Posted by Marty on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 at 4:20PM :
In Reply to: Rare? posted by Judd on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 at 2:12PM :
Well you have to remember Judd, there are 10 times as many farm trucks in Nebraska than there are in 90% of the other states. I bet there aren't 10 WDX-WM300 style Power Wagons in the Vancouver Lower Mainland & there are 2 million people living here. Out of those 10 I probably own 5 & none of the 10 are for sale. There's not a day that I drive one of my trucks that I don't have someone begging me to sell it to them. That's rare.
A 1965 GMC or Ford 1/2 ton....thousands of them.
I would hazzard a guess that there are more Unimogs in Vancouver than there are Power Wagons & most people living here have never seen either one of them.
That being said, there are still a fair number of these trucks in Saskachewan & Winnipeg...the prarries & farm land like NE.
These are not where these trucks are pulling big bucks. They are going for big money in Los Angeles, Seattle, NY, New Jersey...big cities where they are seldom seen.
People are smart enough these days to only buy restored trucks because at $30K, you're cheaper to pay it than to restore one to original new condition if you have to pay a guys wages to do so. I realize there are people on this Forum that think it's possible to restore one for $10K or some crazy figure but they are mistaken.
That's a little off topic...there's no need to debate what they sell for. Several have sold in the $30,000 range in the past year.
People are just getting wiser about buying through Ebay & especially something as expensive to transport as a Power Wagon.
There are still excellent deals to be had on projects, beaters & trucks for a guy looking for a character truck. :)
Most guys restoring a Power Wagon are not starting out with a Wilbur...they're starting with a pile of parts that have come from 10 different wrecks. It just doesn't make sense to pay $13K for a Wilbur & then sink another $XXXXX into it when you can buy one for $2000 & spend the same money.
Most of the restored trucks you see in Iowa looked just like the ones you're pulling parts off in your back yard Judd...if someone didn't restore it you wouldn't see it at all.