Is this truck worth $8750?

[50Champ]

I'm looking for some type of a dump truck for my wife's gardening business. Is this truck worth $8750? What is the top speed on something like this? Has anyone here ever owned one of these? Thanks in advance for any info you can provide....

http://www.oldride.com/classic_trucks/292413.html

1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[Milaca]

Might you be better off with a 1 ton truck (lower to the ground and more manueverable)? Powersteering would be nice to have also.
As far as top speed of that truck, it may vary depending on whether it has a 2 speed rearend or not.


Brent's rootbeer racer.
MN iron ore...it does your body good.

[mbstude]

Like Brent said, I'd probably hold out for one a bit smaller. And for that money you could probably find a later V8 model that'd do a little better on the highway.

I had a '51 2R16 dump truck. A little shorter wheelbase than the one for sale, but it had the exact same drive train. 245 6, 4 speed, and 2 speed rear end. (The high gear of the rear end was still 'lower' than a single speed rear. So with a 2 speed, you have "low and lower"). On a flat road in high gear with my foot through the firewall, it'd top out at 45.



Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[jclary]

Well...it is obvious that it is worth that much to at least one person.

[JRoberts]

Though I do not think the price is out of line,l agree that you might want to consider a smaller truck. The one you posted the link for is mighty long. That engine may not easily keep up with traffic in that size truck, but it is a great engine -- a reliable workhorse and torque monster.

Matt, I still lust after that truck you used to have. I really wanted to win that thing.



Joe Roberts
'61 R1 Champ
'65 Cruiser
Editor of "The Down Easterner"
Eastern North Carolina Chapter

[50Champ]

I'm going to need something that will go a lot faster than 45 mph. My first choice would be a '60s Champ 3/4 ton longbed pickup with a manual trans. We don't really need a dump truck I guess. If I could find one I could sell my '50 Champion and also my '07 Silverado and use the Champ to haul truckloads of mulch, compost, etc. for my wife and then clean it up and take it to car shows. Does anyone know where I might be able to find a clean, good running '60s Champ 3/4 ton longbed with a stick?



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[DEEPNHOCK]

Ask Matt how long he kept it after the raffle, and about all the people that fixed it up for the raffle.
Quite a story in itself.

quote:Originally posted by JRoberts
Matt, I still lust after that truck you used to have. I really wanted to win that thing.

[herbpcpa]

There is a 1955 straight truck listed on ebay right now with V8 and two speed rear end. Listing says this truck will go 50 mph. It has not met reserve at $1300.

[Milaca]

quote:Originally posted by 50Champ

I'm going to need something that will go a lot faster than 45 mph. My first choice would be a '60s Champ 3/4 ton longbed pickup with a manual trans. We don't really need a dump truck I guess. If I could find one I could sell my '50 Champion and also my '07 Silverado and use the Champ to haul truckloads of mulch, compost, etc. for my wife and then clean it up and take it to car shows. Does anyone know where I might be able to find a clean, good running '60s Champ 3/4 ton longbed with a stick?



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

You may also want to consider a hydraulic dump bed trailer, either single or tandem axle. The attached link will show what I'm talkin 'bout. http://www.trailersforless.com/pj_60_utilitey_dump.html


Brent's rootbeer racer.
MN iron ore...it does your body good.

[Mark57]

Even with a V8, it is hard to obtain a top speed much over 45 mph (50 is usually pushing it) without high RPM's unless the truck has some type of overdrive transmission. These did not start showing up from the factory in the big trucks (1 Ton +) until after the mid 1950's, I believe.
So, if you want a highway cruiser in a bigger rig, you'll have to shop for a later model, or swap out the transmission which will certainly add to the bottom line of your purchase.

Yes, you can also modify the rear axle ratio, but with HD rear axles, I'm not certain how much closer you can get to "highway gearing".

Another item to think about is power steering, which is really nice in a bigger truck - essential some might say if using it daily - I don't recall the details, but I think it was not readily available until later years and not with 6 cyl. power either. Could be retrofitted as well, but another cost before the truck turns a wheel.

I believe the '57 1 Ton truck pictured below sold in 2007 at South Bend for about $7500 - it also had the 245 6cyl. motor with a 4 spd., a 5.14 axle ratio and a hydraulic tilt bed - and again, top speed was about 45 mph. This size is probably more in line with what you might want for a small gardening business.



<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
Vancouver Island Chapter
http://visdc.shawwebspace.ca/ </h5>

[jclary]

Another thing to think about when using the truck "in public"...there is a certain segment of society that will always look at your truck as "just that"..a truck. No matter how nice, how rare or what you think of it...its value will just not register in their brains. These are the type folks who have driveways with unavoidable paint scratching overgrowth, undisciplined kids riding bikes, throwing things, and dogs that love to jump up on your doors or up in the back of your truck. If you put the vehicle "in service" in this capacity, you'll have to be ready for the consequences.

John Clary
Greer, SC

Life... is what happens as you are making plans.
SDC member since 1975

[50Champ]

I just heard back from the owner of the truck. The engine needs a rebuild so I'm going to have to pass on it. Thanks for the info, everyone. If someone runs across a clean longbed pickup with a manual trans. please let me know....


Dave
The bed is 13.5 feet long. Top speed is about 50-55. The rings in the engine are shot from not running for so long and I see a small crack in the head. The engine works the way it is but it smokes oil and leaks coolant a little. Just bought the truck this summer and did a bunch of work on the brakes and switching it over to twelve volts. There are some loose ends that need to be finished but all little things. I would say the 28k is perty close as these trucks didn't go vary far from the farm and the shape it is in is almost museum quality. This truck has been worked on by others through out its life. Somebody did a real good thing by putting two plates of steel along the frame rails to give it some more stiffness to make sure the frame didn't get bent from hauling heavy loads. Nice job to! When I lift the box you can see the frame and leaf springs etc are painted black. The guy I bought it from owns a cement company and has a barn full of old cars and things he and his guys work on for fun. They ran across this truck in Nebraska and they loaded it up and brang it home from there. They did some work to it and left it sit. It was taking up to much room so he got rid of it to me. If you get under it and look at the cab you will see all the sheet metal is all there never rusted or even worked on. Its as solid as the day it was made.Call Dave at 715-246-0339 thanks



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[fstst56]

There's a nice '61 3/4 ton Champ on eBay.
It's in Bristol, Indiana. Just East of South Bend.

[50Champ]

quote:Originally posted by fstst56

There's a nice '61 3/4 ton Champ on eBay.
It's in Bristol, Indiana. Just East of South Bend.

I was looking at that auction yesterday. Too bad it has an auto trans and a narrow bed. I need a full size longbed with a stick shift. I appreciate the tip....



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[Milaca]

A narrow bed is easier to clean out being that there are little to no fenders protruding inside the box. The Champ (Dodge) bed is one of the worst I have seen for cleaning out (it doesnt even have double wall construction). You have to contend with the wide fender wells and the rear panel on each side of the tail gate. Just an observation. All that matters is that you and the wife are happy.


Brent's rootbeer racer.
MN iron ore...it does your body good.