Trap For The Unwary

Karl

Karl

Well-known member
I've always hankered after a Victoria and this one appeared on a local auction site

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/ford/model/auction-648119765.htm

Being only 30 minutes south of me I travelled down to have a look at it (Armed with a list of things to look for -Thanks Justin)

The car was imported from California in 2008 and was originally a member of the Orange Grove Model A Club according to the sticker on the rear window, The owner was unhappy with the paint job and repainted the car but has done little else additional to this .

I'm a stickler for originality and it was pretty obvious that this car departed somewhat from that but all the jewels appeared to be there and I was hopeful that with time and application of dollars I could bring it back to orginal (although this is often hard to do from this side of world -Ask Justin !)

Armed with my list I worked my way through the car -Justin said be careful and look behind the rear seat a common site of rot -Imagine my surprise to find the whole rear clip form door pillars back below the windows is fibre glass - Without removing the seat I would never have found it -Phew Thanks again Justin !

Karl
 
and let me guess the owner did not know anything about it when you pointed that out. he had that surprised look right.
 
Mitch//pa said:
and let me guess the owner did not know anything about it when you pointed that out. he had that surprised look right.
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NO surprised look, Son, probably BOTH buyer & seller were wearin' BIG DARK SUNGLASSES:D:D Chief taught me that trick! And he said when you buyin', DON'T carry a BIG BULGING wallet on yore backside, that'll drive the price UP!
Don't quite understand this one: He said, "The first one to state a price, is usually the loser"! Bill W.
 

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That's too bad but great that you got the advise to check that area out. I wouldn't have thought to look there and who would have thought fiberglass in a California car?
 
Karl. There is a real steel one in Nelson you could still own ?? I new about this one , poor owner bought from dealer in AZ & got tucked on it , feel sorry for him BUT could have had it checked out 1st, Yes buyer beware , Derek in sunny Nelson ,er sometimes.
 
So i guess you will not buy the car because it might be a tudor with a fibreglass addition? But it is an otherwise nice car, right?
 
Ross/Kzoo said:
That's too bad but great that you got the advise to check that area out. I wouldn't have thought to look there and who would have thought fiberglass in a California car?
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I've seen a lot of RUST BUCKETS on our looong & SALTY coast. Friend Dennis moved to Morro Bay & is already getting rust on his '34 CCPU, even in a tight cozy garage. Hope he moves back! Bill W.
 
dumb person said:
So i guess you will not buy the car because it might be a tudor with a fibreglass addition? But it is an otherwise nice car, right?
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Yes its a lovely looking car. No its definately not a Tudor with a fibreglass back on it It is in fact a nice Vicky but with only half of the original body. Which for me rules it out -However I accept for some it wouldn't be an issue -Karl
 
quickchange said:
Karl. There is a real steel one in Nelson you could still own ?? I new about this one , poor owner bought from dealer in AZ & got tucked on it , feel sorry for him BUT could have had it checked out 1st, Yes buyer beware , Derek in sunny Nelson ,er sometimes.
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Yes I waiting for it to get cheaper !!!! Karl
 
Mitch//pa said:
and let me guess the owner did not know anything about it when you pointed that out. he had that surprised look right.
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He knew alright but some one "who knows model A's" told him they were originally fibreglass. As always Henry was always ahead of the times- This time using fibreglass a full 2 decades prior to its invention!!
 
ALways a very godo idea to do the research before getting a car haha.

Same holds true for any used car of any age. Know the tricks that people AND DEALERS like to pull and common rot areas to check extremely well. Cant tell you how many used modern cars ive looked at to be told theres no rust (mostly bondo or fiberglass) or never been in an accident (as i see the hood and front fenders still have a certifit sticker stuck to them or dents on the underside and not the top). its fun to watch the salesmens reaction when you go naming the major issues off and how much it does cost to repair. i instantly subtract all that cost from their asking price +$1000 for being sneaky buggers.
 
I saw that on trademe too - it does look very nice.

I'm glad we didn't get any shocks like that when we brought our Tudor without seeing it! Luckily a knowledgable "old timer" looked it over for us (very cheaply too, I might add). I'd assume he didn't look in THAT much detail though.

A seller like that should really come clean - it probably actually required a modification cert, truth be known.
 
I sold a Model A, sight-unseen! Gregg said, "Dad, if you had a streak of EVIL in you, you could be a GREAT con man"!!-----Is that a compliment, Son"?-----"YEP!"!
"John Doe"
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
Yes, I was wondering how far inland from the coasts the salt water air would affect cars?:confused:
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A fellow I went to high school with moved out to SoCal 30 years or so ago. He lives about 4 miles from the ocean near Huntington Beach.

He told me that his older Mustang was getting pitting on the bumpers and bright work just from sitting in his back yard, covered with a car cover under a car port. He waxes it and wipes it all down at least once a week.

I looked at a '69 Torino once, original Florida car, what a mess. Rusted as bad if not worse than a Midwest car that was driven in the winter salt. Year round high humidity and not sure how close to the ocean that car spent it's days :eek:
 
if the truth could be known, don't you guys think that a lot of cars travelling in the stream of commerce are in fact slapdash restorations? Who would bleed a lot of dough into a fine restoration then send it onto the open market, absent exigent circumstances like a death, health issues, etc.
 
I marvel at this all the time. "Only 10 miles since ground up restoration."

Why would someone do this??? Unless like ericr says: health, death, etc.

I put $$ & labor into mine so that I can drive it! And drive it I do!
 
I agree CarlG but you wouldn't believe the people out there that enjoy the pursuit and restoration and not the finished product.
 
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