Fair Value for a '28 HighBoy Roadsster

R

russcc

Well-known member
A long time close friend has made an offer to buy a an original '28 roadster on an original '32 frame built as a highboy and set up as flathead powered in the Vern Tardel format, following the Ford Hot Rod book by Vern & Mike Bishop.
The roadster is setup with '40 running gear, original Mor-drop axle, F1 steering, tube shocks. The hood, side panels, and other body components were fabricated of aluminum by a well known New England craftsman and vintage open wheel race care restorer. There is not much data to base a fair value on. The roadster is being sold less engine. We would appreciate you sharing your experience. Please see photos. Please PM with questions. Thank you.
 

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I also have an original '28 roadster on '32 rails with all old school stuff that is also flathead powered. As mine sits, I would think +/- $40K is a reasonable number to start with.

That said, less engine would really hurt the selling price. Selling a running car is much easier than an almost finished car, which this becomes until someone puts a new engine in it.

More than likely, a car like this would normally go to an overseas buyer (Japan or Scandinavia).
 
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The area in which it is sold has a great influence on the price. Here in the midwest I believe the car would struggle to even reach 20K. A very good replacement flathead V8 does not come cheap!
 
I had a nice 276 inch FH built about a year ago by Dennis Frings/Frames and by the time I paid Dennis (he furnished everything to build a short block) I bought a pair of those over priced of Offenhauser heads, had Bob at Baxter Ford Parts do a new 2 carb intake, add Charlie's modified Chevy distributor with one of my CNC'd front covers and my 409 water pump kit, final assembly with all ARP fastners, a test run/break in I was barking at close to 13K. Granted I overdo everything I do involving an old car. Your basic good running FH should be at 5k? I think you'd be shooting yourself in the foot if you pulled the motor. After all I said above 40K. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
 
Krylon32 said:
I had a nice 276 inch FH built about a year ago by Dennis Frings/Frames and by the time I paid Dennis (he furnished everything to build a short block) I bought a pair of those over priced of Offenhauser heads, had Bob at Baxter Ford Parts do a new 2 carb intake, add Charlie's modified Chevy distributor with one of my CNC'd front covers and my 409 water pump kit, final assembly with all ARP fastners, a test run/break in I was barking at close to 13K. Granted I overdo everything I do involving an old car. Your basic good running FH should be at 5k? I think you'd be shooting yourself in the foot if you pulled the motor. After all I said above 40K. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
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Gary,

I agree 100%. I came back to this post to say a well-built, high performance flathead with buying all new parts would cost someone $8-12K depending; maybe higher.

Selling that car without the motor is real knock on the value.

Curious, did the seller say why he is selling sans engine?
 
Thank you all. I agree. A car is worth more running & driving than sitting still without an engine, In this case, the stock car engine owner bought the i engine from Falc0nii Bros. in the 70's when they retired ii from com0petiion, replacing it with an overhead. The engine sat in his garage until a friend needed it. He was much the skill and inspiration in building the 28 Highboy you see in the photos. So that engine will go to his his daughter's highboy effort now underway. To sum it up, a modest cruising flathead is the power for fun, amd can be replaced relatively easiley in our area.
 
Would be cool if you shared the price that your friend hopefully gets it for? I'm curious as if your friend decides to pass, who knows . . . maybe I'll take a run at it! LOL
 
I watch the sales daily and it doesn't look that good in this economy. Sellers -prepare to be disappointed. Newc
 
Newc said:
I watch the sales daily and it doesn't look that good in this economy. Sellers -prepare to be disappointed. Newc
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I don't think it has anything to do with "this economy", but rather the diminishing number of buyers interested in prewar cars and the aging processs. The market is being flooded with these cars as the owners die off or are preparing for the "dirt nap"...
 
petehoovie said:
I don't think it has anything to do with "this economy", but rather the diminishing number of buyers interested in prewar cars and the aging processs. The market is being flooded with these cars as the owners die off or are preparing for the "dirt nap"...
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Stocker, yes. Hot rods, I disagree. A '28 Roadster on '32 rails is a highly desirable hot rod. The likely buyer of this car is late '20's-early '40's. There are so many really cool vintage drag & beach racing events happening in the US and Europe right now and this car would be right at home competing in any of these events. Biggest issue is it is being sold without motor.

In my hot rod circles I'm seeing a real need for rebuilders of hot street and street/strip motors.

'24 TROG had approx. 20,000 people in attendance in the grandstands on Sat. There were over 100 cars, 50 vintage bikes racing on the beach. Many more applied to enter and were turned away. The town was buzzing with cool cars and hot rods from all over the US and internationally all weekend.

If it had a hot flathead, it would sell within a week on Instagram. The buyer may not be in the US, but it would sell.
 
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There has just been been a very similar roadster listed on the HAMB for sale a nice flathead powered driver 5speed 32 rails $26000. Let’s see how fast it sells. I would guess this is about correct value in present market unfortunately.
 
By his public profile russcc has not been on the forum for a year and a half, so I don’t think he a part of this community any longer.
 
Darn I just realized this is an old post that was brought up in an effort to contact the OP.
All the same interesting views.
 
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