VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 Whats a fair value

Looking on purchasing a nice 1947 Chevrolet 4 door Stylemaster, driveable except for junk 16" tires,10 year old brake job,it has been painted 2X's the original color,present paint job is good but not a show job, a little bit of body filler here and there,good to excellent interior (except for headliner piping coming loose on both sides),runs well but I did not drive it, steering a little loose(may just be steering box adjustment?Chrome is fair to good, no signals,needs minor repairs here and there. What do you guys think would be a fair purchase price, owner is asking 10K thanks

From what you described, I would say 5-7K. Pics of it would help us help you.

Good luck,
Charlie

To me it would be a $3000 car considering all the "surprises" you will find after you bring it home.

10K is out of sight. Way too high. It is possibly a $3000 - $3,500 Chevy. Now of course, to me a lot depends on the rust on the underside. If significant rusting, the price drops to less than $2000 in my view or possibly lower. In Ohio, if it had been driven in the winter, look closely at the underside. Mechancial repairs would be cheap compared to any major body/rust repairs.

dtm

Sorry , no pictures, the body is very ,very solid, no patching anywhere.there is a small bit of bondo below tailights on both side but inside the trunk in the same area seems to be original metal and solid.Just light surface rust on underside and owner had underside oiled.I was thinking $6-7K but maybe I am high??:)

I think $3000 to $5000 is a fair price range. Remember a 4 door should be less valuable than a 2 door. I think if you are serious you need to do a through inspection of the car including pictures of everything. When I bought my car 11 years ago I narrated a video of its condition then several days latter agreed to a price. I would take a small magnet and go over common rust areas (cowl, passenger/driver side floors closest to doors, lower front fenders, under rear tail lights and the tire well in the trunk.

I would roll down each window, check the alignment of the doors, hood, trunk, and front fenders. I would also drive the car with no one in it so you could concentrate on how it shifts, steers, the condition of the brakes, how it accelerates, if there are vibrations in the drive train, and engine noise. Do the gauges work? Does the seat move easily?

I would want to talk with the owner about all previous repairs and get a complete history of the car. Have a list of questions to ask. Most cars of this age on their 2nd paint job will have had some body repair. I just realized a fender on my car had been welded, leaded and still had several areas with over 1/8th of an inch of bondo. I'm looking for another fender!

I would make a list of the costs for repairs (tires, brake lines, gas tank, suspension parts (shocks, tie rods, pitman arm bushings, kingpins), engine work, interior, and known body work. Check the overall condition of the engine compartment, especially look for oil leaks and the condition of the wire harness.

The more time you spend evaluating the car the better your decision will be. Do realize the expenses of any repair work you can not do yourself. The tires are a good indication of the overall value the owner placed in the car, and its general overall condition. Who would have a $10,000 car with a bad set of tires on it?

I would also visit the car several times. At least one time I would do it all alone, another time I would take a friend who knows some thing about old cars, and then a time to show it to your wife. I would not take her on a ride. I would not take my wife ever on a ride unless I was 100 per cent sure everything was working well.

Good luck, Mike

Mike,

You would be the buyer from... you know where. If I had a 1000 point nationally judged car for sale right off the regal trailer, I would hate to have a phone call from you. Would too! Now don't get all upset. This is a rather high complement. You do your due diligence and homework. I on the other hand, if I was interested in it, would, with a just a walk around, merely offer the guy three grand and meet somewhere in the middle, if possible.

Take my wife to see it? Well, I can tell you right now how that would turn out. BAD.

Have I ever offered to sell you my 41 project? Wonder why not ? Hmm.

Now you know that I am just ribbing you a little bit. I don't know many old car enthusiasts who are as meticulous and thorough as you and being so is a good trait that I certainly don't have. I salute you. Do too.

Best,
Charlie

They'll be no one in line waiting to plunk down $10,000 for that particular car, in that shape...You can see my Fleetmaster to the left, there...No Bondo...California car...If someone offered me ten grand ( as much as I love it ) It'd be gone in a heart-beat...

If you were to take a Stylemaster 4 door as described to a swap meet no one would even look at it let alone buy it. Sorry but I have seen that happen more than once.

I'm with Gene the stylemaster is the cheapest then the fleetmaster and top of the line is the fleetline and being a 4 door doesn't help it either unless you were going to restore it and keep it stock the only one that would be worth doing that to would be a fleetline the 4 door has a nickname (german helmet)

Keep looking, you can do much better then the car you describe
Just remember "Bondo"is a bad thing!!

Gene,

Better watch yourself. Who knows whether someone owning a Stylemaster may consider themselves bullied and or disrespected by your low-down comment about them not attracting no attention. Yep. (Moderators that right there is meant as humor. Nothing more.)

Nonetheless, I can't keep up with all those 47/48 models. My higher up comment was without considering that the car was the base model. Accordingly, I revise my estimate to 1-2K. I think it would get some attention from the 47/48 lovers. They being pretty loyal and all.

Charlie

Which is the most bestous of all 47/48s? The Aerosedan Fleetline? Hmm. (I think, I asked this before. If so, please disregard.)

Charlie, now that the holidays are just about over, maybe Bill will re-install the Fleetline Gallery up top...I know you would love that. Not to mention the 2 Aero's with the Fulton's

Hey..What about Fleetmasters...lol...Don't see many Stylemasters...Not sure of the difference...But, for the chrome on the hood...Boy, those guy's on eBay can't seem to sell them...I got some re-chromed Fleetmasters for cheap...I'd feel lucky to get $20 for old one's...Hot Rodders don't want them...

Yes Kevin, better yet we need a 46-47 & 48 gallery...Maybe Bill could fix us up???

Bill,

Er... No we don't. Please. Pretty please with sugar on it. Spare us.

CC has apparently dipped into the medicinal spirits a bit too much. Please regard his suggestion as merely delusional. Thanks. Mercy!

Charlie

I made an offer but it was too low :(

Hi Mel,

You are doing the dance. Did you leave him your phone number so he can recontact you with his best offer? Will you followup the call, in a couple of weeks, with the message "I am still interested and want to come and look at the car again?"

It seems that in previous posts you have asked for advice related to this car? Has the car been on the market for several months? Perhaps the owner will realize he is out of touch with the market value of the car and time will get him to look less naively at the car's value.

Have you said anything that could have made him think that you are not the kind of person that he would want to have buy his car? Like you're interested in hot rodding it?

Good luck, Mike

P.S. This could be a situation where you might have to wait several months to find out if he is really interested in selling the car? Maybe he isn't?

He has my phone number but I doubt he will call back :(, car has not been on the market that I know of? he answered a wanted to purchase ad I had placed.If some potential sales of some some parts I am selling work out I will call him back with a bit more $$$. He knows I am not wanting to hot rod it.I hate to dance:( not very good at it LOL :) PS I am sure he is not hurting for $$$ , so if he doesn't get what he wants he will keep it.

When it comes down to it the fair price is one that the seller can live with and that the buyer can live with. Not saying that everything is worth X or not but sometimes people get so wrapped up in the "value" they never get what they want.

I think the value of these cars is on the decrease :(, regardless of condition.Too many cars and not enough old guys buying them :(

Very true.

You old guys need to buy more of them.

Charlie

Well I didn't purchase the 47 four door Stylemaster,:( I guess my offer of $7k wasn't enough:( I think two fools met, one for offering $7k and another for turning it down....LOL :)

Good for you 7k was way to much for it.