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So, I saw this car on craigslist and showed the pic to my wife because I liked the color and wanted her opinion to paint my car that way. She looks at the pic and said "Isn't that one in better shape than that pile of sh*t in the driveway"? I said it looks like it from the pics. Then she said, "It's only $3500? Just buy that one and sell your junk car". Description is mechanically good, interior fair, needs paint and bodywork on right rear. Here are the pics.

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At that point, the $3500 seemed like a good buy. I contacted the seller, but turned out to be just a friend. They supplied this picture of the body damage. Now that I see that, I'm thinking this is more of a $2,500 car. What do you guys think? I have not shopped for one of these so I'm not really familiar with the market. The trim appears to be gone and the holes possibly filled in. The rear bumper is bad. Luckily, I have most of the parts to replace the bad. I asked if it would make the 80 mile trip back to my house and the seller said you can drive it anywhere.

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Having followed your blog with quiet dismay for some time I would jump up and down and say yes. This particular example seems to have a lot of bondo so I would take a magnet with me for the inspection. I'll bet you could get it for 2 if you let them sit with it for a while. Even if it has some serious needs, you have a ready parts car. But even better, you now have a lot of knowledge of how the cars are built, where to look for rust, and how they should run.

Thank you Ross for your wisdom. No regrets on my current car. I have learned a lot from the old girl.

How do you know there is a lot of bondo? I assumed the peeling paint and damaged area was primer underneath. I'll try to get more pics and info. Supposably it has a 327 which would be the wrong engine. Not sure how I feel about that.

Apparently the owner bought a car collection and is trying to make money on them. Not sure how long they would have to sit to get to 2k. They may be over valuing it.

I'm also concerned about trying to drive an unproven car(at least for me) 80 miles home. I do not have any tow vehicles in case of trouble.

What Ross said! Your current car has been valuable as an introduction & will make a great donor.
(Your wife is a keeper)

I was just looking at the spot behind the right rear wheel, but hard to tell from the photos.

Before you drive it home you join AAA, and opt for the first upgrade that gives you 100 miles towing. Its a darn nice thing to have in any event for not a lot of money.

On the plus side, the steering wheel and dash look good in spite of the missing hand grip. Over 40 years of screwing around with old cars I have found that a good clean dash often gives a first clue as to overall condition and mileage. I don't know how many cars I have seen on ebay and elsewhere advertised as "only 30,000 miles". One look at every scrap of paint worn off the rim of the wheel tells me to add 100,000 to that.

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That's what I said in my reply to your very first post. Based on 50 years of messing with old cars. Hope it does not take you as long to smarten up as it did me.

I think you should check it out. From the photo it looks like the damage is just scraped paint and a mangled fender skirt, or superficial and easy to fix.

Based on your fight with your old heap you should know where to look for trouble. I would be very suspicious of a car like that, it looks like it has had some cheap sub standard repairs and paint recently. But you should know what to look for by now. If it needs a lot less work than your old car, make an offer. I would start around $1000 or $1500. Cars like that are not easy to sell these days. If you can't get to first base give them your name and phone number and ask them to give you a call in a week or 2. You be ready to follow up with them. If it doesn't sell you may be able to get a deal in a few weeks where you couldn't today. As long as you don't insult or antagonize them.

I see a smashed left quarter, a smashed deck lid, a smashed right quarter and door, a smashed hood, a smashed front bumper, and something suspicious about the roof. So the question is: How did that happen? Looks to me like it rolled down a hill backwards, spun out, or lost its brakes smashed into trees then rolled down a hill backwards into more trees.


So how much should be taken off for collision damage?

Thanks guys for your input. You are really helping me out. I have been texting the owner most of the day and got some more pictures. Tim, I do not see the damage you are talking about. Am I that blind? I agree it has a quick paint job because they did not even tape off the data plate on the pillar. Story appears to be that the guy bought this as part of a collection of cars and is selling them. Some kind of car flipper I guess.

The motor number indicates it is a 288, not a 327. Data plate puts it as a 200 model. He says he does not see rust issues in the floor or rockers. When I asked how much he has drove it, he said he only ran it a few times but the trans shifts and the brakes have new wheel cylinders.

The pics of the body damage show some rust holes so I am wondering if the body is full of bondo.

He does not have much of the side trim or the Ultramatic emblems. The wiper arms are missing.

The interior doesn't look too bad, but is it correct? The back of the front seat is different from my car.

What didn't sit well with me was toward the end of our texting conversation, I thanked him for his patience answering my questions. Then I asked if the lights, gauges, radio and power antenna work. He also offered delivery so I asked if back out to my place was too far.

He replied he would check when he got back.

Then 6 min later, he replied" This car is 63 yrs old. What I think your looking for will cost more. I had a 52 and sold it for 10,500 with a nice paint job"

I don't know why that was called for and we had not even negotiated on the price yet.

I replied "I'm trying to see what the issues are with the car. Never said any of it is a deal breaker." Not sure how flexible he is going to be on that 3,500 price with that attitude.

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