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clueless sellers: let's hear your success stories. (model a coupe=32 ford, etc)

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by ironandsteele, Feb 15, 2011.

  1. edwardlloyd
    Joined: Aug 2, 2003
    Posts: 2,072

    edwardlloyd
    Member
    from Germany

    About 7 years ago I saw an ad for a 1942 Lincoln Continental Coupe (200 built) for about $5000. It was a runner but was fitted with a Cadillac 500ci BB. So I rang up. Turned out it was being sold by a bank who had repo'd it. It had been standing in storage for a year or so since then. So I rang the bank and told 'em it'd been fitted with a non standard engine and wasn't worth much anymore. In the end we did I deal. I paid the storage fees (about $3000) and they'd release the car to me. Was a great car. Even took it drag racing! Sold it on a few years later for over $10.000.
    Bought a rough '32 Fordor parts car with good frame and title last year at a scrapyard auction for Model-A money, advertised as a '28 Model-A. Chassis No. 18-5XXX. Must have been the first week of production.
    A buddy of mine followed up a lead last year on a Model-A body in an orchard in South Dakota after ignoring it for years. In the end he was in the area and went along just for kicks. Turned out to be a solid '32 Fordor body. Bought it for $800 and now his brother is rodding it.
    Got a mint '32 pedal box and pedals on Ebay 10 years ago for $1 plus postage!
     
  2. This is kind of a story of clueless seller, and clueless potential buyer that didn't have a clue! (got that?)

    Bout 4 years back at a swap meet I run acrossed a guy unloading a 32 Ford Grill shell from his enclosed trailer. I'm the first to see this and I high tail it over to make a deal. Grill is all an original Henry Steel unfilled and even wears a bit of the original patina'd paint. He wants $60 and I couldn't pay him fast enough. Now I didn't have a hot rod to put this on at the time and figured that price was worth just hanging it from a wall, or reselling it to fund the project I was working on. Well about halfway though the day this kid in his late teens comes by my space and is talking with me about his "rat rod" that he's working on. Seems like a nice enough kid and that he's just trying to get into the hobby best he can. So as we're talking I'm thinking "man I know how to make this kids day" so I tell him "you know what I have the perfect piece for your car". I pull the grill out from under my truck thinking that he's just going to pass out when he sees it, especially considering I offer it to him for what I had in it, $60. He tells me he's looking for a TRACTOR grill and that he really wouldn't want to run that "thing" on his car. I'm blown away! I would have given him the damn thing had he of not had the money or been halfway appreciative of what it was, but he looked at it like it was a rabid monkey that was going to infect him! Needless to say I threw it back under the truck and wished him the best of luck with his car.
     
  3. One of my co-workers picked this up for $1500 last weekend. Don't know if the seller was clueless or just wanted to get rid of it. My co-worker does know the guy that sold it to him but WTF? Runs strong no leaks, no smoke, no problems.
    The engine looks HAMB friendly at least.
     

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  4. Jimmy2car
    Joined: Nov 26, 2003
    Posts: 1,707

    Jimmy2car
    Member
    from No. Cal

    A friend of mine (now deceased) had wanted to buy a 40 convert from a guy in Minnesota. He had been after the car for years. One day the guy calls Larry and says that he is ready to sell the 40 for $10K. Larry drives over to the house, completes the deal and begins to load the car. After the car is loaded and ready to go, the owner asks Larry if he'd be interested in another car. Larry says I have no money. THe owner says it's FREE, come and look. It's a chopped 5 window 32 with an early Olds engine. I have pics of both cars somewhere.
    This stuff NEVER happens to me
     
  5. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    I was in high school in '55, saw a gent across the street from the H.S. working on a channeled '30 'A' roadster, older guy, (about 25!) Told him I just found a Model A roadster, looking for a frame. He took me around back and sold me a black lacquered '32 frame, complete with crossmembers, missing the front one. Gave it to me for $5. (five!)
    He wasn't 'foolish', was just trying to help a kid get started. He and I are still friends.

    1959. A former high school acquaintance (John) had bought a '34 three window, said come over and see it. He got a bunch more stuff with it, the seller's father brought a whole truck load of "extra parts", unloaded it in his front driveway.
    John's Dad about had a cow when he saw the pile of 'extra' stuff in his driveway.
    "John, you can have the car, but get rid of the rest of this stuff!"
    John told me I could have most of it, but NOT the flathead engine, and NOT the Merc wheels. (they were '46 Ford, LOL) I said O.K., and loaded the mint '32 frame (still had plum color paint on the side rails!) and 2 sets of '50 Merc wheels. He said "Take those ugly things, get 'em outa my way. And that box of junk."
    The box of junk had original outer rings for Merc caps, and 2 sets of '50 Merc caps!
    His attitude ("I got the '34, you didn't even know it was there" and "Get this junk outa my way and you can have it") forced me to tell him what the frame was after he gave me a receipt. He said, "I don't give a shit, I got the '34, and you didn't."

    1959. I was looking in the San Jose Mercury news, saw an ad for a Model A frame, $5, come and get it. I called the number, guy gave me directions. Took 2 moving quilts and some rope, he took me in the side gate and there it was, another Deuce frame! He said I was the only caller. He helped me tie it on top of my second '54 Ford Coupe.
    He was ignorant of what it was, but was good-spirited in selling it to an interested buyer. Straight up.

    1969. Sacramento, worked for a restorer that responded to a call from a woman to come pick up some "old car parts". I went over there in his '49 Chev pickup, loaded up a '32 frame, '29 'A' roadster body, '32 shell/grille, and a bare dropped axle.
    Got back to the shop, asked if I could buy the frame, boss said, "Oh, ten bucks..."
    I even borrowed the truck to take it home! He said later, "I thought it was a Model A..."
    It was O.K., he even gave me a receipt, signed by Notary Public! He added that he wasn't able to pay me what I was worth, so any help in building my rod was fine...

    1977. Turlock swap meet. Early in the morning, Saturday. Guy was unloading parts out of his trailer, set a pair of '32 rails down. They were cut off about 3 feet back from horns, but he had the mangled cut-off pieces. (horns themselves were perfect, just front rails welded, cut, ragged) $20, my bud helped me carry them to his panel truck. Got offers of $200+ on the way to the panel. Drew templates, had Master Metals in San Jose make 2 tapered front rails from 11 gauge steel ($45) I then jigged up rails, and welded it all back together.
     
  6. THE_DUDE
    Joined: Aug 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,601

    THE_DUDE
    Member

    One of the dudes in my club tells me about a guy at his work that says he has a old ford for sale and he says its a 32 ford. Im callin bullshit (so is my friend) But it isnt far from my house so he and I load up and go to look at it. The 15 minut ride was full of joking and shit talkin by me (Yea lets go see this 75 ford 4 door) Just off a road I have drivin down all my life down a little dirt driveway Is a farm. The things I saw that day!!!! There was indeed a 32 ford 5 window coupe!!! And a yard littered with 60s Mopar winged cars and you name it. The 32 was in super shape all parts acounted for and with a Washinton title!!! Not a bad find for 2000 bucks
     
  7. ironandsteele
    Joined: Apr 25, 2006
    Posts: 5,918

    ironandsteele
    Member

    damn! i'd like to see those pics..
     
  8. THE_DUDE
    Joined: Aug 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,601

    THE_DUDE
    Member

    In the other barn was a roadster pick up, a pile of early Hemi engines and in the corner was a chopped 3 window layin on its door!!!! I'm damn near crappin myself and the guy says "That's my brothers he wants WAY too much fo it" In my noodle Im thinkin 32 coupe money, so I bag out. We get home with the 5 window and the story spreads. A few weeks go by and a friend goes back for the 3 window he heard was way too much money. Pulls out 5 grand on the brother and its sold.
    Too much money my ass.. Never give up on um man they are still out there.
     
  9. Stevie Nash
    Joined: Oct 24, 2007
    Posts: 2,999

    Stevie Nash
    Member

    I gotta start paying more attention to CL...
     
  10. THE_DUDE
    Joined: Aug 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,601

    THE_DUDE
    Member

    Gotta hit it every day and spell crap wrong
     
  11. ironandsteele
    Joined: Apr 25, 2006
    Posts: 5,918

    ironandsteele
    Member

    jesus.... do you have a picture of this 5 window??
     
  12. PASTDUEBILL
    Joined: Apr 6, 2008
    Posts: 830

    PASTDUEBILL
    Member

    [​IMG]

    Bought last week 76,000 miles, original paint. $2500
    P code police motor, top loader. locker rear. Guy thought it was just an old galaxie.
     
  13. Blacktop Graffiti
    Joined: May 2, 2002
    Posts: 964

    Blacktop Graffiti
    Member

    Holy hell. I'm in love.
     
  14. not too HAMB friendly but i went to look at a 70 "impala" "with a big motor and good floors" for $1000 bucks, and it turned out to be a 70 malibu (chevelle) coupe but it was rotted to shit and had a 307 with headers. just a note to stupid sells, headers dont make your small block a big block
     
  15. THE_DUDE
    Joined: Aug 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,601

    THE_DUDE
    Member

    I do I'll dig it up for ya. The 3 window showed up a year later in CKDeluxe a full spread.
     
  16. ironandsteele
    Joined: Apr 25, 2006
    Posts: 5,918

    ironandsteele
    Member

    awesome. i'd love to see it.
     
  17. bfink55
    Joined: May 31, 2007
    Posts: 247

    bfink55
    Member
    from Turlock CA

    not as good a some of these storys but a dirtbag guy i worked with about 15 years ago had to move and kept try'in to sell me his V8 vega project . i didnt want it and had nowhere to put it anyway . a few days before he's gotta be out of the house he said he was just going to push the vega out in the alley and let the city deal with it .....but if i want the "vette" motor he was gonna put in it i can come get it or its going out in the alley too. so i got get it......its a long block and when i get it home it turns out to be a standard bore early 60's (i had the #s looked up ) VETTE , with a steel crank ! i rebuilt it , put it in a 69 chevy truck and the truck got ripped off when i had about 1200 miles on the rebuild
     
  18. Late 90's I went to GM dealership auction because they had merged a Nissan dealership into their facility. They needed to clean out the parts parts department of slow moving and excess stock. They had the wash boys haul everything to the now vacant Nissan Dealer for the auction.

    The auction was not well attended, not only did the helpers bring the old stock, but they also inadvertantly brought a bunch of new sheet metal. All the panels and trim filled a warehouse area about 30'X30', and there were just a handful of bidders. I asked the auctioneer if the it was being sold by the piece or by the lot, he srugged and said the lot. I don't think the other bidders heard or understood, and 30 seconds later I got the lot for $300. I had 8-10 heaping pickup loads, and a storage problem.

    Next day I stopped in the dealership to see if I could use their books to cross the PN's. The parts manager was pissed at me and wanted to buy it back, I said make an offer. He did at $600. I said be pissed at the auctioneer or yourself, not me, but I know I can make thousands off what I bought, and did....:):):). There were quarters, doors, fenders, grilles, dash pads for 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's, Camaro, Impala, Truck, Monte Carlo, Pontiacs Olds Buicks etc. The old stuff I put in Trader Mags, and the new stuff I sent mailers to repairables shops and moved most of it in a year. In the end I was using brand new fenders for patch panels and took a load to the iron pile (stuff like a rear floor plan for a Pontiac 6000)
     
  19. OMG! I wish I could meet a guy like you! That's the only way the Hitchhiker coupe will get a 32 grill.


     
  20. Groovybaby6
    Joined: Dec 29, 2008
    Posts: 799

    Groovybaby6
    Member
    from Denver

    My friend Bob went to look at a '60 Austin Healy years ago for $1,000. The seller couldn't get it started. Bob looked under the hood and noticed the idle mixture screws were turned in all way. He gave the guy the money, got the title, backed out the screws, started it up and drove away.

    in the rear view mirror, he saw the seller throwing the cash on the ground in disgust.
     
  21. nickk
    Joined: Feb 2, 2011
    Posts: 762

    nickk
    Member

    favorite story so far, i was hoping the vette stuff wasn't getting used and thank god its not
     
  22. skoh73
    Joined: Apr 17, 2008
    Posts: 1,553

    skoh73
    Member

    Killer stories! Subscribed.
     
  23. Ned Ludd
    Joined: May 15, 2009
    Posts: 5,025

    Ned Ludd
    Member

    I saw an ad in a local club newsletter for a "1932 Ford radiator cowl". Suspecting that it was a Deuce shell I called: it was. I sprang into the car immediately and drove to the other side of town. Luckily I knew the neighbourhood, as it was almost around the corner from my mother-in-law.

    The seller was a well-known local motoring historian with a few books to his name, but not a hot rodder. He obviously did not know the term "Deuce shell", nor how desirable they are, or he would have used it in his ad. I got the shell, less insert, for R750 which, at the exchange rate at the time, translates to $101.61. That was last year September.
     
  24. DocWatson
    Joined: Mar 24, 2006
    Posts: 10,273

    DocWatson
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Ned you have already posted this one!;):D

    Doc.
     
  25. Ned Ludd
    Joined: May 15, 2009
    Posts: 5,025

    Ned Ludd
    Member

    I know. But not here. I don't read every thread, do you?

    And I was rather chuffed with myself :D
     
  26. chris' 38
    Joined: Oct 24, 2010
    Posts: 311

    chris' 38
    Member

    just woke up and was looking on CL and see old 60s dodge muscle car for sale for $750. Look at the pick and its a super bee. call the guy up and ask what motor it has in it and he says i dont really know it has this big metal thing on top. just sent my friend over fingers are crossed.
     
  27. Fast67VelleN2O
    Joined: Mar 6, 2007
    Posts: 460

    Fast67VelleN2O
    Member

    That ad is a fake FYI. I saw it this morning. Also. its not a super bee.... it was a Super Bird. Big difference.
     
  28. DocWatson
    Joined: Mar 24, 2006
    Posts: 10,273

    DocWatson
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Getting that for 101$, I don't think chuffed would quite cover it!!:D
    Depends on the thread and how much time I have, sometimes read all posts but then again I'm pretty boring.......

    Doc.
     
  29. Fast67VelleN2O
    Joined: Mar 6, 2007
    Posts: 460

    Fast67VelleN2O
    Member

    http://www.carsinbarns.com/new20.html

    As you can see, the same car pictured in that ad is the same car on this rollback in MD.

    -Matt
     
  30. chris' 38
    Joined: Oct 24, 2010
    Posts: 311

    chris' 38
    Member

    thanks fast67. it was kinda weird i called and spoke to the guy and he gave me directions to his house to check it out. oh well i thought to good to be true
     

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