Projects To Sell Or To Part? That is the question.

Hey guys. I made a real big bone head move & bough a 1950 Buick sight unseen a few years ago. Big mistake. I've been trying to sell it, but no one wants to touch it with a 10' pole. Basically the whole bottom of the car is rotted out. It's got one area that has frame rot, it will need new rockers, floors, quarters, trunk, things a mess. Basically from the bottoms of the doors up it's a pretty damn nice car. All original. Motor turns freely, but no one wants to take it on. I want the car gone, but I'm basically gonna lose my ass in it either way. Should I part it out or try to sell the complete car? At this point I just want to try & recoup some of my money & be done with it. What do you guys think is the best option?
Thanks



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find someone who likes fixing that stuff and sell it to him.

 

Here in the rust belt we deal with cars that have all that rust and way more and they get rebuilt.
Depending on price it may find a home if listed nationally. Shipping will be the deciding factor.

 

how much are you trying to get and how much do you think you would get parting it out?.

 

Looks like a good parts car. Sell it as such. Best offer. Sometimes we have to bite the bullet.

 

Hey my dads a great carpenter..that's an easy fix

 

I paid $6500 for it like an idiot. So if love to get close to that, but I don't see that happening. Last time I buy a car sight unseen. I basically got lied to buy the seller, but once the deal is done the deal is done.


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Carpenter. Ha ha. That's funny considering I found a fence board acting as an inner rocker panel.


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Sell it back East as "practically rust free"


Take a look at the 60(?) Chrysler rebuild and smile at your good fortune.
I like Buicks- and that year/body in particular. I can see how you could get swindled jumping to buy one without checking it over.

So--- what's the price?


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I have it listed at $7500 knowing I won't get that.


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I'm too honest a guy to sell it to someone else without telling them about its issues. I talked to a guy on the phone today & he said he knows how to repair all the rust, but he's 72 y/o & doesn't want to take on something this daunting at his age. Very understandable. I'd hate to see this old girl get parted out though. I know someone has the time & skill to save her. These 2 door fastbacks aren't the easiest car to find.


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I guess I can list it on the H.A.M.B. Classifieds. Lots of skilled guys on here. I just know that at a certain point parting it out is more beneficial to me. The gorgeous grill alone could probably fetch $1500.


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Actually just tried to list on H.A.M.B. Classifieds & said. Don't have enough permission. What does that mean?


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50 Buick front end is so cool, bummer you got burned, I hope somebody with more skill than I have can save it but if you gotta part it out to get your money back I don't blame you. Try to sell it whole for as long as you can but if you have to part it that's just life.

 

You must have wanted it, now you have it, fix it. Classic Fabrication can get you most of what you need for under 500, Boot floor may have to come from a wreck. Then it would be a good thing parting it wont get your money back.....

 

It means YOU MUST USE A COMPUTER<NOT DAMN CELL PHONE

 

I wouldn't be afraid of it as a project, but not running and with that much rust I could never justify an offer that would bring you close to 1/2 of your investment even if it was an absolute have to have car for me.
I think you should consider fixing it
if you love the style.
Start collecting tools and gain the skills if you don't have them.
Getting it running and some of the rust repaired may get you motivated but should get your money back.
You'd be shocked how fast one hour a day picking at it will get the ball rolling.
Good luck

 

That's gonna be a tough sell, anyway you look at it. I got burned on an OT 'site unseen' purchase from a 'friend' one time. Took me damn near two yrs to 'only' lose $500 on the deal, I was estatic to dump it. Chalk it up to the cost of education.

 

So, you are looking for a bigger "idiot" (your word, not mine) than you. Probably have more success with the "recoup some of my money" if you reversed the mathematical formula you have chosen.
There is a buyer out there. You just have to get his attention ($$ work best unless it's a Deuce).

 

Trying to sell that rust bucket for any appreciable money is slim or none. I'd part it out and scrap the rest.

 

Ok...
By your own admission you got burned at $6500 yet you have ir priced at $7500.

This is typical of a lot of sellers. They sale based on what they have invested...not what the car is actually worth. You know that car is not worth the asking price and sadly worth much less than what you gave for it so....Why waste everyone's time?

Price it based on reality. In my opinion the reality is this...

That car with a good frame and floor in that condition running and driving may be worth say, $10,000 on a good day. How much would it really cost to repair the floor and frame correctly and get it driving? $7000? $8000 maybe more?
Deduct that sum from ten grand and I think that's closer to reality.

 

Yep, you paid too much. I've seen better condition bodies going for $4k. Try to advertise on the Buick site, someone interested in Buick's is a better potential buyer. It is a very cool car, but I agree that even parting it out you will lose.
Buick site link: http://forums.aaca.org/forum/12-buick-buysell/

 

So I'm sitting this morning thinking about my new friend and what he showed me in his "barns"....and this thread pops up....so, this has got me very interested in this Buick......are they worth the effort? up....


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If anyone needs some inspiration to fix this Buick - take a look at this Cadillac, same body style (not that I have the talent, time or money......)

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1949-cadillac-custom.873919/

 

No chance of recouping your money at that price I'm afraid. Parting it out is your best bet if you have the time and space for a bigger return on money invested. It's a loss unless you find a bigger sucker. I've fixed worst but not at that price.

 

I think a little time spent with a lawn mower tank, battery, and a couple jumper wires to get it running would worthwhile. Having it running would make it much more attractive to potential buyers.

If you find the engine is sound; but still no sale, (I don't know your skill level); but consider investing a couple/three weekends to fix the frame rot and put some floors in it. Should be sellable then.

It may even return to being the car you fell in love with when you first purchased it.

 

pfft, fix it.
get your welder out and go to town, what's the worst that can happen? It's not like your trying to restore it, just call it Kustom in the places you can't make perfect.

make it a POR-15 poster child underneath.

 

If I owned it with that much investment to lose, I would fix it.
I wouldn't be worried about replacing things piecemeal however. I would round up a full frame, late model donor and mount this upper body to the donor floor pan/frame combo.
Obviously you would need to do some research to find the best donor for a proper fit.
Seems like it would be faster and ultimately cheaper when you factor in the modern suspension and drivetrain being already there and set up.
I know of a couple of local rust cars that got put on S10 frames, but that of course required a full reconstruction of floors and mounting points. (rust cars need that anyway...)
With a bit of engine set back they did come out good and are great driver cars.

 

Drop the price to what you think you'll get in parts, less the hassle of dealing wth selling the half dozen desirable parts and being left with the hulk. Price it to sell, not based on what you overpaid for it.

The grill is worth $1500? Price the whole thing at $2000, come down to $1500, and watch it go.



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