Posted by Cletus Van Damm on Tuesday, April 22, 2003 at 2:45PM :
We all have heard the Power Wagon stories. Couple random observations and comments on sellers, buyers, would be others….
1.“I’m going to fix it one day” truck (Yeah sure, tell me about the mule Gen Grant gave your granny at Gettysburg.)
2.“not for sale at any price” truck (Okay, Darn, have $50K here in cash, oh well…see you later)
3.It was my dad’s/ grandad’s/ aunt’s/ dog’s, etc….(This one is tough, you can see the memories in the owner’s eyes. Always makes me wish the truck could show and tell or that they would just tell me one story.)
4. Do not want to part it out (I want the rust to completely destroy the beast)
5. It belongs in the front yard (Yeah, it would leave an empty spot next to the ‘76 Trans Am “Bandit Mobile” on blocks and would have to fill in area with RC Cola cans and moon pie wrappers)
6. “ran when parked” (See comment #1)
7. just needs a battery and fresh gas (and $10K in parts/body work)
8. only use it when the snow is REAL deep (Beautiful, remembering seeing chains on all four tires)
9. There is also the rust bucket parts truck Power Wagon that the owner wants $8000.
10. My son was on the Internet and said they were worth $20K, so I’ll take $15K (No thanks, and tell Al the inventor I said hi)
11. Then again there is the Power Wagon that gets bounced around from owner to owner, ever escalating in price, with no work ever done.
12. There is the triumphant and patient Power Wagon buyer who has waited years for the right truck (and price). These folks I am always happiest for.
12. * Except maybe the joker who throws it back in the forum’s face…a la….” I told you, I told you, I told you, I would find a good one at a “fair” price.” Whatever, jakeleg, you were deprived for one HOW long? “Fair”? In who’s eyes, your cheap/impaired judgment or the unsuspecting poor old fella you ripped off?
13. The would be buyer…who has never owned or a PW but knows everything about them…in particular, what they are worth. BTW, quit telling everyone what these things are worth. You have a right to your opinion, but that does not mean anyone wants to hear it…reminds me of the car w/the loud thump thump rap music…you may like it and you can listen to what you want but I really do not want to hear it.
14. The newbie buyer, rushed into something, paid too much, but is happier than a hillbilly with a couple cases of free beer. I say, keep up the enthusiasm, do not let #13 get you down.
The buyer/restorer who has been
15. “piddling” for years on the same truck. You WILL get it down, you CAN do it.
16. The buyer who bought and has not touch it since…..the are varied stages of this…
16a. Now owns several Power Wagons. Has not done any work at all on others either.
16b. Owns several PWs, has acquired a driver so all others will wait.
16c. Owns several PWs, wants more.
16d. Owns several, restored several, get better everytime.
16e. Owns several, has branched out to M37’s and various other models.
16f. Owns several, none restored but all in quality condition and ready to go….I personally have come to realize that the “original, read, unrestored but solid running trucks are my favorite, just my #13 opinion.
17. The buyer of a restored truck. Saved years of blood lose, frustration, and probably thousand by buying someone else’s work. May or may not want to do one themselves now.
18. And of course the seller wanting to know what is it worth? Worth what someone will pay for it, right?
There are thousands of other stories about buyers/sellers, etc… I have only scratched the surface. I stayed away from the whole James/W500Lover/goofball, thats another topic. The forum has been a little slow lately…well, maybe not that MN is back, drivel on brothers………
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