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"I'll send it to the junkyard before I'll sell it for less than $xxx."

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  • "I'll send it to the junkyard before I'll sell it for less than $xxx."

    "I'll send it to the junkyard before I'll sell it for less than $xxx."

    How many times have we all heard that? Yesterday, three of us traveled to Botetourt County (N of Roanoke, Virginia) to see two cars, a '56 Power Hawk and '57 Packard. My theory is that this threat is either/or: (1) A bargaining ploy, and/or (2) The seller would rather lose money than feel he'd been "taken advantage of." What say y'all?

    Anyway, the Power Hawk has a lot more rust than the seller stated (when has that ever happened?), so it is really a parts car. The seller said he would send it to the junk yard before he would take less than $600. We offered $400, then $500. It has no engine or trans, and no title. The back corners of the '56 hood are damaged and every body panel, except the roof, have rust-thru. Some panels, like the doors, could be saved. The good: (1) tinted w/s, rear window, and quarter windows; (2) grille, bumpers (cores), taillamps & lenses, some trim. The interior was all there. CraigsList: https://roanoke.craigslist.org/cto/6182655119.html

    The '57 Packard 4-dr was also deteriorated from long-time outdoor storage, but, upon raising the hood, there it was in all its glory, a complete, unmolested '57 Packard engine! The car has power steering, but few other options. It even had a radio block-off plate. This car was not on Craig's List.

    I have names and phone numbers (and pix) for both cars if anyone is interested. These parts should be saved. But there are too many owners of these cars who do not understand that their customers are few, diminishing in number, and ageing beyond the point of taking on another project. Perhaps they also think that Studebaker parts should have the same value as Chevy, Ford, or Pontiac, for whom there are great hordes of devotees with deeper pockets.
    -Dwight FitzSimons

  • #2
    Yes, I have heard this before. Unfortunately since Studebakers are "rare" lots of folks think they have something much more valuable than they really are. It is crazy to be willing to take something like these two cars to the scrap yard rather than get more money than they will go for scrap, but when you sincerely overprice something that logic flies our the window.

    That said sometimes we bring this upon ourselves. A friend and I have been trying to sell parts that we have gathered over the years. Some, especially the NOS sheet metal, were rejected because people were not willing to pay what we thought were fair prices. We were at York, where we sold nothing, and South Bend where finally much was sold for prices that were unreasonably low just to get rid of the stuff.
    Last edited by JRoberts; 06-23-2017, 07:56 AM.
    Joe Roberts
    '61 R1 Champ
    '65 Cruiser
    Eastern North Carolina Chapter

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    • #3
      Years ago there was a 34 Chevy pick up on a farm near here , The farmer wouldn't sell it , He even ran a friend off the property by threatening him with a shot gun , Anyway many attempts were made to buy that truck , You know what he did with it ? Cut it up ! Dumb S--t , You just can't reason with some people , Ed

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      • #4
        I've heard that several times over the years. Really, really makes me wonder about that person's ability to thought-process, LOL.
        Bill Pressler
        Kent, OH
        (formerly Greenville, PA)
        Currently owned: 1966 Cruiser, Timberline Turquoise, 26K miles
        Formerly owned: 1963 Lark Daytona Skytop R1, Ermine White
        1964 Daytona Hardtop, Strato Blue
        1966 Daytona Sports Sedan, Niagara Blue Mist
        All are in Australia now

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        • #5
          When I was a young guy, there was a small rural junkyard that was full of kool cars, one of which was a 48 Nash Ambassador. It was in pristine condition & I wanted it terribly bad. The owner wasn't interested in selling. Every few weeks I would go by & bug him about that car. One Saturday I stopped by & went out to see the car again....to find that someone had knocked out half of the windows and all of the glass from the gages on the dash. I ran up to the shop to report the vandalism & the reply I got from the old guy was "I broke them myself so you'd stop bugging me about that car!" I was heart broken. Almost every car in that yard melted into the ground by the time the old guy died....

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          • #6
            Selfishness and greed know no logic.

            Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
            K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
            Ron Smith
            Where the heck is Fawn Lodge, CA?

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            • #7
              Many years ago, I established certain rules for trolling the countryside looking for vintage machines and cars. First, drive a mundane "everyday" vehicle. Don't dress up. Jeans, coveralls, work boots, and dirty fingernails. A shop rag hanging out your back pocket is a plus. If you have one, don't wear your college ring. Adjust your vocabulary to the one you are hearing. However, if the person you are engaging with uses profanity, there's nothing to gain by matching that. In my case, I can talk "drawl" with the best, but never try to contrive dialect. Main thing is to be humble, friendly, and try to establish a congenial friendship.

              I once stopped and engaged a guy in western North Carolina, (a true mountain man), in a conversation regarding a '58 Packard two door hardtop sitting under a tree alongside a winding road. We had a friendly conversation, and I got around to asking about the Packard. He proudly boasted that it was a very rare valuable Packard Hawk. (Actually, a sedan) In truth, it was a sad rodent house fairly well beyond reasonable restoration potential. I have had similar experiences with a Pierce-Arrow, Graham Paige, 32 Studebaker, and others. I never make an initial offer, without an indication from the owner as to what he values the vehicle. I'm always respectful, but willing to walk away. I leave my contact information, wish the person well, and state that if someone else does not buy...I might still be interested later on.

              This approach has worked for me attaining two vehicles for hundreds, rather than thousands, and in a couple of cases...outright free, just for hauling them away. In regards to the the '58 Packard, '32 Studebaker, and Pierce-Arrow...not acquiring them was a blessing. In all of these, a burden of restoration, storage, and maintenance beyond reasonable resources. I don't think the rewards could have ever offset the stress.
              John Clary
              Greer, SC

              SDC member since 1975

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              • #8
                I had a somewhat similar experience about 40 years ago when I acquired a '52 that was supposedly owned by a guy who had died. His parents didn't want the car, but couldn't find the title. After they searched for a couple weeks in vain, I went to get an abandoned title. The DMV clerk wanted me to post a $2000 bond for 6 months. She said "They don't make them anymore". I replied "They don't make '52 Chevies anymore either, but that doesn't make them worth $2000" and left. A bit more research ended up finding the title had never been transferred through a couple previous owners, so the one of record filed for a lost title and transferred it to me.

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                • #9
                  from our local craigslist:

                  I am tired of tripping over these things, and want to SELL them to someone that loves Studebakers and can make use of them. I am not giving these away, but I am selling them for very little----$300 takes it all! Don't waste my time offering me less, I know what they are worth, and how hard they are to find. IF NO ONE WANTS THESE FOR MY PRICE, I WILL HAUL THEM TO THE LOCAL SCRAP YARD AND THEY WILL BE MELTED DOWN!!
                  jack vines
                  PackardV8

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                  • #10
                    Selfishness and greed know no logic.
                    You forgot stupidity.
                    The only difference between death and taxes is that death does not grow worse every time Congress convenes. - Will Rogers

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by PackardV8 View Post
                      from our local craigslist:

                      I am tired of tripping over these things, and want to SELL them to someone that loves Studebakers and can make use of them. I am not giving these away, but I am selling them for very little----$300 takes it all! Don't waste my time offering me less, I know what they are worth, and how hard they are to find. IF NO ONE WANTS THESE FOR MY PRICE, I WILL HAUL THEM TO THE LOCAL SCRAP YARD AND THEY WILL BE MELTED DOWN!!

                      jack vines
                      Interesting thing about folks that make such bold threats. Usually, if you look around, you notice there's no hauler on site to carry out the threat. If you showed up with a hauler, and offered to do it for them, they'd probably refuse the offer...especially if you charged the going rate for the haul. Even if they had the means, they're probably too lazy, or the things would not be there now.

                      The rate for scrap fluctuates wildly. Don't know what it is now, but there was a time that you would be charged to have an old car hauled off to a scrap yard. Around here, due to thieves stealing cars and selling them for junk, laws have changed and scrappers will not accept an intact vehicle without a title. If you separate your metals, like copper & aluminum, you have to go to the sheriff's office and get a permit. All due to thieves.
                      John Clary
                      Greer, SC

                      SDC member since 1975

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                      • #12
                        As a society we have the freedom to make choices regarding our personal possessions. Who are we to criticize others because they may not adhere to the same values and ideals we have? In my view, contributors on this forum spend far too much time criticizing the actions (and possessions) of others. The bottom line is that any owner is free to make decisions on his (or her) property and complaining about it on an Internet forum isn't going to change anything.

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                        • #13
                          I suppose you are right about it being their possession, and they can certainly do what they want with it, but why smash something up (48 Nash), just to keep somebody else from having it? I have turned down requests to buy a lot of my possessions, but it was because I thought that I had a use for it, or would make a future project out of it. Often times I will give something away if I admit to myself that I don't have the time it needs, and think they will take good care of it.
                          Tom Senecal Not enough money or years to build all of the Studebakers that I think I can.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by tsenecal View Post
                            I suppose you are right about it being their possession, and they can certainly do what they want with it, but why smash something up (48 Nash), just to keep somebody else from having it? I have turned down requests to buy a lot of my possessions, but it was because I thought that I had a use for it, or would make a future project out of it. Often times I will give something away if I admit to myself that I don't have the time it needs, and think they will take good care of it.
                            Based on the information, the owner got tired of being harassed about a car he did not want to sell so he solved the problem from his vantage point. It appears that not accepting the owner's response is what did the car in.

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                            • #15
                              Well, here is a rather famous example the type of begrudger we are discussing;

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