30/31 project price?

[dabckid]

Had a good friend of mine call last night, he is looking to unload a few of his cars he isn't attached to.
Anyway he has a 30/31 model A on a datsun 720 frame(torsion bar front end) shortened and set up for four link rear. As it sits now it is a roller. With boxes of parts, engine/trans included(think 302 & t5) what would be a good dollar value to ask for such a project? Ballpark.
He only had one picture on his phone but I may go get more.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[05snopro440]

Had a good friend of mine call last night, he is looking to unload a few of his cars he isn't attached to.
Anyway he has a 30/31 model A on a datsun 720 frame(torsion bar front end) shortened and set up for four link rear. As it sits now it is a roller. With boxes of parts, engine/trans included(think 302 & t5) what would be a good dollar value to ask for such a project? Ballpark.
He only had one picture on his phone but I may go get more.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

I know it's a cliche, but something like that is worth what you're willing to pay for it. What I mean by that is that a model A that has a newer mini-truck frame, welded sheetmetal for the doors, etc., doesn't have much value to most people. To me it might be worth somewhere between $500-1500 if I really had to have it. To someone else it may be worth $5k. It's a really hard thing to place a value on.

 

[donsrods]

Really do need more and better detailed pictures to venture a guess. But, from what I see there, the body has been patched up quite a bit, and sitting on a Datson chassis is not the most desirable setup, so, I would not think the price should be very high at all. The days of plopping an old body on a modern chassis has run it's course, and now people are building or using a more traditional type frame so that the end product looks less cobbled together.

Not trying to defame the car or discourage you, but you do need to go into this with your eyes wide open, and you asking these questions shows you really want to hear the truth.

Get more pictures and it will give us a better shot at maybe giving you a better answer.

 

[dabckid]

That is along the thinking I had too.
Just wanted a different opinion.
I personally think he would get more parting it out.

Thanks for the input

 

[Old Iron]

Not enough pics there to give a good reply to [P[P[P

 

[Blue Eyed Devil]

Not enough there to even call a Model A.

It's a closed car cowling with no doors, scabbed to what looks to be what's left of some Sport Coupe quarters. I wouldn't haul it home, but if you need a value it's worth about $.06 a pound right now...

 

[donsrods]

That is along the thinking I had too.
Just wanted a different opinion.
I personally think he would get more parting it out.

Thanks for the input

You have a great attitude about this. We see guys all the time who ask a question like yours, and when we try to have the Dutch Uncle Talk, they become offended. Turns out they were just looking for some validation that their purchase was a good deal, not wanting to hear any dissenting opinions. You are not doing that at all.

My philosophy, when looking at any car to buy or build is "How much money will it take to get this thing done, and would I be better spending a little more up front , buy a better car, and end up with a whole lot more to work with." Some car builder on TV once said "Buy the very best car you can afford, even if you have to save up for it, and then make it your own".


ALL OF US, on here, have made mistakes buying some car, I know I have. But, as we get older, we learn to think with our heads instead of our hearts. However, if you get a chance, post up more pictures of that car, it would be interesting to look at...……...ya never know.

 

[sneakysnake]

Start high, you can always drop the price!

 

[hansgoudzwaard]

..."looking to unload a few of his cars he isn't attached to. "
Any thoughts?

HaHa?? don't take this wrong , but I see why?!

 

[Toad]

After seeing how he's butchered that body I'd hate to see what he's done to the frame etc. Not to be mean but he should be tarred, feathered and run out of town! Just kidding! [ddd

Toad

 

[donsrods]

After seeing how he's butchered that body I'd hate to see what he's done to the frame etc. Not to be mean but he should be tarred, feathered and run out of town! Just kidding! [ddd

Toad

I don't know, maybe if the windshield had a little chop...……………..


Nah, you are right, that looks really bad.

 

[MercuryMac]

Kid, if you're secretly thinking of buying this car because your friend will give you two hundred off, run like he$$ ------ the other way. Like Don said earlier "go into this deal with your eyes open". You may save a few hundred buying a headache, but the future will drain your wallet of 20 to 30 thousand dollars to get that a decent looking hotrod. The guys are sounding bad to you but in this case, they're protecting you. It's too bad about your friend being stuck with it, but he may have made it, without much vision or bought it cheap from someone with no vision. We are not being cruel here.

You do have a good attitude and lots of enthusiasm, so I hope our protective attitude doesn't turn you off. Good luck.

 

[skull]

experienced

if he gave it to you REAL CHEAP, no more than 50 bucks, it could be brought back from the little bit l seen and turned into a real rat if you have lots of parts to fix the bad stuff and some 0R lots of experience at this sort of thing.

l have done more with less, but l am a packrat & l have/had lots of parts to replace, redo or fix others "ideas" & l been playing with mechanical/automotive stuff since before l can remember.

for reference, THAT build of mine on the forum is an example of what can be done with junk, but again l STRESS HEAVILY this is years and years of of racing and building junk into running SAFE rods.

safety if also a big factor, good brakes, steering and a solid chassis/frame are mandatory for todays rodder, the days of halfassed dangerous stuff or cutting corners is not the right way to do justice to the culture.

not being rude, just want you to understand what this undertaking may take financially, mentally & physically.

more pics would be appreciated.

Later

 

[dabckid]

To be perfectly honest I have zero interest in it right now, I would do the whole thing differently. I have enough waiting to get done as it is. Wife would probably kill me as well.
You guys would probably think I was nuts if you knew what I paid for the pontiacs. But it was what I was looking for and I didn't have to go far to get it.

I really just wanted a second opinion from you guys that I could pass along.

 

[MercuryMac]

I, for one, do not care if you paid a few hundred extra for a couple of good cars. You got the cars home with very little hassle or time spent, and you will probably save $10 thousand by not hunting up hard to find parts. You will thank yourself often over the next few years because you spent a little more initially. Good luck. You're on the right track.

 

[Old Iron]

It's always a good decision to start with a better body.
It's also better to get something they made a lot of, so parts aren't so hard to find.
The Pontiac is difficult to find parts for, I know this one very well

 

[05snopro440]

It's always a good decision to start with a better body.
It's also better to get something they made a lot of, so parts aren't so hard to find.
The Pontiac is difficult to find parts for, I know this one very well

The best advice I got when buying project cars is "Buy the best body you can afford".

It saves you a lot of time, money, and aggravation down the road.

 

[Skip]

i was looking for something else when I stumbled on this old discussion. Now I am going to go back and look at all those ads on CL again. As is my nature, I've been looking for a cheap body. I think I'll look for a good body instead.

 

[Bamamav]

As is my nature, I've been looking for a cheap body. I think I'll look for a good body instead.

Like Don said, buy the best car you can, then make it yours. In the end it will usually cost less, but be worth more, and for sure a lot less work....

 

[Skip]

Like Don said, buy the best car you can, then make it yours. In the end it will usually cost less, but be worth more, and for sure a lot less work....

Funny thing is, I've been hearing that from guys I know that sell their cars for $60K and more. So, its not like I don't know it. Its more like I just don't always practice it. When I started my 39, I had a really rough cab. I ended up buying a much nicer one before I was very far into the project.