Getting started - costs involved?

[Avalon01]

Here is where I am at:

A local farm has 15 M-135's sitting in multiple pole barns. All run, are gasoline engines, and all are missing the cargo bed. Most are painted a light sky blue. Some are hard top, others have a canvas top. I do not know the specific model numbers for each truck - I can tell there are differnet body styles there. Frames are covered in surface rust - I'm in WI and we love to salt the roads in the winter.

He wants $800 per truck - but again, no beds.

How much would I be looking at to restore one? I have seen beds going for $750 online, but how do they attach to the frame? Bolts? Welds?

I would like to restore a military truck, and since they are already running, I am hoping that what I found might be a good start.

Sorry about the length of the post - I've never done anything like this before!

Phil

 

[deuceman51]

I would definately bargan with this outfit. My first M135 I bought for $515 on a sealed bid, had badly rusted box and salt spreader, snow plow mount and rebuilt tranny in it. The next lowest bid was $180 so I overbid her a little. lol. My second I bought from the Forest service and I payed $310 for it in nice condition with flatbed(they cut off the side walls) but has some tranny problems. Maybe things in WI are a bit more expensive than here in SD, but I think that is too much money for those trucks especially witout a bed. Look around a scrap yards for beds. I got one for $50 in very nice shape and I bought another from a farmer for about the same price. Beds bolt on to the frame and you need a wood board between the frame and bed frame. I put an add in the local farm paper that covers 3 states and got a lot of responses, you could try that too. Point being I think $800 is way out of line even if they run, there is still a lot work to put into them. If you have more questions, email me and i'll try and help you out. Good luck.

 

[j land]

I think that if the trucks start and move and have brakes $800 each is a steal as long as the cab and frame are solid, but it really depends on what a truck like this is worth to you. I paid alot more than that for mine and I think I got it at a good price.

 

[red devils dude]

Avalon01 befor a moder finds you add your
local to your sig thanks.

 

[Santoken]

I'll tell you, if you are planning a restoration project...just go buy one that's done already.

I bought 3 G749's ( a 215, a 211, and a 135) from an old farmer 3 years ago. I paid $500 for the lot. I'm still in the process of restoring the 215, it should be done in time to make it to Findley in April. After it's all said and done, I'll have about $5500 in the project. Let me go on to say that I own an auto parts store, so the bulk of the products I get at jobber cost. And, my buddy owns a metal fab shop, so we had access to fabricate what was needed. I rebuild the trans and engine, etc. Basically, I started with a bare spot in my warehouse and build a truck from the ground up. My truck will be pristine when completed, not bragging, it's just gonna turn out that way.

What I'm trying to say is that around every corner of one of those been-in-the-field-for-10-years projects ALWAYS turns into much more money than one can imagine. Everytime I turned around, this needed replaced, or that needed rebuilt, etc.

I couldn't imagine doing this project without the contacts, tools, etc. that I have. I wish now that I'd just bought one already restored.

However, if you're just gonna use it to bang around in, sure those trucks aound great...just pick a good one. Try to get one running and drive it first. Just like "j land" said, if it's complete, not all rusted out and runs, $800 is a good price.