Antique vehicle value

notjustair

Well-known Member
Sorry, might be long.

My grandfather bought a 1930 Ford AA truck new. They used it to haul cattle and grain. I guess that would make it a stake bed? Anyway, when my uncle started farming grandpa gave it to him. He used it daily to feed cattle right up until 1990. He put it up on blocks at the back of the shed and there she sits.

My uncle is now 75 or so. I told my mother to talk with him about the truck when she sees him as I want to keep it in the family(the family isn't real close - I haven't seen him in 20 years). He will likely want a ton of money for it as he's not always reasonable, but it needs to stay in the family. There are no other family members that are interested.

I am kind of expecting a "make me an offer" response. What is it worth? If I remember right all of the glass is in it. The fenders all have cracks and dings you would expect from a farm vehicle that was used for 60 years. There wasn't anything wrong with it mechanically, although from sitting it would need gone through. The interior is a few mouse nests and some seat springs.

My uncle would like to have gold for it I am sure, but I am hoping it will be reasonable. For those of you with these old vehicles, what is the proverbial barn find worth?
 
One thing I noticed in your post is that you said he put it up on blocks which to me he knows that it's worth saving. He doesn't want it to rust away or sink in the dirt.
 
Why not just ask him what he would take for it? Barn finds have to many ranges to tell some one how much it is worth!
 
There's one near me in ohio the guy is asking 5000 for.I offered him 3000 two years ago and it's still setting in the same spot. Another guy had a beautiful restored one he sold for 9000.
 
I collect old boat motors. One thing I've noticed is that when folks hear that I plan to either restore or preserve the motor, the price drops. If I were to talk about modifying or reselling for a profit, (things I don't do) the price goes up. Yep, he put it up on blocks because he knows it has value. But he might be like you and see the intrinsic value more than the monetary value.
 

You might look around at similar trucks in similar condition for sale to get an idea of current asking prices. Might give you a come back to an outrageous price to say that you can find one for this price but would rather buy the family truck for sentimental reasons. Otherwise let it sit and buy it from the widow or at the estate sale.
 
If it's a 1930 it probably has budd wheels instead of spokes. I think they quit the spokes in 29 but I'm not sure. Spoked wheels weren't desirable at the time because they bent going around corners with a heavy load but they're desirable today. Does it have duals? Does the engine serial number match the frame number? The frame number is on the frame under the driver's door and hard to see with the cab on the frame. The engine and frame had the same serial number when it left the factory but a lot of them don't have the factory engine anymore. A 1930 will have a four speed transmission from the factory as they dropped the car three speed in mid-29. The ones with the three speed could have had a dealer installed two speed planetary transmission behind the three speed but I don't know if the two speed was available when the four speed came out. Does it have a ring and pinion rear end or worm gear? Is the aoogah horn workable? There's a motor that spins inside the horn and it cold possibly work. I helped restore a 28 AA that sat in a cattle yard for years and the horn still worked after I lubed it up. Just a few things to look at so you can act like you know something about it if you sell it. There's a wealth of information concerning the AA on the net but no serial number indexes for the AA as far as I know. Jim
 

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