68B Value? Looking at a new project

Dave in Boise

Dave in Boise

Senior Member
Hi All,
The Good: Looking at a 68B Cabriolet, frame, running gear, trans, motor all professionally gone through. Body has no rust or bondo that I can see.. Amazingly straight sheetmetal, good door fitment, all brand new pans and wood. Body has been prepped, primed, blocked and sanded. Good fenders, lots of parts in boxes still and all work has so far been done by a fella who is a real stickler for detail and quality.

The Bad or Unknown: Needs paint, top (possible some top hardware missing, but it looks like it has a lot of the right parts there) interior and paint. I know of a guy who is a very talented painter, so i know the appx cost that the paint will run. My concern is the interior and top.. Any ideas how hard /expensive they may be to do? Has seat frames and spring sets I believe for the cabin and rumble

The fella wants 15k for what is now a paint, finish and assembly project..... Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Dave
 
ps.. also has 6 brand new wheels for runninggear and sidemounts and 6 new firestones, as well as 4 35 ford wheels he is throwing in..
 
From what I understand, these "Cabbies" are a rare and wonderful car to have. You get the best of both worlds, a Roadster AND roll-up windows! If all is as good as you say, I would think you are in the ballpark, (but not the cheap seats). I do not know of one in my area, but everyone on the Barn that has one, raves about it!
 
First you have to look at final value for a restored 68B.

For a car not done for points, but a properly restored chassis you are looking at $25k to $35K range.

I can tell you that you are likely to pay about $3000 for the correct plating of the top and other parts from a good company. I spent $2k+ a few years ago.

Top parts are a bit more available for the 68B, but they can be pricey. You really need to know what it missing and what is repro with the top parts. The landau iron may need some rebuilding and that requires machine shop work.

Who's wood kit was used and how old is it? The older Steve Cannon (Classic) #1 bow uprights did not use the original type joint and is more difficult to set up. You really want the correct finger joint. There is also an issue with the location of the base of the #1 bow you would need to be aware of too, but that is an easy fix- ask me more if you buy the car.

Now you say professionally gone through. You realize that means almost nothing. What is the list of what was done? I have seen professional going through with pitted bearings in the ****** and another with a bondo'd over pitted metal fan that came apart. Was the engine balanced, what type of babbitt, did they check the crank centerline, is it a new cam? You know a professionally rebuilt engine with the wadding still in the oil feed tube does not last long. What was done with the brakes? How did they center the arc the shoes to the drum and center them? Did they use NOS or new wedges and cams?

What was actually done to the chassis drives the price quite a bit. I would put the value that car between $10,000 and $20,000. With $20,000 only for a car where the guy pulls out factory drawings and tells you the engine and other parts were brought back to factory. The low end would be missing parts and having a questionable chassis.

As always do the math. See what they have and how much you think it is going to take you to get it done. Then add a few thousand.
 
Make sure that the frame is straight by running a string down the rails; Cabbies are hard to assemble with a sagging frame.

As for the top, see if the car comes with:
2 Landau arms
2 top irons with locking hardware (the thumb locks can cost 125.00)
1 header pan
1 rear window frame
2 triple hinges
2 top and 2 bottom landau brackets
All the above can add dramatically to your final cost if they are not included with the car.

Also, does the car come with door window frames and interior garnish mouldings? These are the must have parts and they are really hard to find.

If all the parts are there, then I would say the price is close but still too high.
 
Mike V.: regardless of what the papers and tv say we are STILL deep in a recession. I and hundreds of thousands of others have exhausted 99 wks of unemployment benefits and in the next few months there will be millions more. We (I) will no longer be counted, poof!, gone for all accounting purposes. So when you see the un-employment rate come down it's not because people found jobs, it's because we are no longer counted. Lots of people looking at cars, not many sell, latest bank offering here is 1.5% for 8 mo. Remember when 6 or 7 was normal?

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL THE FORDBARN PEOPLE
Paul in CT
 
1931 flamingo said:
Mike V.: regardless of what the papers and tv say we are STILL deep in a recession. I and hundreds of thousands of others have exhausted 99 wks of unemployment benefits and in the next few months there will be millions more. We (I) will no longer be counted, poof!, gone for all accounting purposes. So when you see the un-employment rate come down it's not because people found jobs, it's because we are no longer counted. Lots of people looking at cars, not many sell, latest bank offering here is 1.5% for 8 mo. Remember when 6 or 7 was normal?

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL THE FORDBARN PEOPLE
Paul in CT
Click to expand...

We are definitely in a jobs recession. The economy is growing but companies are too uncertain to spend their cash hoard.
 
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