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clueless sellers: let's hear your success stories. (model a coupe=32 ford, etc)

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by ironandsteele, Feb 15, 2011.

  1. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Spotted a big double-pumper with the choke horn milled off in a stall at a local swap meet. Said "how much for the double-pumper?" He says "its not a double-pumper, its a 780" "Ok let me take a look at the 780." Race prepped circle track 830 with 4 corner idle, slabbed throttle shafts, the works, all nicely done, top quality machine work ect. probably a $800-$1000 carb, god only knows how this doofus wound up with it. "I'll give you $25 for the 780". He says "done".
     
  2. flamed34
    Joined: Dec 30, 2009
    Posts: 819

    flamed34
    Member

    A few years ago, responded to a CL ad for a '30 Model A rumble seat roadster, disassembled. The number given was for a local bar! Asked for the name listed, got the guy on the phone (obviously a frequent patron): was his father's car, was going to street rod it, had a ton of 'vette parts for suspension etc. Going through a divorce. Wanted $1500. This was a Thursday, he wouldn't show it until Saturday morning - first with the cash type deal. Saturday, I was at his house at 8:00 am. He opened the shed - the entire car had been disassembled and media blasted. If it wasn't mint, he bought new with the exception of the cowl - and he had bought the patch panels. New running board brackets, extra fenders, king bee headlights, stainless grille to cowl rods, whole new subframe, new luggage trunk, full 'vette suspension, plus everything else he pulled off the donor 'vette - the only thing not there was the original A transmission (he gave it to a friend). He played the "someone else offered my $2,000 and is on his way". I called his bluff, asked when the guy would be there and he said 10:00 am. I told him I'd wait - but if the guy wasn't there I'd be willing to hand him $1500 at 10:00 am! We hung around, a couple others showed up but bowed out when they realized I was in line. At 10:00 I handed him 15 hundred dollar bills (with my back to the house so the soon-to-be ex-wife didn't see how much). While loading, he also through in several bins of brand new Harley stuff, as well as bins with miscellaneous smaller parts, catalogs, etc. Once home, I rifled through the bins and found receipts - he had over $5500 invested in parts, blasting, etc!!!!!!!
    I "sold" the A to my father for the same $1500 - it's his next project - with the caveat that he can't sell it but back to me for the original price. I just had too many projects at the time. This is almost going to be like putting a model together - the hard work has been done! BTW - the 'vette stuff will not be used. It will be getting a nice Merc flattie with a dropped I-beam!
     
  3. My friend's dad bought a WWII era big Ford truck in the '80's as a restoration project. The truck came with a few spare parts including an extra flathead.

    A couple years ago, I helped my friend's dad move, twice. (He got a job and then was laid off 9 months later) As payment he gave me the spare flathead. He told me he didn't want to use it for the truck because it was a "hot rod motor."

    The engine is a pre-war 24-stud, stock bore, with no cracks that I can see. The hot rod parts? Milled factory heads, and a pair of Holley 48's on a Thickstun manifold.

    I told him what the manifold was worth, and he replied "Oh well, I never was into that stuff anyway." He might be a little clueless, but he's definitely a nice guy!
     
  4. my buddy steve in my car club was at his redneck buddies house in b.f.e. doing some electrical work and a neighbor comes by and asks him if hed be interested in an old coupe the guy has for sale.
    steve asks him what year is it?
    the guy says" gee i dont know but it looks sorta like that american graffiti car
    i aint never gonna do nothin with it and i got 2 daughters in college and they take up all my money so im gonna sell this thing"
    i want 3500 for it but make ma an offer.
    my buddy steve says ill give ya 2800 for it.
    for 2800 dollars my buddy steve accidentally bought a clean chopped 32 five window on a superior chassis works full roller.
    bell i beam, discs,vega steering,f &r 4 link, 9 inch w 4:11 posi ,strange axles,original grille shell & insert.
    this is the funny part my buddy steve is an old biker and bought this thing blindly without even knowing what it was.
    i went over to his place,looked at it and almost shit myself in awe at what he bought for 28 hundo
     
  5. 6inarow
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 2,361

    6inarow
    Member

    Not really much of a story, but it was cool for me. its the only one where I really scored.

    Local guy calls and says he heard I was into Chevy 6's. I say yes I am. He says he has a good running 235. I needed another 235 like I needed a hole in the head, but I went an looked. Ran fine, but he was tired of it, said they never were worth a shit even when they were new. It turned out to be a 302 GMC. I gave him the $100 he was asking. He felt so sorry for me that I was a dumb bastard and he screwed me that he gave me the 4 other 235's he had in the shed. All 4 were 302's and complete from air cleaner to pan.

    That was 20 years ago. I should have kept them.
     
  6. Mac_55
    Joined: Mar 10, 2008
    Posts: 688

    Mac_55
    Member

    About 7 years ago i was working the local parts store. A fella came in in full on harley leather, enough skull rings on his hands that he couldnt open his own hood and was drunker than a skunk slurring his speech . As im puttin oil in his car he says " hey , ya know anybody wanting a 6 pack motor ? i wanna sell mine" im thinking YEAHHHHHH RIGHT sure you got 6 pack pardner.. I asked where he lived and it turned out he just lived down the road from me about 4 miles out in the sticks as well...

    I pretty much forgot about it until the partstore closed down and i was scrounging parts to sell on ebay to pay the bills. So one cold febuary day i decided id run down and see if i could find him . I find the house and out back is this old ran down wood shed with a wood stove rolling smoke . After walking in i didnt know what was smoking more , the guy or the stove. SO here is " Roach" his name actually , Working on a harley and burining a biggun . I said " im here to look at that 6 pack motor" he says " there is the intake and carbs and theres the rest of it .

    Turns out he wasnt kiddin , i asked him how much and he said " i know those carbs are worth 300 bucks and the rest of the motor id take 200 for. SO i bought a COMPLETE 1970 Cuda 440 6 pack motor for 500 bills.

    Intake and carbs brought 2800 on ebay and the long block brought me another 1800 . Sure helped out with a wife , kids and job hunting in the winter time.
     
  7. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,263

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Big surprise, we live in the same area.
     
  8. 460 willy
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 249

    460 willy
    Member
    from wisconsin

    A few years ago I saw an add that said old ford f100 it had pics and it looked chopped and had 59 caddy taillights tunneled into the rear fenders. So I call and talk to a woman who tells me she is taking care of an estate from a guy who had passed away. Then she tells me that another guy cme out and looked at the truck but did not buy it because it had the "wrong" motor. I go to look at it with trailer in tow when I show the truck is a little rusty but has a really well done chop and a one piece tilt front end and a set of alum slots and custom interior. So she tells me that she realizes the truck is not worth as much as she thought originally because of the motor so I ask her what she wants and she said $600. So without a flintch I pay her and load it up. I get home charge the battery and put gas in the carb and she fires right up I drove it off the trailer and around the block.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  9. oldolds
    Joined: Oct 18, 2010
    Posts: 3,407

    oldolds
    Member

    About 20 years ago I stopped at a friends house on a Saturday night. You know the place, a couple of guys drinking beers working on thier projects.
    Well one of the guys is bummed out wifes leaving him, he has no money, and across the alley he is paying rent on a garage. In the garage is a '65 Chevelle SS, small block, 4spd car. No motor or trans, fair body, nice black interior. He had it advertised in the local paper all week for $600 obo. I thought it was worth about $400- $500 at the time. I didn't have enough money to make a fair offer that week.
    A few guys had come but nobody made an offer. He was really down. So we were hitting the beers and I jokingly say to him that I would give him all the money I had in my pocket for the car. At the time I was a used car hustler- junk peddler ect. Sometimes I had a lot of bucks, Sometimes none. He says how much do you have? I say I don't really know. (I thought I had about $300.) I said if he wants to gamble and say yes I will empty my pockets. I told him what I had started the day with I had bought this, sold that, paid my parts bill ect. All he has to say is yes and I will empty my pockets.
    He says yes, I empty my pockets and have $58.50. He grabs the $$ and gives me the title to the car. Now before you think I am a bad guy that gave my friend the works. After we counted my money I tell him that I thought I had about $300 and I would give him $300 for it tomorrow. He said no way a deal was a deal!
     
  10. ironandsteele
    Joined: Apr 25, 2006
    Posts: 5,918

    ironandsteele
    Member

  11. Not Hamb friendly but a guy gave me a two door 70 nova about 4 years ago, dropped a small block in it and sold it for 2 G's had some serious rust issues but it helped pay the bills for awhile
     
  12. ironandsteele
    Joined: Apr 25, 2006
    Posts: 5,918

    ironandsteele
    Member

    what about the old "X-wife sells X-hubby's pride and joy for a dollar out of spite" type story? anything like that? i remember always hearing about some crap like that. it usually goes something like:

    divorce
    wife wins the car in court
    agrees to sell it and split the money with X-hubby
    sells it for $50 to piss him off

    any crazy shit like that? i'm sure somewhere along the way it's happened. a friend at work was telling me a similarly themed story, but involving 4 wheelers.
     
  13. Villlage Idiot
    Joined: Dec 30, 2005
    Posts: 407

    Villlage Idiot
    Member

    Not a car but car parts.....

    I found a 37 Lincoln Zephyr steering wheel and horn button on Ebay. It was located in Oklahoma and the lady who was selling it described it as a mid 30's Ford wheel. If I recall correctly I was the only bidder and including shipping I think I paid around $50. I was like one of those American Pickers. I knew I could have repaired it and sold it for big bucks. Apparently the old car parts gods don't take kindly to taking advantage of others. That was over two years ago and I was able to track the shipment as far as Dallas. I still haven't received it ........ probably never will.
     
  14. ahgarageohio
    Joined: Feb 6, 2008
    Posts: 182

    ahgarageohio
    Member
    from ohio

    My dad drives a dump truck and was delivering a load of stone to a house and saw a mustang in the garage. He starts b.s.ing with the guy and go and look at the car. The garage was fallen down onto the car. My dad ask if the guy is interested in selling it and the guy replies he is sure he could get what he paid for it. My dad ask what's that, he replies he paid 2000 in the 70's. My dad headed back with the trailer. It was a 69 boss 429! This was 6 years ago
     
  15. No Clue...
    Joined: Mar 1, 2010
    Posts: 106

    No Clue...
    Member
    from Lusk, WY

    A friend of mine answered an add in the paper for a 63 Chev. He went and looked at it, they were asking $1500 for it, but it would not start. He offered them $500, and they took it. After cleaning the float bowl out and changing out the old gas for new, he drove home a numbers matching Impala SS with 327....

    When I was 19 I found this 57 Ranchero, parked in the dirt in a field for 20 years. Paid $250 bucks for it. Changed wheels on it and winched it onto the trailer. Put a battery in it and drove it off the trailer. T-bird 312 engine (or at least valve covers) ...wish I still had it.
     
  16. 460stang
    Joined: Sep 19, 2010
    Posts: 44

    460stang
    Member


    back in 97 my wife and i split up. had a 73 mach 1 mustang in the garage. motor ,trans and rear all rebuilt all body work done and in primer ready for paint and interior installed.. a friend of hers offers her 350 for it and she sells it.. same time she has a 75 starsky and hutch torino i got her.. rear goes bad, she cant afford to fix it so she junked it..
     
  17. Back in 94 came across a '68 Chevelle SS convertible, no motor/trans, put my buddy into it for around $3500. He still has it.
     
  18. werntonb
    Joined: Feb 16, 2011
    Posts: 6

    werntonb
    Member

    Want to see it. Sounds interesting though its cheap.
     
  19. 51 Leadsled
    Joined: Nov 23, 2007
    Posts: 960

    51 Leadsled
    Member
    from NC

    I bought a chromed dashboard (not the insert), glove box door and glove box hinge for my 51 merc for 35.00 0n Egay. The postage showed $300 for shipping. No one esle noticed that he correct the price in the Q&A section!
     
  20. thegrappler
    Joined: Oct 9, 2008
    Posts: 220

    thegrappler
    Member

    Back in the 70s I was caller number 10 and won a Debbie Boone album off the radio! haven't had to much luck with cars though.
     
  21. Hester
    Joined: Jan 15, 2008
    Posts: 82

    Hester
    Member

    48 chev sedan w/ low miles, nice 500 caddy (new sanderson headers, new cam) New discs on all 4, perfect grill, new restored to 12 volt oe radio, narrowed 73 nova clip done by Lonnie Gilbertson, perfect low stance on brand new wide whites all around, 60's chevy kidney rally wheels, 70's gold velour interior that has to be seen to be believed, 12 bolt rear, all new suspension and mounts all around, very nice in almost every way, very well done body work with new latches on everything. Shaved doors and boxed plate nicely done. Heavy flat black satin ready for sanding. Well stored for years before recent mods, no barn smell inside or out, not even a little. Has all nice original or well done repop interior goodies. Needs: drive shaft shortened, torque converter, radiator hoses, gas tank, trunk deck, fuel lines, few other do-dads. 4500$. This was yesterday.
     
  22. Not a car deal, but 3 different engine stories. First, I always liked Big Block Chevs and these stories occured in the 80's.
    1) I worked at a parts store around 1981 and a guy comes in late on a Saturday and wants small block Chevy valves. He goes on to tell me he has a 'Vette with a big block and is changing it over to a small block and has to have it done by the end of the weekend. Store did not have valves, but I tell him that I have a pair of s.b. heads I would sell or trade toward the big block after I got off work. He tells me he hates big blocks and his engine was a 396 and he was determined to get this swap done. We strike a deal-the heads plus $35 for his big block. I get there not knowing what I bought, but knowing a 396 did not come in '70 'Vettes. It turns out to be a warranty replacement 402/375 carb to pan. Factory Holley, alum. intake, etc.... He starts to load all the accessories like starter, dizzy, clutch, bellhousing, flywheel. I try to stop him and inform him that all that stuff would work on his small block. He says, no it won't, and you working at a parts store should know that! I kept my mouth shut.
    2) A car buddy's younger brother buys a Chevelle that comes with both a big block (out of car) and a sm. block in the car. neither one of them like big blocks so ask me if I want it. I say sure, how much? Brother says $50. Again, this is around '81. I buy it and turns out to be the Holy Grail of big blocks a 427/430 hp! Yes, a L88! Reluctantly sold bare block a few years later for $4000.
    3) Bought an early (66-67) 396/325hp advertised in local classifieds publication (before internet days) just for the steel crank. Guy wanted $75 and although that was a good deal IMO, I was shrewd and always tried to buy complete big blocks for $50 or less(note: average oval port 396 was $250-$300 at this time). Since he would not come off price I asked if he would throw something else in to "sweeten" deal. He agrees. I look around his garage and spy a steering wheel, that I know nothing about except it looked like a factory Chevy of some type. So off I go with the 396 and the wheel. Turns out wheel was a factory 65-66 'Vette Teakwood wheel (about $1200 a few years back before re-pops).
     
  23. love a good story... cool thread
     
  24. sololobo
    Joined: Aug 23, 2006
    Posts: 8,378

    sololobo
    Member

    Off topic car, but a nice story anyway. My pal who has a repair shop had a customer brings in a 03 Buick with a load knock in it. They said they had just put a new tranny in and didn't want to spend alot more $ on the car, did he know what was wrong with out tearing into it. He replied he didn't and they said, we want to buy a new car anyway, so we are going to junk it. They said what can se get for it and he said probably about 450-500, they said , would you give us 350? He bought it and it turned out to be a bad rocker come loose, he pulled the old one he tapped the threads re-installed and it runs great. His grandaughter is going to college and needed a car, could this have worked out better? The car is as clean as can be and perfect exterior to boot, newer tires, new tranny! =SCORE ~sololobo~
     
  25. losthubcap
    Joined: Jul 23, 2010
    Posts: 188

    losthubcap
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    I found an ad listing "chevy mags" $100. I contacted the owner & he told me he had 6 torque thrust wheels from the 60's that had the chevrolet bolt pattern. He had (4) 15", & (2) 14". I asked if they were 100 each and he said No, $100 for ALL 6! They will be diplayed on my 35 3wc when I get to building it !
     
  26. Ricci32
    Joined: Jul 30, 2010
    Posts: 416

    Ricci32
    Member

    About ten years ago i asked my father to take a few days off of work so we could go to hershey,I was looking to buy a model a coupe body for a hot rod project he tell the boss what we are doing and he says you don't have to go to hershey my uncle has one in the garage he would sell that saturday we go look at the car it had been sitting since 55 and had a mint rust free body a real find here in ny the owner says to me im not fucking around i need $ 2000 or you can hit the road i said ill take it be back tomarrow, that night i get the call at home im thinking the deal is off the guy says if your going to take the coupe you might as well take it all i arrive the next day he takes me out back behind the the barn and there sits a roadster and a pickup in rough shape but complete. hauled it all home got 3k for the roadster 2.5k for the pickup got the coupe running sold the running chassis for 3k sold the fenders for 1.5kand still had pickup loads of parts and the mint body. the only time i made mony on a car deal.
     
  27. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    Way back in 1973 I had just gotten home from the military and wanted a '70-'71 Camaro. Saw one listed in the Nickel Ads that read, "1971 Camaro, high miles, engine swapped."
    Called the seller and went over to look at it. Opened the hood and there sat a 427 big block. Guy had all the paperwork showing the dealer in S. Ca. that had swapped the 427 Corvette engine into it, plus all the rest the paperwork for the car. A whopping $2350 in 1973!:)
    Bought it, and still own it today!
     
  28. dannyego
    Joined: Mar 12, 2008
    Posts: 1,387

    dannyego
    Member

    bought an OT 79 corvette last month for $2000 38,000 original miles mint interor and cracking original paint. Sold it for $4700 two weeks later.
     
  29. Phillips
    Joined: Oct 26, 2010
    Posts: 1,496

    Phillips
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Slightly OT cars, but circa 1985 I was driving a good running but rusty-framed 68 ElCamino. Didn't really want it anymore, so I called a local bodyshop/dealer that was always looking for muscle-era Chevy and Mopar parts cars. He agreed to give me $325.00 for it (front clip was perfect). I agreed, but mentioned I needed a replacement beater, preferably an older wagon right away as I was home on winter break from college.

    No problem he says, I know a guy bugging me to pick up a clean 66 Plymouth four door to part out, supposed to run great, $300. So my buddy and I take off in the Elco to look at the Plymouth, and it turns out to be a Satellite 2dr hardtop, 383, console, buckets etc. cheapie paintjob but solid. Obviously I grabbed it.

    When we pulled into the shop to drop off the Elco and pick up my $325, the guy was just shaking his head and laughing at himself, pissed that he didn't go look at the Plymouth, which was only about 5 minutes away. I drove the Plymouth as a daily for 4 years, actually would like another one.
     
  30. 4ever18
    Joined: Nov 1, 2007
    Posts: 555

    4ever18
    Member

    About 10 year ago, I resonded to an ad in one of our local "Trader" papers. The ad was written as" 1957 Chevy parts to restore - $700". I didn't respond, but a friend of mine called the guy. A few minutes later, my friend called me back and advised me that I'd better hurry and call the guy. The ad was supposed to read "Three 1957 Chevys, apart to restore - $700). My friend didn't have any where to store them, which is why he called me back. The cars were two two door hardtops and one "150" 4 door sedan. The four door sedan was really rough, but both hardtops were buildable. One of the hardtops had never had rust in either quarter panel or rocker panel. It took 4 trips to get everything home. I finished stripping out the 4 door "150" and sent the remains to the crusher. I parted out the roughest 2 dr hdtp, and a few years later traded the good two hardtop for my 49k actual mile, original paint, 1967 Nova 2 dr hardtop (which I still have and have no plans to sell - there are a couple of photos of the Nova on my Profile Page.
     

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