VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 "As is" good luck!

Now this is what I would call a project!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2406798659&category=6173

It couldn't be much worse.

I wish my '24 was that good when I started! Here's a non-Chevy offering I found that amused me:
http://www.ennsfamily.org/autos/d1.htm

Well that is a car that would be worth the time and money! There were every few 3 window coupes made, I think about 1,000.

Actually, there were 8,874 1932 standard three-window coupes manufactured, and 2,226 deluxe three-window coupes. :eek: :eek:

Yep, you gotta really want it, to tackle that one! But I'm with Tom, I have on occassion started out with something worse! The big, big advantage that car has is that at least it is (mostly) TOGETHER. Never, never buy a car in boxes. Nothing is worse (unless of course you are already familiar with the type of car) than trying to restore something that somebody ELSE took apart! Aarrrggghhhh!

I'm a box guy!! :p I bought both of my cars in a box, if you know what I mean! :p The first box car was not bad and most of it was there. Now the Second car was a real problem! Ask Skipper, he know all about it.

And I bet they were "running when I parked/boxed it", yea, sure, weren't all of them......

If it's a super rare car, if it's restorable, if it's priced right........and if it's in a box..........BUY IT!!!! That's what Brucie did with his '32 phaeton, and it wasn't a bad move on his part either since the car is restorable and very scarce.

It must be a great car because it has only 37,000 miles. Wonder if its a flat head??--Too bad as it will probably end up as a street rod

Say it ain't so.......

I grant you that on a very rare car, a basket case may be the only way to go. My point is, if you are building a car (that you are unfamiliar with), it is a major disadvantage to not be the guy that takes it apart! Bought my '25 Roadster in boxes, and had never done a 4 cylinder before. Ouch! "What's this? Where's that go? How does this work?" Sure, eventually you get there, with a lot of help from your friends in VCCA. But it sure woulda been a lot less headaches to have been the guy that took it apart, taking notes, making drawings, and photos, etc.

Now obviously, since I have now done a '25, if I was to get another one that was apart, it would not be a big deal the second time around.

You might think if someone has taken a car apart half the work has been done. It doesn't work that way.

But now you have "Chatter" to help you put it back together! So easy.........with help.....(not)

There was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about 3 weeks ago that explained a steady rise of "basket case" antique cars out in the marketplace as the would-be restorers no longer have the interest or money to finish the work in this current economy. The writer noted that some of these folks have been bailing out because the potential resale value of the car they're attempting to rebuild is not as hot as it might have been a few years ago when the economy was booming.

I guess those of us who stick it out do it as a labor of love, not profit...!

Wouldn't that 32 make a great project for some Tech School out in California?
If a local VCCA Region had the capitol to pick that up and donate the help and advice, it might just spark some interest. Like newspapers and magazines. With our club's name attached to it! The School board might even finance the parts.
Just an idea...

RG
That was my exact thoughts when discussing this topic for a discussion at the national meeting. And the big dogs said it would be a regional topic not so much a national. If this car was in Illinois, I would give it a try at my school. I have a couple of over achievers, who told me that these cars were easy to put together.....the pieces only go in one place.

Although I'm very new to all this, I've been maintaining a 32 for about 13 years. Mine was not only in a box, but what remained was about the same as what was pictured, except for headlamp glass, a metal shell all wood gone. Given a budget and a way to haul it, I'd pick it up. Someone once asked me why I always started wiht basket cases. It's the challenge. Making something of junk is fun. (Spare parts don't hurt either.)

I wonder if this type of car might not be as bad as it looks! What I mean is if you consider a good "barn find" that still has reasonably good paint and might run, you'll probably still have to pay a good dime for it. And once you get into fixing it up, you'll have to sandblast and repaint everything, rebuild the entire engine and drivetrain, rewire it and more than likely replace all of the wood. I guess my point is I've rebuilt a $300 junker into a nice restored vehicle and I bought a second vehicle that had 60k original miles, and at the end of the day, the rebuild for each vehicle really is no different. The exception is I paid much more for the 60k vehicle. The thought was I could drive the vehicle and rebuild it in increments, but everything I've ever done to it required completely rebuilding so it was no better than something totally worn out. I'm now just wondering if I would have been better off buying something like that old rusty coupe and putting the difference in money toward rebuilding it since really the work is about the same to bring the vehicle up to show quality. Any thoughts?

Jimk, how would you like to have my old rusty coupe? I'm having trouble finding homes for some of the orphans and other old cars needing restoration. Some of them are from the Unser junkyard. Restoration costs keep going up and many old car enthusiasts and others are afraid to spend money in this crippled economy.

d2d2
Can you get one of those restoration projects to Illinois? I'd turn my automotive/mechanics class on to it and assist you in the restoration.

My 31 truck was a box truck. I am still learning. I had to go to Sante Fe NM to find a decent parts truck. I was glad to have a "whole" one to look at to try to figure out what went where. And then there were extra parts in the box that didn't go with the 31, that has made it even more difficult.

I don't want to be an employer (taxes, paperwork, etc) so I work by myself. The only other vehicle I want to restore and keep besides the four I'm now restoring is my 1933 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery. Some others can be given away or sold cheap cheap. I have a 1927 Graham Brothers truck, a 1932 Chevrolet Coupe, a 1952 Plymouth wagon, a 1954 Hillman Minx Californian (2dr HT), and a 1957 Sunbeam Rapier 2dr HT.

Please tell me about your coupe either here or by private email. I was thinking about bidding on that coupe on Ebay, but to ship it to Ohio - well you know. I suspect I'd have the same problem with your '32.

Jimk, the '32 standard 5w coupe is a pile of parts. The body has rust in the lower panels, it has no usable wood or glass, no seat or floor. It was in a junkyard sitting on the ground and I put it on a '32 frame that I already had so it could be rolled around. I also have an engine, transmission, steering, brakes, hood, chassis aprons, front fenders, and many other parts that could go with the car; garnish mouldings, window regulators, body braces, instrument panel, windshield regulator, etc.

Sounds to me like I need that for another '32 planter box! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Jimk and 31 Truck, how far do you live from US Hwy 60? I have an enclosed trailer and I have to pick up a car in Danville, Kentucky late this summer.