ultra rare cars, sac-religious to cut?

I'm with Squablow, a skeleton of a body, who cares? A complete car? - Hmmm.

 

Oh,
I have the entire car. without motor and trans.

 

We kid about that all the time here but a lotta guys talk the talk but most can't walk the walk.

Me? I'd take the first rolls royce silver ghost and channel it to the ground. ..but I'm a sick fuck.

 

I stored a mostly complete, but rough, '41 Caddy 2 dr sedanette for 5 years.
Finally figured it would cost a fortune to restore it to original. So I decided to
sell it in Hemmings. Over a 2 month period, got a few calls and one guy came from Mass. to look at it. No buyers. Put it in local for sale mag and still no one bought it. Price was only $2000. That was it. Screw the restorers, they had their chance. So I cut it up. Chopped, shaved, moulded rear fenders, custom grill, etc. I droppd in a 500 cu. in. Caddy engine. Whatever I didn't use was traded off to a guy.
I gave them an opportunity, but no takers. Just returned from Lead East with it. Had a great time, even in the rain.

 

i guess you would be ok with it as long as it's not a model A coupe that you want to convert to a roadster. all i did was ask for a few pics and all the save the coupe guys came out of the woodwork

 

Big difference between rare, and valuable. If there was only 5 of some car left, i'd be hesitant, even if no one else wanted it. Some time down the road, someone else might want it and restore it right.

 

i've discussed this with a couple people including a stock 31 Model A owner and we were talking about the difference between hot rodding a junker or restoring a desireable collector. I come from the viewpoint of not chopping of potential resto/refurb car meaning it would only need minor work to make it look factory again but if it's a shell sitting in a barn it's time to get out the sawzall and go to town.

 

As several have implied above it usually comes down to economics. Unless you're Boyd or some other cash rich gold chainer few are going to rod well restored complete running original cars. A tatty A sedan that you acquired for a couple thou. is one thing. A virtually perfect 490 point 29 A roadster is quite another situation. Why the hell rod a car that cost 30-50K to buy when so much tin is otherwise cheaply available? And why not rod a car that although in good shape and relatively rare will sell for relative peanuts? If 41Fastback had gotten an offer of 15K for the sedanette then likely he would have taken it and moved on. Sheer economics is going to "save" most cars that are truly rare and desirable collector's items.

Even the most hardcore purist restorer isn't going to take chump change when selling his lovingly restored spotless vehicle so economics is just as important to him as it is to the rest of us slobs. As far as "saving" any potentially restorable Model A it might be more of a consideration if the country wasn't knee deep in the things. Plenty for all.

 

If the picture in your mind is the cut up version, cut it or you'll never be happy with it!

 

Wa Wa Wa .................cut the sucka

 

"A fool and his money are soon parted"...

 

its ur car. do what you will.

 

Yes Indeed! Gary 4T950 Chevy Guy

 

I got grief when I pointed out that a 32 van (production numbers around 3500) needed a chop channel and section...and that the blower bentley I parked next to recently could do with loosing the fenders and a channel job..

pass the fucking gas axe boys!!!

parked next to a 33 lagonda today....the last one with that body....still needed to loose the fenders though and the bonnet was too high, nothing that a 4inch angle grinder couldn't fix!!!
Just remember
"anyone can restore a car but it takes a man to cut one up"

the only reason I wouldnt cut a car up would be if it was worth too much in stock form....then i'rd sell it and get sumat I could ...no guilt at all

 

I think it has a lot to do with your level of ability. If your able to do the car justice, go ahead and cut a Zehpyr. But if your doing your first chop-job... maybe start with something a little more replacable.

 

What he said.

Or, if you're sure there are at least a few nice samples already in museums, feel free to make yours BETTER, STRONGER, FASTER.


.

 

save the peices you can always put them back .

 

It's just an old car.
A piece of steel that where made for transportation of people a long time ago.
Will the world be different if you cut it? NO
Will anyone starve?? NO
Get hurt ? NO
etc

What if the Willys never saw the day of light. Would the world have been a different place?? NO
If anyone strongly dissagree, then let them buy the heap for a sum that will able you to buy another pice of old transport to cut up.

Cut

Paul