Classics & Trucks on the Prairie

1931 Cadillac Series 355 4d sedan, Old Cars Report Price Guide Condition #4, $25,000.

Equipped with dual side-mount spares with steel covers and a luggage rack with a trunk on it. This CCCA Full Classic was formerly part of the Old West Museum of Madison, S.D., and is still titled there. It was given a color-change repaint several decades ago, with the original darker green peeking out from the occasional scratches, chips, nicks and more-frequently encountered panel edge wear. All plating is dull, but is congruent with the overall patina of the car. The original upholstery isn’t ripped nor does it have seam splits, but is water stained and quite soiled. The visors were removed with holes from the screws evident in the headliner. The engine air cleaner is now a modern, small, open-element unit, and the now-unused heater hose fittings are plugged with worn corks, yet otherwise things are generally original — albeit quite dirty. The car runs out well enough, but could stand a tune-up.

Full Classic ownership seems to get more affordable by the day, despite the currently strong collector car market. While Full Classic open cars are leaping upwards in values, more-staid sedans, such as this example, seem to be stagnant. With styling that matched its V-16 and V-12 big brothers, this Town Sedan is still a sharp-looking car — even if the shorter rear doors look a bit out of proportion (something that the late OCRPG editor Kenny Buttolph often pointed out on similar 1930s cars). Yet, this high bid hits the wall on its value.

1928 Franklin Airman 4d sedan, Old Cars Report Price Guide Condition #3, $25,000.

Previously owned by the Harrah Collection from 1969 through 1974, per data supplied by the auction company. That was likely when it was given its most recent repaint, which has now seen its better days, but is still presentable. Door fit is quite good, but one must also remember that it’s aluminum bodied. Fitted with dual side-mount spares and a fixed trunk that looks removable. Plating is more muted than

pitted, including the Weed accessory bumpers. The engine is more dirty than greasy, and should clean up. While the headliner is still in the original-style cloth, the seats and door panels were redone in Naugahyde — and not all that well. Stated that it runs and drives well.

It’s been said that Franklin is the Full Classic of engineers, so it’s logical that an engineer’s estate has this example. The pride of Syracuse, N.Y., from 1902-1934, Franklins marched to the beat of their own drummer, yet were always well-engineered and well-built. In the 1920s, to keep in fashion, it went to a faux radiator shell, which still works well for directing airflow to the air-cooled six-cylinder engine. While not one of Harrah’s prize-winning restorations (I suspect that the seats were later redone by a less-talented upholsterer), this is still a Full Classic you can take out and actually use, all the while being a rolling ambassador to the hobby, and at a reasonable price. All that combined makes this my “Pick of the Sale.”

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu 2d HT, Old Cars Report Price Guide Condition #4, $26,000.

Equipped with its original 250-hp, 350-cid V-8 and four-speed transmission, bucket seats and a console — a very unusual factory combination in a Malibu. Other options include AM/8-track stereo and rear window defogger. Bought new from Gem City Motors of Sidney, Mont., by Mr. Krueger’s father, who bought it for Mr. Krueger when he was in college, and he had owned it ever since. Paint is very heavily weathered and checked. Rusting out at corners of the fender bottoms and doors and trunk. The vinyl roof is no longer present, with moderate surface rust on roof. Only the driver’s seat has been reupholstered, and not all that well, while the other seats are fairly decent. Old rattle-can repaint on the dingy engine.

This one really surprised me, not just for what it hammered sold for, but more so that it was the high sale here against CCCA Full Classics in better condition. Very few original four-speed Malibus with 350 engines are still around, as those that didn’t rust in half are now “numbers matching SS 454 LS6s.” Sold extremely well, especially with as rough as it is.

1929 Cadillac Series 341-B 4d sedan, Old Cars Report Price Guide Condition #5, $7,500.

The original owner was one of North Dakota’s pioneer doctors, F.E. Bunting, of Mandan. The car participated in the state’s 75th anniversary celebration in 1964, but since then, it has fallen into disrepair. The hood, radiator, steering sector, engine and transmission were removed to be restored, and that’s where the project stopped, with the body and chassis largely untouched. All of the removed parts were sitting on pallets behind the car (or so it’s believed they’re all there). Paint on the bodywork has moderate sun fade, with surface rust on the tops of the fenders. Fuel vacuum tank and a 1930 Motorola radio vibrator are the only things mounted to the cowl. Since the front of the roof over the windshield is missing, there’s significant wood rot. The interior is still original, but may or may not be salvageable. The title is still in the name of a previous owner, so was sold along with a bill of sale.

One of the most frustrating restorations — or even repair work — is finishing someone else’s project. That alone makes the Caddy well enough sold.

1910 Ford Model T 4d touring, Old Cars Report Price Guide Condition #4, $12,000.

1910 chassis and body with a 1914 serial number engine. Only the fenders have black paint on them, and it’s still in decent shape. The wood spokes in the wheels are painted pale yellow to match the chassis. The bare aluminum hood was hammered out for more clearance on the passenger’s side. The bare wood body is in good condition, although the seats were crudely reupholstered. All of the brass is heavily tarnished, including the acetylene generator. Both panes of glass for the windshield are cracked. The dusty engine has an old flaking repaint in red. Sold on a bill of sale.

Model T Fords have been seeing a resurgence in interest over the last several years. No longer just the car your late grandfather liked to tinker on, younger generations have now rediscovered the T, although now more as a curiosity. Generally, the older the T, the more valuable it is, but this one is like the significant majority of surviving examples — something of a Heinz 57 blend of several eras of parts. Regardless, this was a decent enough buy to be one of my contenders for “Pick of the Sale.”

1970 Ford F-250 Sport Custom 2d 3/4T pickup, Old Cars Report Price Guide Condition #5, $2,500.

Equipped with a 360-cid V-8, four-speed manual transmission, power brakes and Western mirrors. The pickup box is fitted with a mechanical 2-ton winch and headache rack behind the cab, in addition to a drawbar hitch welded to the front bumper.

The original paint has some crazing and fading. Structural rust starting to blister under the rocker molding trim. Rusty and dirty under the hood, with no indication that the truck has ran anytime recently. All four hubcaps are sitting on the front seat, which has a heavily soiled and weathered cover, although the original upholstery beneath is not all that bad. Original 16inch split rims with old bias-ply tires.

The 1967-’72 “Bumpside” Ford pickups have been one of the hottest-selling vehicles in the market over the last few years. Even the three-quarter tons are popular, although one of the biggest things folks do to them is convert them into replica “high-boy” four-wheel drives. Somehow, I get the feeling that will happen with this example, as the 360-cid V-8 hasn’t run in years, yet the bodywork has very little rust. Since they are heavier to haul that most folks realize, this is one of those vehicles in which the cost to ship it is a bidding factor. Still, this was one of the better deals here.

1951 Mercury M-3 2d 1-ton pickup. Old Cars Report Price Guide Condition #5, $11,000.

Flathead 235cid V-8 with 4-speed manual transmission, which hasn’t run in several decades. Equipped with an aftermarket hydraulic hoist in the pickup box. As such, the tailgate was removed and channels were welded in for wood slats. Rotted out wood pickup box floor. Heavily weathered, brushed-on repaint with lots of fading. The passenger-side window is broken out of the door, with glass shards all over the cab floor. Heavily soiled and torn seat coverings. Saskatchewan Motor Club AAA badge on the dashboard. Sold on a bill of sale.

Since Crosby, N.D., is within 10 miles of the Canadian border, Fargo (Dodge) and Mercury (Ford) pickups are not all that unusual around this part of the country. However, farther south, it’s a fairly rare truck. Rare enough that $11,000 was the opening online bid, and it blew everyone else out of the water. Of everything here, this was the jaw-dropper sale for bringing far more money than anyone expected. Imagine if it still had the original “Mercury”-embossed tailgate.

1951 Studebaker R14 one-ton pickup, Old Cars Report Price Guide Condition #5, $400.

Except for missing the tailgate, the truck is generally complete. It is also generally weathered and will need to be restored, reconditioned or, at the very least, mechanically restored to get it to run and stop for a “patina truck.” While the paint is weathered, the sheet metal is quite solid. Every pane of glass and all tires need to be replaced. The front bumper is broken loose on the driver’s side. Most of the seat upholstery is still here, with the seat back totally intact, but dry-rotted and in need of replacement. Equipped with a hydraulic tilt for the pickup box. Sold on a bill of sale and without a title.

For decades, anything larger than a half-ton pickup saw little interest in the collector market. Today, with a continued strong vintage pickup and SUV market, three-quarter and one-ton pickups are now in vogue. While some of this trend is attributed to “a rising tide lifting all boats,” more are getting restored. Since big trucks tend to be less expensive, they’re being used more often for modified trucks (the thought being that owners will replace the old, slow and heavy driveline anyway). People now pay a lot more for much-worse-condition project vehicles that are a lot more common than this Studebaker. No matter the new owner’s intent, this used-butsolid starting point was well bought. This writer spent more than this on gas and lodging just to go to the auction, so it’s cheap enough to bring home as a souvenir, or as an alibi of being at the sale.

1948 Chevrolet Loadmaster 2d 2-ton bulk oil tanker. Old Cars Report Price Guide Condition #5, $850.

As for the truck, it’s pretty much your typical old AdvanceDesign Chevy. However, the big draw is the tanker body with original, albeit weathered, “Buffalo Gasoline” graphics. It has newer mounting bolts attaching the body to the frame, so it can be deduced that the body was originally on a different truck. A complete, period Stovebolt Six is under the hood, but based on the dust and grime, it’s been quite some time since it moved under its own power. The very dirty interior features a plainly reupholstered bench seat and a broken speedometer needle. Sold on a bill of sale.

Westland Oil Co., based in Minot, N.D., was in business from 1921 through 1982. It was a fixture in western North Dakota and eastern Montana, selling Buffalo Gasoline and Dura Lubricants. Even today, a few old Westland stations can be found in the area. In fact, the threshing bee grounds upon which the auction was held has a restored Westland station. Trucks larger than pickups tend to be labors of love for restorers, so this one may end up as a big yard ornament. Still, you won’t find a Westland Oil/Buffalo Gas sign or gas globe this cheap, so call it a large piece of petroliana, if you will.