Are people really getting these high prices for their unfinished projects???

When I look at the classifieds on this site and on ebay I am amazed at the prices people are asking for there rusted up, thrown together, unpainted, unfinished projects! Do they really think they will get these prices? Are they really getting these prices?

Hell I have spent a lot of time and money on my car but I know I'm not going to get much out of it. I can list 10 on the HAMB classifieds that are unfinished and are asking a crazy amount of money for. If these guys are getting anything close to their asking price then I am in the wrong business and need to start buying old cars, cutting them up, blasting the paint off of them, lowering them, stripping the interior and make a killing!

Again I know they might have a lot of time and money in their projects but it does not mean they are worth anywhere close to what they are asking.

 

Make one an offer and see if he will take you up on it. That's all I know to tell you.

 

I've been thinking the same thing. I see all these cars advertised for upwards of $20-30K and i'm wondering whos got that kind of cash to pluck down on a car thats probably driven 20x a yr?

 

If the projects are rusted up, thrown together, '32s or '34s then they are probably getting the long dollar. The others are just fishing for suckers.



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I was thinking the same thing. There are a lot of cars that seem priced very high. Maybe it's the "well, if someone will give me that, i'll sell it. If not I'll just keep driving it" hope.

 

Yea I say a lot of the are fishing for a sucker. Or like you said if someone wants to pay this I'll sell it! ha It's different if it was a rare collectible car but a lot of these are rat rods and are not rare at all.

 

Some are overpriced for sure, but in some cases you couldn't duplicate what the guy has sitting there for the money being asked. I think that is what some asking prices reflect, the guy totalled up all the money he has invested in parts and uses that as a basis, but in the real world you generally only recoup a portion of what you spent.

But, yeah, I see some ads for half finished projects for more that I get when I have sold a completely done, running car. T buckets seem to fall into that category..........I see them advertised for $ 20-$25, 000 and I say "Good luck, buddy !"

Don

 

Dreamers. Couple of years ago I talked to a guy who had a 56 Packard hardtop for sale. It had a Buick motor in it. I offered $2500. He wanted $8000. He reasoned like this. I paid $3500 for the car then paid $4500 to have a junkyard Buick engine and trans installed. $3500+$4500= $8000. He wouldn't believe that sticking a buckshee engine in that car reduced its value. So he listed it on Ebay.

Top bid, $2200. So far as I know he still has it.

 

I bet some of them are trying to walk the talk they gave their old lady when they bought the stuff.

 

It's quite simple, actually.

Wife: "You need to get rid of that piece of crap! I want my garage back!"

Husband: "I'm not selling my prized possession!"

Wife: "You do it or I will!"

Husband: "Okay, fine. I'll throw it out there and see what happens."

A few days later...

Husband: "See? I posted it on the HAMB. Nobody has commented on it. I'm never going to be able to sell it and get our money back until its finished. Guess we're going to have to buy more parts and get it on the road. I'm sorry honey."

 

Ya nailed it there Eric.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head! I've seen lots of guys, myself included, when pressure from the other half got too strong, would "try to sell it". In other words, put a big assed price on it that nobody would ever give just to keep the other half quiet!

"I tried, but nobody wants it, so I'm gonna have to keep it."

 

what i have noticed is the goofy r@tr@ds getting crazy money and nice traditional cars are stalling around 9-10k and not selling. my brother wondered why also. i think its because there are people with cash and no ability that want a ride, even a bad one, cause they dont know any better. people like us here on the HAMB, that can spot a car that has vintage/period parts, arent buying cars. we're building them.

 

I had a wife like that once. The current wife supports my hobby 100%. Our anniversary in April will be our 24th. Life is good with a woman who likes you and your hobby..

 

I bet people were asking the same thing 50 years ago.....

 

Also ... REMEMBER ...

The price being CRAZY is determined by which side of the sell you are on.

If it is yours ... you think it is nice and have that much in it.
The buyer sees what it really is and then wants to get a " GOOD DEAL " on it

 

Part of the problem is guys that had to pay to have their cars built, it's game over for these guys, especially if they picked a non desirable car and sunk all kinds of money in it, some cars are not worth restoring, it cost the same to paint and upholster a four door as a convertible, I just sold my 39 deluxe sedan for ten grand, I had that much in it in parts but I did all the work my self, so I broke even and got to drive it every day for two years, had it been a coupe or convertible, I would have made money, All I can say is pay a little more when you are buying a project, try and do as much as the work yourself, and you will even make money, or at least get compensated for your time.

 

The age old story.......it's only worth what somebody will pay for it!

 

There was a time a few years ago when rat rods and rat rod half finished projects were bringing CRAZY money, even more that nice cars. It was at the height of that craze and I saw stuff sell for prices that made me seriously consider throwing a rr together just to turn a few bucks.

A local rat rod that I saw at a show went for $ 17,000 on Ebay and it was a POS. The suspension had no travel and the workmanship was scarey, but it did have some nice neon lights in the grille shell that made a flashing skull. That craze has passed and I now see those types of cars not bringing diddly any more.

Don

 

Fishing expeditions.

 

Apparently every thing I have I paid too much for Just cause I had to have it . I have had better luck trading for something else I will probably never use. But I will be happy for a while & She will have something New to bitch about .& We get to start all over again

 

So can I ask a new question?

Doesn't matter I'm gonna ask it any way.

Are people really giveing those high prices for someone's unfinished projects?

 

haha I so could see that happening! ha

 

It's sorta like comparing what a 32 Ford will fetch compared to what a 31 Ford will bring.....
That makes absolutely no sense to us masses=BUT it is a factor in valuing a project.

Personally after almost 40 years in this bussiness,I see a lot of things that do not make sense.....Like-why do we want a teens/twentys/thirtys/ car that is little more advanced than a horse- buggy with an engine transplanted into it.....

when if we were to jump forward to a '1960's vehicle we would be getting a much more" driveable "vehicle for less money and time invested.....
see where I'm heading here? OUR HOBBY MAKES NO SENSE to even us ,muchless the rest of society.......

 

I did...............I bought a 30 coupe project here on the hamb. It was kind of a rush deal on my part. I do like it and won't sell when I'm finished with it this time.
My last coupe I sold, and have been kicking myself in the ass ever since.
I've checked several ads in my area, when to look and was very disapointed. The cars were advertised as good running well built(homebuilt) cars in the 15k-17k range. They were SHIT.
The one I got was here on the hamb in Ill. I got it for several thousand less than advertised, but it was 95% as advertised. New powder coated frame brackets etc. New 4bolt main roller rocker 350, and alot of new parts not yet installed.
There's alot of street rod stuff on it I will change, but it's all remove replace stuff that i can sell to recoup some money that I paid for nostalgic stuff. It's a buyers market right now not a sellers.
He was asking 15K, I got it for 10 1/2, still high in my opinion but after looking at other shit for so long I went ahead and jumped as it was the best body/frame /motor combo I'd seen in my travels.

 

There are SOME cars worth big bucks, but mostly too many people are watching Barrett & Jackson auctions and are smoking crack. It seems the same people are on the auction shows, buying and selling the same cars over and over. Too many bored rich people with nothing to do with their money trying to impress someone.

 

Case in point. It's a bidding war folks, get in before you miss out..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1946...3236531?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item35b9f6f633

 

Wow... Looks like its time to flip some rodent mobiles

 

Say I had a car worth 12K and I'd be happy with 12K, I'm going to ask 18K cause I can always go down in price but can't raise it. So if someone asks how much and I say 18 and he comes back at 14 I'm going to start reeling him in.

 

The last few cars/trucks I have looked at have in my opinion been well above what they are worth. I think a lot of it also has to do with the auction shows on TV like Barrett Jackson and Mecom. With their popularity I have on more than one occasion heard a seller say "they sold one like this on TV the other day and it brought......" Most times they don't consider the time and money required to bring a vehicle to that level. They see a ride like theirs on the auction and price goes up.

My luck has always been like my old 66 SWB custom Cab Ford. I use the truck to haul garbage etc to the local dump and other chores. Each time I go someone always comes up and starts a conversation about the old truck and several times I have been asked if I would consider selling it. I would sell the truck for the right offer but if I "had it up for sale" I couldn't get anyone to even look at it! I'm still waiting to see one like it on B-J so I'll know how to price it.

48 Poncho