Determining a vehicle’s value

Question:

I bought a 1968 F-100 long bed camper special four years ago. It has a 352 two-barrel four-speed. I rebuilt the motor from the bottom end up and rebuilt the transmission. I put new gas shocks on all four points and replaced too many other parts to list.

My original intention was to restore it from end to end. However, due to a serious back injury I will no longer be able to continue with this project. I would like to know what this truck is worth and what I should ask for it, keeping in mind that I have to consider the amount I have invested in it. I hate to part with it, but that is how life is.

Answer:

You have not provided enough information for me to offer a meaningful opinion as to your truck’s present fair market value. For example, you have not said anything about the condition of the body and paint. You need to do some research to determine how much similar trucks in similar condition have sold for recently. It is also very helpful to know how much has been offered for similar trucks even if they didn’t sell. EBay is obviously an excellent resource to determine how much has been offered and how much has been accepted. Looking through recent classified ads to learn how much others are asking will also be very helpful.

One word of caution—the amount of money one spends on a collector vehicle is sometimes irrelevant to its actual value.

So while you can’t help but think about how much you’ve put into the truck this may not bear much of a relationship to what people are willing to pay you for it.