Ever parted something out? Is it worth it?

I have this 37 Ford truck barn find. Cant seem to sell it for a decent price. The economy is putting the squeeze on most wallets. Sure, I could drop the price down and most likely move it, dont want to do that quite yet.

I have an automatic search on Ebay for "37 Ford truck" and have been paying attention for a couple months now. Seems that every little part and piece has a value to someone.

In your opinion, is it worth doing?

 

The phrase I live by:

"A car is worth more in parts than whole"

 

Looks like a pretty complete truck. If you part it, and that is a lot of work to do and then list all the parts, you will end up with a bunch of stuff that won't sell, you'll probably s**** the left overs cuz you'll get tired of tripping over them and it would be a shame that there's one more truck that won't live to be a hot rod. unless it's really a rust bucket or otherwise f'd up that doesn't show in the photos, i'd hate to see you part it.
I guess it's a matter of what a "Decent price" is .......

 

Hard to say but it worked out well for me. A few years back I bought a '51 F-1 pick-up with a running flathead for $500. Mind you, the truck was not complete (like the one pictured) and had some serious body and frame rot from sitting. For some strange reason, the owner kept up on maintaince on the motor.

I took out the steering box, shock mounts, front axle for my Dad's '49 F-1, and other misc. parts.

Someone else came by and trade me a flathead Harmon/Collins cam, Almquist intake manifold, and other goodies just if I allowed him to pick over the remains. We were both happy.

The junk guy took the rest and I kept the ***le and VIN tag. So in my case, I came out ahead in the deal and had some good parts that I needed and got them pretty much for free.

Good luck.

 

I agree with hotroddon. To me a "parts car" is one that is completely useless and can't be saved. That truck looks way too good to be a "parts truck".

But, it's yours to do with whatever works best for you.

 

What is a "decent price"? I may be interested if it was a decent buyers price....PM me.

 

i always heard the same (never tried, but)

 

I am going to part out my Skylark and rob the Nailhead and trans for my '48 project. I had someone offer to buy it, but for that price I couldn't get a good, running motor, so I'll part it out.

But, that truck is great. If it's not driving you too crazy moving it around, I'd hold onto it until the market starts to shift again.

 

it works if you have the time..
if you need the money and all of it now..no it dont work.
but if you have time to wait and deal with all the people wanting something for nothing..than its ok..and you will eventually get more for the parts than you would the entire vehicle

 

Its absolutly 100% complete and not all rusted into one piece. Things come apart very easily. So far, every screw came right out. Its been in a garage for 50 years totally unmolested. Its got a V8-60 in it but doesnt run.

I have a friend that would take anything I couldnt sell, so nothing would be s****ped. I agree Hotroddon, that would be a shame.

My asking price is $4500. Seems like a good place to start to me.

Hotroddon, how's your checkbook? Save this ol girl from Ebay. Do it for your country, no, do it for my wife.

 

Looks like a solid P/U, i'd sure hate to see something that solid parted

 

WOW! Honestly, that looks to be a very nice truck. Yeah, you could take apart every single little piece, spend hours doing it, spend hours posting every part on Fordbarn, the HAMB, Egay, Craigslist, have your phone ringing off the wall, run to UPS, USPS, Greyhound, deal with a bazillion dead-beat buyers and guys saying "yeah, I'll totally take that fender!" and then never pay, got to the bank 75 times to deposit/cash the M.O.'s and Cashiers checks, etc. for the next three months, OR... you could just be patient and keep a nice restoration project together. Personally, I'm a hot rodder not a restorer, but in my opinion I think it would be a shame to not keep that thing together and just advertise it where someone would want it complete. Not that many complete projects left out there to save...

Just my opinion and I'm sure there will be some that dissagree. Like others have said though, it's your truck and your time, do what you want.

 

Thats the kind of good, solid, rational, thinking I needed to hear.

 

YOU need to ***le and register it if you want to sell it in these post-Boyd-bust days.
Have you?

 

LOL, yea im not with the times. I see projects whole or not go for 500-1000 dollars, but a few years ago i raised that to 2000. Of course it depends on rarity.

I tend to sell stuff for a good price.....

1) If i may double and its still a killer price its goes faster

2) I get the satisfaction of helping someone out and mainly I know its gonna get put back on the road rather then part it out.

 

Right on the money - how many boxes are you willing to ship? What's your time worth? Just my 2 cents worth -

 

Thats to nice to split. I think if you just wait some time there will be the right *** for that seat with the cash. I also am with the saying a car is worth more parted out than together but in your case its to damn complete to tear apart. If it was a rust bucket that was already falling apart I would say spilt it up but not on the one you have. Plus your $4,500 price really isnt that bad of a price for that complete of a truck ya might just have to give it a little more time. Good Luck -Jon

 

I have the original ***le that matches the yellow plates and a bill of sale.
Do I need more?

 

I agree with what's been said about the pain you have to go through to sell, package and ship pieces. I usually flog stuff that I get in a package deal that I don't need. It's a pain in the ***.

People want stuff for next to nothing, not counting your time, fees and run around. Case in point. I've got some left over '51 Ford trim on Ebay right now. People can't pony up $20-30 for decent pieces/sets. By the time I pay Ebay listing, Ebay closing, paypal, paypal screwing me on exchange to transfer to Canadian bank, packaging, gas to post office, gas to bank and time in line to mail it, how much have I really cleared for the trim that that cost me next to nothing; $10? not counting my time.

Local swap meet are just as bad. By the time you drive there, pay for a spot/table, blow the whole day not crusing to find stuff you actually need, you pocket a few $$? Forget it. I now understand why older junkyard owners are crabby as **** and stuff gets s****ped. I'm pretty close myself.

See if you can sell it as it is. Be patient.

 

EXACTLY! Man... I spent three months when the economy was in perfect shape trying to part out Model A parts that were in GREAT condition... (fenders, hood, ch***is, grille, headlights, bumpers, everything but the body). It was a NIGHTMARE!!! I used just about every shipper, had to deal with people's BS ("yeah, the MO is totally in the mail. YOu should have it any day now"), not to mention they really don't make a single box to actually fit the parts you're trying to sell so you have to scrounge boxes, cut them up, make your own, and then pay extra in shipping because UPS or whoever wants to charge your extra for the box that's shaped like a front fender of an early Ford. Shipping is expensive right now and that will make it hard to get your money's worth, unless you can sell the parts locally. Being you're in So.Cal. you probably have a decent shot, but how many people want/need that year of fenders (for example)? I think just the shipping part is what makes parting a car out difficult.

Not to mention how long it takes to free up all those rusty bolts (if you can't cut them) on the fenders, running boards, body, suspension, etc.

Again... just my input from my experience.

 

maddog, since your in southern california,why not take it out to one of the swap meets(Pomona)and try to sell it there?
SOMEONE in the SoCal area has got to save that truck!!

 

I have parted out 3 complete cars. that was my job at the time .. I was selling parts from swap meets and stuff on ebay and craigslist, as well as a little bodywork here and there.

it is a very time consuming process. are you prepared to completely dis***emble that truck and list every little part on ebay? that is the only way you could get more than it is worth as a whole. got a big shop full of tools? a truck being dis***embled takes a lot more room that a complete truck and makes a giant mess.

do you have an ebay account? are you an established seller? do you know how to take good pictures and describe your items so people have confidence that what they are getting will be as described? have any experience with boxing and shipping heavy or large sized items?

don't even get me started about how ****ed ebay and paypal are these days

are you prepared to do 200 hours of work to get less than what you originally wanted for the truck?

dude... you are in LA.. HOT ROD capitol of the world. list it in the Auto trader, as well as Craigs list. anything you expect to sell on craigslist you need to relist every 3 days or no one will see it. drag it to some swap meets. post it on the HAMB and renew every 3 days

selling a car is never a walk in the park. it takes a bit of effort and time.

in my professional opinion I say sell it whole. even if you sell it for $3,000.00 or $3500.00 you will be miles ahead when your time is figured in

plus that car looks too good to part.

if I had that truck I would sell it complete

 

No!

 

I got my original 51 chevy and a parts car for $800. Between the two of them selling parts/parting out things I didnt need I made $900. Good deal? No, it was ALOT of work, pulling parts, making ads on ebay, packaging and shipping. Pain. I don't know that I will do it again.
I'd suggest lowering your price, and getting that ***le put in your name, put in the ad you have a CLEAR ***le in your name. Even with the original paperwork that'll scare away guys that think your trying to pull a fast one.
Nice truck btw.

 

As nice as it must be to be living in California I think your location is working against you in this situation. Around here a "rust free " example of that truck would sell at the first swap meet at that price. I say swap meet as most people like to "touch" what they are buying and at today's gas prices there are a lot of rodders/restorers/tire kickers that aren't just driving around looking for projects like in earlier times.
So to put my money where my mouth is: Get that truck to the Michigan border and I'll meet you there with a trailer and CASH.
My point is, even if I wanted to buy it (and I do) it would cost me between $1000 and $2000 (or more) just to get it transported here from So.Cal. Too much for something I won't get to see before my money is gone.

Frank

 

***le in your name would be cheap to do and mean a LOT...at least it would help me if I was looking at it.

 

Yes, I agree, it will take lots of time, and of course, you need someplace to store the car while you take parts off it. However, you will make more money in parts than if you sold it whole. I have had a 30's Plymouth for over three years, and it's still paying me back, piece by piece, and if nobody takes the body shell and frame, today's s**** parts will cover a significant part of my original investment. I advertised the whole car, at a low price, and several guys looked at it and walked away .........
Keep checking eBay for parts prices, and if you PM me, I can give you some tips on how to increase your search results. Jerry


Jerry

it works if you have the time..
if you need the money and all of it now..no it dont work.
but if you have time to wait and deal with all the people wanting something for nothing..than its ok..and you will eventually get more for the parts than you would the entire vehicle[/quote]

 

NOT trying to rain on your parade, but I don't see you getting $4,500 for the truck as is, or by parting it out.

Rear fenders $500.00 for the pair, lot of rot at the running board area
Front fenders about the same
Running boards, if not rotted, $400.00
Bed $500.
Frame $400.
Cab, maybe $500. split windshield is not as desireable
Hood, maybe a couple hundred
Grille, not much, in poor shape compared to what I see offered on eBay
Miscellaneous items, maybe a couple hundred more.

Even if you got less than your $4,500 for it whole, I'd rather it went to one person that would keep it on the road, but it is yours and your decision to make.

Good luck.

 

Beside the fact that ebay ****S to sell on now. The new **** is that only buyers can give negatives, sellers can not. WTF. I had a doucebag give me my first negative ever 2 days ago, cause he knew he could and I cant do **** about him because I dont want to reimburse him 75% cause he didnt like the item. **** that. So now I have to play games, start a new name and win a few of his auctions so I can leave him negatives. Its on like that.

Trust me, you will get top dollar on ebay, but deal with a **** load of people that don't see daylight for days. They think that your only job on the Earth is to get their $4 part to their door next day.

 

I've parted out a ton of cars and I'd consider myself pretty knowledgeable. In fact, I parted out a '37 Ford truck last year.

I don't think your $4500 asking price is out of line, and I don't think you'll get that if you part it out. Having parted one myself, I think this one is worth more as a whole than apart. Tally up all the parts you'll sell with an estimated selling price based on what others are selling for and you'll see.

I agree that the market for selling whole project cars ****s, and I've got a '46 Chevy 2 door sedan here that I KNOW I could make the money back on by parting it, so I'm considering it.

It's yours to do what you want with and I'm not going to give you a tirade about "once they're gone" I just honestly don't see where you're going to make up the $4500 in parts, having parted out a similar one myself.