Sad day, but looking to sell

[THRobinson]

Well, sad day... decided it's time to sell the '47 Dodge Sedan... bought it almost 10yrs ago, and just never got anything done. Every time I went to work on it, my main car needed work done and ate the money/time.

 

So, just curious... car is from what I know... complete minus the seats and maybe 2 pieces of trim. It's an American model (not Canadian). Original engine but no idea if it starts since some parts were removed (in a box) before I bought it.

 

Anyone know what it may be worth? Better to sell as parts? or complete? I REALLY want to avoid the scrap yard at all costs.

[GlennCraven]

Do you have any photos to share? What's the overall condition? … Much rust?

 

There will be some good advice on value from members, but for starters Hagerty Insurance places the value of just a No. 4 car at $3,700. Now, that's a driver, albeit with plenty of flaws -- possibly pitted chrome, scratches, windshield chips, rough paint, spotty interior, etc. But that suggests if the car is mostly complete and quite restorable there's still plenty of value in it selling as a whole, rather than as parts or for scrap.

 

Mind you, No. 1 show price is just $12,000 for a Custom and $11,500 for Deluxe trim level, so there isn't a ton of up-side for the buyer/restorer. Still, I see solid, restorable Mopar four-doors from the 1940s and 1950s (not running) listed frequently for, say, $750 to $1,500 U.S. The former price is realistic and the latter optimistic in my opinion.

[Lumpy]

How many doors? That can make a difference to some, when I was shopping for Lumpy two doors was a must. Two door cars usually go for a little bit more, but to some it makes no difference.

 

Big jump in price between running and not running of course. Give someone a good deal who will get it running...I'd give it away before I'd see it scrapped. In fact, I recently gave a 1970 Duster away so it wouldn't go to the junk yard. Shouldn't have to give a '47 away though.

 

k.

[THRobinson]

Ya, this would be lower end of the scale, especially given the lack of seats... driver floor pan needs replaced which I've found new online for $60. Has rims but tires beyond flat. Was about to buy tires for it so I can push it around and the resonator broke out of my driver car so, wheel budget went to the other car again... I think my driver car is jealous and does it on purpose.

 

It's a 4-Door sedan... I know many people hate the 4-door, but, personally I'm a fan on cars that big, especially with suicide doors.

 

This is the car, few years ago, has been in a car tent ever since which is why I can't take a pic easily right now. Hood splits in the middle (2-piece) not the solid 1-piece.

 

Ideally I want to sell it, get something smaller/easier to work on, something where parts are easier to find and cheaper etc... like a motorbike from the '70s. I have little space and not much in the ways of big tools (ie engine hoists) so a bike seems a good solution... especially when I learn to drive one.

 

I just want to tinker...

 

Edited May 5, 2014 by THRobinson

[Lumpy]

I agree, the suicide doors do bring it up on the cool factor. I'm a two-door man, but would consider a suicide 4-door for sure. 

 

Doesn't look too bad, around here it would be an easy $1500 I think, but that varies from area to area.

 

Motorcycles are a whole different animal to work on, little body work, you can pick up the engines and put them in and out of the frame, easy to get to everything, no crawling under anything. Easy to paint. Although I'd never give up Lumpy, sometimes I wish I had a garage full of motorcycles, rather than a garage and a yard full of cars. (I do have four bikes...so I guess it's filling up with them!)

 

I just finished up a 1937 flathead HD, but I'd kind of like to do a 1960-1970 BMW. (motorcycle)

 

Good luck, I think someone just might fall in love with that '47.

 

ken.

[THRobinson]

Ya... that's my thinking... I'm a big guy, I could carry the engine from a bike,,, car, not so much. 

 

Love the Dodge, had great plans for it, but... just never seems to happen. :S

[Plymouthy Adams]

It is so easy to complicate the old cars by looking at them as a big project...however...if you were to step back and look at it in a different light, say this week I will get that front fender ready, maybe a trunk lid later...it will eventually show signs of progress..remember you can eat an elephant if you take but one bite at a time...

[TodFitch]

...remember you can eat an elephant if you take but one bite at a time...

But you'll also need a really big refrigerator to keep the stuff you haven't yet eaten from rotting before you get around to it.

 

(My car was in pieces for nearly 20 years because just walking into the garage and seeing all the work to be done overwhelmed me. It took getting married and having a gentle reminder, about every year or so, that "if you aren't going to do anything with that maybe you should sell it" to get me to finish the project. I really admire the people who can do a whole car in a reasonable, say, year or two, period of time. I am not one of them.)

[Plymouthy Adams]

TodFitch, on 05 May 2014 - 11:07 PM, said:

But you'll also need a really big refrigerator to keep the stuff you haven't yet eaten from rotting before you get around to it.

 

 

nah..do like PP...preserve it by smoking it...

[THRobinson]

But you'll also need a really big refrigerator to keep the stuff you haven't yet eaten from rotting before you get around to it.

 

(My car was in pieces for nearly 20 years because just walking into the garage and seeing all the work to be done overwhelmed me. It took getting married and having a gentle reminder, about every year or so, that "if you aren't going to do anything with that maybe you should sell it" to get me to finish the project. I really admire the people who can do a whole car in a reasonable, say, year or two, period of time. I am not one of them.)

 

Ha, my thinking exactly... if I move/downgrade my space... I definitely can't keep the Dodge unless driving it. Motorbike, may smell but can dismantle it and keep it in the kitchen... I wouldn't but, still an option.

 

I think my main problem is, not only is it a big project... but... its in a car tent on a gravel driveway, in an area that has a lot of snow in the winter (as opposed to say, Texas). Plus not a lot of tools. I think half my car budget last year went towards my '02 Impala, and the other half went towards tools.

 

Well, not in a rush... finally decent weather around here... if you count 8 degrees as good weather. Maybe set a goal... if I can get the engine to fire by mid June I keep going, if not, well... anyone need any trim? a radio? starter?

[Robert Horne]

The first thing I did on my 48 project, was to get it running.

Second, brakes.

Third drive it a little on the property.

I drove my 48 up and down my driveway for months, before going

down the road one time.

Everything else can be later.

When working on a budget, there are many ways to further your dollars.

You do not need new tires, that will only go bad before you wear them

out, use safe used tires, like from your daily driver.

Floor pans, use scrap metal. I use metal from cars I junk, and

found shiny scrap metal at the scrap yard for scrap price.

You can see on this site, many of us work on a budget, if we need to

or not. good luck, Bob..

[bbbbbb99]

THR, that's a pretty clean car and by the stance it looks like the suspension isn't 100% trashed.

 

If I were you I would get it street legal for two reasons.

 

#1 It'll bring a bigger price and

#2 It may just jump start your ambition.

 

Here's a thing that held me back in the past (and I'm in a "stall" mode right now actually), don't be afraid to pay someone to fix something beyond your skills. Find a mechanic through word of mouth that can be trusted and ask them for help getting it running. They'll probably let you help too.

 

You get that sled roadworthy and drive it every other weekend and you might just look at it differently.

[Lumpy]

This is true. I always try to start with something I can get running right off the bat, at least enough to move it around on it's own power. Then body work. It really helps if you can drive it around, and break it up into little projects.

 

On body work, if you just do one area at a time, one fender, one door, you can stay really motivated. Kind of like eating the elephant.

 

k.

[Robert Horne]

I drove my 38 around the property for over 10 years before I got

the body on it.

Mom said it road a lot better with the body on it.......

[Tusler 49 New Yorker]

It iis a sad thing to have to let something you liked at one time go, for sure. But I have a 49 new Yorker, I just spent almost  $1000 dollars for simple engine parts, rings, bearings, gaskets, freeze plugs and the like. parts for these old mopars are hard to find and when i do find them they are expensive. I like you do not have a space I can work on the car in so I have to pay a garage mech to put the parts in and the labor is expensive. ( my wife is already not happy wiith this hobby).

If you are going to do an old car I would highly suggest a Chevy or a Ford simply because parts are more available.

\Your car running out here in California would probably bring from $5000 to $8000.

Best of luck.

Build an old school Triumph chopper with king and queen seat and 8in over front end with the neck raked correctly.

[Don Coatney]

Yes there a lot of furd and shiverlay parts available but have you checked the prices of these parts?

[Lumpy]

That '47 looks like more time than money, unless the engine needs to be rebuilt. But I agree, attempt to get it running, that will sure raise the price, and you might consider sticking with it longer. If you can do body work, getting it running and getting the body straight will really bring a profit. More money for that Triumph, although I vote for a cafe racer over what Tusler said.

 

Yep, all parts are expensive these days. I think the old VW bugs are about the only thing you can build on the cheap.

 

ken.

[BobT-47P15]

You could at least install one salvage yard bucket seat for driving it.  You can probably do the engine tuneup items

yourself.......plugs, points, condenser, rotor, new distrib cap, maybe plug wires.  Clean connectors on coil, distrib,

solenoid and make sure they are tight and wires are good.  Use a temporary gas can to carb via the fuel pump.

The tuneup parts, not including a distrib cap, cost me about $40 at a NAPA store a few days ago.

 

Those things, plus a new 6V battery (probably get reasonably priced one at a farm supply)  might get the engine to run.

 

So, it may cost $100 or so just to try and get it running.  

 

There is a mechanic here who works at an auto restoration shop.......but he will come to your house and work for

you for $30 per hour.  And will let me be his assistant.  I figure he knows more than me,  does things more quickly

than me, and can diagnose and fix other problems encountered along the way.  He even installed the current

engine right in my driveway several years ago.  So you would have to find someone willing to make house calls....maybe

even a car club guy you could meet at a show, cruise-in, or swap meet.  Just sayin'............ 

[THRobinson]

Ya, the body on this is actually pretty good... I bought it from a guy who had it in a barn for 25yrs... only real issues were the drivers floor, a small bit around the floor/centre post between doors, and about 1.5 garbage bags worth of walnut shells and squirrel poop.

 

Engine is there, seems intact and can rotate the wheel by hand. I have the starter sitting here next to me, looks almost new, but, looking at it and the service manual I'm thinking it's missing something... bolts for certain, a bracket maybe?

 

I think this weekend I'll clean it out, hose out under the hood and get it clean, and lay out all the parts from the boxes and figure it out... I don't have the tools/skill to swap engines so hopefully can get it running. I'd rather a bit more power/modern an engine, I'm not looking to do a full restore, but, if I can get it to drive, I'll be happy.

[THRobinson]

You could at least install one salvage yard bucket seat for driving it.  You can probably do the engine tuneup items

yourself.......plugs, points, condenser, rotor, new distrib cap, maybe plug wires.  ...

 

I did start getting a few parts... Autolite plugs sitting here, an oil filter as well. Engine I think is in good shape, no idea... previous owner may have done some work on it because in a box I found an old piston and a used engine gasket. Starter was off, same as the drive shaft, both of which I have.

 

I actually bought it from the previous owner's brother, who inherited the car and was selling off the estate type deal so, no way of knowing.

 

In the fall I doused pretty much every nut/bolt under the hood 2-3x with penetrating oil so, hoping after a good power wash this weekend I can easily get some stuff out and replace a few things. Carb seems to stick so may have to figure that one out first... doused it with carb cleaner but that flap inside keeps sticking and have to use my finger to get it lose again. :S

 

Be watching a lot of YouTube videos this weekend I guess.

 

I still kick myself for the seats... they were so rusted and full of squirrel poop that I ditched them not realizing they could have been saved. That's gonna be a hard replacement item in these parts.

Edited May 7, 2014 by THRobinson

[Lumpy]

Lumpy has been happy with junk yard bucket seats for the last ten years. Way more comfortable than a bench. Lumpy hasn't much interior at all, and it does not bother me a bit. The buckets are nice, and comfortable, and give a better seating position, the rear seat has a nice blanket on it...everyone is happy when they ride in Lumpy. I'd like to have a brand new interior, but really I hardly notice that there's no door panels or headliner.

 

These cars run great with the original engines. "Modern" power not needed. Don't even think about turning it into an engine swap project. 

 

ken.

[THRobinson]

Wish I had the room... Saw a pt cruiser today for $400 and thought, hmm seats, power windows, etc... Great for cheap parts...But ya, get it running first I guess.

Edited May 7, 2014 by THRobinson

[bbbbbb99]

You could at least install one salvage yard bucket seat for driving it.  You can probably do the engine tuneup items

yourself.......plugs, points, condenser, rotor, new distrib cap, maybe plug wires.  Clean connectors on coil, distrib,

solenoid and make sure they are tight and wires are good.  Use a temporary gas can to carb via the fuel pump.

The tuneup parts, not including a distrib cap, cost me about $40 at a NAPA store a few days ago.

 

Those things, plus a new 6V battery (probably get reasonably priced one at a farm supply)  might get the engine to run.

 

So, it may cost $100 or so just to try and get it running.  

 

There is a mechanic here who works at an auto restoration shop.......but he will come to your house and work for

you for $30 per hour.  And will let me be his assistant.  I figure he knows more than me,  does things more quickly

than me, and can diagnose and fix other problems encountered along the way.  He even installed the current

engine right in my driveway several years ago.  So you would have to find someone willing to make house calls....maybe

even a car club guy you could meet at a show, cruise-in, or swap meet.  Just sayin'............ 

$30 an hour is cheap when you really think about it.

[bbbbbb99]

Another thing THR, I know it's easy for someone else to come up with ideas like this, but I kept my eyes open and found a portable car cover for less than $60. The kind that has a metal frame and plastic cover. I bought 6 - 2.5 gallon cheapo paint buckets and filled them with concrete with the posts in them. I also used metal screws to hold together each joint. Held up for two summers in the harsh AZ sun, before it began to tear. You can then use tarps to make a makeshift garage for the thing. Add a heater and you might be able to work into late fall. Just an idea.

[THRobinson]

Part of my budget went towards getting a good tent/cover actually... same as this one different colour. 12x24x10 I think.

 

Even though I'm in a village of like under 1000 people, I have a neighbour that has two kids that are lawyers, and he basically threatens everyone with that fact... basically if he doesn't like your yard, or what you do in it type deal. Guy on the other side use to smoke meat in a small hut in the back acre of his yard before this guy moved in... soon as he moved in he complained about the smell (who hates the smell of smoked jerky?!) and had the guy shut down. He even tried having the horse farm just outside the village closed because disliked the smell of horses. Just one of those guys who thinks he a big deal and wants people to know it.

 

Anyways... got tired of the noise, he absolutely HATED this car so got the tent for it. Then he started to complain our driveway was gravel not paved so told him to go F himself and he's kept his distance since then.

 

BIG car though, filled up the space fast. We have a small garage/hut... once I get wheels that work (mine are dead flat) I plan to move the tent to the side of the hut, and get some used 2'x2'x2" tiles to make a sorta flooring. 

 

Edited May 7, 2014 by THRobinson