How much should I offer for this Deuce?

[superburban]

This truck has been sitting a local farmer's lot for about 10 years without moving. Last saturday, I saw he was around the property, so I stopped in, introduced myself and asked if he wanted me to get rid of his junky eyesore. He told me he'd let it go for $1500 (I believe that to be a bit high for what's here), and of course "it ran when I parked it."

I took some pics, and poked around. It needs a lot of work. The tires are missmatched and ugly. The paint is gross. The reason he said he parked the truck was that he put some sort of homemade hoist under the box, and when he tried dumping the first load of gravel, it folded, completely destroying the hoist, and tweaking the box.

It has a Turbo, but I cant tell by sight which it is. It needs a rear window, a windshield, but the rest of the glass is OK. It has some funky fiberglass top with molded in clearance lights. Anyway, here it is:

 

[Varyag]

Run as fast as you can.

I am pretty sure I would have a hard time taking that truck for free. To even start to get it to resemble a deuce would take so much money and time especially with all the missing parts and the crumbled hoist that did who knows how much damage.

 

[superburban]

More pics:

 

[davidkroberts]

This is one of the few times I would say this but you need to pass on this one. I might give 500 for it just for the spare parts. Its a undesirable truck. Sprag transfer case, no heat, busted bed, rusty cab, questionable mechanical condition. Been sitting 10 years so your looking at a couple hundred in work/parts because of blown and old seals within the next 6 months even if you can get it running. You know its going to need brakes at a minimum and probably new hoses/fuel lines/filters.

Spend the 1500 and get a GL one. At least it kinda sorta ran a year or so ago when it hit the lot.... maybe anyway.

 

[jeffhuey1n]

$500 if you can get it to Cheyenne.

 

[hoop]

I would not make an offer. Just tell him no thanks.
Don't insult him, it is worth that much in scrap, but not as a truck.
It is useless with out a title.
Sprague transfer..
If you need a parts truck then offer him $800.

 

[Katahdin]

I believe that's a LDS-427 under the hood... Classic!

Rear PTO? That could be worth $ ?

 

[jeffhuey1n]

I would not make an offer. Just tell him no thanks.
Don't insult him, it is worth that much in scrap, but not as a truck.
It is useless with out a title.
Sprague transfer..
If you need a parts truck then offer him $800.

True. After rereading everything and looking at the pictures, a polite no thanks.

 

[Wildchild467]

I believe that's a LDS-427 under the hood... Classic!

Rear PTO? That could be worth $ ?

I would take it for the rear PTO. i definately wouldnt pay much for it at all. if it had the rear PTO, was it a dump?

 

[clinto]

Katahdin is correct I believe-that appears to be an early LDT-427, so this is an A1.

I wouldn't try to restore it but the rear PTO and axles are worth a little something. I would not pay more than about $400/$500 for it.

Sell the engine to a restorer, sell the axles, sell or keep the pto for your future deuce and keep the tranny as a spare/backup for your future deuce.

Same for the body parts.

homemade hoist under the box, and when he tried dumping the first load of gravel, it folded, completely destroying the hoist, and tweaking the box

If he had searched the forum, he would have learned you need to reinforce deuce beds when converted to dumpers!

 

[erniemigi]

I would have to say that it would not be worth it, you can get a better one of of GL or GSA, some of the things you need to think about, 1 is how close is he to your place (towing expense) 2. if it's been sitting for ten years without being ran then you will have to drop the tank, clean out all the old fuel and all the rust and other crap in there, 3. replace brakes, brake lines, fuel lines, 4. getting the one bed off of it without doing anymore damage to it, 5. getting the other bed taken loose and off of there so you can get to the lifter, 6. probably rewire the whole thing cause i am pretty sure the mice and other critters have had a field day with it, 7. new interior , 8. bondo and getting replacement parts, 9. new front and rear glass, 10. hopefully non of the wheels have seized up, you know i saw this episode on myth busters where they used high grade explosives to get dried up concrete out of a truck once, you could do that and call it a frame off restoration

 

[donttreadonmebmg]

Is it worth 1500 yes. would I buy it for 1500 no!
I'd hate to see it go to a junk yard though.
you could part it out for more than you would pay for it, but doing that would take some time effort to recoup your money.
remind him it's been sitting for 10 years.
Make sure it runs and the breaks work first then,
pass or give him $900.00 and tell him you would hate to see it go to a junkyard. then ask him to think about it when he tells you no way.
Make sure you give him you phone number with your name and what it is you want and how much you'll pay.
remind him Christmas is coming and you would like to get this for your self for Christmas and that will remind him Christmas is coming and who couldn't use some extra money for Christmas.

you have to make him think about it without actually telling him to think about it!

Bring Cash

 

[superburban]

Is it worth 1500 yes. would I buy it for 1500 no!
I'd hate to see it go to a junk yard though.
you could part it out for more than you would pay for it, but doing that would take some time effort to recoup your money.
remind him it's been sitting for 10 years.
Make sure it runs and the breaks work first then,
pass or give him $900.00 and tell him you would hate to see it go to a junkyard. then ask him to think about it when he tells you no way.
Make sure you give him you phone number with your name and what it is you want and how much you'll pay.
remind him Christmas is coming and you would like to get this for your self for Christmas and that will remind him Christmas is coming and who couldn't use some extra money for Christmas.

you have to make him think about it without actually telling him to think about it!

Bring Cash

You devious man, you! I like how your mind works. I'm pretty well decided to pass. If any of you fine folks wants a crack at it, PM me, I'll let you have the contact info.

 

[M215]

That is a fairly rare bird, an M35A1 with the Hyper-cycle LDS427. The dump bed is off of an early GMC M215 or Reo M59
If it was closer I would love to have it for being so unique. Why own a common M35A2?

Just my .02

Karl

 

[hndrsonj]

If it's the 427 in it, i'd be all over it. There's only a couple of those still around.

 

[superburban]

If it's the 427 in it, i'd be all over it. There's only a couple of those still around.

Well how do you tell? I'm new to the deuce game, so I cant tell one way or the other.

 

[hndrsonj]

Well how do you tell? I'm new to the deuce game, so I cant tell one way or the other.

Data plate on the engine.

 

[doghead]

Well how do you tell? I'm new to the deuce game, so I cant tell one way or the other.

From the pics posted, the turbo and exhaust are both correct for the 427. Also, it has no FDC on the IP. Also has the correct oil pan for a 427. It has a generator, which is correct for the time period of the 427.

I think it's a 427!

 

[M215]

Hyper-cycle 427

If it's the 427 in it, i'd be all over it. There's only a couple of those still around.

This would be only the second one I have seen. How many parts interchange with the common LD / LDS465?

 

[6x6guy]

Offer the owner lets say $500 so he feels some what good about the deal, but in the same breath kinda mention you gotta have it towed and all the seals have to be replaced, fuel line purged and the fuel tank drained, put in batteries, don't even know if the engine turns, fuel injector has to be rebuilt and yada yada yada. He might feel like he got a good deal and you have a parts truck, thats if you still want it.