Hot Rods Can Someone Tell Me What this Wagon Is Worth???

If this is the wrong forum please move it into the correct one. I thought I had it correct last time, but I guess not so here I go.

Details on the car:
1964 Buick Lesabre Wagon
401 Nailhead
New exhaust
New paint
Original interior (not worn)
All trim and everyting is there, but have to put back on
Im not sure what else to put on it

Story on the car:
My grandpa owned a used car dealership. He was also an avid street rodder. He bought this wagon to use as a parts go getter. It was kind of a rough old car. Had some bad places in the floor and some places on the body. Seemed like typical work for being a 1964. Him, my younger brother, and me did all the bodywork, put a new floor in, got it running good, and made sure it was safe to drive. Later on, he had a local paint shop paint it and made it look really sharp. The interior is original but not torn and really in good shape. Just could use some polish to make it look new. On October 20, 2013, my grandpa died suddenly from unknown causes that the doctors could never determine. Now it is starting to get to where my grandma is needing to start selling some of his stuff. I am wanting to buy the wagon off of her. It would still have some good memories tied up in it that I want to keep. The thing is, What is it worth? He never really told her what he had in the car. He did everything in cash. I just wanna be fair to my grandma and also be fair to me. She is keeping his 1947 Lincoln Continental Convertible and his other Buick convertible. I just want to keep this one too. Can anyone give me a rough value?

Here are a few pictures. They don't do much justice. Its cold and snowy here in Indiana.

 

Being how it does belong to your grandmother offer her your undying love and $2,500 bucks. HRP

 

Sorry your Grandpa p***ed away. Thats a real nice wagon and one you don't see every day. I'd have to think its worth between 15 to 20 K. I'd ask your Grandma what she thinks is fair. What ever you have to do don't let it get away.

 

We are going to discuss it. Im going to try to buy it after I graduate from engineering school in a year and a half for sure, but I'd love to have it now. He wanted to finish it so bad and was just about to quit selling cars so he could continue to build streetrods, but that was cut short. I want to be fair. I was thinking in the $8000 range but who knows. She thinks she may know what he gave for this and that. I guess the paint job was actually free. They tested a "state of the art" paint that is supposed to be amazing and needed a donor car, and that is how it came out. It won't slip away from me though

 

Seriously?

I understand sentiment,but the car needs to be put back together,do you know if the engine and transmission is in good shape?

And it definitely needs some new wheels. HRP

 

And the pictures, like I said, do it no justice. We have all the bumpers, trim, etc. They have all been rechromed and what not. Guess I should have hung everything and hooked the taillights and everything back up before I posted the pictures.

 

Are you her favorite grandson?,if so that might be in your favor. HRP

 

$3,000 on a GREAT day.

 

That's crazy talk...

 

Cool wagon.

 

Ha no favorites here. I feel its worth more than $3000 though. It runs and drives great. Just needs everything put back on it. Which I obviously wouldn't knock her on since I would be finishing it reguardless to make him proud.

 

& no, not worth anything near that kind of money.

 

He put those on there so for now I'm prolly gonna leave the wheels. The car drives amazing. Shifts great too. Like I said I'm gonna finish the car either way just cuz it was his. It hasn't been started in a long time and I turned the key and have a little gas and it fired up like he drove it yesterday.

 

Brand new paint, all the chrome is new, drivetrain and interior are good, $5K retail as it sits, twice as much all put together and detailed nice with different wheels.

It looks like a real nice car but the actual retail value is going to be way less than the total spent on parts and such since it's not ***embled yet. Projects always bring way less than finished cars, even if it doesn't need all that much.

 

Maybe your looking at it as a future cool project. In reality, it's an old station wagon that needs to be put together. You're seeing it as memories and such. If that's the case, you'll be hard pressed to get a correct estimate of value. Memories and sentiments don't have a price.

 

That's true. Well how about a put together value lol. Cuz I'm gonna finish it refused less if I end up with it

 

I was going to say $3500 if it was ***embled and being generous maybe as hight as $5000, 2k as is. no way that's a 15-20k car. no way.

I'm guessing your pricing was based on a knowlege of what's been spent on the car. the lesson here is that just because you put the cash into a car doesn't mean the car's going to be worth that. If you're worried about return build a desirable car!

BTW, sorry to hear about your grandad and it does look like a fun car--but I like long-roofs. Hope you can keep it in the family

 

If your family is larger than your Dad, Grandma and you, you would be doing both your Grandma and yourself a great favor to find a couple of competent appraisers and get their professional opinion in writing. That would go along way to reduce, if not eliminate, other family members harboring ill feelings, because they all have opinions too.

Another avenue you could explore is to offer the car in an auction or on eBay and see what it brings.....you can always be the top bidder.....if you are willing to pay as much or more than an 'arms length' buyer.

 

Thank you. I didn't think it would b worth the 15k+ range. I wasn't sure what they r really worth to be honest

 

We are a pretty close family. As long as it stays in it they won't care. Really it's only my brother and me that are wanting to keep it. We talked of going halves but I'm just not sure. She didn't even really mention selling it. I just want to be ready in case she does want to.

 

Fred, $3000 on a great day? It's an old station wagon? Everything on this site is old. Get real. Obviously you haven't painted a car or paid someone to paint one lately? What would you think a state of the art paint job would cost? A 401 Nailhead? Original A/C? Everything rechromed? Has all the stainless? Nice interior?
Estimates of $3000 to $8000 is insane. I like to see those who bad mouthed my estimate build a car with what this Buick wagon has for $8,000. I recently built and then sold a 62 Chevy Impala wagon and I'm here to tell you a decent car can't be built for under $20,000. A picture of my 62 Impala is attached. I had over $20,000 into it and it was a super nice car. Thank God the person who bought it thought it was worth more then $8,000. Those who bad mouthed my estimate must get your parts and materials for free. I'd hate to hear how much you think my latest project (the 63 BelAir in my avatar) is worth. The Buick wagon in question is not a T bucket its a highway cruiser.

 

Holy cow that's slick.

 

You and your brother (and any helping friends you might have) need to spend a few weekends and evenings getting the car back together (looks like it just needs all the trim, bumpers, grille, door handles, etc. put back on) and do a serious clean-up and detailing of the car. Take Grandma for a ride in the Spring (cause it's probably going to take that long to do the work on the car) and offer her $5K for the car 'cause the car at that point should be a legitimate $12K car (***uming you get rid of those abysmal wheels). Good running nailhead and the fact that long roofs are"in" should justify that money if you were to consider selling. My advice, keep it in the family and every now and then take Grandma to the grocery store in it. Good Luck, Don.

 

Falconsprint its interesting you've had your delivery for sale at more then 5 times of what you think that Buick wagon is worth. No way thats happening. Thats why you still have it. Lets wait and see what that Buick looks like all put together. I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures.

 

How much money someone puts into a car has zero bearing on what that car is worth. It costs the same to restore a 4 dr sedan and a 2 dr hdtp, but values are quite different. Many people have serious money in hot rods ($75k-$150k) and get only a fraction of that back when it's time to sell. That's just reality, easily verified reality.

The only thing that determines value is demand. If someone wants it, they will pay the price. If it is a car that is not in much demand, it won't bring the money, no matter how much money has been put in to it.

That being said:

NADA guide for a '64 LeSabre wagon is low $4950, ave 8550 high $16500

Hagerty lists $9385 average for same vehicle

 

How much is the Studebaker nose on the wall worth?

 

Is grandma healthy and able to get around pretty good? I know you want this car bad and have an emotional attachment, but that was her husbands last project. Help her finish it, out of your pocket if anything is needed. Then you and your brother can get it insured, pay the insurance, and take your grandmother to some local car gatherings. Hell, drive her to church or her favorite restaurant in it. She will see how much you care for the car, and you will give her some great memories in a car I'm sure she planned on enjoying with her late husband. You are young and have lots of year left to toy with cars.


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Between $5-8000.00 tops in the present state of major economic depression. And you would wait a while for it to move. Your grandma 'need' money? Then put it up nationally for sale.

 

not worth $8k on the open market right now. (its not a Chevy) you are letting emotions get in the way of value. To anyone on the street, it worth half that as it will require work to put together and its all the little things that cost the most. Also, a new paint job will scare alot of people as they will not know how it was done (was any short cuts made). you will know but no one else will and that scares people. Scared people do not pay much for dis***embled cars.

once put together and all the little things fix (and more money spent) it will be worth more than 8k

 

arkiehotrods, don't know about you but I don't build cars to sell for a fraction of what I have into them. I also don't build something that I can't sell readily. A statement of how much you have into a car has no bearing on what its worth is Bull ****. If thats the case can you please tell me what determines the value?
Guy's please read and comprehend bmart's posts. He clearly states he is going to finish putting the wagon together. He's asking what it would be worth completed not dis***embled.