Projects 51 chevy value... Looking to buy

I've been on the look out for a 2 door 50's car. Chevy, Olds,Buick ...etc i've come across a 51 chevy 2 door post in town. Body is fair. Sprayedflat black and probably pacled to death with bondo. Windshield and back gl*** are ok. But the rest has at least one good crack in each. Orginal 6 and 3 on the tree. Interior is there but rough. Floor is about shot. Its a good start for a project, but nowhere near finished. He's at $3200 and feels like he's giving it away. I'm not sold. I'de like to hear some input cause I'm on the fence and getting tired of searching just to find over priced junk.

 

I'd take that for mine and while it's as bad I have a ton of replacement metal for it, it has a V8 and a late rear in it, and so on. You can buy a pretty decent one for not that bad of money.

 

Seems high to me... I just bought a 46 ford coupe for 2200 and its rust free... I would imagine you could do better... Just my opinion

 

Hard to say without seeing it . From what you describe $3K is ok if it at least runs and drives and the structural integrity isn't totally shot but it's hardly "giving it away". Free is giving it away.

 

Sounds a bit high, original 216 leave alot to be desired. Cracked gl***, spray paint, potential bondo bucket. You could get a field car thats not to far from that condition for a grand or less. On the other hand if it's solid and actually runs good not just start and sputter it might not be to far off... pics help this process greatly.

 

Way high, especially if floor is bad and it needs all side gl*** and an interior. You didn't mention how the engine runs and how it drives. There are plenty of other 50s cars out there. Be patient.

 

I just saw a guy up here selling a 2door an 4door 51 chevy both for 1500. Wish I had 1500 bucks!

 

http://evansville.craigslist.org/cto/3283054430.html

Here is the add
Doesnt run, brakes are to the floor. 30 footer paint job

 

Interior looks ok for a thumbnail pic, it don't look bad. Make sure it is a 235 and not the 216 and you'd be ok at $3000 I think. Drive it and make sure it doesn't feel like it's gonna fall apart!!

 

I wouldn't pay more than $1k if it doesn't run. And even $1k is a lot. Anything over that and you could probably find it cheaper on line including delivery cost.

 

Ad says runs good, has been lowered and new tires...

 

Looked at it yesterday. Not running or driving

 

For one thats not running or driving, for 3200 the body should at least be solid. I think you should p*** on this one. You should be able to find a lot nicer one than this for 3200.

 

Everyone agrees: Keep looking!
You will find that about 75% of old cars for sale are asking way too much, maybe 90% Either they are dealers trying to make a buck on ****ers or they think it is worth a fortune because it is old.

But if you are patient and just keep looking eventually you will find a great deal on a car that runs and drives. I have looked at dozens of cars for sale before finding what I wanted. When you find the right one you know it because you don't walk away from it.

I have p***ed up one or two cars that were actually pretty good deals, but I have never bought a car and then regretted it.

What part of the country are you in? Cars like a '51 Chevy tudor sedan are worth a lot more in the rust belt than they are in nicer climates.

 

if not running or driving, thats a deal breaker in my mind (at that price).

Make your best offer ($1500? - which will probably be rejected) and happily keep looking

 

An older gentleman here paid $4500 for a non-running 2dr deluxe coupe recently. Had a carb-less 60's 327 cobbled, & I mean COBBLED into it, hooked to the original iron two-speed auto. Sat in dry storage for 20yrs or more. Body, floors, trunk, etc, very rust free. Interior good, needing the front seat recovered. All gl*** good, all trim & stainless good. Bumpers needed rechromed, brake system needed redone, front to back. I still thought he paid about $2K too much myself, but that era is not near the top of my wish-list FWIW.

 

Where in evansville is it?

Is it a 216 or 235? Does it turn over?

 

It has a dead battery. So it hasnt been running for awhile. I'm going by today and I'm going to look alot closer and try to jump it. It may run. Its just dead as of last visit.

 

Just remember body work is so $$$$$ If floor boards are shot I would p***...just remember you can buy a nice one, way cheaper than you can build one

 

The difference between a 1951 216 and a 1951 235 is 19 cubic inches. Both are splash and pray oiling. I am fairly certain both are babbitt beaters.

From your description of the floors, you are in for a ton of work. Being in the middle of my 41 project, I wish I had waited for a better body to come along. One demoralizing aspect is that they did come along. My time and money were tied up in the 41, so I had to p***.

 

While body and paint are indeed expensive, so are details. Wipers, lights, gauges, interior trim, accessories, steering wheels, garnish moldings. That **** adds up so fast that once you tally up the expense you wake up with an EMT beatin on your chest! Ok, maybe not that bad, but consider all of the additional "********" you need to do a car right and fit it's value in there. A perfect bodied version that's just a shell is, well, just a shell that could offset fab work. A complete car, needing truly minor service like a brake job and a battery, that maybe has a bad spot or 2 in it's sheet metal is worth more. If it's complete and rotted away, it's a really good parts car that runs and acts as "directions" to put the perfect shell together. If this all makes sense, you got what you need and offer accordingly. You're seeing and touching it, we aren't. Check the inner rockers and floor mounts real good. Look for frame rot. It's in the midwest, so buyer beware.

 

If its a 235, someone else put it in there. 3 speed '51 Chevy cars came with a 216 and the 235 was for the Powerglide cars. Pull some casting numbers to verify if you're really serious about keeping a 6 in there so you know what you've really got to work with.

Otherwise everyone else nailed it. Rockers and rear quarters are where those cars go to pieces. Seems a tad high, but not outrageous for a 2 door.

 

My '52 has a 235 stick and it's factory, known the car since new. You could order them that way.
That said, it's still a dipper!

 

Keep looking. here is what you could get for a little more. http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/cto/3280362966.html

 

bit much

 

I wasn't quite sure about that. I know if you went with the PG, you had to order the 235 as well. I thought you could order the 235 with the stick. You confirmed it. My guess is that the 235 stick is a rare car. Rare, but still splash and pray (dipper).

 

location also determines, some areas of the US are more expensive than others. I paid 7k for my 51 hardtop but it had 500 miles and #5k in rebuild motor and trans, chrome was in good shape and fresh brakes. patina paint interior was there but nothing to brag about.

 

$3200 and he can't go drop $65 on a fresh battery so it will run?

 

I like this one....wish I was closer!!! (not going to ship nor buy before seeing)

 

For me, it has always been, buy the most complete car with any upgrades you would want, already done. 6 to V8, stick to auto and 6 volt to 12 volt. Needing little or no body work, all trim there (unless you want a shaved car). You will be that much ahead in the long run. That one on C.L. looks good. The one you're thinking about, would need a lot more money to reach the stage the C.L. car is.