On a recent drive around the country, I found these two model A phaetons partly burried under some serious bushes. Both bodys seem to be in decent condition (usual rust), minus doors, windscreen stantions, suspention, running gear and maybe a chassis or two. I am currently waiting to hear from the farmer wants for them. I intend on useing the two bodys to make a traditional rod or pick up out of them. The problem comes in that they are about a 3200 mile round trip away and will probably set me in for about $400 just in transport to bring them back to my home town, plus a whole lot of sweat to dig them out. Anyways check out the photos and let me know what you think?
+1 Should have grabbed them when you were there, @ 3200 miles round trip I don't think I would do it.
If you can get them, make a holiday out of it. you won't regret it. the only regret is when you look back and wish you had.
I think at that distance and the resources you would have to go thru to get them you would be better off letting another HAMBer score them, kinda like help out your fellow man. we all know your not going no 3000+ miles to score an 80 year old cowel and some sheet metal..when im sure if you looked hard enough you could find it closer to you. it sure beats deciding to give up on them and not give someone a well deserved leg up on something close to them, who knows you might score a "finders fee" think about the legistics you will have to go thru to get these out, packaged, and shipped, not to mention the total cost of it all..unless you have thousands of dollars just to blow for nothing better to do with it. maybe..just maybe if the owner said,you can have them for free, i'll get them out for you, find the titles, and have them ready for you whenever you come for them no matter how long it takes...., think about just the gas bill to get there and back, or if you had to fly them to you.. eh but then stranger shit has happened..good luck with that
I think it is honorable of you to ask the farmer instead of just taking it without asking.A guy I know had a 50 Merc on his farm and someone stole it in broad daylight.Man he is pissed.He really was going to build it.Cops said its no big deal, it was junk anyway! You could probably find one on e bay without so much hasstle.
Here in the states, we probably don't have a handle on the level of rarity you are confronted with. Just the fact that you are considering this possibility should drive the point home. You are the only one that can make the call. I'm wondering though, if you went in a truck maybe you could disassemble enough to carry them back and save shipping. That would be the deal breaker for me.
Judging from the mileage you stated, the cars just might be in Uganda, so I'm getting on a plane and I'm gonna try to find them before you get there. The race is on.
3200 miles is just a good stretch of the legs and for a pile of Model A Phaeton parts you should only go 2500 miles.
I'd say get them. $400 is still a deal. Last time I checked, there weren't many Model A Phaetons in South Africa... r
Thank you for your opinions on this thread ( mixed if anything). And yes I do live in South Africa, so the chances of finding genuine model A steel is extremely rare, albeit a right hand drive. E bay isn't really an option for large items. I found them while taking my family on holiday in the wife's station wagon, so that made it difficult to dig them out and rack them on the roof (besides my surfboards were there all ready he he). The farmer wants $40 for the both of them. So other than fuel and trailer hire costs ($400) it seams to be a good deal.
I couldn't even get a shipping quote for less than $500 to deliver a 1935 pick up bed from eatern Montana to Western Washington. If you can get it 3200 miles for that and you lay awake at night thinking of it then go for it. The cowl does look nice but I would expect the worst for the lower half once it's unearthed.
It sounds like a good reason to take another Holiday trip and tow a trailer just big enough to haul them back on. At the last swap meet I attended the asking price for one cowl that appeared to be in lots worse shape than the one in you photo was more than your fuel costs for the trip. That is if you want to take a holiday (vacation in US parlance) in that area again. That would be about like a trip from my house to Lincoln, Nebraska though.
Weigh out how much $ you would make working for all the time you would be away from your family vs. the value of the parts. Gas, wear & tear on your truck, oil change, etc.. I'm the 1st one to go on that kind of adventure, but this one seems like too much of a stretch for even me.
$40??? HELL YEAH! Load up the kids and shovels in the truckster Clark. Tie them bad boys on a uhaul trailer & bring'em home!!
Hey Graeme - good to see you posting on here buddy. Unless you're taking a serious detour it should only be about a 1400 mile round trip......assuming they are where you said they are!! Given how rare any old tin is over here, I'd say go for it, but you know it is a bit of a gamble 'cause there may be very little left under the ground. Still get a couple of buddies together share the costs and the spoils? I feel a road trip coming on Barry
Go for it, give the farmer an extra 20 bucks to help you drag the car out of thr woods with his tractor. It will be worth it......
Go for it.I mean they aren't exactly dropping out of the sky in SA are they? Many a period modified started out that way.Both as a sedan and in a farmer's field!
Ummm, just had a thought when I look at those bushs again. You have some bad snakes over there don't you?
snakes, spiders you name it will be in that bush but I hoping they will piss off once the hacking of the bush starts he he!
OH..49 bucks !!..Oh hell yeah, Now that makes the deal worth it..400 bucks to score them as yours..I retract my last post..I'd go for it if you have the resources. I also see now how difficult it would be for you to even get something like this..hope you get them and are able to get enough parts to bring at least one back to life..Keep us posted on how it goes
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