aquired a attex li'l truck and need help

[amphibious drew]

Value and worth is all relative. Your machine's value currently is basically the body and engine if the tires are shot(just my opinion). If you were to part it out or sell it outright I would think you would only get $1000 in a good day. A t-20 can be had for very little if you keep an eye out. There are several ways to get one too. I traded $200 in tires for one from a member and I think a gave $175 to another member for the one before that. Both were good deals, and I would expect to pay more like $250-$300 for a tested but not refurbished used t-20. Member MaxIVMark got his last t-20 by buying a parts max II that was lacking a body or engine. I bought the frame off of him for a custom build, so I think he has about $150 in the tranny. Buying a busted up machine for a few hundred can get you some extra parts to sell or barter with to cheapen the build. All that being said, once you have a t-20 in it and good swimming tires you should be able to sell it for $1500-$2500. If you sell during tax season, you could even get as much as $3500-$3900. I do believe a member got somewhere around that last year for a really nice superchief. The real value of the conversion is in having a reliable rig. I use my Attex 450 on trail rides, and although its more than 30 years old, I don't seem to have any more trouble with it than any one else. Also, my machine isn't depreciating like a quad or side by side. I feel I purchased my machine after the market bottomed on AATV's. People tell me you used to be able to get good running machines for a few hundred bucks years before I got into the hobby. Now if you see a complete but beat machine for less than $1000 they seem to sell quickly. All things considered it is well worth upgrading your rig and using it for the next 5-30 years. If you build it to use, the value is there.

[kghills]

I really need to know what this is worth as it sits, and how much it will be worth after i put a transmission in. I dont want to have more in this than what it is worth.

Please don't take this the wrong way but you may want to sell it ASAP to minimize your loss. If you add up what you have spent on a carb kit, lines and probably a few clamps, add to that some new tires. Not generic tires but nice riding tires that swim. Some chains and maybe a few bearings, a drive belt and transmission, you will be at 2k if not more if you consider your time is worth nothing. The reality is the antique machines don't really sell for a bunch of money and it is very common for them to need more work than they are worth. Like most hobbies the experience is what people are after and the financial aspect is secondary if a consideration at all. The hand full of collectors that are actually willing to pay good money for the vintage machines seems to be quite small from what I have seen.

Have fun, Keith.

[jpswift1]

Ok, now after a carb kit and all new fuel lines the engin is running good. Kinda getting excited, my 4 year old already loves this thing. Now for a t20 transmission. I really need to know what this is worth as it sits, and how much it will be worth after i put a transmission in. I dont want to have more in this than what it is worth. Things i know i am going to need are transmission, several tires are weather checked so new tires all the way around, and i have not figured what i am going to need for the conversion from ct-2 tran over to t20. Thanks for the replies

Drew gave you some very good advice. He stated, "Value and worth is all relative. Your machine's value currently is basically the body and engine if the tires are shot(just my opinion)."

If you want to learn about AATVs, have a good solid machine as a starting point, and have something reliable to have fun with on the trails and that will last a long time without much maintenance, I'd start getting this machine going. This machine, even though it's old, doesn't need that much work, especially compared to some of the other vintage machines that have been neglected over the years........those are the ones that could be a big money pit. Drew stated that you can get a T-20 at a good price if you keep an eye out, and he's absolutely right. You can actually put a VERY nice AATV together by shopping around, learning, and doing some research. All of my AATVs have been put together on a shoestring budget, yet they all have top notch parts, no corners cut, and even though they're old, they're just as reliable and some are even more capable at traversing tough terrain than a brand new stock machine. Like I mentioned, if you're doing this because you want a nice AATV for yourself, great, but if you're doing this to make a profit, then I'd have to steer you in the direction that Keith did, and say sell it now.

Here's the breakdown I can give you from my point of view. I've rebuilt many AATVs and this is the breakdown I can give you as far as cost.

-New Carlisile AT101 tires (good tires that swim fast) $400 http://www.stopandgotires.com/model....0101%20Chevron
-T-20 (let's say you find one for $400)
-Drive belt and misc steel and hardware $100

Now that's $900 for the parts, assuming your bearings and drive chain are good. Throw in another $100 for any surprise expenses that come up and you'll have about $1000 into your machine if you do it on a budget and shop around. You didn't pay anything for the machine, so you have no cost into it off the bat, which is great! Now, Attex used high quality USA made Fafnir bearings and Diamond chain so if you grease and oil everything very well you might be able to use what is on your machine still. My 'Lil Truck is still using all factory bearings and chain and it's holding up very well. I personally would do what I just mentioned and drive, rebuild, learn, and enjoy this machine. With all the folks on here helping you along, I'd say you could easily put this machine together and not have to worry about having more than what it's worth into it. And you'll learn about how the machine works, have a unique and reliable vehicle. That's my opinion on your situation. Let us know what direction you go and we'll try our best to help you out.

[kghills]

Jeff does a much better job at expressing the costs than me. His prices are a bit on the optimistic side in my opinion and are based on his ability to secure the screaming deals (part of the fun) and a lot depends on what you can do yourself and how long you are willing to wait to find some stuff. Your machine looks very clean but I always figure things are parked or put aside for a reason.

Keith

[jpswift1]

I forgot to mention that part......putting it together for the price I mentioned is with finding the best deals and doing some research to find them. Plus doing the work yourself saves you a lot of money like Keith mentioned. He also raised a very good point that you should keep in mind, when you rebuild something you're assuming your time is free. If you're putting it together for a fun project, great. But if you're putting it together for a profit, you'll have to take into consideration the expression, "time is money". If you decide that you don't want to rebuild it, I'd send a message to kghills because he doesn't have an Attex 'Lil Truck and he'll give it a great home and it'll help put the number of machines in his fleet closer toward the double digits.

[kghills]

If you decide that you don't want to rebuild it, I'd send a message to kghills because he doesn't have an Attex 'Lil Truck and he'll give it a great home and it'll help put the number of machines in his fleet closer toward the double digits.

Did you and Richard Clark come up with that one over lunch today? Seriously, I am not interested but from a collectors standpoint to have it with the non T-20 drive and in the li'l truck configuration makes it very desirable. Problem is like I said there are less than a hand full of collectors and just a couple who will pay real money. It's too bad really.

Keith who is not looking for another project. (at least not right now)

[jpswift1]

Did you and Richard Clark come up with that one over lunch today?
Keith who is not looking for another project. (at least not right now)

Hahaha, yes we discussed it over pastrami on rye earlier today. He offered to foot the bill for lunch but somehow I got conned me into paying. That shyster!

And you're not looking for another project, right now...........but that could change tomorrow or next week!

[Don]

I don't think it would take too much persuading for a certain collector up in Wisconsin to go after the GT Li'ltruck. I may be wrong, but I know the whole mindset and it doesn't let up easily!

Don't expect to get deals like JP, sshirk. NOBODY gets those kind of deals but JP! He's got some weird amphibious-great-deal-magnetic-personality thing going for him, and if I knew how he did it, I'd probably have more machines lying around than I do now.

[kghills]

Hahaha, yes we discussed it over pastrami on rye earlier today. He offered to foot the bill for lunch but somehow I got conned me into paying.

You'll need to butter him up a bit more if you ever want a shot at all his Hustler parts.

I don't think it would take too much persuading for a certain collector up in Wisconsin to go after the GT Li'ltruck. I may be wrong, but I know the whole mindset and it doesn't let up easily!

Honestly, the trucks are not my cup of tea. But... this would be my take. I know you guys love the T-20 and it has proven to be very durable. In this case however I would not change it. I would try to keep the machine with the drive that is in it and make sure it functioned properly. And yes that means I would not trail ride it. I would only use it gently to sort of puts around with once in a while. I think this machine is cooler with the junk drive and of some historical significance. Again a good machine to sit next to Matt O's Attex 1000. While putting the T-20 in it would be more functional you have to admit it sort of makes it less special.

Keith.

[thebuggyman1]

Just remember I called Dibbs if it goes for sale.