I know what you said, but what about this deal...

Alright, I know what you told me about trading the coupe for labor, but my friend who is a fabricator really wants the '32 coupe I just got and here is the offer he made me for the coupe. He will pay me the $500 I paid for the coupe in cash and he said he will chop and channel my sedan along with stepping up the frame in back and zeeing the front and and pinching the frame as well as modifying the spring mount and frame to lower it even more. What do you think? He's a good friend and really wants to get the coupe and I'm considering this. Does it sound fair, I mean for both of us if I did this. I know the work will get done as he is a man of his word. What do you think?

 

I'd make sure the work your trading for is complete before turning over the coupe to him.

 

I guess it depends on what you were planning on spending on the modifications vs. what you thing the coupe is worth. Me personally...I wouldn't do it. But then again I can't find a decent coupe around here for under $2000.

Bill

 

I wouldn't do it either. A coupe .....with a title? One or the other is damn near impossible to find nowdays and you got BOTH !!!!

 

I would keep the coupe and pay the labor for the work

 

Yeah...
I would DO WHAT I WANT and not ask for opinions. Once you get married, you will adopt this mentality because then, you will ALWAYS get someone else's opinion on any decision.

BTW, I would keep the coupe if i were me.

 

If you can swing it,this is definitely the way to go.

 

fuck it...life's short so just decide what YOU want and go for it...if its work you can't do and he will do it RIGHT then maybe it is a good deal......some of us enjoy building cars and doing fab work. Others would rather be driving....like I said...it really is what YOU want! Also...is he a REALLY good friend or just a guy that wants your body (damn that didn't sound right)!!!!

 

Dude....it looks like you are trying to talk yourself into trading, as you keep going back to it. If you do trade the coupe, you WILL kick yourself for doing so, once the coupe is finished by your friend.

Now, here is my two cents, based on personal experience with friends.

If you must trade, take the cash, and demand (in a nice way), that the work on your car be done immediatly. Have a time frame set beforehand. DO NOT hand over the coupe before the entire agreed upon work on your sedan is 100% finished. If you do, the next time you go to look at your sedan, some of the work will be done, and the coupe will be mocked up....Then the next time a LITTLE more work will be done, and the engine and tranny will be in the coupe...Then all of a sudden...the coupe will be on the road, your sedan will be collecting dust, and your buddy will figure that you got your money back and some extra work done on your car out of the deal, and figure you should be happy, and he'll be in no hurry to finish the sedan.

I have had "friends" snap like a switch was thrown in their heads, and totally screw me over in one way or another.

I had a friend that I have known since we were 5 years old that was a brother to me, screw me out of some money and throw away our friendship over it, so ANYTHING is possible with friends.

If your buddy really wants the coupe, he should have no problems with the "conditions". If he fails to complete the work in a reasonable time, give him back the $500 and pay him the going rate for the work he has done, and go about your merry way.

 

What he said. Listen to him. He's been there. He knows what he is talking about.

 

Some real good advice has been given and it looks like from first hand experience. If you want to avail yourself of some lessons already learned it's here for the taking. Ignore what's been said and you'll be singing in the choir when the topic comes up the next time.
From my perspective (61 years worth) no one will screw you like a friend will. And yea, if they do they weren't really your friend, but a deal gone sour is one of the worst ways to find out the truth.

Frank

 

I'm listening, that's why I asked. I appreciate the straight talk, that's what I'm looking for.

 

dV8 explained it to a T, IF you do the trade listen to dV8 or you will be sorry.

 

I'd just keep the coupe. Then again, I never have gotten rid of anything, my property shows it!

 

Typicaly when a friend does anything for you whether its for money or a trade, in his eyes he is cutting you a deal and doing you a favor. Any complaints from you will be considered petty. Obviously you don't want the car or you wouldn't be considering the trade. If I were to do it, I would write down every detail of the work to be done and what will be traded for the work. This way there will be no gray areas or bad recallection. Then both sign the agreement along with a witness. Be up front that you want to do this so neither of you down the road will feel like you are getting screwed. I traded out some time with a former close friend of mine. We had agreed to help each other when building our houses. His went up first and I had about 100 hours of my spare time working on his house. I even worked on it at times when he was not there. His got finished and a few months later I started mine. Called on him for help and he told me he was so burned out from building his that he just couldn't help me. End of friendship.

Bob

 

What the HELL? I would show him burned out...Go burn down his ....oh nevermind.

 

Get it in writing. Use a lawyer to protect both of you. It will also motivate him to stick to the deal. Do NOT let him have the body until he is done! It sounds like you have no use for the coupe.

What does he want for the work?
How much is the coupe body worth?
Those things go for big $ as you know. A complete '32 sedan body and rolling chassis just sold on ebay for $16,000 and change.

 

You'll be able to buy a Model A anywhere in the world for the next 100 years. A '32 Chevy coupe is another matter altogether. While all the alterations planned for the "A" will make it a nice unit, you'll see a hundred "A"s every year that are similar. I doubt you'll see a hundred more '32 Chevvies in your lifetime, and only a few will be rodded. This is your chance to build something you'll want to keep your whole life, and you probably won't ever have an opportunity to get another. Think full fendered, channeled, and early Chevy or GMC 6 ...
302

 

There's a rule: If you loan money to a friend or relative, be prepared to loose the money and the friendship as it rarely works out as a fair deal for all concerned. Someone gets hurt. The same thing happens when you trade for work. KEEP THE COUPE.

 

Not true at all, I really can't keep both of them and I'm trying to figure out which one to keep. If I sold one I'd just put the money into one of my other cars and the only reason I'd consider this is because my friend really would like it and I'd get something done that I would use the money from any sale to do anyway. Plus I'm 6' 2" and wasn't sure I could fit into a coupe, but after I posted this I went out and sat in it and I do fit!

 

Now this is really something to think about. Being kind of new to older cars I don't yet have a grasp on numbers and value. I alway thought that Fords were worth more then Chevys from this era, but I also know that coupes are woth more then sedans. This input is exactly what I'm looking for, thanks.

 

A 32 Chevy coupe.........
While they sold more 32 Chevrolets than 32 Fords ( Strange but TRUE...)
32 Chevy coupes are rare today........build the coupe.......sell the common other car, spent the $$$ on the 32 and have something neat.

The way you found the coupe and title......it was meant to be....quit fighting it...

From a very biased 32 owner.......

 

but I also know that coupes are woth more then sedans.

ya thats why everyone is having a hard time understanding why you would want ot build the sedan over a rare coupe. get over the ford thing the 32 chevy is beatiful. i have one out in the garage that i paid the same for as you did, and its a cowl and the two complete sides with roof cut off. shit you can hang the car on the wall but im gonna make roadster out of it. sell the sedan build the coupe.

 

Start saying this mantra and the answer will come. Your mantra is:
Sell the "A". Keep the coupe. Keep the coupe. KEEP the coupe. SELL the "a". Keep the coupe. Don't get duped. KEEP the coupe.

 

Keep the caddy sell the coupe and the sedan !!!

 

Solves all problems and any question of doubt!

 

If you're ready for more free advice never tell your friends what you paid for something you're thinking about turning. Tends to piss them off when you ask what it's worth rather than what you gave. Nothing wrong with hooking a friend up either, as long as they do the same when they have something you want.

Me? I'd keep the coupe.

 

Too late, I sold the Caddy this fall so I would have some cash to finish my gasser by spring.....All right what was that mantra...sell the A, keep the coupe....Sell the A.....

 

Sounds to me like your "friend" is really pushing you to hand over the coupe. All the more reason to stop everything and take a good long look at the whole deal. Any time I ever had a "friend" try to put pressure on me to do something, carefull analizing showed he was out to screw me.

I think I would call around and see what the going rate on the things he says he will do to your car cost at a pro shop. Add up the numbers. That Chevy coupe is probably worth $5,000 or more. Really, is the ouality of work he does worth that kind of jack? What makes you so sure he won't cut corners on your job to get it done fast to get his hands on your coupe. What recourse will you have if you find out later all the things he said he would do but didn't, or he did poorly?

When you ask 100 guys, and 99 tell you your going to be screwed, if you really want to believe that one guy, go for it. Just do us all a favor and don't tell us you did it. We really hate to tell you "we told you so" when you come back here crying in 6 months, after your buddy screwed you and stole your coupe.

If you do the deal, make sure your ass is covered if your buddy gets 3/4 done with your car and the roof of the storage building falls in on the coupe. Would really suck to have that one in a hundred friend that really follows through with the deal, then his dream car gets squished just as he is done with all the work on your ride.
Gene

 

Get him to do the work on your car first, the way you want it done. Then hand over the coupe.

If it were mine, I would keep it.