Hot Rods suggestions needed disposing cars and parts

When my dad died, I contacted all the local [to his area] auction companies and they came and looked....said there wasn't enough stuff-they wouldn't waste their time.
So, I bought a bull horn, bought ads in the local papers giving time and sate of the upcoming auction and took 2 weeks vacation from work..drove the 1750 miles in the Rocky Goodtime Van [TM] and cleaned and organised all the tools, early ford cars and parts and made 2 huge metal scrap piles. My brothers and sister helped me the last weekend and we had the auction. I manned the bull horn and anything that didn't sell went into the scrap piles which I auctioned last...All 4 of us walked away with about 2500 bucks ...
The only negative thing was none of the cars [after we split up the good stuff between us] sold....went for scrap even tho I'd gotten titles for everything on the propitty.
Do it yourself!

 

Just had a ridiculous idea: Go take some pictures of the stuff and have a "HAMB" auction! You won't have to pay an auction company, but you might get "low-balled" a time or two.

 

Bill, wasn't sure that was you .didn't know you had moved, and didn't know he was in that bad of shape. ..H.E. was one of the few people i like. I'll help you as much as i can, anyway i can, I don't want any pay, most of the stuff he has is WAY to nice for my cars. If there is something i want i'll bid just like everybody else. I've known them since i was 16 yrs old.I'm almost 60 now. SHE STILL HUGS MY NECK WHEN SHE SEES ME.Let me know what i can do.In the best southern compliment of all, "THEMS GOOD FOLKS"

 

The number of people that I run into at swap meet that search the HAMB classifieds every day but don't actively participate here I'd think that Listing some of the more interesting cars and stuff there might do well.
The problem I see with auctions around here at least is if the auctioneer isn't into what you are selling he doesn't work at getting top dollar out of it hard

 

As others have said auction is the quickest with the least work for you. Most auctioneers are flexible. You can do the work for set-up or they can do the work. You might save some money setting things up yourself, but they usually have a better idea as to how to set it up for better pricing and flow of auction. You get what you pay for. I usually have an auction or two a year. ( I buy and sell stuff) There are over 60 auctioneers in a 30 mile radius from me. I have used 5 different ones. Each has his own thing he gets higher prices for. Your choice of auctioneers is important. Do not be surprised if the auctioneer will not sell your items, he may not feel he can do the best job for you. Also a good auctioneer will need as much as 3 months to schedule a large auction. A bad auctioneer can do is in a month!

 

Are the parts/ cars in Mississippi? I am in east central part of state. I've been selling stuff on a fee based on variables, prefer selling car parts, and use forums like the Hamb, on Facebook pages, or eBay if I think the stuff will sell better on there. But eBay ain't like it used to be. I haven't used Craigslist as of yet. I also use word of mouth and I have a friend who has built cars for a 409 lover in SE texas, for instance. Sorry to hear of a old car lover's health issues.

 

No the parts and cars are in Tn. I now live in Desoto county and that is why I am 250 miles away. Thanks Bill

 

Thanks for your suggestions ! That is why I posted this to see what others have done and their experences. Thanks again. Bill

 

Thanks for your kind words , Bruce . I also sent you a Pm. We probably will call on you when its time . Thanks Bill

 

Thanks for your suggestion. Bill

 

Thanks for your suggestions. Its going to be a lot of work regardless of how we proceed. Thanks .Bill

 

I'd go the auction route. You can even get the bidders to pay the auctioneer's commission, instead of you these days.

 

love a good auction.....sometimes you catch the others sleeping and get a good deal....or go take a wiz and miss a good buy....auctions on the other hand sometimes gets more money for something as you get to people bidding against each other - that's the plan of an auctioneer....they do most often earn their money as they spend time to set the stuff up - if they know the stuff - they know to work a little harder at bringing in the top dollar....the 409 motors brought stupid high money at auction earlier this year....the last estate action I attended the family just put a paper on the car and the bidding started....and ended at a set time....not the best - but I've been to some of those.... good luck and I need a 409 motor......

 

Donate them to a trade schools for future car guys or try calling an antique/vintage only specialty yard. You cant take it all with you but you might help out a whole lot of people. I lost most everything a few years ago in a fire, so dont worry someone will always want what you got. Just dont send it to me or my wife will kill me.

 

Vanderbrink auctions goes all over the country and seems to be very specialized in old car collections like what you describe. I don't know what their commission rate is but it'd probably be worth it since they know what they're looking at, I've been to a few auctions they've put on and they seem to do it very well. Better to pay a big commission on great sales numbers than to get a cheaper percentage from a local yokel who doesn't bring the bidders in.

As has been said, the top dollar comes on individual sales on eBay and the like, but it's incredibly labor intensive. You could spend a year or more selling stuff that an auctioneer would clear out in a day.

If there is a yard full of rough cars, have a scrap dealer come in and put a minimum bid in on them. Maybe they'll say $100 per car and so the bidding starts at $125 or something like that. I've been to auctions like that, good to know that everything will go and no whole cars are going to sell for a buck, ect.

It would be tempting to sell off some of the high end pieces ahead of time, to get the max money. But if you pick over the collection too much, there won't be enough there to entice bidders to come from a long distance to bid. So you have to factor that in.

 

Thanks for your input. Bill

 

I spoke with a friend in Southeast Texas about this, he has a customer named Monroe who is into some high end 60-62 Chevys with 409s maybe earlier yrs. also. If I have a number to give him, he will give contact info to Monroe so there is no middle man.That said, I am sure your sister is not able to handle that at any point soon so it would be you talking to him and giving him a idea what is there.. My buddy in Texas is coming this way next week or two so his wife and mine can visit. He ,if asked to by tis Monroe guy will look at the lot. Just a thought. Let me know if that sounds like a idea you want to pursue.

 

I just hope my wife doesn't sell my stufF for what I told her I paid for it !!!!

 

I've gone to quite a few auctions where they are selling a car collectors (hoarder?) stuff. One thing was consistent, no matter how remote, there has always been a big enough crowd to generate good sells. Went to one out in Texas farm country, held by an auction company that sells farm and ranch stuff. Bunch of old cars and some good parts like 409's and hemis. Hoping wouldn't be much competition being so far from anywhere and only advertised in a farm auction bulletin. Wrong, huge crowd and all the good stuff brought top $$$.
My family had an auction to clean off the family farm after my Dad passed. Yeah, we gave the auction company a fairly good size check when it was over BUT... they did most the work and EVERYTHING was gone in a week. Not only that but we got more even after their fees then we thought we would. An auction is a no brainer IMHO.

 

I go auctions almost weekly. If there's a lot of good stuff it will bring people from all over. Make sure the auction is on a Saturday with a preview Friday or if there's enough stuff do a two-day auction.. prices ALWAYS get really cheap at the end of the day and the auctioneer is lazy/slow and has a lot to do by the end of the day he will blow it out for whatever it takes to finish their day.. they only really care about the big dollar items like cars, property, valuable parts.. the rest is just an annoyance for most of them. I had an auction this summer where the auctioneer took too long and had an entire upstairs of the barn and 10-15 engines to sell. I was buying flatheads for $15-40 and pallet lots of early Ford and hotrod parts for $20. I'd hate to see that happen if it was my stuff!

Share the auction listing ALL over social media and on forums. Make sure the auctioneer either knows old cars or has employees/helpers that do. A couple of the local auctioneers near me employ a couple of the older guys for certain sales to call out what stuff is and sort out the real good stuff that they may have sold in a box lot for pennies. My favorite auctions are the automotive related ones where the auctioneer knows nothing about old cars and is too stubborn to ask for help. I gladly stand there and buy entire pallet lots for $20 filled with old parts.

If it was me personally I'd fly out for a week/long weekend and sort through the stuff and pull out the REALLY good/desirable/rare stuff and get photos of it and sell it on a forum or classifieds. This way you can assure you get what you need for those items without an auctioneer taking a chunk. Then let the auctioneer come in and sell everything that isn't bolted down (and some things that are!). One great thing about auctions is they sell everything, and it actually helps you with the clean up around the property too!

Advertising is the key, spread the word, have some local family/friends/enthusiasts handing out fliers at local car shows and swap meets, run a Facebook ad for the auction, post on forums, etc etc. Get the hype up and you'll do well.