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Fire Damaged beauty...Complicated fix?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by el_bole, Jun 17, 2013.

  1. el_bole
    Joined: May 12, 2011
    Posts: 125

    el_bole
    Member

    Say this beauty on Craigslist (custom 1940 chevy) ;

    http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/cto/3849145880.html

    I am wondering if I sent a rig to bring 'er home (about 6-7 hours away) what would be the worse case scenario of getting her road ready? I know the wiring, plastic parts, and possibly engine are shot but what other complications can arise from fire damage this extensive....???

    Warped body panels, it being demon possessed lol:eek:, or what else??? Talk to me fellas....Lesson of the day, Smoky the Bear says; "keep a fire extinguisher in your ride...."

    Thanks....
     
  2. Alternator isn't melted, engine shouldn't be hurt! Intake looks melted, radiator, power steering, should be able to find a hood and fenders maybe doors too, Top should be salvageable by a good tinman. one good thing about the car, all the billet is melted off. LOL
    I'd pass as I don't like the mess and I'm not a good tinman.
    Edit; I also don't like $4400 for a pile of scrap, the only for sure salvage are the rear fenders the trunk lid and the differential.
     
  3. lincolnlog
    Joined: Feb 25, 2007
    Posts: 186

    lincolnlog
    Member
    from Arizona

    Way too much. It's a long coupe anyway.
     
  4. thesupersized
    Joined: Aug 22, 2004
    Posts: 1,367

    thesupersized
    Member

    i dont think id pay 4400 if it wasn't burnt
     

  5. looks bad in the pictures.... i'm sure if you got into it you would find it's even worst

    leave it where it is
     
  6. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    It's saveable if the right guy works on it but I'm with them in that the price a bit steep for what you get. If it's like the van I had an engine fire on a couple of years ago the engine is full of water and is junk by now and little else in the engine compartment is usable. Out side of the hood it doesn't look like it got hot enough to buckle the top and that is a good sign. It's possible that a lot of the interior was pulled out but not burned all that bad as the seat frames don't have that crispy look to them.

    Personally I'd wait him out for a few weeks If I really wanted to tackle it. In a month it may be a 2K project vehicle.
     
  7. The old saying " a sucker for every seat " applies here and he is the sucker! That is worth about a third of what he is asking as not much is not going have to be replaced or hammered out. You could buy one that has not been in a fire and is less to redo that that for around 1500-2500.
     
  8. PASS for that price! Don't be the one that regrets dragging home this hulk.have rebuilt a tractor that got so hot the front tires burned off,I had to replace everything that wasn't metal front to back.
     
  9. Overpriced, but bringing the pictures up to their biggest size, I see black paint on the lower front fenders and on the doors yet. You might be able to get away with just another hood and a grille on it. But I'd go look at it in person before I made any hard decision.

    Repaint may be difficult, I've read that once burned you have a hard time getting paint to stick to metal again.
     
  10. el_bole
    Joined: May 12, 2011
    Posts: 125

    el_bole
    Member

    Thanks guys for all the information.....Poor ba*tard got in over his head.....Im not gonna touch it as I am not a Tinman.....Oh well onto the classifieds here to see some uncrispy cars hehehe...
     
  11. $4400 plus shipping, plus repair parts, plus LABOR......way too much
    $1500 - $2000
     
  12. Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Joined: Apr 20, 2008
    Posts: 4,670

    Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Member

    I love how the seller admits he's in way over his head (lacking skills), Wife wants it gone (lack of buy-in), its tarped in his driveway (lack of garage space).
    He planned to Rat Rod it (RR a 40 hammered, full fendered 40 Chevy sedan?).
    All this and he fully expects to get what he paid for it (no low ball offers).
    Wait 3 weeks, then call with an offer. It'll still be there at that price.
     
  13. gtnrkix
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 709

    gtnrkix
    Member

  14. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    If it burned outside (which this one did) there might be a chance of saving it. Inside a garage, forget it.

    A good cheap project if you can get it for scrap price or not much more. I'm thinking $1000 tops. That is if you can go and get it without spending $$$$ on transportation. If it is going to cost $1500 - $2000 to get it home forget it. There are lots better deals out there.
     
  15. redo32
    Joined: Jul 16, 2008
    Posts: 2,137

    redo32
    Member

    Find the thread about Randy Clark fixing Tom Medley's 40 Ford, that was much worse than this. The Chevy looks like it was a quality build and has some good parts. It looks like there is a blower under the burnt air cleaner, whats a blown big block worth? The fire started under the dash in my estimation, the hood was damaged by the firemen prying it open to put out the fire. I think the worst heat damage will be the front of the roof and the dash.I disagree with the guys that say this isn't worth $4400, If you had a nice car it would cost you 5-10 K to get it chopped. The chassis is done & I'll bet not hurt, and a blown big block. If your brave & smart you could have a bitchin car for $10-15,000.
     
  16. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    another HAMB post of a couple photos and no real details. $4400.00?? the BLOWN motor could have cost that much to build. probably has a modern street rod chassis with an MII... there's another 2 g's just for suspension. looks like the hood is boogered up, and the top, otherwise the body looks good.

    a person could do a lot worse for $4400.00.
     
  17. 73super
    Joined: Dec 14, 2007
    Posts: 778

    73super
    Member

    Nice patina? If you can get it cheap enough.. I would, but that guy's going to be sitting on it a long time if he tries to hold out for $4K.
     
  18. That's kind of interesting.

    Does look like a B&M blown Big Block Chevy...

    Consider this, the front sheet metal is toast but the rest looks salvageable. The chassis and body alone could be worth the coin. This might not be a bad deal for the advertised price IF you have the skills to clean it up and go through the mechanicals. paint and rewire.
     
  19. He says he'll move a little so try a reasonable offer worst he can say is no. Notice the grill is not wrecked, right side fender has a peeled flap of filler and paint hiding the grill.
     
  20. I think that car was built in Eastern South Dakota, sure looks like a locally famous car.
     
  21. Fuel to burn
    Joined: Jul 17, 2009
    Posts: 285

    Fuel to burn
    Member

    For the price and the work it better be your dream car, otherwise forget it.
     
  22. Hnstray
    Joined: Aug 23, 2009
    Posts: 12,355

    Hnstray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Quincy, IL

    I may be wrong, not a new thing though........but I venture that most of you fellows who think this car looks like a semi good deal have never dealt with a 'burner' first hand.

    It isn't that it can't be done..........it certainly can.........but the work, and parts, involved far exceeds the average persons estimate, especially if you expect to end up with something worth having in the long term and intend to "do it right".

    I've dealt with a fair number of salvage rebuilders, and a few 'burners' as parts cars.
    The heat 'usually' goes up and things under the floor are often surprisingly well preserved. But for those areas that caught the brunt of the heat, obviously evidenced by the missing paint and rusted surfaces, it's a whole 'nether ball game. And what you may find inside the engine is anybody's guess.

    Were I to plan on doing this, after thoroughly cleaning out the debris, I would include total disassembly and have the body chemically dipped. At that point you'd have something workable. Notwithstanding what I said in a preceding paragraph, you'll be amazed at how much work and hundreds of small parts it will take to properly reclaim and recondition this former inferno. But by the time you find that out, it'll too late.

    If you buy it for parts, and not to rebuild, then it could be a much better proposition.


    Ray
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2013
  23. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Ha! My neighbpr was just over here, I showed him this 'deal'...(he has the logic of my EX wife)
    His answer was: "If someone fixed this car up, how could they ever be sure it wasn't going to just WHOOSH right up again in another fire? This thing looks 'cursed'!"

    I asked him how long he had to stay...
     
  24. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    How bad do you want it?
     
  25. thunderbirdesq
    Joined: Feb 15, 2006
    Posts: 7,092

    thunderbirdesq
    Member


    HAHAha! I'm with you, man!:D
     
  26. I Drag
    Joined: Apr 11, 2007
    Posts: 883

    I Drag
    Member

    IF someone went to the trouble of dropping that car in my driveway for free, I would invest no more effort than to load it on my trailer and drive it directly to the scrap yard.
     
  27. Okay, if you see no good/salvagable parts on that car, there's something wrong with you. Sorry, but that's a personal pet peeve, people who can't see the forest for the trees based on their own skill level.
     
  28. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California


    that's just nucking futs. shows a definite lack of knowledge and/or ability. :confused:
     
  29. matthew mcglothin
    Joined: Mar 3, 2007
    Posts: 970

    matthew mcglothin
    Member

    Sheet metal will never hold paint again. All that is burnt needs replaced. For some reason it just won't stick to fire damaged metal
     

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