Hot Rods Selling a car at NSRA Louisville and other meets.......Any tips??

After 32 years of roadster "fun", I've decided to sell mine.
My body, at 72, just can't do over 100 miles without hips and knees killing me, and the future is bleak. It certainly doesn't have the leg room a 32 and up does.

I have it advertised on here,
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/31-highboy-roadster-build-pics-added.1157118/
and plan to take it to Louisville, figuring on a lot of exposure to a lot of different folks. Same for Shades, if I get no bites.

My question is: What's the best way to "market" it? Put it in the swap meet? Put a sign on it with info sheets and park it on the grounds? Cruise around a lot in the heat? I've sold and traded cars all my life, but it's usually word of mouth, fellow club members, etc. But I did sell my 55 pickup on the 'net.

Yeah, I know it's dated, so I'm really not looking for advice in that area. But it is dependable, and has some good bones. But if I was going to do it over (more trad, less street rod), I would hang on to it. I would rather spend the bucks on my 32 or start one of my 40's.

How did you sell yours?

Thanks for any help.
Bill

 

no miracles - priced at I want to sell it, not just fishing - as you know, just takes a buyer & seller to be in the right place at the right time - put small for sale sign on windshield, might sell before you get to show

 

I think you got it with a sign and info at your spot. Price posted & phone contact. Jmho. Snowman

 

I would put a discreet sign on the windshield, fliers will do just that- fly away with the Looky Lou’s.
I’m pretty sure you have seen enough to pick out those that just want to talk and the serious buyers and above all make an agreement at the ‘grounds but don’t close a deal unless the guy has cash money.

 

Start high but let it be known early on that you are a motivated seller.
You know how the game works, no matter what price you ask, even a low price, they will still try to "low ball" you.

 

Bill, post it here in the classifieds, put a sign on it and take it to the nationals, drive it around and park it in a high traffic area. HRP

 

Stay with the car at the show and/or put a phone number and price on the sign, and answer the phone when it rings!

I saw a couple cars at the fifties that I could have been interested in and they had for sale signs, no price, no phone and no one around. Yeah, that'll work.

 

Thanks!
Think it would see more interest in the swap meet as opposed to out among everybody?
Anybody have any luck with Hotrod Hotline?

 

I usually have a car for sale every year at the NSRA Nats. A for sale sign with the price and your cell phone number on it should do the trick. FWIW sold my last car as a result of the HAMB classifieds.
My Poncho may have a sign on it at this years Nats.

 

I don't have a clue. I have a car listed here and no matter how low the price, a lot of buyers expect a flawless car, (I think). I scanned a lot of cars for sale and when it comes to price vs. work needed to complete, I thought I have a very good starting price. But, I suppose it will take the right person at the right time looking for just this car.

 

It only takes the right one.

 

I just sold a 40 ford coupe at rocky mountain street rod nationals. I always put large sign in the wind shield. Price and phone number. A lot of people don't go to the swap meet. If the car is priced right it will sell.

 

Whatever worked yesterday (let's say the last 10-20 years) isn't enough effort today. As much as some folks don't want to believe it, the market is shrinking now. That's not the same as saying there are no buyers out there, it's that the legitimate buyers have LOTS of choices, which is the same as saying you have lots more competition. If you REALLY want to sell it you need to hit every sales venue available so you can find that buyer who is looking for what you have. Sure, price is important, and asking too much will kill the opportunity you have for the few that might be interested. They don't want, nor have to, play games in today's market, they want to deal with realistic sellers not fishing "experts". Well intentioned advice that pitches "the old tested ways" is not going to work today unless you have something genuinely unique AND in demand. Markets change and approaches to those changes need to happen if you want to be successful.

 

Just remember, There is a ass for every seat, you just have to match them up.

 

Bill, my friend Ed has sold a couple of cars on hot rod hot line, one was a car he won in Pigeon Forge. HRP

 

A great part of hot rods are the choices we make. Finding somebody else that likes the same thing is difficult. It has been mentioned several times about supply and demand. I'd put a real price on it and hope for the best. People look at high prices and walk buy unless the car is exceptional. Years ago, there were people walking around with briefcases full of cash looking to buy. When was the last time you heard that? Good luck. There's alot of us in the same boat.

 

Bill: list your history with the car. Flippers are a big turn off for most buyers. Accentuate the fact that you have had the car for "X" amount of years and that its time for the car to go on down the road.

 

My suggestion would be to park it in a different area each day. Swap meet or close to the swap meet entrance with a large enough sign to catch attention. Next day up near the circle in front of the exposition center or on the road leading to it. Then I would make a bunch of sheets of printed "tear offs" with your phone number and a description of the car and your approximate home location. Many people will take them and forget where they got them. If they stick them in their wallet they may find them later or take them to a friend.

 

Put a "NOT FOR SALE" sign on it. Some guys like a challenge.

 

Very well said!

 

I'd say that you do have a better chance of selling it a big meet far enough away from home so that the potential buyer won't go home with Hotrod A's old car but a new to him/her car that they bought from Hotrod A at the event. Find a buyer from just as far away the other way and it becomes a fresh but maybe slightly dated car when he wheels it to cruise night in his home stomping grounds.
EKIMNEIRBO (that is what I get for being lazy and copy and paste his handle) probably hit it right on the nose with the park it in a high traffic area on the way to the swap area or maybe on the way to the vendors area.
I like the idea of being able to show/tell your history with the car too. As someone said, a lot of guys are gun shy of flippers but are pretty willing to deal with someone who has had a car for quite a while.
I'd say start high enough so that you have room to deal down to your price but not so high you scare folks off.

 

It seems like the only time I sell a car is when I don't want to sell. Then after I sell it, I wonder if I could of got more, getting greedy.

 

Be prepared to waste lots of time talking to nut cases, nit pickers and just plain crooks. Good luck to you.

 

Make sure....on your end of any transaction.....that you have a clear title, in your name, with a serial number that matches your car’s frame number. Any knowledgeable buyer will want to cross check the two so that he can avoid any titling issues when he gets home with the car. Almost every state DMV will perform an inspection for this if the car is sold into another state. Make sure the Ford serial number is visible.

If your A has a “VIN tag” showing a serial number that is not typical for a Ford Model A, it’s going to cause many buyers to shy away from the deal.....even if the tag and the title match each other. A legit builders title from your state is fine. If your car has a “self stamped” serial number that was used from a title purchased years before from a “historical document” seller, you could have a problem finding a buyer. And you could have a little problem selling your car if that serial number was in a state’s database belonging to someone else’s car.

Most large car shows have a notary on site to help facilitate car sales. Assuming you have a good title, don’t sign your name on any part of it until you are in the presence of the notary and that you’ve verified your potential buyer has the money to buy it at that time.

Assuming you’re aware of all this, and have a good title for the car, you’ve been given good advice here on selling it. Good luck!

 

Cash or Bank Wire Transfer ONLY . Talk to your banker on this subject.

 

Thanks for all the good advice. Keep it coming.

 

Make up a poster board sign with pictures , home and cell numbers and we can hang it up at our swap meet booth at the Louisville NSRA swap meet

later kb

 

Btw...I'm not looking for another roadster, but when I saw your car in the classifieds, I thought nice car, looks well built, and fairly priced. Good luck.

 

Couple of other things to consider. As long as the title is in your name, you are responsible. Myself, I would never sell a car with just a Bill of Sale or signing a title on the back.

 

Great offer! Thanks for the help!