Projects Does anyone else have a hard time selling old body panels?

I have a few old body panels from various cars. Been trying to sell them for years on Craigslist. Keep lowering the prices until I'm nearly trying to give the stuff away. Still zero interest.
Then when I was selling a bunch of stuff at the Monroe Swap meet a few weeks ago. A guy across from me was trying to do the same thing with some decent 50 Ford shoebox fenders. Finally he tried giving them away for free. Still no takers!
That got me wondering, is this a common problem? Are people just not interested in this stuff anymore?
I have been trying to shed stuff lately, reduce the hoard, and give myself some more space to work comfortably. Just can't seem to shed the sheet metal!


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I think some people, especially those who have never restored a car, think if they need a replacement panel that they can just call a Vendor, buy what they need and it'll be in stock. They think every car is like a Model A Ford or a '64 Mustang and every part is reproduced.

If I run across a panel I think I might have trouble finding again and the price isn't too out of sight, I'll buy it and stash it away for possible future use.

 

Send it to Canada. Hard to find good sheetmetal here, and even harder to find someone who will ship sheetmetal if I do find it online. Took me 3 1/2 years to find decent fenders that I could afford, and I had to drive to Missouri to get them.

 

Have you tried the classifieds here?

sent from my toilet

 

It's even here in the rust belt to move stuff like that. A guy has to actually be working on a car to need it, and they're more likely to look on eBay or the internet to find the parts - but then you either have to ship to them or they have to come get them.

When I was working on my '50 Chevy, I did buy fenders - that I found in a you-pick yard. That was a lucky break, I ended up cutting all the body mounts out of the car too. The guy who bought it from me used all that stuff on it.

I bought a'39 Chevy coupe for the roof - well, picked it as replacement when scrappers stole my '29 Studebaker doodlebug - and nobody wants the doors from that. They're not great but they'll fill a hole if you have none. I had one guy in Washington State who wanted me to ship them who didn't even know what year his car was, who seemed to think 36-41 are all the same, and one guy in Kansas who was interested but it's too far to drive and he'd probably crap himself at the cost to freight them. And those have been advertised on eBay for ages.

 

I was buying 40 fenders, especially as singles, I now have three full sets. The last ones was a set of front and back sedan/coupe fenders. The backs were hacked for what looked like a set of slicks on a wide rear end, but they rolled the metal up and the parts are still there, $100.00.
Now if I could find a set of truck rears for $100.00,,,,,,

 

I have been buying and selling cars and parts for close to 30 years. People don't want to believe it but the market is drying up . People just don't have the money to spend like they use to . also years ago the prices of these cars where always going up. Now there is so much stuff out there for sale that the prices are going down hill. It is a buyers market and unless the part is absolute cherry and almost free, they are just kicking tires and telling you they will think about it. Here in Wisconsin we have the Jefferson and Iola swap meets. Been vending there for years. Use to sell a small fortune every year. Now I just watch thousands of people just walk by my stalls talking to each other or doing something on their dam phone. Good luck , I hope you find someone to sell to, It would be a shame to get disgusted and junk them. Larry

 

I only really mess with pre WWII Ford's and those panels sell like hotcakes and I spend a measurable percentage of my income on them. I wouldn't mind if 34 Ford parts slowed down a bit. The classifieds here work well and I feel like they're the best concentrated audience your going to get

 

It depends on what you have for sale,some parts are always in high demand while others gather dust.

Just what are you trying to sell? HRP

 

it seems that the cost of shipping sheet metal is the main reason no ones buys. I've got a ton of it and havn't sold anything in quite a while.

 

Seems to me that there's Chevy sheet metal sellers and Ford sheet metal buyers!
An ignorant buying force is always something to 'deal with'!
A guy just today said he's looking for some Ford rear fenders: "1940 or '41, passenger car..." I didn't ask him which one, didn't need a 'dissertation' from this 'elmer'...

I hate craigslist, just full of idiots, scammers, and wiseasses. Just tried to buy a workbench advertised on there, the guy got weird and just stopped short of giving me a location...I had cash in hand...another jerk answered my for sale ad, sent stupid remarks by email, like he's some 'Fred Allen' of fast quips...wasn't even funny.

HAMB classifieds are good, downside is most advertising are in the East and Midwest...big stuff + shipping = 0.

 

I have 3 good 53/54 Chevy hoods, a 57 Rambler hood with perfect chrome, the cowl vent cover for the same 57 Rambler, a decent 40-47 Ford truck door, an extra skin for that door, and a roached inner door as well. The Rambler hood is a great shape to display. It would be cool to paint a vintage tattoo art picture on it. But I just don't have available wall space for it.





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Unfortunately,the Rambler parts are not in high demand although the Chevy hoods should sell,eventually.

If you advertise these parts in the Hamb Classifieds I would suggest you fill out your profile and add your city & state.

Recently my pal Mike sold a a Henry J front bumper that he has hauled back and forth for more than ten years,we have even laughed about it but it was laying in the trailer and "He saw it and just had to have it!" HRP

 

If anyone has a 32 Oldsmobile deck lid/ 32 Chevrolet/ almost any 1932 Fisher body deck lid, PM please.
(5 window coupe) others may work even some 31

 

The hard part is not offing body panels, but finding that one person that needs that particular piece. The internet has made it easier for buyers and sellers alike to connect, but has driven prices down at the same time.

 

I have a 40 Ford hood that I have been trying to sell for years. Not perfect but hoods are the only body part that Dennis Carpenter is not making.

 

Shipping is the issue. You're unlikely to find someone at a swap meet or locally on Craigslist that needs an oddball fender or hood, unless you've got Model A coupe doors or trunklids there's just not enough people looking for that part. And if you're not within a couple hours driving distance to the buyer who needs it they'll want it shipped. Shipping big stuff is a hassle and is expensive, maybe your buyer is willing to pay $100 for the hood but if shipping is $200 they're out.

A local guy is trying to sell me some 49-51 Merc pieces including a super solid pair of coupe doors and I know there's people looking for those but I just don't know how I'd ship them once they're sold.

 

done the shows , bunch of tire kickers or free bee hunters ..
like several said shipping is the issue , I used to do some O/t cars and got out of it and have some boxes of the stuff , its boxed but still FED-OOPS wants a Oversized charge to ship it in the little truck to mangle it , fed-OOPS freight , forget about it you can BUY 3-4 panels for the cost of shipping as the manf's get a cut rate freight rate , it got to the point were I told people to spend the day and gas money to pick them up ( often the money saved makes it the same priced as shipped ) or I figured out the milage ( around .15 a mile ) and deliver them my self for the costs ( spent several a day doing a deliveries out to 500 miles ) still cheaper than Fed-OOPs . and not damaged either , but I have to borrow the wifes ride to do it . but lately since the stuff has been sitting for 3 years if it doesn't move its getting cut up and scrapped ( and then someone locally will call the next day )

 

15 cents a mile is pretty cheap. Even the Feds pay more than that:
"Beginning on Jan. 1, 2017, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: 53.5 cents per mile for business miles driven, down from 54 cents for 2016. 17 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, down from 19 cents for 2016.Dec 13, 2016"

 

I sold a 39 Ford rear fender recently for and the shipping through FedEx was 4 times the price of the fender. Fl. to N.Y. $ 580.00 no insurance. Shipped by Greyhound $ 79.00 and $300 of free insurance.
Got there in 4 days.

 

the wifes car gets 33-38 highway @ 2.30 a gallon . I just charge for gas , the Federal rate includes wear and tear and depreciation . now if it was my semi umm the rates a bunch more .. ( 1.50 a mile plus fuel surcharge and tolls )

 

It's a supply/demand thing along with the shipping factor. There may only be a couple of people in the entire country that actually need a 57 Rambler hood and they have to find you, so it would have to be a match made in heaven. Maybe list it on a Rambler forum? Consider that if they're just trying to upgrade their current hood because of condition, they'll probably be ahead to just do the bodywork on theirs once they factor in purchase and shipping, so you're market is a 57 Rambler owner that is missing the hood. Consider just selling/shipping the chrome.
It's been awhile, but I've had a lot of panels (doors, quarters, etc.) shipped via Greyhound and never had a problem with damage and the cost was reasonable.

 

I have shipped a couple big things thru Fastenal, but the buyer sets it up and pays the freight. can anyone tell us what you've paid using Fastenal?

 

Just my opinion so please don't shoot me for saying that we are all getting older and because we loved old cars does not mean the next generation will!!!

Someone born in the 80's or 90's remembers the cars from that era not the 40's and 50's

Where a 55 Chevrolet gets my heard beating it really does not have the same effect on my sons and that's just the way it is. I am not saying there won't be any young people interested in these cars just that there will be a lot fewer of them then in the past.

Here in Florida we have in door collector car dealerships that have only a few streets rods and yet have plenty of muscle cars from the late 60's and on up.
The reason is because right now street rods are not selling fast enough to be getting more floor space according to the owner of the dealership.

Peoples interests are changing and it does not matter if you like it or not it's just the way it is.

Jimbo

 

I tend to grab any old metal and drag it home if the price is right. Even if I don't need it. For instance yesterday, I found an old Pontiac hood. Presumably from the 40s. I don't even have or know someone with a similar car but when I go back to pick up the rest of the other stuff I bought I'll be asking the gentleman how much he needs for it. I got the feeling he might give it to me.
Half the battle is finding the person who needs what you have. This guy might need your fender but isn't focusing on that right now so while you're trying to sell it, he's oblivious and not looking. Then, when he decides to finally start looking for that fender he needs, will you still have it for sale or will you have stopped actively advertising it? It's all about timing and connecting with that one guy. Of course once you find each other you often still have to do the dance of making the deal.

A lot of old cars have either already been fixed up and no longer in need of those parts or they're languishing somewhere with someone on a budget who's in no hurry to split with his hard earned cash just yet.

Certain cars just always seem to sell better too.

 

Yup I have a 70 Buick Skylark hood I have been trying to get rid of for the better part of 10 years. Think this is the year I cut it up and use for patch panels. I'll probably have better luck selling the trim off of it


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Best bet is to keep advertising within driving distance, or find a network or people doing those cars. The 1 guy that needs it will probably drive a few hours to get it.
Shipping on sheetmetal is expensive and crating it so it doesnt get destroyed is the next problem.

 

but it always seems the guy who needs it is just a little too far away . its never the local guys . you would think being in the Chicago tristate area someone would need them or have them , nope its always a guy in Calgary , Seattle , or El Paso that has them or wants them .

 

It depends on What your Selling Now if you had 50 Merc Sheetmetal Parts
and if they were NOS you are Talking Lot's of Money
I have 2 pieces of NOS sheet Metal & the Last time I seen them on
ebay they went for over 1000.
You have to remember they DON'T make any more Body Parts
Just my 3.5 cents

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