1948 Special Deluxe police buying advice

[Bob Riding]

On 2/1/2024 at 1:10 PM, DJ194950 said:

Word was that Wilcap has shut down and not selling their motor/trans adapters any longer but some other company has bought their leftover supplies and last I read 6+ months ago that companies website did not say whether they would continue to make new adpters.

 

Suggest you web search the Wilcap name to see for yourself if interested.

 

Some old aftermarket auto parts makes seem to dropping like fries these days.

 

If you have been planning to buy something from one of the aftermarket suppliers but been stalling, I suggest you get off your - - - and get it done just in case!

 

DJ

I bought a P20 motor from a fellow about 10 years ago-he had it hooked up to a GM transmission in a '50 Plymouth Suburban, but he pulled it, as it didn't have enough power for him. Sold me the engine + Wilcap adapter for $200! I just sold the adapter recently, probably too cheap, at $350.

[stukamensch]

3 hours ago, Ivan_B said:

And that will probably be the same story with a good majority of the vehicles you see, regardless of the price range and advertising condition. Have you been looking for a while, or was this a random impulse decision?

Always ask the far-away seller for more pictures. The ones that tell you that the car is in great shape, etc., and then find 101 excuse why more/better/larger pictures are unavailable - are full of "nonsense" Show winner - means nothing (unless properly judged, etc.), since most people cannot tell a difference anyway, as long as the paint is pretty... We have some rather bad cars on the floor at the local classic car museum, for example.

Always beware of the pretty new paint.

Im used to it with classic car shopping but this one was just extra bad, Ive just been looking for a vintage police car and my coworker found this one. 

[stukamensch]

1 hour ago, Ivan_B said:

That was also my first impression - probably a fake police car, hence all the extra cost ?

I was thinking it was a tribute too which didnt bother me much but, their whole thing was oh oir dad had 15k in it so 12 is too low ?

[plymouthcranbrook]

And now they want $16,500 for it.

[Plymouthy Adams]

this is a ruse to get the buyer to think he gets a super deal talking them down to the 15K he really wants.....the car is in my opinion very much overpriced given the poor manner many things show in the photographs...and the posters eval on the body work....I think many folks will walk especially if they view it in person....  

[Bob Riding]

Just now, Plymouthy Adams said:

this is a ruse to get the buyer to think he gets a super deal talking them down to the 15K he really wants.....the car is in my opinion very much overpriced given the poor manner many things show in the photographs...and the posters eval on the body work....I think many folks will walk especially if they view it in person....  

Based on the description by the OP, Old Cars Price Guide suggests between $3,500-$7,800. 

[Los_Control]

Tough times to be a seller, with the current economic conditions the past few years .... really is a buyers market for these old Hot Rods.

 

In top condition these old mopars are never worth as much as a popular Ford of the same year .... With exception of some really nice Chrysler's & Desoto that hold a higher value.

 

A knock off police car really has a very narrow market to begin with ..... Not something I personally would want to daily drive ..... special occasions would be fun.

[Plymouthy Adams]

and that is still based on work done properly and condition fit and function of components....while some cars will and do command a bit higher value...these are truly documented on the most part with many before, during and after photographs.   Many are just flippers and hoping to recoup every nickel THEY THINK they put in for initial cost, farmed processes, parts paint and valuing their labor at pro rates......its a fun hobby but you got to walk about slow and deliberately. 

[Sniper]

2 hours ago, stukamensch said:

I was thinking it was a tribute too which didnt bother me much but, their whole thing was oh oir dad had 15k in it so 12 is too low ?

 

Lol, obviously they aren't car people as it is well known that with few exceptions you will never break even, much less make more.  A 48 Plymouth isn't one of those exceptions either.

[65bcoda]

2 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

.....its a fun hobby but you got to walk about slow and deliberately. 

Well said......

[stukamensch]

4 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

this is a ruse to get the buyer to think he gets a super deal talking them down to the 15K he really wants.....the car is in my opinion very much overpriced given the poor manner many things show in the photographs...and the posters eval on the body work....I think many folks will walk especially if they view it in person....  

Yeah theyre dreaming if they would have disclosed some of the issue I wouldnt have bothered, visited my dad in the area so trip wasnt a total waste

[stukamensch]

5 hours ago, Los_Control said:

Tough times to be a seller, with the current economic conditions the past few years .... really is a buyers market for these old Hot Rods.

 

In top condition these old mopars are never worth as much as a popular Ford of the same year .... With exception of some really nice Chrysler's & Desoto that hold a higher value.

 

A knock off police car really has a very narrow market to begin with ..... Not something I personally would want to daily drive ..... special occasions would be fun.

Yeah its a niche car I only want it over a stock 1 because I'm law enforcement, i wouldnt drive it as much as I do my 71 mustang

[Ivan_B]

Well, you still made an offer, so it wasn't totally bad. The few cars I've seen, the last time I was looking, were a total no-no

[stukamensch]

39 minutes ago, Ivan_B said:

Well, you still made an offer, so it wasn't totally bad. The few cars I've seen, the last time I was looking, were a total no-no

Yeah it wasnt hopeless, just disappointing they've only had two people including me look at it in 5 months ?

[Dan Hiebert]

Since you're an LEO, I'll point you back at vintage police car clubs, not just for the authenticity check, but for potential availability of cars for sale.  They'll tend not to give you the flim-flam because it is a small market.  My older brother (by 9 minutes) is a retired Texas Highway Patrol Trooper.  He was in a local antique police car club in the Houston area for many years, and they helped immensely with finding some authentic police package cars for him to ponder.  I'm retired Border Patrol, I was involved with fleet purchases for many years, which got me interested in vintage police cars, although I never toyed with getting one.  The main problem I see with authentic vintage police cars is that, depending on the agency, they tend to get used until the wheels fall off, then you have to buy two or three just to make one.    

[Ivan_B]

42 minutes ago, Dan Hiebert said:

they tend to get used until the wheels fall off

Good point, that is very true. Same with taxis... ?

[Sniper]

Heck it's been my observation that the taxi companies buy used police cars and finish running them into the ground

[stukamensch]

8 hours ago, Dan Hiebert said:

Since you're an LEO, I'll point you back at vintage police car clubs, not just for the authenticity check, but for potential availability of cars for sale.  They'll tend not to give you the flim-flam because it is a small market.  My older brother (by 9 minutes) is a retired Texas Highway Patrol Trooper.  He was in a local antique police car club in the Houston area for many years, and they helped immensely with finding some authentic police package cars for him to ponder.  I'm retired Border Patrol, I was involved with fleet purchases for many years, which got me interested in vintage police cars, although I never toyed with getting one.  The main problem I see with authentic vintage police cars is that, depending on the agency, they tend to get used until the wheels fall off, then you have to buy two or three just to make one.    

I joined a couple FB groups that post and share classifieds fingers crossed.!