When I get rid of a car, it happens in one of three manners. For the newer vehicles, usually it gets traded in for another newer vehicle. For older vehicles, usually I name a price and it sells as it is, or in worst case scenarios, it’s off to the yard. It’s just the way I operate. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t understand the ins and outs of selling a vehicle properly. Namely, one important fact stands out above the rest: if you really want to get the best number out of your soon to be ex-ride, you had better pay attention to the small details if you don’t want to lose your ass on the deal.

Derek, the beard behind Vice Grip Garage, has a sweetheart of a 1980 Chevrolet Big 10 on his hands. 1980 is a one-year-only setup for the square-body GM trucks…the headlight and grille setup is a one-year-only piece yet it still retains the old front marker light and hood line designs. This is a Southern truck that looks to be what I dub a “Grandpa’s old truck” setup…it’s got it’s wear marks but overall, the truck was kept very tidy and sorted throughout the years. Nice and all, but after forty years even the best cared for vehicles could use a touch-up or two to look their best. And that’s what is going on here…Derek plans to send this Chevy to auction, so in order to get top dollar, he’s got to put in some shop time polishing the jewel he hopes to sell.