Newbie Looking for Help

[Kilgore47]

When I bought the P15 they were asking 5 thousand for it.  I offered 3 thousand and they took it.  All the parts were there.  I probably should have offered 2 thousand.  The engine, transmission and suspension were good.  Brakes, wiring, fuel and ignition systems all had to be replaced or rebuilt.  There was more.  Ended up spending about three thousand on parts.  I did all the work.  But I'm not complaining because I enjoy working on these old cars.  It's a hobby.  As stated above don't plan on making money off it.  I take great pride knowing that I saved another old car and got it back on the road.  The other day I took the P15 to the parts store.  When I stopped at a red light the guy next to me looked over and said "It's not every day that something like that pulls up next to you" and then he started asking questions.  Made my day and it happens all the time.  The project I'm starting today will be to replace the rear main seal.  Gona wear old clothes for that one.

 

Take your time and enjoy the projects.  If you get frustrated then walk away and work on it later.  Remember that you don't have to drive it to work tomorrow.  Lots of info and help here.  

[keithb7]

Saw this one, this morning on a Facebook group. Looks pretty favourable to me. Asking $5500. A coupe.

 

 

[streetsnake]

Hi all. Thanks for everyone’s input. I definitely wasn’t trying to make money on it. I just didn’t want to have 20k in the car and it only be worth 10k. It was more of a bonding project with the boys and a learning experience for all of us. I think the guy sold it anyway. Was supposed to head up on Saturday but the listing has been taken down. Ugh

[Plymouthy Adams]

often the time with the kids is worth the investment in terms of money but then only you can establish that coin/bond rate of return.  Seems there is a bit of TKR going on here.

[keithb7]

TKR? 

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by keithb7

[Bryan]

7 hours ago, streetsnake said:

Hi all. Thanks for everyone’s input. I definitely wasn’t trying to make money on it. I just didn’t want to have 20k in the car and it only be worth 10k. It was more of a bonding project with the boys and a learning experience for all of us. I think the guy sold it anyway. Was supposed to head up on Saturday but the listing has been taken down. Ugh

Maybe for the best.  I would buy something in fairly good shape that is running well. You can change brake shoes and lines, tune up, maybe add dual headers, new fuel tank and line, stuff like that.  Do some minor body work and paint it yourself.  Avoid ones with major rust.  Avoid rusty chrome or dented chrome - expensive to re-chrome or find replacements.  Engines can be $3-4K to overhaul (parts $1,200-$1,800).  If you do yourself you have to buy a motor hoist, leveler, motor stand, etc.  Painting by professionals can be $10-15K.  That's in SC, had a quote.  Repairing leaking Fluid Drives can be expensive and difficult.  If you work on the minor stuff and their interest continues, then maybe get deeper into it.  Look at my motor pulling post and you'll get an idea of what you'll run into.  Snapped bolts, broke manifolds, etc. You have to have the right tools to do the job.

Edited April 22, 2022 by Bryan
Added last 3 sentences..

[Sniper]

9 hours ago, streetsnake said:

Hi all. Thanks for everyone’s input. I definitely wasn’t trying to make money on it. I just didn’t want to have 20k in the car and it only be worth 10k. It was more of a bonding project with the boys and a learning experience for all of us. I think the guy sold it anyway. Was supposed to head up on Saturday but the listing has been taken down. Ugh

 

You can pretty much bet you are going to lose value if money is the concern.  However, if the value you are considering is time with your sons then you will only gain.  This is partly why I got my 51.  Heck I already spent more in parts and such than I bought it for.  I spent $4k for it, decent daily drier condition nowhere near as cosmetically nice as that DeSoto.  However, it was a running, driving, registered car.  By no means perfect at all and lots of prior own hacks I had to address.  In the classifieds section of this site there is a link to a really nice looking Plymouth, might be high priced a bit, but it appears to be in most excellent condition.  As in it needs nothing other than routine service, but I know nothing about it.  That might be an option?

 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

TIRE KICKERS REMORSE   while not saying asking before buying is not prudent, there is the risk of losing a buy based on the very time it takes to ASK AND ANSWER via a forum.

[keithb7]

I like car investment discussions. 
 

Car 1: 1938 Plymouth Sedan. Paid about $2800 US funds. It ran. Barely. It changed gears, barely. It stopped, sort of. 3 years later I’m still nursing it back to health.  I do not keep track of what I’ve spent. Don’t want to know. Its been wonderful project. I have bonded with the car. Drive it whenever I can. 
 

Car 2: 1938 Chrysler Royal coupe. I found it fully restored. Someone spent a ton of money on it. Ii paid about $22000 US for it.  I have spent a bit of money on it. Not much. More time than money just maintaining it. It’s a fine car. Yet, I’ve not been through much of it. I wouldn’t say I’ve bonded with it. I did not restore it. Yet I saved a ton of money buying it already done. 
 

If I have not already spent $22,000 on my ‘38 Plymouth sedan, it won’t be long. No paint or interior work yet. It could cost $100K all-in  to get it to the level of my Chrysler. 
 

Cars, a great hobby. You can drive them , fix them, restore them, any way that you like. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

the discussions are usually current and informative...but if you asking while looking at a listed car...again, that deal can slip to an informed buyer....one always runs that risk and you can easily tip the listing to a person who is ready to buy and jumps right onto the deal.  I said what I did not as a slam to the man but I did pick up on the fact the car was sold and he was showing a bit of 'loss'    If he stays within the Mopar lineup and similar era of vehicle, he is now more informed and maybe better prepared to deal with a seller.  Snooze you loose and fish or cut bait are other adages that fall onto a less informed buyer or the every prevalent procrastinator. 

 

If you worried of time and money in a car, then you need to set you limit first, buy a car that is at the stage of completion on par with that max price and enjoy the beast.  If you are not up to any tasks involved in the process of rebuild, the price will be great in farming it out in today's market and one must always remember that line in the sand WILL forever creep away from you in time and cost.

 

Maybe lesson one in the hobby just played out.  Learning curves are timely and also costly.

[Eneto-55]

Not criticizing those who spent money on engine hoists & stands, but I (along with my Dad, who was the one who "knew what he was doing") overhauled my engine on blocks on the floor.  Manhandled it when we needed to get to the other side.  Used the wooden crate stand on which my brother's DeSoto engine came back from the builder to set it on as we got farther along, just added some heavy duty steel casters.  Used an old chain hoist of my Dad's to lift it, and lower into place.  No engine leveler, just chains and "man-handling".  Sure nuff, would have been nice to have all of that stuff, but my point is that you can do w/o it.   

[When I stripped down our old Chrysler minivan, I pulled the engine w/o even any kind of lift.  I removed all of the weight I could, then lowered it out the bottom with a floor jack.  Swapped engines in a Fairlane for a friend, and we did it all in the basement of an old barn - dirt floor, nothing but a rope block & tackle type of lift (as I recall).  But it DID take a good bit longer than I had told him, before we started on it.]

Edited April 22, 2022 by Eneto-55

[keithb7]

A nice friend of mine wanted to let go of his 2T engine hoist. He gave it to me. Free. I needed an engine stand. I found one on local classifieds. $50. Both allowed me to do a complete engine removal, get the block to the machine shop and back, completely rebuild the engine, and re-install it, all tasks by myself. At my pace. Comfortably. The hoist folds up and stores pretty well. The engine stand unbolted and all came apart. It's now tucked under my rolling tool chest. Will I need these specialty tools again? Likely as I have what I suspect is a leaking expansion plug. At rear of block inside the bell housing. I also forgot to put thread sealant on the main oil gallery plug. Of course it's also up behind the flywheel. I'll back in there sooner or later.

 

No these tools are not must haves, but they sure do make for a nice enjoyable rebuild.

Edited April 22, 2022 by keithb7

[Los_Control]

@Eneto-55 I'm thinking you may be missing the point.

Last winter I did a motor swap on the wife car .... Sorry Honey, we going to need a few tools like a engine crane, engine stand ... etc.

 

This year her engine will need a new crank & bearings .... Not a problem Baby I got this! I will need a new torque wrench, I need some micrometers to measure ....

OH look Honey, we have a lot of money invested in tools, I simply do not have enough storage to protect them .... going to need a new tool box.

 

Just depends on how you look on life, is this a real show stopper issue? Or is it a opportunity to buy new tools ....

Trust me my wife does not complain when I am buying tools to fix her car 

[streetsnake]

Hi all, just curious, as I’m the OP, why didn’t you believe the car I posted was a good project, minus the rocker panels of course?    I’m just trying to understand. Thx

[Eneto-55]

2 hours ago, Los_Control said:

@Eneto-55 I'm thinking you may be missing the point.

Last winter I did a motor swap on the wife car .... Sorry Honey, we going to need a few tools like a engine crane, engine stand ... etc.

 

This year her engine will need a new crank & bearings .... Not a problem Baby I got this! I will need a new torque wrench, I need some micrometers to measure ....

OH look Honey, we have a lot of money invested in tools, I simply do not have enough storage to protect them .... going to need a new tool box.

 

Just depends on how you look on life, is this a real show stopper issue? Or is it a opportunity to buy new tools ....

Trust me my wife does not complain when I am buying tools to fix her car 

I was not married, and still under college related debt when I bought my 46 Plymouth.  I was actually intending to rebuild it as my daily driver, and then sell the car I had borrowed money to purchase while I was still in college.  (A 72 Dodge Coronet.)  But I got carried away with what all to fix on the Plymouth, so now it's still not finished.  Because I met my wife 2 years after I bought it, then we moved to Brazil for 18 years. So here I am 66 years old and still at about the same spot I was when I was 25 (as far as the car is concerned).

[Sniper]

9 hours ago, streetsnake said:

Hi all, just curious, as I’m the OP, why didn’t you believe the car I posted was a good project, minus the rocker panels of course?    I’m just trying to understand. Thx

 

I don't believe anyone said it wasn't a good project.  Just that it might be overpriced, or that you at least you didn't have enough information to determine how deep you were going to get into it.  Cosmetically, it looks decent.  Mechanically, you do not know as it is not a runner and you mentioned being concerned about costs.

 

 

[Bryan]

12 hours ago, Eneto-55 said:

Not criticizing those who spent money on engine hoists & stands, but I (along with my Dad, who was the one who "knew what he was doing") overhauled my engine on blocks on the floor. 

The key is "I and my Dad".  Retired here with just my 5ft-2" wife.  Almost 65 and basically no help here.  I don't take offense. I overhauled a SBC on a kitchen table when I was 20 something.

[Bryan]

10 hours ago, streetsnake said:

Hi all, just curious, as I’m the OP, why didn’t you believe the car I posted was a good project, minus the rocker panels of course?    I’m just trying to understand. Thx

Some here have had experience with buying something and the seller was not upfront with all the issues.  Plus we don't know your mechanical abilities, your experience, how many tools you have, the actual level of effort & money you want to put in the car.  It can look nice and the seller can tell you all sorts of things.   Just trying to help.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Condition is everything, honest description is key to selling.  Sold this car a week ago...it went the great salt north as up there, he could not find a solid builder near him.  I would not even entertain a deposit from this guy though he offered till he saw the car in person, I assured him it would be available for inspection/buy/refusal on his selected date as he was going to and from Florida for a family gathering.   I listed the car honestly and answered his question with detailed photos.  He inspected going down, bought the car, picked it up on his return north.  This was his reply....

 

PS   all the local guys were internet tire kickers.....would not even come look at the car and the forever question of what is you lowest price to which I reply, as listed until you can tell me in person where I may be wrong.

 

Tim,

 

I wanted to thank you for a good transaction with the sale of your red 914. I made it back to Buffalo without a hitch and I have been assessing the car. It is exactly as you described, so thanks again for being straightforward with no nonsense. As you know there are many idiots out there and it was pleasant to deal with an honest man.

 

Thanks,

John

Edited April 23, 2022 by Plymouthy Adams