Found a complete 28/9 Model A Tudor with 32 wires on it yesterday. It is sitting on a farm behind an old truck body about 2 miles from my house. I knocked on the door but no answer so I took a peek. It is rough, but complete(minus what rotted off, ie: running boards & splash aprons, lower 1/3 of front fenders). I left my number on his door but haven't heard anything yet. Car has an inspection sticker from 3/58 on it. What is the best way to approach the old fella? Any ballpark idea on what it would be worth? I'm thinkin' $600 or less but am I too low?
With us the wife & I being in the business of classics we do this all the time just go back & ask But TAKE CASH changes alot of minds & we always get the well I am gonna fix her up one of these days ??? Show some cash not all & say If ya change your mind here is my # I have been watching a 56 Nomad rotting away for over 25 yr now .saw the owner of the property a while back & no still not 4 sale Tree growing up through hood What a waste Larry Henry vintageozarks.com
never leave a note with a number... most folks, myself included would be pissed off you were there poking around when i wasnt home... pissed off = not for sale, to YOU anyhow. always make your first impression on someone you want to buy from like this a good one, and not over the phone if at all avoidable, and for DAMN sure never by a note left on the screen door.
Just stopped over there again... Nobody home so I ripped my number off the door... I will try again before I go to work...
Never leave a note with a number . I have to disagree The guy we bought two car from worked out of state leaving a number was the only way to catch him.As fare as the price goes its your call no pictures .EBay has fucked it all for steeling car projects at dirt cheap prices.My 2 cents
"Hello my name is Paul from Poverty Flats, I really like that old car and was wondering if you would sell it? I sure would be interested if I thought I could afford it." All the time I am smiling and friendly. At this point it will be, "maybe", "hell no", or "yes, I would sell it."
About an hour south of you... Thing is, there are Models A's around here, but they are all nested in a couple of hoarders hands and these geezers won't get off of anything, period, unless it's for more than top dollar. I will try him again, maybe before dinner. I have pics of it but they are on my phone. I had my 5 yr old daughter with me yesterday. SHE LOVED the car. She thought it was cool. Asked me, "Daddy, if we get that car, I want to wash it. I'lle do the soap, you can squirt it off. Maybe that will get rid of the spider poop". She calls rust spider poop...
Word. Have every dollar you're willing to pay for it on you, with half of it (your initial offer) in one pocket and the rest in another. Money talks.
Since I'm a wimp, here's how I do it-and it has worked great so far. I am simply totally honest and completely complimentary. I say how neat the car is to the owner, even though it feels like said owner will just want more for it after my compliments. I break out the honesty thing by straightly asking how much the asking price is, and then explaining if I can afford it or not. In my opinion, it helps to tell the person that I know their car is worth much more, but "I only have this much to spend..." And I thank them for their time and continue the compliments on the car.
call them alot and offer cash, if you dont know thier name, do a reverse look up or check the mailbox for a name or ask around town.
Yep! The fenders are all but 1/3 of what they originally were. No splash aprons or running boards left. The pass 1/4 panel is rotted below the body line and the driprail. Rear of body has a fist sized hole in it. The cowl looks decent and the hinge pillars are OK, wood is shot. The subfloor I can't tell because of all the crap from the roof is laying there and the seats are still in it. Motor is stuck, glass is broke, etc... The car has sat outside since it was taken off the road in 58'. Not much of a start but I don't want a mint body to cut up either... Gotta weld on it anyway, what's a little more?
I leave notes all the time and get lucky with a fair amount of them. Some require notes sent every half year or so. I NEVER go look at someone's car unless it is on public property. Just a sign of respect. When the people call me about the cars they will often say "how much will you give for it" and which point I tell them that I have no idea since I only say it from the road. They seem to respond well to that since I wasn't nosing around their property uninvited.
Yeah, we all know what a mean ole bastard you are! I left a note on my Model T, 2 days later te guy called and I got it for 100.00.
Might not want to drive up in a "hot rod". If it's a stocker the owner may think you want to "cut it up".
Yeah, I've been thinkin of that. I don't have a real POS to go there in. My daily is a bubble Caprice wagon with Impala SS wheels, etc... Doesn't exactly look like a granma car. Don't think it will matter too much though, the car is cutting itself up anyway
Tell them you wanted one of those cars since you were a little kid, and never had enough money to buy one ,and you been looking for years for one just like yours, could you pleaseeeee!
I'm with FiddyFour on this, don't leave a number; unless you've been there many times and there is never anyone there. Don't go on there property to look either. I've had people leave numbers wondering if I wanted to sell whatever they looked at. My cars are not something you see from the road and have to know there are there, but I've had people come up and say "I was looking at your El Camino and wondered if you wanted to sell it"? At this point I'm pissed and probably will tell you it's not for sale.
One common thing I see from all these threads is that the person who lets it rot into the ground that is going to "fix it up" usually has neither the money, tools or knowledge of what it would take to fully restore their treasure or make it drivable again, and probably is just saying that because they don't want to be bothered by the person (or many persons) asking about it. If they want to let it rot, it's ultimately theirs to do so with. If they are old and pass on, it most likely will be disposed of in a manner that brings the most money quickly, i.e. scrap. A shame, for sure. But I wouldn't assume they're all 'geezers' who don't know any better about what they have, either...
My dad is the worst about people snooping around his property. He will flat out get in your face and is very defensive. Mind you the driveway up to the house is a quarter mile long and all the "neat" looking stuff is out back. The new highway 130 nips a corner off his ranch, so now everyone on that stupid road can see what he's been hiding behind the barn. People like my dad make me afraid to ask if crap is for sale lol. Besides, i've gotten the, "if it was for sale, it'd have a DAMN SIGN ON IT" line far too many times... I'll only ask if someone is out in their yard when I cruise by, so they know I wasn't snooping around.
tell the guy your looking for some parts for your own model-a, chit chat a little and he will likely tell you what his plans are for the car.
Whatever you do dont say something like "what do you want for that rusty piece of junk out there" or "I'll gladly haul that junker off for ya, I bet your ready to get it out of your way". I'd play the little girl loves it card myself. Tell him you've been seeing it for a while and didnt think much about it but one day you drove by with your little girl and she said she wants it. Maybe he'll have a soft spot for the little munchkin. Heck I might even borrow the grandkid the next time I go try to buy something.
Treat the owner with respect and be honest...after all if you are lucky enough to get it then it will soon be on your property and people will be coming up to you asking the same thing
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