brutal honesty needed 38-39 plymouth??

maybe im in the right church but the wrong pew , if so maybe mustang can move it to its proper place
a fella i know has this car and he wants a little bit more than
i think its worth <$2000> its suppose to be a 38 plymouth needs completly restored or rodded
what yall think i should offer this cat??? the car is in new orleans so a 327 mile trip would be involved..

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...2802b0b497.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...25aca588ac.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...15d9d265c3.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...3b32451c71.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...b13c4dc370.jpg

Seems to be surface rust only, I didn't see any holes. If so, and if a title comes with it, $ 2000 isn't way out of line. These are a little harder to find parts and hot rod items for (like suspension swap kits) but they sure are cool looking.

I'd buy it, I think.

Don

What Pops said as far as price. But as a reference point, the second car pictured below has been for sale for almost a year at $13.5k with no takers.

That's a 39 not 38. The headlights are supposed to be squareish (see second pic below), those are probably a period aftermarket conversion to use a standard seal beam.

The 38 has the ovoid shaped grille (among many other differences).


Edit: apparently someone recently fell in love with the black car, it's no longer on the dealers website.

That thing will make a cool ride and if the floor is in as good of shape as the rest if the car looks I don't think he's to far out of line either. you can always make an offer lower and see if he starts laughing or groaning !! :)

A good point Denny brought up ,..."what its been thru ",theres a 90 percent chance it was under salt water for a undetermined period of time:eek:
Might want to consider dipping this one as a manditory step.:HMMM:

Take a long hard look underneath before you put money up on that,and remember there's very little aftermarket available for it.If it's solid underneath,I think the price is high. Hank

I dont think that is a terrible amount, around these parts a body that solid would go for more.

the cars was not under water during or after katrina , the car is on the west bank across the river from new orleans , i think im gonna offer the guy $500 and see what happens ..

From the looks of the car in the pics, looks like the front sheetmetal, and the majority of the body is in good shape. If you get it for $500.00, you stole it!!! $2,000.00 isn't too far out of line I don't think. Even a hole or two in the floor is easy enough to patch. Guess it depends on how bad you want it and how bad he wants to sell it.....

Make him that $500/750 offer and at least get it on the table for some sort of a reasonable bargaining price beginning. While late '30s cars in restorable shape are getting scarce, a '38/9 Plymouth doesn't really have a lot of takers at any time - even if you are going to have to find a home for your spare Chebbie engine:LOL: .

As previously mentioned the $2k price is not that high especially if the body and floor is in good shape. Parts are available for those cars, just not as widely available as with Fords. Looks like the car has most of it's parts so that may not be an issue anyway. If you're going to rod it, then it's even less of an issue. There are vendors who make IFS for the car. Been seeing more and more old Mopars, since they are nearly always all steel cars and not easy to find original steel in other makes. Never be as popular as Fords, but not everyone wants to be the same.:LOL:

39, a one year only car, that's a hump back or trunk back. They come with very stout and cool frame, any aftermarket front clip will fit and a 10 bolt Chevy year sets the tires perfect. From the pictures I'd expect rust in the trunk,where the running boards connect to the fenders and possible front floor near the fenders. Also if your have to replace the rear valance under the trunk lid, someone will need to make it, no aftermarket piece. If I had to by the parts off that car, the nose chrome and ship would be 500, 250 a fender,150 hood w/sides etc. There's more than 2000 in parts, it's really a matter of where you want to go, figure a 3 year project minimum,I'd offer 1000 no more...
Here's my 39 slant back as it sit now, waiting for painter to take it.
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...lymouth007.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...T/plymouth.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...lymouth004.jpg
Here's a buds 38 and 39 coupes...
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...ymouths002.jpg

i tossed the $500 out on the table and the guy told me he had to think about it , if he stands pat at his asking price i think im gonna give it a pass , i have enough on my plate at the moment , hes had the car a few years i dont think its going anyplace anytime soon .. thanks for yalls thoughts it helped me in my decision making process..

My nephew told me there was a nice running 39 Chrysler 2 door sedan in Charlotte last week end for $7000.00. It had a Chrysler 413, 727TF, and 8 3/4 rear. I did not see the car, but he said was in great shape. He is considering buying it. If any interest, I will see if I can get the guys number and address.
$2000.00 is top price for that car, especially for someone who doesn't need another project.

Jack

i still have not heard back from the guy , if he still has it in a few weeks im going to go down and look at the car , i have to go down there anyway for some bussiness anyway , at least see for myself what kind of shape its in ..
maybe theres and old hemi in the trunk:D:D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by flh4speed

i tossed the $500 out on the table and the guy told me he had to think about it , if he stands pat at his asking price i think im gonna give it a pass , i have enough on my plate at the moment , hes had the car a few years i dont think its going anyplace anytime soon .. thanks for yalls thoughts it helped me in my decision making process..

---

Bet he comes back with $1000. And your counter offer?? Why $750, of course. I bet that between bouncing off Mississippi bridge pilings you could find lots of time:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

My Westbank home took on 12 inches of water, and is 30 inches above street level. That's in Harvey. North of US 90 did better than south.

My '93 New Yorker was parked up the driveway and took 4 inches of water above the rockers. It still runs (I gave it to a friend that didn't have transportation) but lots of electrical issues.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SBC

My Westbank home took on 12 inches of water, and is 30 inches above street level. That's in Harvey. North of US 90 did better than south.

My '93 New Yorker was parked up the driveway and took 4 inches of water above the rockers. It still runs (I gave it to a friend that didn't have transportation) but lots of electrical issues.

---

the cars in gretna next door to my brothers house , lotsa wind and rain during katrina but it didnt flood in the old part of town once known as mechanicsville:D you from Nola SBC? me and the wife are from marrero..

Yeah - I lived in Gretna 20 years - 920 8th street.
My legal description refers to Mechanicsham as the old German town.

Moved to Harvey in 97 and Houston after Katrina.
I also have a 77 FLH - I'll bet we know some common friends.
Harley Charlie, Brad Fox, Beast Mire, Pappy, Roland and Farrell, Jerry and Glenn Loup . . .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by IC2

Bet he comes back with $1000. And your counter offer?? Why $750, of course. I bet that between bouncing off Mississippi bridge pilings you could find lots of time:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

---

i resemble that remark:D

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x.../ATT000155.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x.../ATT000217.jpg
all i need is a fresh pair of BVDs and im willing to do all my own stunts..haha

What happened ,did the fuel filter clog ...or ?
I have been on those boats alot ,my dad is the youngest pilot to ever get his licence on the missouri river.
Been at Massman, for a while now.
What barge companies boat was that ?
Aleast you got out of that booger ,before she hit bottom!!!!!
Massmans boat yard is right above the chain of rocks in st.louis,right past where you enter the canal for lock 26 or 27 ,do not remember which pool number it is.....

Saw one on tv a few years back where the tug hit a bridge in flood stage, rolled over, when under the bridge and then came up....upright.. on the other side. Was that the same as the one in the pix? I don't remember where it happened. It was kind of neat to watch.

it happened on the black warrior river in alabama in the late 70s , and yes the boat righted its self and no harm to the personel other than the odviuos laundry change:D the boat belonged to WGN , Warrior Gulf Navigation
Shawnlee28 that would be lock 27s pool as lock 26 no longer existes and was replaced by Mel Price lock and dam..

being i have hi-jacked my own thread heres the rest of the pics ...bridge-1 towboat-0 :D
and no this was not any vessel i have ever worked on i just have the pics my own dad gave
me years ago to remind me that this industry will kill you or others in a heartbeat .. after 30 years out here its worked so far:D

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...TT000279-1.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...ATT0003010.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...ATT0003311.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...T0003612-1.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...ATT0004214.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...ATT0004515.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...ATT0004816.jpg

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:


Don

Think they need to transfer some weight, the left side appears to be a bit low!!!!! On airplanes, they adjust that with a trim tab....do boats have them???????:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

It looks like most of the metal is there and in repairable shape but whatever is missing may be hard to find. One point not mentioned so far is the nostalgia angle. My family had two '36 Plymouths, a '40 and a '50 as hand-downs when my grandfather would trade in his Plymouth by trading my Dad's earlier Plymouth and giving us the later model. As a kid I recall a lot of low income adventures trying to keep those Plymouths running and they usually had a tractor-like low gear ratio; especially the '36 model! What I am trying to say is that I was a Fordnatic as a teenager and rebelled against the constant stream of Plymouths as straight-six dogs but my Grandfather swore by the MOPAR hydraulic brakes during a period when the Ford mechanical brakes were scary at best. So for me a '39 Plymouth would be a time machine back in memory lane and I would try to put a 318 into it and I would offer $1000 with the idea of trying to get it. For you with other projects it would seem there is not the nostalgia aspect so unless you have a MOPAR obsession it would be better for somebody else to bring it back to life.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Think they need to transfer some weight, the left side appears to be a bit low!!!!! On airplanes, they adjust that with a trim tab....do boats have them???????:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

---

in the first pic you can see the engine room door is closed when the boat started to trip , if the door had been open well the boat would not have made it and would have sunk on the spot , pure luck , and the answer to the trim tab question , nope , ballist tanks , fuel tanks , and water tanks trim these boats:3dSMILE:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don Shillady

It looks like most of the metal is there and in repairable shape but whatever is missing may be hard to find. One point not mentioned so far is the nostalgia angle. My family had two '36 Plymouths, a '40 and a '50 as hand-downs when my grandfather would trade in his Plymouth by trading my Dad's earlier Plymouth and giving us the later model. As a kid I recall a lot of low income adventures trying to keep those Plymouths running and they usually had a tractor-like low gear ratio; especially the '36 model! What I am trying to say is that I was a Fordnatic as a teenager and rebelled against the constant stream of Plymouths as straight-six dogs but my Grandfather swore by the MOPAR hydraulic brakes during a period when the Ford mechanical brakes were scary at best. So for me a '39 Plymouth would be a time machine back in memory lane and I would try to put a 318 into it and I would offer $1000 with the idea of trying to get it. For you with other projects it would seem there is not the nostalgia aspect so unless you have a MOPAR obsession it would be better for somebody else to bring it back to life.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

---

as for having other projects you are right as i sure do , i also have a donor dodge sitting out back that would do this body good and no i do not have a nostalgia aspect for any mopar in general other than the roadrunners and cudas i have owned in the past most of my interests have always been in muscle cars and until just resently i started getting interested in older rides
motorcycles , 50s and 60s cars i have a handle on , i posted this thread to find out what the members of this site would pay for a car of this age and in this shape , i also know the car has been sitting as is for at least 8 years
if i can get the car cheap i will buy it , if not i can live without it..

$5-700 is in there not $2000. NADA shows low retail at $4,525. But that is:

Low Retail Value
This vehicle would be in mechanically functional condition, needing only minor reconditioning. The exterior paint, trim, and interior would show normal wear, needing only minor reconditioning. May also be a deteriorated restoration or a very poor amateur restoration. Most usable "as-is".

VMR only goes back to 1946 but shows a Plymouth in this condition at $650-700. Note the #5 condition

Collector Car Market Review
Condition Guidelines


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#1 Excellent: A close to perfect original or a very well restored vehicle. Generally a body-off restoration, but a well done body-on restoration that has been fully detailed may qualify. The vehicle is stunning to look at and any flaws are trivial and not readily apparent. Everything works as new. All equipment is original, NOS, or excellent quality reproductions. (See show car description in How to Use section.)

#2 Very Good: An extremely presentable vehicle showing minimal wear, or a well restored vehicle. Runs and drives smooth and tight. Needs no mechanical or cosmetic work. All areas (chassis not required) have been fully detailed. Beautiful to look at but clearly below a #1 vehicle.

#3 Good: Presentable inside and out with some signs of wear. Not detailed but very clean. Body should be straight and solid with no apparent rust and absolutely no rust-through anywhere. Shiny, attractive paint but may have evidence of minor fading or checking or other imperfections. Runs and drives well. May need some minor mechanical or cosmetic work but is fully usable and enjoyable as is.

#4 Fair: runs and drives OK but needs work throughout the vehicle. Body shows signs of wear or previous restoration work. Any rust should be minimal and not in any structural areas. Cosmetics, body, and mechanics all need work to some degree.

#5 Poor: In need of complete restoration, but is complete and not a rust bucket beyond repair. May or may not run. Not roadworthy.

Parts or Salvage: Incomplete vehicle most useful for parts. Generally, take 50-60% of the #5 value.

thankz twitch that helps :D