Hey guys, I’ve been in the market for a 30-31 model a coupe and have had a hell of a time trying to find one. I strictly want a body but if the price is right I wouldn’t mind a complete car. My budget as of right now is 3500-4000 but is going up weekly as I put away. I have found a couple good bodies in my price range but no matter how fast I jump on them they sell before I can get to them. As of right now I only check here and Facebook marketplace. Is there any other good websites or swap meets that I can find one? Sorry for the long post and I appreciate the help.
It sounds to me like your problem is you just need to be a little more aggressive and start looking more often and be a bit quicker. If you have missed out on a couple good ones that you would buy, you need to be quicker, IMO. There are still deals to be had out there, you need to check often, be quick to respond and have cash in hand. Have a truck and trailer ready or know how to get one quick to purchase. You can't tell the guy you're gonna try next weekend, or the week after, they'll sell it to someone else. If you are being aggressive and attentive to find one, just keep looking cause it's only a matter of time before you find one. I agree with Fred, craigslist is a good source for me. I hate FB, although I know there are deals there, so far none for me as I don't use it that much. However, if you have ever bought a lot of stuff off craigslist, nothing is for certain until you pay, have a receipt in hand and headed back home with it on your trailer. Until then you haven't bought anything no matter what the seller told you. This is also true of FB, or anywhere, until you have done the deal, you have nothing. Also, it doesn't mean it's not stolen, caveat emptor. Dealing with the DMV is often a hair puller on cars/trucks out of the system, at least in my experience. Anything that doesn't require smog is not gonna get quick attention for most of them in my experience. This is in Northern California. We need to get them to sign off on the VIN which can be on the body, and you can attach a plate with the serial number on it, but it has to be on the vehicle. They can make your life difficult if they don't think it's kosher...others may have different experiences. The '46 I'm currently working on came from Missouri and although it was registered there, they put me through the wringer here, I even had to take it to a certified scale to have it weighed, have a picture of the plates sent to a guy in Sacramento to get his approval on the license plate...stuff like that...it's kinda like most all Government run regulators...As you might imagine those people are not too fond of hot rods or anything that doesn't require smog tax every 2 years... Meanwhile gas is $6/gal...and they can't get enough taxes to fix the roads. EDIT: Oh, also forgot, they won't let you register a body on a trailer, the car needs to be running and driven through the DMV line, having the person check it. For me, when I finally had it running to be able to drive in there, the same lazy person asked me to read her the VIN off the plate. She didn't even get off her fat **** to read it after making me bring it off the trailer. This is what we pay our taxes for...I digress. I apologize to the forum, but I'm trying to be nice about the DMV here in Cali... Maybe someone local in PA can help you better, I would think that area is picked over pretty well at this point...but it's a big country...the world's your oyster.
Thanks for the advice. After the last one I have a trailer and truck on the line to go at a moments notice. Last one I almost went out that day to get it but decided to wait till the next day and it was already gone. As far as getting it registered I have a couple guys who have gone through it and from what they say it is pretty relaxed around where I’m at. I would love the California hot rod scene but the garbage you guys have to deal with the government out there is insane. Seems like they are trying to kill any vehicle that isn’t electric out there.
I always wanted to go to Hershey, I was just at Carlisle but that was pretty disappointing. Seems like spring and fall Carlisle just isn’t what it used to be. Does Hershey usually have a good turn out?
I have a flatbed and I don't drive it but a couple times a year when I buy something heavy and/or need to take a trailer...My current trailer is not working, but I can rent one for about $70/day with tilt. Definitely a car trailer is cheap. I also scour craigslist when I want to find something, like check every 30-60 minutes. Once I was out of work, minding my own business watching the tools section on the local craigslist, a guy advertises a South Bend Heavy 10 lathe, but it just said South Bend Lathe, $200, first come gets it. I contacted him immediately and he gave me his address in Hollister, 1 hour later I was at his place with my flatbed, we loaded it with his engine hoist. Now you're gonna love this story...his Uncle was a famous engine building in the Monterey Bay area somewhere, this was his Uncle's home that he left to his nephew...there were 3 huge steel building on this property and inside each one of them my jaw dropped. 1/2 were hot rods, half original restorations, one of the old Model B's sold for $250k, there was at least 2 dozen amazing vehicles, including his favorite, a '64 El Camino with some huge blown big block in it, when he fired it up the neighborhood shook from the rumble....most of the hot rods were '32 Fords, those were Model Bs as you know, when the V8 was released. The lathe I got is probably worth about $1500-$2000 the way it sits, but his Uncle bought a brand new single phase motor from Grainger, it's a Dayton 1-1/2HP. Has much of the accessories including the steady rest and follower rest, hand wheel with spindle adapter, etc...this is a great lathe for most auto repair, and especially for home shops as the motors are small enough you can use a VFD, RPC or just replace the motor as the guy's Uncle did. He knew the lathe was worth a lot more, but he didn't want to take the time to deal with it. For the reason of this story, and why I mentioned it to you above, it's good to have a vehicle that is ready with gas in it, waiting for the moment you need to jump in and fetch some 'ol iron...that old rusty iron never fails to follow me home... RE: California State/DMV/et al Yeah, it's bad...but one of our worst nightmares is now laughing her @$$ off at people like me who are still scratching our head on how she got nominated. She screwed California up good, nobody liked her and not even in the country...yet she is now doing the same in the White House...I apologize for it, but realize, it's not anything people like me or anyone else that lives in California can do a darn thing about...hopefully when they get voted out of office it won't be too late, be they fended off a recall last year by cheating and unfair playing against the opposition, Larry Elder. Hopefully you learned your lesson, but sometimes we're all either busy with something or just can't get away at the very moment...there are no guarantees. Even if you agree on a price in email or on the phone, until you pay and have possession, you own nothing. And if it does turn out to be stolen you can stand a chance to loose your money also...caveat emptor. That said, most of the old vehicles out of the system are out for various reasons. It's if you get one accidentally that they had in the system and has back fees due, it could be hundreds if not thousands of $$$s.
That’s an awesome story. I would love to stumble into a goldmine like that. We don’t get a lot of cool historical hot rods around where I’m from. As far as the government I’m disgusted. There are real problems to solve but instead they decide to try and pry innocent car guys hobby away from them, but I just keep up with the sema rpm act and hope that it protects the hobby. As for keeping a close eye. I have been checking every hour or so… next one that pops up I will definitely be on top of. I really appreciate the advise. I’m only 25 and coming from muscle cars to hot rods. Everyone on the forum so far has been super helpful.
Marketplace, craigslist (searchtempest) and Instagram would be the main places. For a 30/31 coupe I think you are a little light on the finances at least here in the Northeast for a decent body. 28/29 coupe or 28-31 Tudor body would be more in that current price range. Def keep searching and saving and you'll find something soon.
Keep your ear to the ground, network with as many folks as possible, have the necessary cash on hand and the means to transport on a moments notice. Also, getting the word out via ads, word of mouth or sites such as this with your needs will garner results. Take your time finding the "right car". Depending on your plans, sometimes just a body allows for a better start and most bodies I have seen here in the northeast need several lower sheet metal panels and subframe re-construction. Don't overpay for a complete car if most of it will be replaced during the build. Prepared patience and a good eye for determining value for your money is key. Avoid a knee jerk impulse buy if it won't be cost effective in the overall scheme. Good luck!
I'm in the same boat recently, the early Ford stuff goes fast! I have also found that you get the best deals if you get in good with some of the "old timers". I know a few guys who don't use the WEB and just sell stuff word of mouth. Go to car shows and make friends!
I was looking on craigslist last night, a rolling ***** goes for about $7,500-$10,000 on the current ads, and you can get a pretty good looking one for about $15k. The margins are so small between roller and running and mostly restored...granted most of that stuff is going off, but starting with a non-rusted base is worth paying a bit for.
yeah I noticed that. I see cars needing completely restored going for close to 10,000 and then older restorations in great shape only going for a couple grand more. I definitely need to save up some more. I really only want a body the rest is going to get completely replaced but I guess I can always sell off what I’m not going to use and make some money back. Going with a complete running car is probably going to be the way to go especially since the price difference is so negligible between a running car and a roller
That’s good advice. I definitely plan on going to some of the traditional hot rod swap meets and shows around here this year and making as many friends as possible. There is a wealth of knowledge a**** those older guys that I Also want to pick up before it’s gone.
thanks for the advice. After the last one slipped through my fingers I have a transport ready to go. I definitely had to talk my self out of a couple ratty ones that were in my price range, I just have to remind myself those surp*** my skill level lol.
Thanks for the search tempest suggestion, never heard of that website but it’s awesome. My budget is definitely light for a 30/31 coupe. I realized I’m probably going to have to double it to find what I’m looking for.
Hemmings Motor News is worth your time. Subscription is worth it, too. Usually different stuff each month. Marcus...
Ultimately I think we all want to build our own that go down that path, but if you decide to the savings in just cleaning alone could be worth it to start with a clean frame. Plus you can get some extras like seats, possibly a running engine, solid body panels, etc...it's crazy how much people will pay for what I consider "yard art". I don't want to grow plants in one, I want to drive it.
I found mine on the Canadian version of Craigslist. Search everyday, travelled about 4 hours, paid the man in his 80’s with a half dozen cl***ic cars a fair price- double what an entry level car trailer costs. Needs a roof kit, not running, no seats - parked in 1965. Better than money in the bank.
Geez, that looks great. Dare I say, that even without the drive train, that could be $10k-$12k locally. That looks in nice shape...I'd drive to get something like that at a great price. Not sure about Canada, but I'd probably do a 12-hour road trip, one way if I had to. Anyone have something like that within a 12-hour drive of San Jose, let me know. Good for you! This time you were not even a day late and had the $$$s to bring it home...that's what matters...
Picked this one up recently. Found it on CL turns out was a guy I knew. They're out there just keep checking CL and FB and any other possible listing place.
The car is not as good as it looks, it has some chicken wire and bondo repairs, but that might be part of it’s charm. It helped that it had an ownership.
Check out this swap meet. Get there early Friday morning. Have seen car bodies at this swap and rollers.
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