BEWARE....buying from BLACK HILLS ANTIQUE AUTO in new castle wy.

this newbie is a smart man..................Like I said, I live minutes from Crabtree and dont trust him. He is KNOWN around here as sketchy. The dude that started this thread was just trying to help some folk.......................can we kill this thread now?

 

One thing that made a difference to me (and this ad didn't do it) when I bought my rod on evilbay was supersized photos. The ability to click and make very big, detailed photos was a nice feature. The guy being a retired police officer and having 200+ positive feedback didn't hurt.

 

Well, I could let the stuff continue to rust. Thing is, I know, and a lot of people here know, when they're looking at a cheap quickie paint job. I don't make an effort to hide what it is, just make it less ugly. Says right in the listing for the '40 that it was a quickie paint job done to slow down the rust.

But you get guys like this, who can't let it die from years ago when I posted a buddy's 35 Ford stock car on here - with the price HE wants for it - and everyone crapped themselves because they can't figure out how to do anything with it because, again, the paint is gone on it. That the body is all there, the doors open, and it could be running and going in a weekend or two doesn't seem to matter. It's not pretty, so to you it's junk. Which, if that's your opinion, it's fine - no one's forcing you to buy anything. I sure don't get these clowns who look at something for sale they have no intention of buying, yet feel the need to trash talk it. All I can figure is these people think I found it parked by the road with someone's trash cans and they're mad that I got there before they could.

I wouldn't feel bad if a guy like that thinks I took advantage of them - if they weren't either too dumb or too lazy to fix what they bought, they'd be smart enough to know they got about a market price deal on it. And that's all I expect, to get a price that I think is fair. The problem is it seems like to get the price you want for a car, you need to ask two or three times that, so that when the guy who wants it makes what seems like a lowball offer, he at least gets into the ballpark on the actual price.

And the sad thing is, I don't so much care about my stuff when I sell it - if I do 5 times my money to someone who can find someone who will give him twice that for it, so be it. The guy I work with, who I help sell this crap in exchange for a place to keep cars, doesn't usually see it that way. He wants top dollar for everything. And now that I've worked with him for 3 or 4 years, I can see why. The cars don't just fall out of the trees. It's WORK to find them, WORK to get people to sell them to you, WORK to load them up and bring them home, and WORK to sell them. It's WORK (and money) to keep a rollback and a car trailer maintained year round to haul them. Just like it's WORK to build them. That's what that price is paying for. There'd be no point to saving them if I have to sell 10 cars to be able to buy one more for the scrap price. People seem to think we just inherited them all, or find people who give them away free on the side of the road. I've spent entire days clearing trails to haul cars out of the woods that I still had to pay money for. That '34 Cabriolet was 1000 yards away from the nearest road. And to get it we had to take two other piece of crap cars with it. So that was three trips back and forth, and one more still to make because the rearend fell out of the one and we need to get it.

Now I sold about 15 cars last year - some of them so rusted this guy would scrap them, because they left in pieces. One '53 Chevy ragtop would have split in two had it not had a torque tube to hold the front to the back. But the guys who drove all the way here from California and paid me $1500 for that pile, were more than happy with it. I think parts of it ended up on 5 other cars from how they talked. And the '60 Cadillac, the guy did cut into pieces and hauled away, in a big box truck. I still have a motor, trans, and frame to junk or do something with. You'd crap your pants if you saw the '53 Skylark I sold for $2600. It sat upside down for longer than it was ever on the road, and was wrecked to boot. And the '59 Chevy that I had to cut the quarters off so it would fit on the truck to go to the west coast. None of those people feel like they were taken advantage of, none of them felt like they should get some kind of special deal, and all of them understood exactly what they were buying and could see the potential in it. They felt they got the value for their money. And every one of them I sold I went out and bought more cars from the profits. Last summer I kept about 40 cars from being scrapped. Had I the money, I would have bought 40 more. That's probably more than this guy's saved in his lifetime. And doesn't even count the "97" carbs, the Model A roadster floor, the Chevy spinner wheel I tripped over on the ground, or any of piles of parts I grabbed.

And I haven't painted a one of these cars, except the '40 Buick and the Willys, and I paid a guy to sand it down halfway smooth and get the majority of the rust off before he painted it. He must have gotten rid of most of it, because it hasn't rusted back through in the last 18 months. I don't really care if I sell it or not. It's in good enough shape that with all new brakes and a running motor, new glass and seats - a week, tops, it would be drivable. The hardest part would be getting some of the old bolts apart.

The Willys is another issue, guys who spend $$$ to build them know the factory metal was so crappy that it's hard to make paint stick to them. I thought the guy was BS'ing me, but mine the original paint on the deck is peeling off to bare metal in a bunch of places since it's been out from under the trees the last 9 months or so. So unless it's a coupe, it's going to take a while to find the guy with the money to spend, that wants it.

Now am I going to go out and start painting every car to make it pretty so these clowns that expect me to sell them the left wing nut off a drivable car will shut up? Probably not. It's too much work to do it in a way I'd feel comfortable about selling it. Can I see why other people do it? Yes, especially with my own experiments on the matter. It's a lot less hassle to spend an hour with a roller and a can of rustoleum than to listen to every so-called car expert tell you something's junk because it's not as pretty as they'd like. (one good story: One guy tells me how a 57 Buick is probably junk because they had one like it and tried to start it after sitting and the motor blew up... well, yeah, you generally change the oil and run some oil through the top of the motor before you run one for the first time in 20 years....)

And am I going to drop more than $500 or so on a car I've never seen in person? No, and I don't expect anyone else to do it either. Come look at it. See for yourself what's wrong with it. If you have half a brain, you'll see where rust spots have been painted right over, if that's what someone did. If you honestly don't know how to tell, then find someone who will. That's all. Unless you know you're buying a pile and fully expect it to be a pile, don't blow gobs of money on something you can't look at with your own two eyes. Some people can take a rotty convertible or hardtop and a solid sedan, blow them down to the last nut and bolt and even some of the welds, and put one car back together just how they want - and some people can't.

The more I sell these old cars the more obvious it becomes to me who can and is willing to do that, and who can't or can't be bothered to do it.

 

And I think that's the end of this thread...Otherwise it might not be pretty...

 

You'd crap your pants if you saw the '53 Skylark I sold for $2600.

Rustynewyorker...now you're bragging about selling junk for way too much money?

I remember a 49-51 woodie you had for sale. WAY too much money! I think it was ready to fall apart without even moving it and you wanted around $5,000. Did you ever sell that car? I just remember it cause of the crazy price.
Clark

 

I think this is just another case of someone not paying attention to what they are buying weather it's because of wishful thinking and hoping it is in better shape than it seems or they just flat out aren't paying attention and have no experience with cars. I have bought and sold around 20-25 cars on ebay and every time I buy one I know there are problems that I don't see and the seller wouldn't see unless they take it apart, I have never been scammed because I know what to look for and expect. On the same note I have sold cars being as honest as possible and I have still had problem bidders, one guy asked me a ton of questions about a car I listed just hours after I did the listing and then immediately hit the buy it now before I could answer any of them another auction I had was for a 29 roadster pickup body that I said was not restorable and that the body was only good for a pattern and that maybe the cowl was repairable but I also said in the add to get your tetnus shots before picking it up and I was only hoping to get 75-100 dollars for it and some fool bid it up to $500 and when he came to pick it up he complained about the metal being paper thin and he made some other remarks about the body and by what he said I could tell he didn't even read the description because the answer to all of his remarks were in the description.

 

Hi There! I'm John Crabtree & I've owned & operated Black Hills Antique Auto nearly 40 years. EVERYTHING I sell is backed by a 30-day money back guarantee!! Nonetheless, I've learned over the years there are basically 2 types of customers. Those who contact you IF they feel they have a problem and those who complain and degrade you behind your back. I can resolve any problem the 1st type have if they are honest and seek fair resolution. No One Can Help The Later Type.

 

uh,,, your a little late for the party Dude.

They crapped in your wheaties 3 years ago and have moved on to crap in someone elses cereal bowl.

Oh and you should be prepared to have your ass handed to you, this place is known for being anti-crook.

 

And you didn't do an intro.....

 

NOT TRUE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I tried getting my money back, and all I got was a big runaround......
live and learn.

 

What the hell is it with some people? This guy brings an uncomplimentary thread back from the dead to "defend" himself, and is going to get a pile of shit dumped on his head for being dumb enough to do so. Charlie Price did the same thing three weeks ago.

I guess the expression "Let sleeping dogs lie" is too hard for some to comprehend....well, he can always pray for the mods to kill it.

 

Sorry on the bad mouthing of eBay guys. Bought stuff off there I couldn't find elsewhere and never got screwed. Can't believe anyone would buy a car sight unseen. Your just asking for it.

 

momma told me there would be days like this.i suggest people stop puttin the ass up there so someone can abuse it.
fleabay ! Get real.
way to look out tman ...thanx.

 

bullshit .

 

Are these (2) the same Black Hills Antique Auto?
This latest guy (bhaa) is in Edgemont, SD and the other scoundral was in Newcaslte,WY 57 miles apart?

 

Yes. We have long driveways in these parts.

 

Black Hills Antique Auto
63 Meadow Dr
Newcastle, WY 82701
(605)749-2224

-or-

Black Hills Antique Auto Barn
Rural Route 59 Box 48-9
Edgemont, SD 57735
(605) 749-2242

 

Dang, that's hilarious. Bring up a 3 year old thread that rips you apart, and then don't defend the accusations that have been posted in the 4 hours since.

 

No substitute for seeing it in person. However, I also run an ebay store for my work and i can tell you that ebay is into protecting buyers more than sellers. The best way to protect yourself if not seeing it in person is to use their contact page and save all communication and they will side with you... Just my two cents.

 

I would never deal with this guy again!

 

Great, now more people are fore warned, thanks.

 

I know this is an old thread but I have dealt with John and all have is good things to say. I got great service and a good price for a nice bumper for my 1946 Buick.

 

nmpontiac has it right, find a hamber near where your prospective new buy is and have 'em check it out. I did this a few times when I lived in Idaho and saved a couple of folks from throwing. Now I'm back in Las Vegas, and would do the same for anyone.

 

Damned keyboard left out some words. What I tried to say is I saved a couple of folks from throwing away their hard earned money. Gotta get this thing fixed!!!