What do you think would it cost to rebuild a Chrysler New Yorker 1948

[Thomba48]

Hi,

 

a friend send me over this link of a rather rotten Chrysler New Yorke Coupe http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/4726035938.html

 

What do yo thinkg, if I were to find someone to rebuild me this car to stock look and feel, how much would that cost?

What is your guess on that?

 

 

Thanks

[Don Coatney]

In my opinion it would cost much more than it would ever be worth. Others may have a different opinion.

[Young Ed]

In my opinion it would cost much more than it would ever be worth. Others may have a different opinion.

I agree

[Plymouthy Adams]

Find a driver that is in very good contiotion now..there is always something to upgrade of do to these cars on the average so start out with the best you can find.  Records show buying a running models is coming out ahead.  Even at that..you must make a very good inspection and do not be afraid to ask for photots detailing any repair work to the body and paint prep etc.

[dlrides]

In my opinion it would cost much more than it would ever be worth. Others may have a different opinion.

/\  This  /\

[Thomba48]

Thanks for your opinion. I obviously tend to believe all of you. Thanks

[BigDaddyO]

$60,000.00 should do it, if you do a lot of the work yourself.

Looks like a fun project.

[desoto1939]

I would not even think about this car with no engine. I purcahsed my 39 Desoto back in 1988 and the engine had just been rebuilt and the car was a running car and was totally original except for the rebuild onthe engine and it only cost me 2500.. i know prices have gone up  but if you can not do any of the work yourself then on some major cash being put down to get the car redone as a total frame up car.

 

Like other have stated find a good quality driver and inspect the heck out of it, ask lots of questions and then make an educated discession.

 

Good Luck

 

Rich HArtung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[50desotocoupe]

I bought my Desoto for $1200.  It was a running driving car with zero rust.  Since then I have put almost $10k into it and that doesn't include any bodywork...just interior, disc brakes all the way around, hoses, belts, radiator, carb rebuild, wheels, tires, etc.  This is on a car with zero rust.....looking at the floors makes me feel lucky I found my car.

[Thomba48]

Thanks. I definitely have skipped even the vague thoughts I might have had of getting this project started. You - as the experts - have clearly steared me away from it.

Well. Let's go on looking :-) Thanks again 

[Mark D]

$1,800 is a crazy price to ask for that pile of rust.  Might be a good source for a few pieces of the chrome bright work, but not much else.

[RobertKB]

Looks like it was a Highlander model so probably had the straight eight. A lot of things were different on those cars than on a Chrysler model with the straight six. It would be an ideal parts car for someone working on a Highandler. A club member, now dead, had one of those and he had trouble finding parts. By the look of the whitewall tires, it looks someone might have started a resto and then found out the cost and problems involved.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Thomba ..check your PM

[jcmiller]

You sure that's a "friend"?

(I've got a 46 nyer (3W) in similar shape. I've been watching this one, thinking about contacting him for parts, but the price seems so ridiculous that it's probably a waste of time.)

[RobertKB]

You sure that's a "friend"?

(I've got a 46 nyer (3W) in similar shape. I've been watching this one, thinking about contacting him for parts, but the price seems so ridiculous that it's probably a waste of time.)

 

I have parted out cars that looked like that. Not sure what shape the grille is in but it looks not bad unless there is a lot of pitting. Decent grille like that is worth a lot of money as they are pretty scarce. There is easily, very easily, well over $1800.00 in parts on that car. You can probably get it for less. Take what you want and sell the rest.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Don't even consider it!

[T120]

Don't even consider it!

Good advice,from someone who lives in the area..

[Thomba48]

Done deal. It is more then a no!!!

[48ply1stcar]

I'm I too late?

 

My answer - "They don't print that kind of money any more."

[Tones52]

Years ago I bought a primered 56 Chevy 210 wagon that was running but smoking like a diesel. Body trim didn't match on the doors, the interior was intact but needing to be redone.  Because of work and growing family at that time, I never had the time to work on it.. I ended selling it for a little less than the $800 I bought it for.

 

Speed up the clock decades later and as a retirement gift to me, I went looking for pre-55 Chevy ('cause that's what I grew up with) with some money I had set aside. Anything better than that 56 wagon was in the $10k+ range. My budget was $7k and as it turns out, I found my Cranbrook for $6500. It's not perfect. The engine is a bit tired, I get some grinding shifting into 2nd. my master cylinder is leaking from the cap but I drive it everyday around town and each time someone will give me a thumbs up or stop me and compliment the car. Of course, I always give credit to the PO because he did all the work.

 

Anyway, I'm so glad it turned out that I got this Plymouth and got to learn more about these Mopars and gotten help from the members of this forum and the Old Plymouths one when issues have come up.

 

So Thomba48, I'm glad you passed on that Chrysler but I'm sure that there's one out there for you. Good luck in your search.

[Tom Skinner]

Thomba,

You know unfortunate as it sounds Don is right. I have owned Old Chevrolets, Pontiacs, and Chryslers, the least valued are the Mopars from the 40's. They just get a poor rap.

I go to car shows, and the same 3 years, and same 3 color 55,56, and 57 Chevy's command outrageous prices and there are 20 or 30 at a big show (rare - they are not) but in demand.

Find a 1948 Chrysler New Yorker, Traveler, or Royal (rare - yes) in demand - no. An old timer told me once "all collectables are measured by The Bar Stool Rule" he went on to explain a bar stool has three legs - without one the stool will fall. With Collector Cars you have 1. Condition, 2. Rarity, 3. Demand. Those damned Chevy's don't stand up to this rule because they are not rare. they are freeking everywhere their demand provides their value. But take an old Mopar - It can be in excellent condition, be rare, and it hasn't got the demand, so the bar stool falls down. Why then do the same three Chevy's keep standing in outrageous values? The demand makes up for their rarity. Its like an old Large Cent Collection (1793-1857). Only 400 Extant Sets can be assembled (with All Die Marriages or Varieties) because they are so Rare. Why then can you buy 80-90% of them for say $100 apiece or less? Because there isn't even 100 or 200 individuals actively assembling a Set at any given time - anywhere even overseas. Rare? Hell yes - as rare as Hens Teeth. But affordable as hell (except for the dates 1793, 1803, 1821, and 1823). So the Damn Chevy's keep on pulling 30K - 40K and up to 100K and our Mopars keep slugging along at 10K and 20K. This brings to mind the adolecent saying "Life ain't fair". But At my age this means nothing anymore. I love my old 1948 Chysler Royal, I'll be leaving it to my Son some Day. So its monetary value means nothing to me. Many hours of maintaining it and driving it have paid me back in full.

The advice to buy the best you can afford holds true also. At driver condition at the very least (with good Chrome). Just like in Coins (Large Cents) if I buy a crappy 1812 Cent and I see a better one to buy for my collection - now I have spent double on the same date buying it twice, instead of buying the best 1812 once for my collection.

JMHO

Tom

[Thomba48]

Thanks again for all your support. Thom