buying a model A sight unseen

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Bill Cal.

Senior Member
I live in Calif. and want to buy an expensive Model A in Michigan without traveling back to see it. Anyone out there experienced this way of acquiring a modelA? Any helpful suggestions? What questions should I ask to learn about this car to make sure it's really a good one? Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Bill
 
You need to find a reputable member from one of the national clubs in that area, preferably someone that judges in fine point to go look at it. They can take tons of detailed pictures and email them to you as well.
 
Best of luck!

OK, let's see if we can help, besides the best answer already given by Gary.

The first thing is your use of the word expensive. What model and how much do you think is expensive.

$15,000 or $30,000. A good running real nice looking coupe would go for $15,000 but $30,000 is way our of whack UNLESS it's a recent Model A Club national award winner.

$30,000 for a good running real nice looking 400A is really not out of line.

So for the best answer via this forum on what to look for, we need the model, year, and how much.

The higher the price the smaller details you should look for, horn date, rear bumper cross bar, wiper motor, exhaust manifold, distributor, and the such.

Are you willing to give us that info?
 
I would use the previously mentioned resources and if it passes buy a ticket and fly to see it. The ticket might be the best investment you ever make. Are there any pictures available that you could share? If you don't want to post them are there any local Model A club members you could share them with? That would be a good first step. The last time a thread like this was started it turned out the car was over priced and a dealer had been trying to sell it locally for a long time. Apparently when people saw it they lost interest (and for good reason). The person was talked out of buying it and most of us felt that was the correct decision. By the way, what is an expensive Model A that you can't find in California? You didn't find a 3 window coupe did you?

Charlie Stephens
 
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Not to be funny .......... but maybe:

1. If you know little or nothing about Model A's, why pay for a plane round-trip ticket in the first place?

2. If you call any Model A club in Michigan, you may be able to locate a club with knowledgeable members residing nearby -- Model A people appear to always offer assistance.

3. Then, if it is really expensive ......... don't worry about anything ......... the guy checking it out for you probably doesn't want to pay that much for it anyway.

4. On a more serious note, the replies already mentioned above this one are most thoughtful & valuable.
 
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The car is a steel top victoria for 26,500 dollars. This is expensive for me. I have owned, maintained, and driven a 29 coupe for the last 47 years. Thanks for your help, Bill
 
my personal opinion on this matter is i would not trust anyone but myself to check out a car long distance. i have dealt with many customers buying cars off ebay etc, paying a certified dude to evaluate it then having it shipped to my shop for going over. i can honestly say there has not been one without many surprises and disappointments. expensive or cheap my butt would be on a plane, getting a rental and hotel room, if i make a mistake on the evaluation let it be me. i am in no way slighting anyone that offers their help and expertise to assist, just be aware of the consequences. also if you ship it on an open carrier thats a whole other can of worms.
now if you do not have the ability and skill to do your own evaluation then you are at the mercy of others.
i wish you luck
 
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Bill Cal. said:
The car is a steel top victoria for 26,500 dollars. This is expensive for me. I have owned, maintained, and driven a 29 coupe for the last 47 years. Thanks for your help, Bill
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It is good to know it is a Victoria. Unlike a coupe they have a lot of wood and you and there person checking it out needs to look for poor door fit which may be an indication that it needs wood replacement (big $).

Charlie Stephens
 
I am assuming this is the car advertised here on Ford Barn and it is the car I made reference to in the "All Black Model A" thread. As I said in that post, I did see the car at the 2013 Lexington MARC National meet and was very impressed. Since the car was there and won an award, maybe some of the judges who judged the car can comment on it?
 
I bought my A pickup long distance off ebay. Tons of detailed pics, many phone calls, google street views, and a "sense" of who I'm dealing with based on the sellers background. The way he answered or deflected questions combined to raise my confidence level to buy. Don't regret it a minute. Have I ever been disappointed-yes, but never lost $ because the bottom line is the sale price VS objective value determined by past ebay sales/ nada/car website prices.
 
My personal opinion is this; I would never buy something for a lot of money, and 26K to me is a lot of money, without seeing it , touching it, and driving it, myself. As a 47 yr owner of an A you should have the experience to check it out. I would buy the ticket and go look at it. Now with that being said if some circumstance makes it so you can't do that I would find someone that you really trust and knows your judging standards to evaluate the vehicle and buy the ticket for them.
 
bottom line - as they said when we lived in KY "Don't buy a pig in a poke."

It took this Yankee a few minutes to figure it out but it means don't buy something you can't see.
 
Bill Cal. said:
The car is a steel top victoria for 26,500 dollars. This is expensive for me. I have owned, maintained, and driven a 29 coupe for the last 47 years. Thanks for your help, Bill
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Does he say it came from the factory that way?

You do know that no Victorias came from the factory with a steel top?

I wonder what else was done?

Wait, wait, wait, Steel back, the word top confused be for a second, sorry
 
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Mike- I am assuming he means "steel back"-if we are talking about the same MARC winning car that is advertised here. (Note: If Bill is talking about another vicky, then all my previous comments are useless and all bets are off!). Here is a photo of the top as taken from the ad. The car certainly looks to have the original top "insert". PS-I know "vicky", "steel back" or "steel top" are not proper Model A nomenclature, just like "A-400" and "AR"!!!
 

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Bill Cal. said:
I live in Calif. and want to buy an expensive Model A in Michigan without traveling back to see it. Anyone out there experienced this way of acquiring a modelA? Any helpful suggestions? What questions should I ask to learn about this car to make sure it's really a good one? Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Bill
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Mt. Vernon, Illinois US
 
Hey Bill,
Victoria is a nice model Ford. Not $26K worth, IMO, but I couldn't afford that $ for a Model A.
Now, if you are considering it, I take that you can afford it, but neither of us can afford to be sold a bad car for that money. Only ONCE in my lifetime, have I deviated from my belief that a guy has to examine a car , up close and personal , to make such a costly decision. And, I regretted that decision ! The seller, in my case, was/is a very wealthy man...and a lying sack of feces !! Once I got the car, I was an unhappy owner, and there is NO $ to fix that sour taste in my mouth, until I fixed the car right ($$$$)and sold it ! You are right in asking here, even tho you are a Model A owner for 47 years ! Follow your instincts and the good advice gleaned here also from those who have been there/done that ! Luck to you on this, let us know if you do get the car:)
 
rusty12 said:
Mike- I am assuming he means "steel back"-if we are talking about the same MARC winning car that is advertised here. (Note: If Bill is talking about another vicky, then all my previous comments are useless and all bets are off!). Here is a photo of the top as taken from the ad. The car certainly looks to have the original top "insert". PS-I know "vicky", "steel back" or "steel top" are not proper Model A nomenclature, just like "A-400" and "AR"!!!
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Yes Yes Yes I just edited my post.

I think I found the car online and I if it is the same one the price, im my opinion, is too high.
 
hardtimes said:
Hey Bill,
Victoria is a nice model Ford. Not $26K worth, IMO, but I couldn't afford that $ for a Model A.
Now, if you are considering it, I take that you can afford it, but neither of us can afford to be sold a bad car for that money. Only ONCE in my lifetime, have I deviated from my belief that a guy has to examine a car , up close and personal , to make such a costly decision. And, I regretted that decision ! The seller, in my case, was/is a very wealthy man...and a lying sack of feces !! Once I got the car, I was an unhappy owner, and there is NO $ to fix that sour taste in my mouth, until I fixed the car right ($$$$)and sold it ! You are right in asking here, even tho you are a Model A owner for 47 years ! Follow your instincts and the good advice gleaned here also from those who have been there/done that ! Luck to you on this, let us know if you do get the car:)
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It is a fairly rare model and if a late '31, correctly done, has some hard to find parts. 26K would not be out of line for a model that, what less then 50,000 made, ut with that as I said early on, the higher the price the more "nit-picking" needs to be done.
 
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