Question about car value from Kirby's

[53k]

The reason I went to Torrey's place yesterday was Torrey posted a list of cars he would sell on the bulletin board at York. A young fellow in our chapter was interested in the '54 Champion coupe he listed. I didn't look at it as closely as I should have, but while fairly rusty, it is complete and unmolested, has radio and overdrive. It has been sitting on blocks since it was driven in to its resting spot 30+ years ago so it hasn't sunk in to the mud like a lot of them. What is a fair and reasonable price for something like this (behind the huge Packard hearse- yes, either the tree has to be cut down or the fence torn down to move the '54?)


Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[bams50]

Paul, I doubt anyone could give a price range based on that one picture! We'd need at least something to go on besides the fact that a hood and fender exist[)]

Do you have anything else?

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[BobPalma]

An easy way to figure the "value" is a trick -oops, technique- I have used on recalcitrant sellers for some time. To wit:

Reason that you could buy the best 1954 Champion Coupe (C body) in the country for, say, $18,000. The seller is usually excited to hear such a large number, so they are automtically predisposed to listen to everything else you have to say, and to your line of reasoning.

Then, with the seller, walk around the car and deduct how much it would cost to make the subject piece into said $18,000 car.

In this case, the "value" of the subject car may (and probably will) wind up being a negative number.

Once the seller "kind of goes along with" your line of reasoning (you have to procede cautiously with this concept; most sellers are slow to understand this), then you "together" will have computed the approximate "value" of the subject car. Heh, heh... BP

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by bams50

Paul, I doubt anyone could give a price range based on that one picture! We'd need at least something to go on besides the fact that a hood and fender exist[)]
Do you have anything else?

I don't have any other pix of it. Somehow I got distracted before taking a closer look. We are going back in a few days and I'll look closer and take more detailed pix.

Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by BobPalma

An easy way to figure the "value" is a trick -oops, technique- I have used on recalcitrant sellers for some time. To wit:
Reason that you could buy the best 1954 Champion Coupe (C body) in the country for, say, $18,000. The seller is usually excited to hear such a large number, so they are automtically predisposed to listen to everything else you have to say, and to your line of reasoning.
Then, with the seller, walk around the car and deduct how much it would cost to make the subject piece into said $18,000 car.
In this case, the "value" of the subject car may (and probably will) wind up being a negative number.
Once the seller "kind of goes along with" your line of reasoning (you have to procede cautiously with this concept; most sellers are slow to understand this), then you "together" will have computed the approximate "value" of the subject car. Heh, heh... BP

You don't happen to teach negotiating do you? You are following the techniques of Power Negotiating pretty closely. Thanks for reminding me.

Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[53k]

We went back to Torrey's today to buy the '54 coupe. Mark had negotiated him down to $300. In taking a closer look-

Not TOO bad from here.


Still passible.





Uh Oh!




We couldn't open either door and when we carefully opened the hood, one mounting bolt came out of the hood frame (what was left of it). We didn't try to open the trunk, but it felt very "limber". Most of the sheet metal was paper thin and the frame was virtually gone in places. Look at the left front rim. I doubt if any of the wheels would have rolled. We decided it might pull apart in trying to move it so Mark passed even at $300. It might have been possible to bring back the car, but my friend's $$$ and ability were just too limited to take on something like that. Such a shame. It was a nicely equipped Regal too.

Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[studegary]

That is the first hood latch front panel that I have seen rusted out that bad and I have seen a lot of rusty New York State Studebakers.
I wonder what that Champion Starlight looked like when it was parked there. I see a few items that may be of value to someone in need of them.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[Jeff_H]

Ouch!

My '53 looked like this when I got it:



Sitting in that spot for ~30yrs. It DID have frame rot (with holes) and lots of other body rot, but there was enough left that it stayed together for me to move it. Despite what it appears in the picture, the frame on mine was not sitting in the dirt. The front was sitting on some old rail ties that had rotted down. Front wheels were off. The only thing that was actually in the ground was the rear rims and the right front A arm and brake drum. The frame was "dry" and the rust out was from before it was parked. Most of the dirt seen was built up around the car from years of snow drifts carrying soil from the fields. The car was actually in a "pit".

This one seems like it may be in much worse shape even tho at first glance it looks better. That frame looks like it's on the ground. I agree with Gary, there are a lot of good parts on it. Might be worth the asking price if they let the buyer part it in place. Moving it would not be easy.

Jeff in ND

'53 Champion Hardtop

[JDP]

Bring back what ? The vin and body tag maybe, the rest it too rusty to bolt new parts to.

JDP/Maryland

[Lark Parker]

That front bumper bar looks pretty good. Keep it, replace the bumper guards, and then replace all the parts behind it except the vin and body tag (if the car has a title).
Some people think the C/K's look better without the bumper guards so replacing those is kind of optional.

Your friend may not have much money but he can surely do better for even that modest amount. He was right to pass on it. I would also expect the frame to break in two on this one when you tried to move it.
Look around a bit more -- is my unasked for advice.

Lark Parker

Just an innocent possum strolling down life's highway.

[bams50]

The irony is he cared enough about it to take the time to put it up on blocks. Sadly, didn't seem to help[xx(]

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[whacker]

Those front grill surrounds look like they may be worth the $300 by themselves, they are pitted but don't look broken. There is easily $300 worth of parts there. Headlight bezels, front bumper, what else? I can't tell about the rear bumper or the quarter panels, but those may be worth something. Tail lights and housings? What about them? Other trim?