Here's a pretty funny story that happened just this morning; I had seen a 54 Poncho Chieftain sitting on flat tires, stripped of all its chrome and stainless while I was out and about a few days ago, so I figured I would stop and ask about it. The guy sees me approaching and meets me at the car. He can tell I'm looking it over pretty hard, so he says in an Islands accent "Oh, you like it? Dat, my friend is a 55 Sunliner." So I said, "No it's not. That's a 54 Chieftain." "Oh, dats what I meant, but it's a 55 Chieftain, not a 54." Again, I said "No, it's not. No waterfalls on the rear fenders. It's a 54. What's the story on it?" "Oh, I was going to fix it up, but I can't find a carburetor rebuild kit anywhere, so it has just sat. If you're interested in buying it I would be interested in selling it, but I won't sell it with the engine and transmission. I'll be keeping them. It has a hemi in it." "Really?" I asked. "I'd like to see that!" So he pops the hood, and beneath sits a 1954 Pontiac flathead 8. I said, "Why would you pull that flathead 8?" "Because that's a Pontiac flat 8 hemi, very rare!" At this point I'm about to bust at the seams and just fall on the ground laughing. But I contained myself. "Wow, a Pontiac flat 8 hemi, huh? That IS a rare engine. I don't think they made many of those! (Like, NONE! under my breath...) So how much are you looking to get for the car?" "I'll take $3500 for it... without the engine." That was about all I could take. I said "First of all, that is a flathead 8, and it is not a hemi. Somebody lied to you. Second of all, I can see the cotton batting from the seats erupting from the top of the seat backs, and the car is stripped bare. The body is semi-straight, but I'm willing to bet that it's plugged full of bondo, since I can SEE the ripples in the crappy paint job. For $3500 I can get a car in 10 times better shape, and you want to pull the engine and transmission?" He paused for a minute and said "Wellllll, maybe you and me could work something out for, say $2500 cash?" I said "Not a chance." He said "How about $2000 and I'll leave the engine in it..?" I promptly left after that. So this poor car is just going to sit and decay because some guy who doesn't even know what it IS thinks he's sitting on gold. Sad sad sad... Did I mention that the Pontiac is parked outside of a commercial Garage, which this man owns and operates and is (calls himself) a mechanic? Guess I won't ever take anything THERE for work... Simply amazing.
Did you ever stop to think he may not own the car at all and is just trying to sell you someone elses car ? Sometimes in not so good neighborhoods the hustlers there will pretend a car is theirs just to take someones money. When I was reading your story that was the first thing that came to mind. Don
No, I'm pretty sure it was his. It was sitting literally 15 feet from the roll up door of his garage inside a small fenced-in lot, and he was the only one there. Others have told me its been sitting there for years, and he's owned the garage for a good long time.
He's not stupid. He's looking for stupid. He was fishing, you just didn't like his bait. His fish will come. Happens every day. No need to even think twice about it.
Must have been a'kind to sales person (notice, I did NOT say "Salesman" ...) i discovered while on a Car Lot Locally........The Car was V-12 Beamer........Rough ! The sales person sez, " she' gotta' twelve cylinder V-8 in'err ! " I just said, "NO SHIT ", an walked away shakin' my Head !!!! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Remember, These "people", Pass us on tha' Highway . Scary , ain't IT ? Still "smoked-up ", In the Great Smokey Mts. of Tenn. Big Grin........
Ill bet if you make friends and know the guy you'll find something for cheap he's really want for swappin.
When I ever bother selling a car, I'm going to try that approach. - Keep nosey distracted by trickling false details - Set asking price triple what it might be worth on a good day - Never argue, just play the "ohKay" nodding game I'll soon be a jillionaire.
I bought a hood off a 60's Mustang from a guy once. He saw me looking the car over, we made a deal and I popped it off and away I went. Two days later a very LARGE and ANGRY man showed up wanting his hood back. The first guy did just what Don is talking about. Seems the real owner had seen me checking out the car a few days before and took note of the name on my work uniform but did not answer the door when I knocked.
Was that actually ever produced? That's just awesome. As for anyone actually trying to give this guy the benefit of the doubt, thinking he was "fishing", maybe playing it smart... You had to be there. I don't think this guy has the intelligence to try to trick a paper bag. The elevator clearly does not got to the top. You could tell he was truly convinced that his 55 Sunliner had a hemi in it, to the point of him wanting to argue the fact that his straight 8 is a hemi. PM me if anyone wants the (Charlotte NC) address, and you can go talk to him yourself!
After that story..and the guy not knowing a damned thing about the car, I wouldn't have offered him thirty-five dollars, let alone $3500 to start with...some guys are just boneheads that simply ain't got a clue...why offer money to idiots when they try to BS you...??? R-
An amusing story indeed, the car itself sounds pretty clapped out and you'd really have to want one. Sounds like it may make a decent parts car at best. Bob
Who's bitching? I need another project like I need to be rolled in honey and laid over a fire ant hill. I was just telling a story, no bitching involved. I was simply asking the guy how much he wanted for it, that's all. I just picked up a 53 Chevy Two-Ten for $600, in MUCH better condition than the Poncho in my story. Yes, I got a bargain, and I wouldn't expect to come into another find like that again. If he was looking to get $800-$1200 (a seriously realistic value of the car... if that) I might have stuck around and kicked some tires, despite his ignorance. But he was so far removed from reality that it wasn't even worth my time. Why make him a "realistic" offer? Do you really think he would have come down any more when he started at $3500?!? What would YOUR reply be if someone offered you $800 for the $3500 golden egg you thought you were sitting on? Point proven. But it still makes for a funny story.
Admittedly, it is in a bit better condition than a "parts car". It could be saved with some work, time, and money. But not without undoing some of the lackluster work that has already been done to it. It would be a decent driver with roughly $2k invested, but it's a long way from being a show pony. But it DOES have that rare Pontiac straight 8 hemi...
Great!! Ragtop!! Thought we were friends!!!?? And you sittin on that strait eight hemi!!!! What gives??? Lmao!!!! I got four!! Three- high compression!! Oh, ya...mine aren't "hemis"!! 2fnfunny!!!!! See ya at da show!!!!
Ten Fower, BROTHER! I'm bringin' the Weber and the charcoal, you bring something you wanna burn the shit out of and we'll laugh about it over a beer. Looking to meeting up with the Iron Lords, too! If I can FIND a GD distributor vacuum advance and get the brakes straight, I HOPE to be driving the fitty-tree up! I'm not holding my breath though... Bring cash, Mark! I really think you NEED that 55 power steering setup I've got... LOL.
I've gotten stuff at good prices by pointing out the lack of knowledge of the owner, and showing them going rates. SOMETIMES, people will come down off their pedestal and be realistic. Not always, but sometimes it works.
When you mentioned him having an islander accent, I can't help but keep picturing the guy from the Red Stripe commercials. Hooray beer!