Need a little help on a 1958 price
 

I know you guys probably get this alot but I'm having a hard time with a fair price for a 1958. I will give you the story because you might enjoy it. I'm a meter reader and one day I walk by this house and I catch a glimpse of a head light peaking out of a garage. I walk halfway across the yard before it hits me. THAT IS AN OLD VETTE! I went back after work one day and this old lady comes to the door and pretty much is giving me the "go away look". I talked to her for quite awhile and of course a bunch of people have tried over the years but she wont let it go. She told me the vin # right off the top of her head so I knew she was in love with this car. So a few months go by and I stop by again and we talk again. Then a few more months went by and I thought of an idea. I bought her a replica die cast of a 58 just like what she has and wrote her a note explaining what my intentions were if I ever got the car. She called me and absolutely loved what I did and asked me to stop by. So I go see her about every 2 weeks and we just talk about this and that and she enjoys it. So she is kind of a shut in, but I took my Z06 over and finally got her out of the house. We were doing 110mph on the interstate ramp and she was loving it and wanting me to go faster! So she made the comment the other day that she thinks I'm gonna get the car. That could be next week or 10 years I don't know.

What I do know is that it's a 1958 and she has owned it since 1963 and it has been parked in a shed (paved floor) since the early 80's. She bought a 327 block for it back in 63 straight from GM, but it still has the original heads. She tells me everything original is either on the car or in her attic except the block. It is a no hit body and not a fuel injection car but the tach reads up to 8000 rpm. The interior is not original but is pretty much a cat haven so all of it will need replaced. I tried sticking my camera under to get a look a the frame. I was told that several years ago she let a guy put it on a rollback and take it to the car wash and he said the frame was good. All I would want to do is turn this into a nice driver. I know it's impossible to price this car but I was wondering what the lowest to highest range would be? Also would $20k come close to restoring this to a nice driver? Thanks for your time.

To hard to estimate..... You need to know what is needing to be replaced to make it a good driver. Parts for these are not cheap. Before making any offer to the lady you would have to know what parts need to be replaced...... Stewy

Quite a story! I do not follow pricing for C1's but as Stewy mentioned more information and pictures would be needed to give you a more accurate range. You might want at some point ask her what the price is. Tell her you will give her regular rides in the car and spend time with it once it is done and of course mean it :thumbs:
What year Z06 do you have?
:cheers:

There was a lot of mis-understanding in another thread just yesterday about pricing a '62. It was thought the car was a total basket case but it was more complete and in better shape than folks thought once pictures were posted. I'll refrain from giving estimates (heck I'm no expert anyway) henceforth without some visual clue to a car's condition.
Others here prob won't hesitate...

I will say that if the chrome trunk spears are missing subtract about $4,000 from any price you are considering; if the 'washboard' hood is missing I'd take off another $1,500...I can safely say that without more info than what's provided here.

I am NO expert (but I'm an ever increasingly informed shopper). Assuming that mechanically she purrs and the frame is good, a good paint job will cost $6000 (or alot more according to where you live and what kind of job you get). Chrome will be pricey. The "cat haven" will tack on several thousand for seats, carpet, prob dash and door panels. I doubt that the electrical will be plug and play. The top may need work or replacement.
So I guess the question is $20k in parts and you do the labor or, as in my case, pay a resto shop $20k for parts and labor.

I think a low price of 20K is about right if all is there and its running/stopping/drivable. I could be way off though,could be cheaper..we will see when others chime in.

Where is the car located...price can vary according to geographical location. People in California and Florida seem to think their cars are worth the most, IMO.

I agree that you can get a beautiful paint job for $6000, it all depends on what materials the painter uses and how good he is at what he does. I can't believe that some people pay $10-12K. PT

http://www.corvetteforum.net/classic...blood/rear.jpg

Interior is one year, trunk, hood, I think even the tach. Love my car.

1958 - one year features mentioned by Freddie the Fink makes it a desirable year. Assuming that the body doesn't have any major damage (big cracks or gouges), all the chrome is there even if it needs to be redone, that the windshield pieces and door posts are there....even if with cat infested interior......$25 to $35k.......

If the car is as you describe, you can plan on putting every bit of $20k in it and then some.

Does that mean parts or parts and labor?

thanks for the response guys. I will post some pics.

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and my 03 Z

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/d...lly/z06002.jpg

Ok forget 20k it's in real bad shape. I realise it will look a lot better when the car has had a massive clean. But and this is a big but the interior is shot. The switches are a tell tail of being left out in the rain for many years it looks like salt damage ? The wires and under dash will be shot. I'd think the car will need just about everything interior wise. The chassis looks real tired and will probably need a full rebuild. Having said that I have seen worse restored.
The pitting on the steering column looks nasty and the turn signal will need replacing and maybe a new column if the old one is to shot for paint. I would be looking elsewhere it's a big project. Seriously I have just been through this and mine was 10 times that car and I spent 2 years every second I had just to get it to a good driver. 10k at best ! I'm walking...... :willy: Stewy

I have had another look at the photos and the car has good gaps in the joins. The body is probably going to be the best part of this. I'd love to see the engine. If the engine isn't shot and the tranny shifts in gears and the diff is ok. It's worth a look ! But this car needs a massive look at on a hoist for hours. Every moving part on it needs to be checked for a tick or a cross. Tread very careful it needs lots of work. I still couldn't give you an estimate of what your up for. As Jim Duram says you need to write out a list of parts to get the car to the stage your happy with and then work out realistically the price you think it's worth and then you can work backwards to come up with a buy price. I could spend 50k on that car at a blink....... Stewy

Basket Case
 

That is definitely a full frame off restoration project. It is the type of car that needs to be torn apart to determine the damage and what is salvageable. Those door panels are classic. On the positive side the trunk irons and washboard hood are there. Price wise it is probably a 25k car. That's just my opinion. Greg

in this case, easily parts...your labor.

When I did my car.....just to give you an idea....

interior - $5k
engine rebuild by a shop and some new parts such as carb and distributor - $5k

So there is $10k and you don't have wheels or tires or paint or even the SS with dents removed and polished. And don't forget the chrome to be redone. Pretty soon you are past another $10 k minimum and more like $15k or $20k more.....

Redoing the hardtop alone will set you back a minimum of $2500 to $4k if you do the work yourself and have someone paint it....have Glassworks do it and an outright purchase of a top is almost $6k, again figure you can sell that one for $2k or so, you are back at $3-4k for the hardtop to be redone.

Everyone that has a Corvette has come to realize that the Corvette TAX is in full effect, meaning you will pay a lot more than say a Tri-Five to redo.

If you want to get an idea of prices, I would suggest down loading Paragons Catalog and then go page by page to see what you might need. They have drawings that help and you can make a list and get an idea of what you would have just in parts if you were to buy reproductions just from them.

http://www.paragoncorvette.com/t-CatalogDownload.aspx

Then you can get a budget. Things will cost more than you think so having a budget is a good way to start. Then you can find parts on fleabay, Craigs list or newspaper or even on the forum and possibly save money.

good luck!

by the way, I have an '03 Z06 as well....love the car in 3rd gear.....I call that my "pass now" gear.....because it will take you all the way to 105mph and be pulling the whole way....

You've got a job ahead of you, but I've seen worse. If you plan to do the work yourself, you might as well do a body off because it will need everything replaced. Parts are very expensive and chrome plating is out of sight. I would say all frame work, wiring, gauges, interior, tires, chrome, parts in general, etc. would be 15-20K doing the body off yourself. If you farm out paint and body work, probably 10-15K. I'm sure you would like it as cheap as possible and it sounds like you've made a friend. You don't want to feel like you cheated her, so maybe make a starting offer at 15K and work your way up to maybe 20K IMO.

WOW! I like stuff like that. Those door panels are from a circus or something.

YEah what were they thinking....... Stewy

It's not a great time in the U.S. economy at the moment. While you would be really busting your chops you could purchase something much better. If you put all your effort and parts into it you could buy a cheaper alternative that is a good driver for much less than you would be spending.... Stewy

thanks. i just got my Z a year ago and just dug out of the hole in my bank account from that purchase. im not obsessed with getting it, but it would be nice to have. she does not realize the decay that is taking place with it just sitting there. she has a 62 caddy in the garage and it's fully restored. the vette is her pride and joy but she just lets it go. she tells me a story of a 59 her husband had and a 57 with a factory installed rollbar. he traded it for a triumph motorcycle and a $100. she begged him to trade the 58 and keep the 57. thanks again guys.

Jason - I think you may have found the elusive "Little Old Lady from Pasadena" :thumbs:

-- Steve

The car looks like it can be resurrected by somebody not intimidated by a full on 'project'... Has a hardtop, the right hood and original trunk spears are in place.

If the frame isn't blown and the engine is original and salvageable it would be a good, but challenging, restoration candidate. Having said that and if you're up for it .. then its all about the price....

Wow,,, I'm shedding tears as I type!
I thought mine was the lost and abused orphan.

Take her into your home and nurse her back to health!!! She needs you to survive!!

Wow, now in 25 years of ownership I've had all those parts off but man. I guess that makes the decision to replace or recrome easy. I'd wonder about the frame with everything else that green. Interior and all the door/window trim. It would be a great project but be dedicated patient and deep pockets.

58
 

:iagree: Wow, what a project! Can't believe the deterioration inside the car and the picture of frame rust. I would give her some more rides and let her give you a price before offering any amount, you may offer more than she's willing to take. I agree it will take deep pockets for this one and hopefully you can do most yourself.
You may have only seen the tip of the iceburg. Good luck!

Her pride and joy will be going to a car graveyard if someone does not save it. She needs to let it go where someone can do something with it.

One thing Ive discovered owning a '58 is that I continue to be amazed at how much more expensive the parts are than they were for my other Corvettes, even the mid years.

Don't overlook the one year only stuff like the gauges, etc. Difficult & costly.

You will likely have to replace every bit of chrome, obviously the entire interior, everything under the hood, etc. Its pretty complete, looks like a good project platform, has the hood and spears, but if you are into the car for $70k when you are done you will be pretty upside down on an NOM car.

These cars are so hard to price. When you have a finished one or close to finished and you look at what it would legitimately would cost to replicate it, the numbers keep getting uglier.

:iagree: Stewy

Looks to have a radio! Any new pictures?

More Pictures
 

Went back today and tried to get better pics. Please tell me what you think? The frame looks like surface rust? It's so tight in that garage I just reach under and snap pics. I never realized there was gold on the paint till I got the pics on the computer. I was able to open the passenger door and I was amazed at how it opened right up and felt tight and also shut with ease.

I was told the other guy who wants it has a $20k check just waiting for her to call. I think if she can get that from him she should do it unless I'm missing something?

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If she has a buyer for 20k let him have it. It makes me sad that I have spent all my life collecting cars, fixing, painting, restoring them and to see people let valuable cars get to this condition makes me upset..... This 58 Corvette would of been parked in this spot with the chance of somebody being able to bring it back with very little work. Now someone has a massive job ahead of them.... Good luck to the loosing buyer....
It's a shid heap ! Anything can be fixed but the next owner has his work cut out for him. (neglect) :sad: Stewy

my opinion on that car-->
the only good thing i see is the car APPEARS to be somewhat complete without any major body issues (again APPEARS!!!)

what is your local, rust belt maybe? if you do ALL the work on that car yourself you are still going to be way upside down in it. that car needs EVERYTHING and i mean EVERYTHING. parts (58 parts) will take forever to find and will kill you $$wise. IMO unless you have incredibly deep pockets that car will never get finished. that car will take years of work before you even see any progress and will be an endless moneypit. you will lose enthusiasm for the project long before it is even close to assembly, i,ve seen it happen many times. if you are going to be paying someone for the restore you are looking at thousands and thousands of man hours in labor.

sorry for sounding so negative, i don,t mean too. :thumbs: i have been doing these cars since the late 60s and that car is just too far gone. it is a nice dream to see yourself cruising in that car, but in 5 years you will be sick of that car (tons of $$ spent and not even a drive around the block) and be selling a basket case. it has SERIOUS SERIOUS rust issues, let the guy with the $20K check buy it, then in 5 years he will be the one sick of it, way upside down and trying to unload it.

you will be money WAY WAY ahead to just look for a driver 58 now and buy it. don,t walk, RUN away from that car.

i,m just telling you how it is-->:thumbs::cheers: i have worked on these cars professionally for decades and am now retired (and now still do body offs on C1s-C2s just for fun) 2-3 years is about what it takes me to do one part time (in much better condition). i don,t think i would want to take on that car if the lady gave to me free!!!:willy::willy:

the best advice i have...:thumbs::cheers::leaving:

that car...:ack::ack::ack:

Yes I think you hit the nail on the head.
"I wouldn't take this car on if it was given to me for free......"
At the end of the day it would be wiser to part the car out than restore ? Stewy

I can't understand how a car could literally fall apart so badly! It looks like they fished it out of some lake after several years. RUN FORREST, RUN!!!!:ack:

I agree with mechron, the frame and All metal components are questionable. I had a restoration shop in the 80's and you learn very quickly to AVOID rust. Everything including the stainless show some rust or pitting. Even the seat springs probably aren't useable. You can find a very nice rust free driver for not much more than the 20K investment if you are looking for a C-1. It may not be a 58!:cheers:

That's why I took the time to ask. Thanks for all the comments good, bad and ugly. The truth is what I was looking for and you guys were honest. I honestly think the simple fact is she will never let it go and it will be parted out when she passes on. I think I will try and convince her to sell it to the other guy for the $20k. I know the guy and he is gonna do the work himself and turn around and sell it. Should atleast be fun to watch huh?

Well if that's his plan, tell him you can save him a lot of work if he'll just write you a check right now for $10k instead of buying the car. You see he's going to buy it for $20k, spend $30k getting it presentable, and maybe sell it for $40k taking a $10k loss.

If he's willing to throw $10k away like that, he might as well give it to you and avoid the work of fixing the car.

*The numbers above are simply representative. The bottom line is I doubt he'll fix it up and flip it for a profit.

If you're still around when when all that work is done, post some pictures of it here. I'm in my mid-60's so I probably won't live long enough to see it but there may be others who might still be alive:willy: :rofl:

-- Steve

I seriously doubt he would make a profit if he was given the car for free. I can see at least $50K to make the car presentable, and that's doing most work yourself.
I've never seen a car with that much corrosion. It must have been submerged in salt water at one time.

Jim

Agree on all counts. I imagine if you acid-dipped the car as is, you'd get a bunch of fiberglass, glass, stainless, chrome, wiring, and driveline pieces back. It's as if the rust is holding the car together!

I saw this a LOT when doing '65/'66 Mustangs (which are a lot more prone to rust). Some poor fella with good intentions falls in love with a car with rust issues and has no idea what he is in for. He buys the car and then reality sets in and he is in way over his head (and his bank account); marriage is in trouble somtimes and then he is looking for the 'greater fool' to unload the 1/10 completed car on.

Or some guy would have a 6-cyl Stang and be dying to convert it to a V-8 and spent twice the money a driveable V-8 would cost to do the conversion.

Its funny once somebody on here has a decent, driveable car and asks what its worth everybody on the forum says that its all about the enjoyment and pleasure and not about the money. When a member finds a project car its ALL about the money.

On a car that's a decent driver, it's not too hard to figure out a final dollar investment so the enjoyment and pleasure become more of a factor. On project cars, especially this 58, we try to point out the pitfalls and the enormous costs involved so the person can make an informed decision and won't end up like one of the examples you posted. :cheers:

Jim

I agree that is annoying, but the difference I believe, is that once someone owns a car, finding out what it's worth is a lot different than someone new to the the hobby asking if they should dig in to a money pit of a project.

It kind of looks like the result of the buried car in the Tulsa time capsule. Stewy

I'd say go for it....It's amazing what a little soap and water will do.....Btw,I'll take the trunk irons off your hands...:D

Gives me the creeps just looking at stuff that dirty. I think all that cat piss really took it's toll. More like an ammonia capsule

Hey if you plopped the body on another rolling chassis and they are not that uncommon today. Put what ever motor trans you like and slowly redo all the original drive line if you so choose. Perfect body for a modern chassis.

Damm trunk irons spoken for..... Ummm I'll put dibs on the hard top..

Update
 

Well I have kept in touch with this lady since I started this thread and have become pretty good friends with her. I try to see her a few times a month and have gotten her to a few cruise nights in town. Sometimes the car is never even brought up in conversation. This past week she asked me if I was ready to buy her car? I kind of laughed because she never gets rid of anything. Then she said her grand daughter needs money. We never talked price over the phone but if she is serious I know it's coming. I know you guys gave me your opinion and they varied. I guess what I'm wondering is if I offered $10k is that a safe price for me? My heart really wants this car because of the relationship I have built and knowing that I could have the car redone and she could ride in it again. However, my brain tells me I can go buy a 58-60 already in good shape for around $40k and I'm sure I would have every bit of that in this car plus headaches. So I'm thinking the smart thing is just tell her to sell to someone else. Agree?:rolleyes:

Since you have a friendship going on, you could offer her whatever you figure out is a fair price, explaining to her the additional costs you will incur to put it into shape, and tell her if that's not as much as she's looking for that you'd be happy to help her put it on the market at a higher price. She may or may not sell at the higher price in which case she'll come back to you and your offer.

I wouldn't do that for a stranger but I would for a friend.

I'm betting she's going to sell it to you at the price you name which puts a bit of a burden on you to be fair with her, which it sounds like you're doing anyway. :cheers:

-- Steve

I'd let her give you a figure she'd be happy with. If you name a too high price, you lose, too low, she'll hate you, so you lose also.(a friend) Ease into the cost and time involved with the build, maybe even bring a few catalogs to show her(seeing is believing), and then put the ball in her court....and of course include some seat time for her.....:D

"Instant Karma's gonna get you, knock you right in the head . You better get yourself together. Pretty soon you're going to be dead.," John Lennon
What I am trying to say is that I think you know that you should advise her to take the 20k from the other guy because you can only afford 10k and it really needs a lot more work than you thought it would. She just might sell it to you for 10k. No matter what she does, you benefit in the end.
By the way, I think its great that you have made friends with this old lady.
John

I can afford the $20k but it does not make financial sense because I would be upside down when it is done. I will make sure to post what happens in the end. Thanks

Maybe bringing her in on the resto costs will get her to see what you are up against. Obviously there is a relationshiip there but I think she is being a bit shrewd by stating someone else is ready to make an offer.

Sit down with her and price out some of the heavy duty stuff. It might open her eyes. Then offer 10k. IMHO.

The car is salvageable but alot of work. Not a quick project either, but I understand your feelings toward the car. Good luck. :thumbs:


Fred

There are some motivated sellers out there at the moment. You would be nuts to spend the next 2 years under that ruined car. You can buy a car for way less than that pig is going to owe you ! Get a list together of prices to show her what the car needs. I'm betting the price of the car is negative value ! It needs everything to make it sparkle and that's going to cost you big time ! If she can get 20k tow it to his house and watch it rot for another 50 years ! Sorry for my negative input but these cars are not cheap ! Stewy

Another question
 

I hear all about all of these motivated sellers but where are they? Everyone I see that is in real good shape is still around 40k. How do you get away from all the dealers? I know this sites for sale section is a good source but I just can't seem to find these motivated sellers.

A friend is looking at a ripper 61 today that for 38k original motor 2 tops and in excellent condition. Chrome and interior is like sex ! Yeah I don't know where my mate finds these but he has his ear to the ground he is a real bargain sniffer ! I drove his 65 and it's real clean original trans and donk 28k. He just lives for this stuff ! I cringe every time I speak to him he always has a car that's cheap as chips ! and sexy as hell he shids me when I think what I paid for mine. Stewy

I would be more than happy to buy this 58 (or any other solid axle that looks this complete) for 10K or 15K....and be more than happy to invest a bunch of sweat equity in it.:smash:

I ran my NOM '58 through Mecum a couple months ago and it bid to $45k (another offer @ $46k a few minutes later)- just for reference. I took it home and now a correct #739 283 is going into it.

It wouldnt hurt my feelings to buy that car at $10k. $20k is nuts. I'd tell her I've calculated the cost to repair it and $10k is simply the high end of what you could feel comfortable with. Tell her if someone offered her 20 she should run with it, with no hard feelings.

The pictures are great, the car is something. Depending on what you want a driver or not. If the original BW 4 sp trans is in it, and the posi unit. Those are expensive pieces. The shifter does not look original so the trans may be gone. It is a late production car the the earlier trans the more expensive they are.
My point is you may be able to recover a chuck of money, and put in a muncie and a later rear end.

I was thinking that the Visa card had better have a very high limit on it. Your going to need it for that project.

I think we all agree to get a list together and start adding up that very long list. Even if it's a resto mod it's going to be a long one ! You can't make an offer until you have a list of what it needs. Stewy

cost of a restoration
 

I am a week or so away from finishing a 2 year resto on my '58. Only chrome I needed was the windshield posts. I bring this up because there is a lot of chrome and rechroming things like those trunk spears alone will be $1,000 if not more (I am basing this on the ones in the pic looked pitted). We did most everything ourselves (all stainless polishing and the paint/body work). It was a complete frame off and had a lot of help from John McGraw via his tools, knowledge, plating tank, etc. and I have about 15K of parts and materials in the car.

It adds up quick and a lot of it is stuff you don't think about (like $250 in sandpaper for the body work, $100 of laquer thinner for cleaning parts, and $100 is paint stripper).

I think labor if paid for would have added another $20K or so.

I hope you get the car and good luck with the resto - but from a reality check perspective I would count on $20K in parts.

ya, know one thing hit me as I keep looking at the pics.. The Coke cans look pretty new to me..:eek:

1.- Did not have maroon in 58
2.- dash looks like a 270hp tach
3.- left front radiator air intake has a 4 inch plate covering it like all carb cars were,
so I will stay with my 270hp guess for OE engine.
4.- Was there a vin tag on the Driver door jamb? VERY COMMON FOR VIN TAGES TO ME MISSING ON THESE CARS. ONLY HELD WITH 2 PHILLIPS
SCREWS.
5.- NEEDS A BODY OFF RESTORATION, and once you get the paint stripped, you WILL FIND damage to the old body.

I have a widow friend who lost her husband to cancer in 2005, and their black / red 1960 is for sale.

Wishing for 42........was offered 25, as it has been hit and repaired, but overall in far better California rust free condition than this car, and is running, driving, registered condition still on its original black plates. She is still the owner, so my guess this 58 is a 15-17 value car.

Also,what is the intake, carb........engine numbers? I see the lock out shifter which was a 59 and up addition, so my guess is the trans is not original either.

Update
 

So of course I have kept in touch with this lady for all these years now and that car still has not moved. So she called me other night asking me to find a car cover for her Caddy, and I asked her if she wanted for that Vette also? She said she thinks shes ready to sell. I laughed her off and she said we would talk. I called her yesterday and she brought it up again. The roof on the garage is leaking and it's just a matter of time till the roof falls in on the Vette. She does not want to see that happen so she was wondering what I would be willing to pay her for it? So I would like you guys to keep me in check and if I'm not thinking straight let me know. I'm thinking I can go buy a non matching 58 for $50k in real nice shape. So I told her I thought about $10k is my limit because I don't have the time or tools to do the work myself. With that in mind I'm thinking $10k for the car and $40k for parts and labor on a full body off restoration. Then I'm sitting at $50k with a car that I know is solid. Now if I'm not even in the ball park please let me know. I'm also thinking 3-4 yrs. to complete. Thanks for your input and I'm sorry to keep stringing out this story.

On a side note I ran into the guy who offered her $20k and he told me that in fact he did offer her that. With that in mind I told her it will not hurt our friendship at all if she can get $20k out of him because I know there is a C1 out there with my name on it, but I have not found it yet.

Wow.. reading this interesting thread & didn't notice till almost the middle how old it is.

First thing to say, u've been the perfect friend to this lady & have done all the right things & not taken advantage of u'r friendship. I'm sure both of u have enjoyed the drives together taken in u'r vette. Many hats off to u!

I've just spent almost 3-4 full time months looking for my "perfect" vette. See my post here where I've just taken delivery of my '66. I've been told by at least 2 experts, that I could never have restored my car for what I paid for it.

During this search I've been told numerous times... the person who pays for the restoration almost never gets that expense back when selling. If they keep it to drive, they r soon in WAY further into the dollar hole than they ever imagined.

I added emphasis because u've been told this very same thing by guys w/ a hell of a lot of experience. I recommend that u follow their advice. Keep both of u happy by staying friends & help her sell it to a stranger for as much as she can get.

Thank you for the reply. I'm gonna take the advice and pass, but I'm gonna help her sell it if she even does. Saying your going to and doing are 2 diff. things. The one reply keeps sticking in my head about everyone seeing themselves driving down the highway in that car all restored, but the reality is I'm gonna be still dumping money into this 2 years from now and it still will not be finished. I think I will just keep saving and in 2 years I can just buy one that's ready to go.

I will update you guys on whatever happens to the car in the end.

:iagree:You are making the right decision IMO...

well I got the call today. She is gonna sell Monday because she is strapped for cash. I'm kinda emotional because i have invested a lot of time and dreaming with her and this car. A year ago we discussed price and I told her 10k was my top dollar. To my surprise the other guy is gonna give her the 20k. I almost feel like I'm missing something valuable about this car. So she wants me to take her for a ride in mine tomorrow. Then she is wanting me to be there when the guy takes it. I dont know about that. Anyway I will post when it's a done deal.

You lucked out by the other guy buying it. You can tell the whole frame is shot along with just about everything else. And you never did mention one main thing. Does it still have the vin body tag on the door post and if yes, is it to rotten to read. People get caught up in these little old lady cars thinking they are a real find. Maybe some are but this one is total JUNK.

I looked at the tach a little closer, as you really don't have a good photo odf the dash. I think the whole cluster is from a 59-62 car, and not a 58. 58's are all by themselves.

If she truely gets $20 for this car, then she should be kissing the buyers ear lobe. I see minium $50000 restoration costs here

I would love to hear the update to this post... did it actually sell... if so, how is the resto coming?

It's not Monday yet, so the car hasn't sold yet, so the restoration hasn't begun, yet :D

Sorry... didn't realize the date from the OP...
:hide:

I spent a few hours with her today. She found the title and showed it to me so I think shes gonna do it. It sounds like she may stall it out a day or so but it really has gotten to the point where she has to do something. I talked to an old friend of hers today who said he tried to take a lug nut off of it years ago and the thing just fell apart because of the rust. So I thought maybe the guy will get it out, load it up and then try to talk her down some. She told me the money will be in her hand before that car moves. I just can't see his angle on paying so much. Anyway, I will update as soon as I know.

Update
 

Well the car is sold! The guy paid $20k in cash and took her home today. Kind of makes me sad to know I will never get that car, but I feel good for my friend who needed the money. He told he was putting her away for awhile and then would start the restore.

I've been in the same boat. My dream of owning a 1947 Harley Knucklehead I chased for 20 years. I took it apart in my head and put it back to gether so many times, that today I am pretty darn good at restoring old Harleys. It never came true for me but it did for the mans nephew. Many other dreams came and went over the years. Don't put so much energy into it. The reality is, there are many more that will give you the joy, excitement and passion that you feel now. It isn't over. It's just beginning. Go for it!

Thanks builder, I know your right. I seem to be great at finding these cars and getting in the door, but I seem to be lacking in the "close the deal" department. I have another thread on a 66 I found and it's really nice and original. However, I can't seem to close the deal on that one either. He seems to like my offer but will not pull the trigger. Anyway, thanks for the comment.

Oh Boy! A project for people with thick hides. Wait when all the bolts are going to sheer off in the dis-assembly, lots of drilling and tapping. All that diecast that has turned to a white powder scares me.

Its been 2 years since the last post...