and things like that. I think there is more interest in older stuff around here since nice ones are so rare. Out West old stuff is just old.
pvfjr said:That is the east coast in my mind.
And I think it's a terrible idea. All those trucks who've lived such nice lives...condemned to a slow, ugly, cancerous death out in the flatlands.
Flatlands...you havent been to southwest, iowa have ya
. I just wish the countys would quite putting so much salt on the roads in the winter. Idiots
pvfjr
1/2 ton status
If it ain't got 10-15,000 foot peaks then there's nothing there for me.Drey said:Flatlands...you havent been to southwest, iowa have ya
I don't feel right in a place without one of these babies in view. My times spent in Texas and Mississippi were the worst in my life. No offense to those of you loyal to your areas...
roadnotca
3/4 ton status
Rustless in LA
OK. I just started investigating the same scenario (Los Angeles). There's the guys like us, so they have an investment. Then there's the posers that aren't hard butts, can't use it as a DD, thought it was Kool for skiing or the parking lot. The higher gas price brings them out. Because they weren't DD, they're usually low miles. It looks like the rock bottom shipping cost/method is railcar, 10 at a tme at ~$400 ea. PM
OK. I just started investigating the same scenario (Los Angeles). There's the guys like us, so they have an investment. Then there's the posers that aren't hard butts, can't use it as a DD, thought it was Kool for skiing or the parking lot. The higher gas price brings them out. Because they weren't DD, they're usually low miles. It looks like the rock bottom shipping cost/method is railcar, 10 at a tme at ~$400 ea. PM
Rustproofing?
So for those of us that live in these rust states (I live near Ft. Wayne, IN), is there any way to thorughly rustproof a 73-87 truck?
I have an 86 GMC K10 that was my first vehicle, so I've had it for nearly 7 years. When I first got it, I think it was repainted, and had no visible rust anywhere. Now, it has rust holes above the rear fenders, rockers, and cab corners as well as rust on the frame, etc.
I graduate college in May, and then plan on restoring my truck. Can I prevent rust from happening again? Should I plan on garaging it and not driving it in the winter?
So for those of us that live in these rust states (I live near Ft. Wayne, IN), is there any way to thorughly rustproof a 73-87 truck?
I have an 86 GMC K10 that was my first vehicle, so I've had it for nearly 7 years. When I first got it, I think it was repainted, and had no visible rust anywhere. Now, it has rust holes above the rear fenders, rockers, and cab corners as well as rust on the frame, etc.
I graduate college in May, and then plan on restoring my truck. Can I prevent rust from happening again? Should I plan on garaging it and not driving it in the winter?
You can do what I did, put on a Fiberglass body tub! A little drastic. I know.
thedrip
1/2 ton status
I've sketched up viability plans on this type of idea more than once. Its REAL doable, and would make a lot of money (you can move more than just k-trucks of course, old muscle and hotrod type cars are SUPER rare in the rust belt too). What is really needed is a 3 part operation. 1 part/person in the southwest buying the cars and storing them. one part shipping them over to the east, and then one part in the east, acting as a 'dealer' selling the cars, and also taking requests. Theres no point bringing over 20 k-trucks if you only have 15 people that want them. Sort of like a rust-free car finder service. COmbine that with a continual stock of rust free low mile everyday cars.. think Hondas with no rust! its a VERY viable plan, and could make a lot of money. Theres just a big investment, and there has to be at least 2 people involved.
