what's a '53 Cranbrook worth?

[Guest mikeys toy]

Selling "Jellybean" and while I know they're not worth much, what should she go for before I try ebay?

It's a;

1953 Plymouth Cranbrook 4dr sedan

Very straight body

Rockers and floors rusty, front floors patched.

Chrome is fair, glass is good but for a small crack in the driver's window.

I just rewired the entire car, 12v conversion with MoPaR alternator and engine harness; the dome light still needs to be hooked up, as does the wiper motor.

I put an aluminum crossflow radiator in it and have had NO problems

Brake system has been totally rebuilt.

Gas tank is solid, but needs to be boiled out ($25) as it's full of DIRT.

Water pump seems to have just stared leaking.

Tires are rotten

The car is basically turn key, just needs a gas can. I've put about 100 mi on it since dragging it out of the pasture with only the carb flooding occasionally the only problem.

so what's she worth?

[bob_amos]

Well, Mine was on the Bay a couple years ago. nIt was listed for somewhere in the $4000 range. But it did not sell. I saw the car prior to its end of auction and made an offer of $3500 for it if it did not sell. My offer was accepted. The car had good interior but really needed redoing. But it was presentable as it was. So, that is a guide of what mine went for. Plus, it has always been a SO. cal. car from the San diego area.

[Normspeed]

Mine was in the same range as Bob's. CA car, very little rust, original floors ok. It was driveable but needed brakes and all the usual stuff. had good bias ply tires. It's an overdrive model.

[BobT-47P15]

I looked it up on the N A D A old car price guide.....it said low was $2750, average $5350 and High retail was $8050. For a 4 door sedan. It depends upon how much you have in the car for one thing.....and how badly you want to sell it. And how popular a model it is......along with the work that needs to be done. Anywhere from 1500 to 3000 perhaps.....

[Norm's Coupe]

I think BobT was close with the $1500. I'd put it at less though based on your description. I would say more like $1,000 tops. Primarily because of the rust in the floor and rockers. The floor isn't that critical, but the rockers are part of the main support system on the car. That could be a lot of work to repair the rockers. The other problem is the new 12 volt wiring harness and the radiator. If you are trying to sell the car to someone who wanted an original car, those two things don't count even if new. They will pull those off and find original replacements. So it's just like they haven't been replaced at all.

As for someone into custom cars, they are usually looking for a 2 door hardtop, sedan or convertible as a first choice. You do see 4 door customs but usually they were purchased real cheap.

Really, aside from the little work done on it, it's still almost in the same condition as when you pulled it out of the pasture. As you mentioned, it still doesn't even have a usable gas tank.

No offense meant, just being what I feel is realistic.

[Guest 50Plymouth]

If you really think you can really get the tank cleaned up for $25 somehow, do that first, as it may really help in selling. (I looked around a lot where I am and it cost me significantly more to get my tank cleaned out properly, $135 boiled & then lined).. Some buyers might not care or think it through, but if it can start and run on its own tank I think its much more pleasing\tempting to any buyer.

Since purchasing my car from a backyard in Nov. I've tracked\watched dozens of these old plymouths on ebay from fall to now, mostly needing significant work, and prices for those needing work were pretty cheap. I bet over a month or two you could watch for online trader sales\bay listings, and see if they move to get a better $ idea. Also, remember on the forum your talking to people who love these cars of course . I bought mine as someone who never owned or had interest in a mopar product before - so it was probably worth less to me. Not disagreeing with anyone else, just stating the obvious.

interior cond. ? paint? mileage? suspension? frame? exhaust? Turn key can mean different things to different people .

Do you have any pictures you can post? I'm totally new to the old MoPar market myself, but I bet it would help even the guru's.

Ryan

[Norm's Coupe]

Definition of the term "TURN KEY".

Usually means that when you buy something, or are having something done the buyer doesn't have to do anything to the item.

It's completely done and will not require any work on the buyers part to finish it.

[BobT-47P15]

"Turn key".....pull out choke.....pump accelerator pedal.....may start.

[Ed Griffin]

I'm not going to try and put a price on something I cant see but one suggestion may help you some on your fuel tank. If you really wanted to clean it out at home all you need are BB's or even gravel and some water. A friend of mine uses diluted acid and then recoats the inside. I've done them using gravel or BB's by sloshing them around the tank several times, how ever long it took, and then just washing it out with a good blast of high pressure water, repeating if needed. You can even use a car wash sprayer for you water pressure need.

I dont know if the your fuel tank uses the same filtration as the 46 to early 49 models do but if so I wouldnt recommend using a sealer because of the chance of it clogging the inside tank filter.

I know these can be a pain to remove if the straps are rusted but if it is not a problem getting out it would be well worth removing and cleaning.

Once you've done this and added a inline filter it should be good to go. Has worked for me more than once and the only thing I was out of was my time. The less a buyer has to do the better the price can be.

[bob_amos]

We use to clean out the tanks using a piece of chain that was anchored outside for ease of removal. Then put in the cleaning agent and slosh it around dumping and refilling often. There are now available, lots of sealing solutions. Just be sure to get one that will work with the fuels present these days. I have seen some of the older formula still being offered. It has been a long time since I have had to clean a tank and lots has changed. But it is always easier to sell a car if it runs and drives. Like I said earlier on my 53 Cranbrook. I paid $3500 and maybe a bit more than it was worth but it is a real nice California car and runs great. So.. anything less would defenately bring that value down.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I bought mine needing paint job but otherwise solid, zero outer body rust through...Savoy, factory rainshields, 230, automatic, low mileage survivor that purrs real good, it was toatally driveable but I did do a tune up..two weeks later had to do brakes as I blew out a cylinder..rebuilt the cylinders only..shoes were as new. It is a 54 Coupe..everything works and has bullseye headlights. Glazing is perfect...trunk mat is good and original..spare, jack and all in place ...1500.00 Being a low mileage car that has never been dinked with plus an automatic so even the wife can drive it..figured you could not go wrong.

[Norm's Coupe]

Tim, sounds like you got a good deal on yours.

Mickey, on the other side of the coin your car sounds like it needs a lot of work. That's the problem with getting the higher prices for it. Another thing to look at is the popularity of the car. While I like the 53/54 models many people don't, plus being a 4 door there are a lot more of those out there for sale.

It's like the 68 Imperial owned by a 93 year old guy I know. It's a nice looking car, 4 door hardtop and the engine was rebuilt just a few years ago. You could also call it a one owner too since the original owner only owned it a few weeks before dying. However, it's not on the top of the collector chain for one thing. The other thing is the price the old guy wants for it, $4,000. You see the same cars going all the time for between $700 and $1200 on ebay (if they sell at all). So again, you have to be realistic.

[captden29]

4 years ago i bought a 51 windsor in much better shape for $2000. it had rechromed bumpers, new paint, 1/2 of the interior restored with the other 1/2 in good shape, all glass good. i did the front brakes and master, tune-up with rebuilt carb and new water pump and hoses. drove the car alot for 2 years and sold it for $2500. the car you describe, in my opinion, is probably in the $1000 TO $1500 range. of course it does depend on how bad you want that model and are you willing to look around for a better one. dennis

[Guest mikeys toy]

"Turn Key" doesn't mean restored, dude.

it means turn key and go.

I figured $1,500 AFTER getting the tank boiled; I dont even see any rust, just dirt. It was absolutley full of gas (varnish).

I figured to reinstall the tank, finish the rear floors, MAYBE put some decent used tires on it and prime it for $2000, no less than $1500.

I didn't figure that the 12v conversion and radiator would devalue a car with so little value already.

[Guest 50Plymouth]

... I wouldnt recommend using a sealer because of the chance of it clogging the inside tank filter.

Not intending to shift topic, but if he does clean out tank first - when shops seal, they leave a constant air supply connected in regards to the internal filter, I wondered at first and asked.

Ryan

[Plymouthy Adams]

"Turn Key" doesn't mean restored, dude.

it means turn key and go.

With all due respect..terms are being used too loosely in the hobby..restoration is a word that I hate because a pop riveted piece of floor pan and coat of paint does not restore a car..would be even less than the word refreshen...sorry..not trying to step on toes..the TURN KEY """does""" mean just that..a car that is finished and only needs an owner..start and run on the other hand describes a car that will do just that, start and run...TURN KEY is a finished product, being a rebuilt car, kit car or custom of some kind...all work is finished..would not/does not mean the car is restored. And by the way, the 12 volt and crossflow has taken you to "upgraded" classification.

[Brad Lustig]

Yeah, I'm going to agree with Tim and Norm on this one. "Turn key" is used throughout many industries as the buyer doesn't have to do a thing. Turn key houses, for example. Otherwise, all houses would be turn key as long as you could put a key in the door, unlock it and walk in.

[PatS....]

Well, if it was mine, here's how I would do it. I would list it as is for more than I expect to get. That's to guage interest. If I get some interest at the high price, but no sale, I would do the tank and fuel lines and relist at a slightly lower price.

I would leave it advertised at that price for a while, maybe a month. Then I would not advertise at all for a month. Some people will watch for a while and then call after the ads run out hoping to get a better deal.

Then, if all the preceding has failed, I would lower the price dramatically to where I won't go any lower. If it won't sell then, I guess I'd store it for a year and try the whole process over again.

I always list a car very high at first to guage interest. Usually no response but I have sold high often enough that it is worth the try.

They are only worth what people will pay for them at the time you are selling in the location you are selling from.

My '49 Chrysler is a Club Coupe that sat for 35 years. It needed a complete rebuild but there is only minimal rust to deal with. It was 1500$Can. straight off the farm with all the hay and mouse droppings intact. I would think a 4 door in equal condition would be less.

BUT, if I had to sell old Walter P. NOW, I would start it at $5500 as is. Who knows what would happen? (not selling, though)

[Guest mikeys toy]

I just want to sell it to fund the '61

fine, fine, it's "Turn key and runs", it does do just that and runs very well. I do still have the original radiator and generator/regulator. If someone wanted to go back, they could.

I've got the chrome window cranks, knobs and 2 spoke whell from the '54 in it (still have the shot 3 spoke)

[AJ Johnson]

My thoughts are that you can get around $1500 with the tank boiled out. I bought a 1954 Dodge Coronet just a while back for that much. It needed the front brakes done, but had newer paint & someone had redone the seats about 6-7 years ago. Still has original floor pans without rust.

If you weren't so far away, I might be interested in it for my parents 40th wedding anniversery. My father has been quite interested in my Dodge since I bought it.

AJ

[Guest mikeys toy]

well; I solved the dilemma...

I traded it back to the friend I bought her from for a running, driving '65 FuryI.

The rear axle has the non-tapered ends and is the exact same width as the '61's. it also has the small block cable type 904 trans so I can install the EFI 318 into the pioneer. The POLY 318 in it has a dead hole, probably a valve, so I will save it for my Powerwagon. the back seat fits right in the back of the pioneer, the factory a/c will be going into it as well as the power brakes. I figure it was worth it just in the parts that I can get off of it.

AJ; I don't think he'd want more than a grand for it. I can almost guarantee it would make the drive. His phone number is 580-327-1313; Jim Scribner.