The Stressful Negotiation American Pickers Endured For A 1939 Ford Pickup
"American Pickers" appeals to fans for several reasons. One big reason people have tuned in for over a decade is to see what kind of valuable antiques pop up next. The team has found all sorts of valuables over the years, from vintage knock-off shoes to old advertising pieces. However, finding the stuff is only part of the battle.
Once Mike Wolfe and his gang find something worth their time, they next have to enter a negotiation. Sometimes this is fairly easy; Wolfe offers a price, and the seller immediately goes for it. In other instances, there's a bit more back and forth. The seller knows they have something worthwhile in their possession, and they won't let it go for the price Wolfe would like. This may cause stress on their end, but it makes for engaging television for the viewers. That was the case during the Season 17 episode "Hello Jell-O" when Mike's brother, Robbie, and Danielle Colby stumbled upon a 1939 Ford Pickup Truck.
Robbie Wolfe pulls out all the stops to get the truck
In the episode, Robbie Wolfe is the one traveling with Colby, and one of their stops involves checking out an antique car collection. There are a ton of vintage cars in the shed, but the one that catches the team's eye the most is a classic 1939 Ford Pickup Truck. Wolfe just knows he has to have it, but the seller isn't too keen on letting it go. In fact, at first, the seller says, "I'd hate to sell it." Of course, it's hard to let go of thousands of dollars being waved in your face, and it doesn't take long for him to change his tune.
What follows is an epic back-and-forth where Wolfe offers $4,000 for the vehicle. But the seller wants something more in the neighborhood of $6,000. They go back and forth for a while, and Wolfe finally seems to gain some leverage when the seller reveals that he doesn't have the title to the truck. That means more work on the pickers' end, and eventually, they settle for $5,500.
Wolfe then breaks down how much it would cost to restore the truck, and all-in, he believes he can make a few grand off of the deal. It's a good day for the pickers, and hopefully, the truck ends up in a home that cares about it as much as the seller did.