Hi everyone I was talking with a guy from my hometown that is cleaning out his barn. He has a 31 model A coupe body he wants to sell me. I have no idea how much they are worth or what the going price is for them. Its in "decent" shape.. a couple small rust holes in the bottoms of the doors and in the back on bottom. I usually ignore these at swap meets because up here in chicago.. they aint cheap and i get all depressed when i see the price these people want. so i have no idea what they sell for. I know what the answer will be.. "get it for as little as you can" or "its worth what you want to pay for it"... but i am looking for a dollar amount... midwesterners... what have you paid recently for your coupe bodies? What is the going price for a body?
not sure about Chicago, but here in So Cal, an A body in good shape not missing any doors, decklid is there, minimal rust and abuse goes for anywhere from 1500 to 3500, just depends on the body and how bad someone wants it, offer him 1000 and see what he has to say Skip
Yep, I'd say $1000-$2000 if it has all the parts. Remember, the first one to mention a price in ANY negotiation is the guy who will not "win"... so, let HIM put a price on it and then you can go from there. Sam.
Thres this one on ebay...apparently a HAMBers? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2438028463&category=39405
Im in iowa, I paid 2500 for a complete body, front and rear fenders, boards, aprons, frame. I got a walker radiator in the box for small block chevy too. I am onlly missing the hoods, and the thing that goes under the windshield but above the cowl, what ever that is called. I did get the window 'moldings' or tin work around windows on interior side. I hear those are expensive. Even got the seat... No driveline or axles. completely disassembled. Fellow rodders say I got a good deal for a good body. Dunno myself. I also didnt get a title. Whether it is the right price for it I cant say. Thats what I paid. And I wanted the car pretty bad so I didnt mess with his price. Just paid it. Good luck. Hope ya get it. Robert.
so how do you get all depressed about the prices at the swapmeet, but still have NO IDEA what they go for?
Hey Magnet, the coupe sonds like a nice project, good luck on getting her at a good price. As for the chicago shows and tin, well its a crap shoot and early bird gets the worm. I have see model a coupes go for as little as 250 bucks with doors and deck lid. Roadsters under a grand and a deuce coupe for 300 bucks. And don't forget a 32 roadster that went for 2k. In the spring was a tudor 90% rustfree and JUST missing the motor and trans. 1500 or best offer, the guy that has it now wants 5500. Old tin is out there but getting to the shows early is key. I see a old timers leaving before the shows even open and have there hands full. Chicago was a booming town in the 1930 and 40's so plenty of cars are still around.
Yeah i used to look at the prices of the tin 3 years ago.. but its gotten crazy since then.. double or triple sometimes... so i just walk on by it and dont look... Early bird does indeed get the worm.. i am usually drunk and hung over.. so that shuts that down I have to rely on blind luck Thanks for your input everyone, i am going tonight to look at it an work out the deal... I will bring my camera and take a couple pics.
Good buy! Do you have a better picture of the wood inside surrounding the back window? That might be a late '31 Coupe.
i gave the guy $400 , he thinks the frame was worth something.. i personally dont think its worth anything.. maybe my pops can practice welding on it. Seemed like we came to a decent price. here is the inside of the back window...
Yup. That's a roll down rear window coupe. They started offering those late in production in '31. The wood is thicker out to account for the roll down window mechanism. Did you get the garnish moulding for that window, or the package tray? You can use a passenger door regulator and one of those "T" handles from the back roll down vent window on a Fordor. Do you think you will make it a roll down rear window? I am wanting to make my coupe a roll down back window, but don't have the wood or the thicker garnish moulding for it.
Mine has the cowl and decklid, but it's in much worse shape. At $400 you did good. Like the man said, You'll get $100 pretty easy for the frame if you don't want to use it. You can get a new decklid and cowl top from brookville.
Down the road i am sure the frame will be for sale then... I dont know much about early fords.. i am more of a 60's chevy or 50's ford dude.. The cowl and tank.. are they 2 pieces? is there a tank.. and then the cowl piece fits over it? or are they attached to each other? Are the '31 and '32 the same or different?
The cowl and tank are one piece. A lot of people cut off the tank from the cowl top, and just keep the front of the tank as the dashboard. You are also missing the firewall.
I will keep you in mind Elrod when i decide if i am going to do the roll down rear... yeah dash is missing... i an sure i can cut down a shoebox dash i got laying around to fit. I can't start on this project till i got at least one of my shoeboxes on the road and for sale, so it will be a while before i really start hitting it.. I will be thinking and scheming about it for a while though Digging through all my parts trying to find stuff i might need. I know for a fact i will be copying one of Abomber30's "it aint square cause i dont know how to read a tape" frames I have a couple non running early 60's nailheads in the garage i am sure i can piece one together that will do good.. i also have a '50 flatty that i was going to put in one of my shoeboxes that may get saved for this. I have a 9" for the rear.. some '50 ford parts (dash, streering colum and wheel, etc etc) i need a stering gear... and a bunch of time and tech support.
Damn that was a pretty good deal, you must have charmed the guy with those red pants. Nailheads are cool.
That's a great buy! Did you notice that the thing has a '28-9 lower firewall in it? Looks like someone was attempting to make a hot rod out of it. Sam.
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