Cranbrook Stumbled Upon - Now What?

[FlashBuddy]

Out for a Sunday drive when I spotted a trailer for sale in a farmer's field. I've been looking to buy one so I could drag my '50 B2B out to CA for the BBQ. Actually I was hoping somebody nearby would offer to loan me one but no offers so far. 

 

That not withstanding, farmer Larry came down the drive in his golf cart, had to be pushing 80. Not the golf cart, rather Larry  For some odd reason I asked Larry if he had any old Dodges laying around. "Sure, follow me" was his reply.

 

Just around the travel trailer and down from the bus was a few rotting goodies, one of which was a 50-is Plymouth Cranbrook. It was complete too. Even had the sun visor stashed in the back seat. 

 

I looked her over pretty good. Farmer Larry said he'd let me have her for 1500.00, today and today only. Well, the sun is still up and I 'm feeling like I should head back over there.

 

Have you ever had that feeling? Larry said she belonged to the Walden  postmaster who had bought it new and was a daily driver until he passed away 

 

Colorado is famous for bone dry conditions and Walden Colorado, at 8,099 feet is drier than most places out here. This Cranbrook has only minor surface rust. Trouble is I have no room to keep it and rotting interiors freak me out. Oh, no budget either. Roxanne is taking up all my spare nickels and dimes.

 

OK, feast your eyes:

 

Edited March 26, 2018 by FlashBuddy
Typos

[knuckleharley]

9 minutes ago, FlashBuddy said:

Out for a Sunday drive when I spotted a trailer for sale in a farmer's field. I've been looking to buy one so I could drag my '50 B2B out to CA for the BBQ. A cruelly I was hoping somebody nearby would offer to loan me one but no offers so far. 

 

That not withstanding, farmer Larry came down the drive in his golf cart, had to be pushing 80. Not the golf cart, rather Larry  For some odd reason I asked Larry if he had any old Dodges laying around. "Sure, follow me" was his reply.

 

Just around the travel trailer and down from the bus was a few rotting goodies, one of which was a 50-is Plymouth Cranbrook. It was complete too. Even had the sun visor stashed in the back seat. 

 

I looked her over pretty good. Farmer Larry said he'd let me have her for 1500.00, today and today only. Well, the sun is still up and I 'm feeling like I should head back over there.

 

Have you ever had that feeling? Larry said she belonged to the Walden  postmaster who had bought it new and was a daily driver until he passed away 

 

Colorado is famous for bone dry conditions and Walden Colorado, at 8,099 feet is drier than most places out here. This Cranbrook has only minor surface rust. Trouble is I have no room to keep it and rotting interiors freak me out. Oh, no budget either. Roxanne us taking up all my spare nickels and dimes.

 

OK, feast your eyes:

 

Since I give the worse "should I buy it or not" advice in the known universe,I am going to do you a favor and not make any suggestions on this.

[JerseyHarold]

Does the engine turn and is there a title?  The car looks complete but needs everything.  I love '51 Plymouths but $1500.00 seems high for what the car is.    

[junkers72]

Package deal, Car and trailer ? Would be silly to buy an empty trailer. 

[FlashBuddy]

Yes, there is a title. I pulled on the fan blade, wouldn't budge. But then, I'm kinda skinny

[palmersparts]

Package deal for $2000  with trailer??  need to see pics of the trailer too....

[MackTheFinger]

Judging by the underwhelming response to my attempted sale of a couple of cars that are far nicer than that one appears to be I think the price is way too high.. Sour apples?? Not me... 

The saving grace is the sunvisor..if it's all there.. I see part of one of the brackets..For some reason people are goofy for those things...

[FlashBuddy]

Yeah, I tried to buy the sun visor for my truck and Larry said "I stays with the car". He was adamant on that. Funny thing was he had a Frazer. Never heard or saw one of those before  wouldn't sell the visor on that one either.

 

Frazer? I'll have to Google that one.

[Ranger]

I think Larry ( or his brother Larry) could become a good friend. Today only sounds like a blue light special. Spend some time to check it out a little closer. I like to know what I'm buying.

[FlashBuddy]

@palmersparts, the trailer had two axels, lots of rust on the bed sheets and no brakes. 1k. I passed on it.

 

I was going to offer $100.00 and $100/mo rent to keep it there and give me access to get it running, driving and stopping. Just a thought. Oh, my wife isn't going to like this idea. Probably better to trailer it home, register and insure it and park on the curb. 

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, FlashBuddy said:

@palmersparts, the trailer had two axels, lots of rust on the bed sheets and no brakes. 1k. I passed on it.

 

I was going to offer $100.00 and $100/mo rent to keep it there and give me access to get it running, driving and stopping. Just a thought. Oh, my wife isn't going to like this idea. Probably better to trailer it home, register and insure it and park on the curb. 

Yeah,it is. I have had bad luck leaving cars or trucks where I bought them after paying for them. Parts tend to end up missing. I can't be the only one this has happened to,either. You can probably rent a storage container for 100 bucks a month,and it will be locked out of sight and nobody will be buying or selling parts off of it.

[RobertKB]

It's a '51 based on the black gauges in the dash. $1500.00 is for those born every minute. $500 would be reasonable. He sounds like one of those guys who will never sell anything.

[knuckleharley]

43 minutes ago, RobertKB said:

It's a '51 based on the black gauges in the dash. $1500.00 is for those born every minute. $500 would be reasonable. He sounds like one of those guys who will never sell anything.

I dunno. i grumpily admit I paid at least a grand more than my 51 business coupe was worth,but was tired of looking and waiting. Seemed like every one that had an original 6 cylinder engine in it that was a running and driving car with a title that was selling at a reasonable price was on the left coast. I found mine within 200 miles of home,it had a clear title,and despite EVERYTHING in it needing rebuilding but the engine,I drove it on my trailer. Of course the brakes failed when I backed it off the trailer at home,and it ran into something and bent up the trunk lid.

I am also now in my 7th decade of excellence,so how much more time do I have left to look for a car I have wanted since I was a teenager?

 

Money ain't everything. If it was,we would all be driving base 4 cylinder used cars.

[rhelm1953]

In 2001 I purchased my 1939 Plymouth pickup for $1600.  My wife said I could buy if I could find a place to store it because I couldn't bring it home until I was ready to work on it.  I found a storage lot that would let me store an untitled and unlicensed vehicle.  That was 2001, it's now 2018 the truck is still in the storage lot, I don't even want to think what I've paid in storage fess but it's at least 4X what I paid for the truck and I still have at least 2 projects in front of the truck before I can bring it home.

Now my advice, if it's not your dream car you've always wanted and could never find, file away the farmers name and let him store it for free.  Check back every year or so to see if the price has come down or when you are closer to being able to start the project.  Chances are it will still be there in a couple years in the same condition it's in now.  If it's not then there are other 51 Plymouths out there waiting for you.

 

Rich H 

[RobertKB]

26 minutes ago, rhelm1953 said:

In 2001 I purchased my 1939 Plymouth pickup for $1600.  My wife said I could buy if I could find a place to store it because I couldn't bring it home until I was ready to work on it.  I found a storage lot that would let me store an untitled and unlicensed vehicle.  That was 2001, it's now 2018 the truck is still in the storage lot, I don't even want to think what I've paid in storage fess but it's at least 4X what I paid for the truck and I still have at least 2 projects in front of the truck before I can bring it home.

Now my advice, if it's not your dream car you've always wanted and could never find, file away the farmers name and let him store it for free.  Check back every year or so to see if the price has come down or when you are closer to being able to start the project.  Chances are it will still be there in a couple years in the same condition it's in now.  If it's not then there are other 51 Plymouths out there waiting for you.

 

Rich H 

 

Great advice!

[pflaming]

Question: Are the doors and windows water tight? Might be worth buying just to store that mountain water watered marijuana!! 

 

LOL