I'm helping a friends family get their grandfathers cars cleaned up and running to sell. I bought a 55 Buick Super from them but we don't know what to do about this. Not being much of a body man I usually avoid cars like this. It has some rust also but the flathead and all of the chrome is still there... everything but the back seat. The quarter is slightly pushed in but doesn't look too bad other than where it meets the rocker(which doesn't look too bad either considering). So what I am asking is if I find a door would this be a fairly easy fix for a body shop or more trouble than it is worth? We all have our eye on this car but I'm hoping to get it together for my buddies mom to enjoy and remember her father by. Then there is this... Same story...worth fixing? We are meeting next week to decide what to do and where to start. There are about 10-12 cars but these...and the super are the better ones. ...oh yeah, the Super I am getting
Yes, that Ford coupe can definitely be fixed! It is a coupe, which is desirable enough to make it worth the trouble to someone. I have a '51 Chevy coupe all over my shop that looked worse than that except for the wrecked door which is no big deal - just replace the door and possibly the jamb as well. The first Buick might be too far gone for anyone to want to restore, but there may still be someone who wants it for parts or as a donor. The second Buick doesn't look bad at all. My advice would be to list each of them on eBay with a lot of photographs and honest descriptions, with starting bids of whetever the scrap value would be (maybe $800?). Trying to sell rough cars like that local is always near impossible, but with eBay they are seen nationally and all it takes is two guys who want it and the next thing you know the car sells for more than you expect. And if only one guy wants it, you get your initial asking price and it goes to an enthusiast instead of the crusher. And if no one wants it you are only out the listing price (something like $40 the last time I sold a car years ago?) and then you call the crusher. IF you have the time and inclination you can actually make a surprisinig amount of money by pulling off every part and listing each part one at a time. If you have never sold anything on eBay find someone who has and have them help you. It's not rocket science. The key is to put as much info in there as you know, and lots of photos.
Not too sure about the "getting them all running to sell" thing, but that shoebox is very saveable. The first Buick looks like trouble, at least to this amateur. The Mopar sitting next to the Buick looks like it has the side trim that was discussed on a trim thread recently. Might consider selling parts if the complete cars don't sell. Don't scrap them too quickly.
They would all sell as-is. But you putting money into them to then sell is money down the drain. Let the buyer do the fix-up. You'll never get your time and materials out of the repairs you do. If you already have the replacement parts, just throw them in the trunk. The buyer will think they are getting a bonus.
AGREED! The only thing anyone is going to care about is if the motors turn over or are locked up. Let the buyers get them running - it won't change the sale value much at all and personally the last two old cars I bought did not run at all. Hot rodders don't care because they'll replace the motor anyway, and restorers don't care because they'll rebuild the original anway. No one expects cars that look like those to run and drive.
By the way, I just noticed you said the '49 Ford is all there "everything except the back seat." If it's a business coupe (as opposed to deluxe coupe) it never had a back seat in the first place. They just had a flat platform back there.
Thanks for the replies. As far as getting them running I mean seeing which ones aren't locked up and seeing if we can get them to start. Then we will know if the rest of the drive train is usable also. Mostly trying to get her a little more money for them if they run. I bought a few cars that sat for many years and got them running again. Mostly unfamiliar with body work of that scale. Here is my $1000 daily driver that sat for 10 years...
Nice truck and it looks like the Super was a real score! My buddy who has made more buying and selling cars than anybody I know continually beats into my head, "The more you do the less you make!" And beyond checking if the engines are free it most certainly applies here. The only thing that might cast doubt on the Century is how poorly the left quarter was attached and how much additional hidden damage not shown was done in the process.
The Ford is a coupe and a '49, both are good things. The door can be replaced, patch panels and parts are readily available. Not easy, but definitely saveable.
If you're going to sell them, get them dug out of their holes, get them rolling with tires that at least hold air, and if the engines turn, spend an hour or so tinkering with them to see if they'll fire. But don't spend more than an afternoon's worth of work on each car, it won't pay off. If I were buying one of those cars, my first concern would be the ease of getting it loaded on a trailer. Time spent there will be time well spent.
I might have gotten a little ahead of myself... These cars are 250 miles from home. We were there for about ½hour and didn't want to get filthy to really check them out because we had places to be. We didn't even open the hoods on all of them. Until we look at them a little closer we don't really have much of a plan. They are on 5 acres and there are old travel trailers full of parts(and trash). We also have to talk with the mom because she is a little sentimental and has certain ideas about NOT parting them out that we will have to deal with. We are doing all of this next week... The good news is that there is no hurry and there is already an element of trust between the 3 of us. Mostly because money isn't the #1 factor. We love old cars and would like to see them go to good use if possible. I also realize there isn't a ton of money there... The loose idea is to see what they are, see what she is comfortable with, and go from there.
That is the basic plan right there. We are considering bringing certain ones to Vegas to clean up and sell since we live here.
The shoebox is a Club Coupe so would have come with a rear seat...But you could get a Business coupe with a rear seat, in 51' it cost $58.00 extra, bought the car from a neighbor who bought it new....
anything can be brought back, it's just a cost value ratio, worth fixing against how much $$$ it would take, I have seen guys put twice the amount of money into a project and still not done, that they could have bought the car restored already,
I agree with Arkie here. If I were looking for a project I would not be afraid to take either car on. Both are very viable projects.
Tommy, I can't believe no one has said this yet, but if your getting the second buick to fix up, you would be foolish not to take the first for parts as well. Neither is so perfect that I can imagine it not needing a single original part from the other, and that Murphy guy pretty much guarantees that part was perfect on the other car if you don't take it! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
All rough condition parts cars. Worth whatever you can get. If you get more than scrap iron value, you are ahead of the game. Do not waste time and money trying to get them running. Pump up the tires if you can, let it go at that.
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