Projects To start or not to start? Selling a barn find...

A friend of a friend got in touch with me to help her sell her father's car. It's a stock, late '40s north american car, nice but not super exciting. Specifics shouldn't really matter for this question.

It was a fully restored, finished car, body-off frame, very nicely done, but her father died suddenly 10 years ago and the car has been sitting covered in the barn for 10 years without ever being touched. Luckily the barn is climate controlled, dry and rodent-free. The car looks pretty amazing considering.

My thought is to get the car out of the barn and running—at least—and wash it, make it look presentable. This should bring more money, right? If I had time and room in my garage this wouldn't even be a question, but I don't have either. My father says don't waste the energy, don't even clean it. Either way, neither of us needs another project, and the friend needs the money.

Is it worth more running, or should we just get it gone and call it done?

 

No offense but,umm, how about some pictures.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

If it's a desirable car and it's that nice why not spend a few hours to fluff it up,a running driving car will always bring more money. HRP

 

I agree. Get it running. Prolly worth more running IMO. I would dump a liberal amount of oil in each plug hole and turn it over by hand a few revolutions, pull the valve covers and dump some more oil there and make sure all the doors open and shut. Go through the fuel system also.

 

Of course it's worth more if it's running and clean. Assuming you're going to advertise it on the internet, pictures are everything, and a dirty car in pictures will only bring out the bargain hunters. If it hasn't been started in 10 years, buyers will be forced to assume the worst.

The thing about "barn find" cars is, they're really only desirable to the first guy who actually finds it, and the idea is because it'll be dirt cheap. Once it's out on the internet, for the whole world to see, and listed with current market price on it, the barn find thing means nothing.

 

If the motor is free, it should run without a lot of trouble, and should enhance the value quite a bit.
Along with a general clean-up.

 

^This X2. If I was interested in buying, I'd be a lot more interested, if I got it as is, rather than after somebody F'ed with it....but that's just me. If you have a buyer already in mind, ask him. Of course if its just going on the open market, you could probably help your friend a lot with a few hours of time. Good Luck

 

Consider yourself as a buyer.

Would you pay more for a car that runs and is clean than one that doesn't run and is covered in bird crap? The answer is obviously yes.

So, get it running and clean it up.

 

Get it running then drive it thorough the car wash.

 

Fuel system and braking system might need some attention after all that time. But yeah, it's worth it to get it going and cleaned up.

If you're a good salesman, the daughter will want to keep it....

 

Get it running and drive it Hershey...

 

If you market it as is (dirty and not running), your potential buyers will be every knucklehead Gas Monkey flipper wanna be within 500 miles, looking to buy it at a bargain.

Being that the car was a fully restored, body off resto, I'd say get it running AND driving so a potential buyer can test drive a turn key car.

What does the buyer want? If she's not interested in making the most $ from the car and just simply wants it gone, make a fair offer and go through the car yourself.

 

That sounds like a trick question
Or
A stupid question.

 

Oh, it's a stupid question alright . Like I said, if I had any time or room in the garage the car would already be there and running.

We're all on the same page. Sometimes I've gotta throw stuff out there and kick it around just to clarify my thinking. There are a few different opinions floating around among the family members who own the car, so I'm gathering info and ammo to give them some guidance. I'll post some pics if they give me the go ahead.

 

Sneak some pics to us.....we won't tell!!

 

Do not wash it. Do not get the motor running, get a bag of jelly donuts and place it under the front seat, let some air out of the tires, maybe painted it rattle can purple and when the first guy comes to see it, tell him it is an, "easy fix"

 

Taking a drive trumps "ran when parked", 7 days a week.

 

yup if its running it will look better than a non runner to a potential buyer

 

Maybe I missed it, but what is the make of the car?

 

I missed the pic!

 

Umm, wash it how? Raging debate on properly cleaning genuine "barn finds" so as not to damage the as-found mystique.

 

WE WANNA SEEE IT DAMN IT!!!

 

Seems like everything is a "barn find" anymore. Doesn't mean much. Washed and running on the cheap for me.

 

probably needs new tyres, overhauled brake hydraulics, fuel system clean..... how much do you want to spend and where are the photos?

 

I've learned on here that if there isn't pictures it didn't happen.

 

Sounds like she needed to ask a different friend, sheesh.. Why couldn't you spend a little time and have her help wash it and do the maintenance items right there in the climate controlled barn? Or help her find someone who could.

 

I'm wondering why you won't tell us what it is. We like almost anything with wheels ...

 

don't care about the car...i'd like to know a bit more about the daughter

 

Leave it in the barn, all dirty, and sell it as is in place as a timeshare. Each buyer can think he has invested in an unrestored barn find.
Get it running.

 

A strange question to ask with a member that has close to 6000 posts. I hate the term barn finds as well as the term rot Rods.