Okay I ran into a car today I think is a steal but I can't find a value comparison. 1963 Bel Air 4 door sedan. One owner he's 86. 98500 miles. No power brakes or steering. Turquoise with the mini hub caps. Original interior with not a single dent or any rust. Seats and carpet are near perfect. A little wear on drivers carpet but thats it. Paint is like new with a few rock chips on th front of the hood. Has a 283 with automatic. As clean as an original as I've ever seen. Its always been garaged. I was shocked when I saw the condition. The trunk looked like new it was amazing. He wants 3800. I would be looking to turn it as my wife says my 59 wagon is all I can have. Is there room for profit? Anyway I'd love to snag it up if there is.
If you like it a lot id say its up to you but thats high for a more door , id say thats top doller, well with that being said below you need some pics
It is such a clean survivor. Straight as an arrow, near perfect paint, and purs like a kitten. All a guy would have to do to show it is steam the engine compartment. He is a bachelor so the only seat that got used was the drivers and it shows very little if any wear. I'm looking to resell as the old guy was so nice I don't want someone to abuse him on the sale.
thats really high for a four door...dont buy a car out of pitty, see if he'll let you sell it for him cleaned up and then you guys split the profit 50/50???
I wouldn't say it's way high, but it's certainly not a "steal". I dunno that's it's something you are going to make a big profit off of.
Thats what I kinda thought. Probably not much room to turn a profit. Here is the number if someone is looking for a super clean 63 four door. The number is for his neighbor who helps him out. Zero rust and like a said a super nice car. Be kind to the old guy he sure is nice. 208- 766- 4772 Its located in Malad Idaho. Two hours north of Salt Lake City.
no dents..no rust..good,solid 100% original car...and not the 235 I'd expect,but a 283..More door,or not,that sounds like a helluva every day driver for the money..Not that many left in the condition you described..
Seriously a gem. It was all I could do to walk away from it. Probably not a nicer original car in the country that hasn't been restored.
When did they stop putting the stovebolts in cars? I would have thought the engine would be a 230 or 250 if it was an inline. I'd be taking a look at it if it was around here.
If you were buying it to keep, I'd say go for it, but buying to resell may not be such a great idea, unless you can hang on to it for a while. It seems like prices are down now...bad time to be selling.
here's a link for ya http://www.collectorcarmarket.com/menus/ccmprcs/63chbeir.htm You may need to read the number ratings to choose which is right for the car you're looking at. Based on your description, it seems high for a 4 door as someone else noted above. There won't be much, if any, profit when you sell. He's got it priced at 2- level now which is a really really good car.
Double you money???!!!-get real, men. It's 4 door sedan. And have you noticed the economy lately? It's getting hard to move a desireable car, let alone a very nice, over-priced parts-mobile. RUN AWAY from this "good deal". You will have too much cash and ALL of your wife's goodwill tied up in that looser. And 235s went away after61, if I recall.
It kinda sounds like you don't know what you are doing. If so, and money is tight or the wife isn't keen on the idea, right now with the economy the way it is is not the time to test the waters as a car flipper. I was going to sell my 51 Merc, and for a chopped Merc in primer I would probably be lucky for $22k or so, and that is lucky. Market sucks. That said, if you decide to go forward with flipping stuff, ebay is your absolute best reference guide to what old stuff is worth. It accurately reflects the market. All the NADA guides are great, but it comes down to what someone is willing to pay, period. 3 yrs ago I sold my mild custom/stock 6 powered 51 Ford tudor (black prime, mex blanket seats/flaked dash) wasnt a show winner by a longshot but decent cruiser for $7500. It would have to be chopped or repowered with a/c and a new wiring harness in it at LEAST to see that money now. Just ain't what it was.
Problem was I was in an area with no way to find info on the car. I didn't have access to the internet and wasn't car shopping I just happened on to it. I've had my fair share of cars. My first at age 16 was a 66 mustang convertible. Since then I've bought and sold over 50. Not all have been classics by any stretch. I do know a good clean original when I see one though. I looked at the "excellent condition" cars before and been dissapointed but this one was really a find. As way stated before it would make a great daily driver. Hell if you were in the market for a DD what could you find decent for 3800. Probably if you kept it under 65 you could pull 17 to 20 mpg. Anyway I'll keep my dough in savings as I heard gas is going near 10 dollars a gallon in Europe right now.
too many 4 door haters around here. sounds like a crampuff to me and well worth $3800.00. is it original paint??? a 2 door Impala in that condition would be worth 20 - 30 grand or more. might not be a quick turn around but I could see driving a car like that for a while and make some money. there are plenty of people out there who appreciate an original unrestored car regardless of door count.
Do a search on eBay to get an idea of what they go for. I just did and see plenty of 2 door hard tops not selling for 10-15k. I saw a 4d HT restored at $2600.00. Show quality numbers matching SS 409 with a BIN of $25,000.00 and no one is buying. I saw 4 doors going for 2-4k in completed items.
Here's a driver that went for $2000 (62 4 door, 2sp, 235): click here Here are a few other auctions for Belairs that are completed: click here
If it's a really nice original that could be shown as an original and win trophies, it's priced within reason. 4-doors are a gamble because so few people desire them. But if someone's looking to start showing AACA for points, it might be a good starter. I wouldn't rely on eBay right now as a source of info, too much BS going on there with them changing things.
Well if you would not rely on them for selling prices then I guess it's the time to be buying on there if you think the prices are low.
Paint, interior everything is original. Paint is bright and shiny too. I little discoloration on top of the right front fender where an oil cap and a little oil was dripped and not wiped off. I small dent in the trim on the left front door and rock chips in the front of the hood. Headliner, dash, rear deck rear seat, front seat are like new and the carpet is dirty and shows a little wear in the drivers footwell. The guy that bought it new still owns it and he has babied it. Like a said a bachelor so he's basically been the only one in the car.
Sounds like a car that could be driven for a few years and if maintained like the present owner would resell for what you paid. Not often nowdays you can buy a car, drive it for awhile and not loose money. OR, you could buy some Jap crap and be one of the crowd and sell it for scrap in a couple of years. Also, this combination, if driven sanely will get decent mileage. I'd buy it in a heatbeat, but not to turn for a profit. Frank
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