Thinking about selling the '34 Phaeton

I know if i could afford it, I would be in line right now to buy.... I just LOVE original cars. and am thankful at the ones I have been fortunate enough to acquire myself so far(though not as nice as this!) I always thought highly of your dad and his cars, though I unfortunately didn't ever get the opportunity to meet him or see them in person.

Good luck in whatever direction you choose with it.... but I say keep it!
 
Thanks Guys. There is a part of me that would indeed like to keep it... But, It's just not in the cards. I'm not desperate for money or anything... and if I were in Daytona, or somewhere similar, I might keep it. Right now, it would probably be best to find another caretaker, and put the funds towards my daughter's college. It's been a good car, and has provided many fond memories. Those, and the pictures will always be there... and I'm sure it will provide plenty more for its future owner. :)

Thanks
 
That car looks so good I would have thought it was an older restoration from the pictures. I wish my original 33 standard phaeton was as nice, I too like the unrestored original cars and get a big kick out of driving them.
I can't imagine selling that car if it was in my family. I'm sorry that you feel you need to do that. As others have expressed I hope you find someone who had the same vision for the car that your dad did. Even with the values of our cars going down, I hope you at least get 40k for it.
 
I have no real good info to contribute other than I have my '36 Phaeton insured for 39K. My thinking is that it would take that much to replace what is not a first or second grade car, but a great driving vehicle that has brought many memories while I co-owned it with my Dad (till 2013) and since!
 
FL&WVMIKE said:
I'm trying to figure the value of a reliable 'driver' quality survivor that just needs driven. To me, it's a lot more fun than a restored car... as you don't have to go great lengths when cleaning it up. (15 minutes with a wash bucket lol) Plus, in today's world, it draws more attention than the restored ones. :)

To me, I see it as an ideal car... Low maintenance, low stress, and simply fun. It's not a trash pile that NEEDS restored, so there is no money associated with that time consuming, expensive process. THAT has to be worth something...

So, one of the coolest looking '34 V8 Fords... is easy to own, needs nothing, is very unique, and fun!

What's that worth??? That's the question... My first instinct believes it should be valued at least in the $30k's... What do you all think? I honestly don't know WHAT it's worth...

Thanks
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I can tell you this... I had one as nice as yours about twenty years ago. That was when all of these old Fords had better value than today. It was a one owner car and the ONLY thing not authentic was the fuel pump. I tried and tried to sell it to anyone that I thought may want it "as is" or to restore it. I was asking $50k at that time - not out of the question (then). Anyway, it went for $42,500 to a guy in Chicago that subsequently cut it up for a rod.
I'd guess these days, $30k is a good place to start. The open sedans have really trailed off in value over the past five + years.
 
DavidG said:
Mike,


Ouch (regarding its fate)!
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Dave, I agree fully. I did my very best in my attempts to see it go to a good home. I had ZERO offers from any "stock" guys. I turned down a couple of offers from the hotrod crowd for even more money than I'd eventually settle for.
It was disheartening...
 
Looks like the car is back on the market!

A FINE man came to look at the car with his friend... but didn't bring a trailer. lol They both truly enjoyed the car, and went over it with a fine tooth comb. We all went for a ride, and it was all smiles! We also went through a TON of other old car parts that were in the garage, and were at it for HOURS. lol It was a wonderful visit! Fine individuals! However, he had just spent all of his available funds on a major ongoing project, so no deal was made.

If he and his buddy want to chime in, they are free to... or if not, that's fine as well. I've never seen someone take so many pictures of every square inch of a vehicle! :)

In the meantime, my son and I went down to Florida to pick up the rest of the parts dad had down there, and came back loaded for bear! We have a 2007 Grand Caravan with both of the rear seats removed (cargo van style), and there was barely enough room for us up front! The rear leaf springs of the van were against their bump stops for the trip home! lol Anyway, we found a bunch of parts and brought them back. We found the original side curtains for the car, as well as what looks close to a NOS right rear fender, NOS front axle, a really nice Pheaton running board... along with a bunch of other stuff. I'm including pics of the Side Curtains. He had the fender on the car for a while. It's the brown one seen in some of the gallery pics on his profile here. It looks new, and is in perfect shape.

Still haven't officially listed the car for sale anywhere, but if anyone is interested in it, the garage needs some major work... and my daughter goes off to college... so $35k will take it home!

As can be seen, one side of the Side Curtains is tan, while the other is more of an olive drab color. Side curtains and bag are ORIGINAL to the car!

Thanks guys

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Something fishy about those "fine individuals" who spent so much time going through all your stuff and taking pictures with no intention to buy the car....:confused:
 
petehoovie said:
Something fishy about those "fine individuals" who spent so much time going through all your stuff and taking pictures with no intention to buy the car....:confused:
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No, no, no... Not fishy at all. Trusted long term members here. I was unsure of some of the items dad had, and they were helping me identify a lot of the stuff. We had a good time, and he didn't rule out buying the car at some point when the funds weren't all going to his ongoing project. I think his buddy wanted him to buy it anyway! lol :D
 
Are you selling it because you need the money or just because the car does not serve any purpose for you and takes up space. Set a high price but consider contacting the V8 Foundation and see if they might want it on loan for a while. It would be a nice tribute to your dad before parting with it and adds to the history of the car. Survivors like this are rare and sharing it with others before it disappears into a private collection might be nice. Just an idea. Take it for what it is worth.
 
Frank Miller said:
Are you selling it because you need the money or just because the car does not serve any purpose for you and takes up space. Set a high price but consider contacting the V8 Foundation and see if they might want it on loan for a while. It would be a nice tribute to your dad before parting with it and adds to the history of the car. Survivors like this are rare and sharing it with others before it disappears into a private collection might be nice. Just an idea. Take it for what it is worth.
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Frank, your idea is a great one!!! If Mike Jr. has the time and resources to get the car to the Foundation, it would be a wonderful "on loan" exhibit!! Also, give the car more exposure and Mike more time to consider the sale decision. Just MHO.
 
Frank Miller said:
Are you selling it because you need the money or just because the car does not serve any purpose for you and takes up space. Set a high price but consider contacting the V8 Foundation and see if they might want it on loan for a while. It would be a nice tribute to your dad before parting with it and adds to the history of the car. Survivors like this are rare and sharing it with others before it disappears into a private collection might be nice. Just an idea. Take it for what it is worth.
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I appreciate the sentiments, but it's time. As was said earlier, I live in a small rural town out in the middle of nowhere... and there's nobody to play with here. I couldn't even tell you where the nearest Ford flathead V8 is located. If I lived in a more populated area, or somewhere with a group of interested people to play with, it may be different. Trust me, I had a BLAST with it in Florida while visiting dad, and even after he was gone. The car was used as basic transportation all over Daytona! Driving around with the top down is awesome! It's like a convertible station wagon! lol You just have to be careful driving on the beach, as being very front heavy with those skinny tires makes it easy to get stuck! lol

The survivor aspect of the car is what makes it truly special! There is ZERO tedious detailing involved with washing it! You don't even need to wash it if you don't want to. lol Just a quick rub down with a soap bucket, and you're good to go! Draws more looks than the cars people spend entire weekends detailing! I DO love the car. I just don't have a use for it, anymore... and it mostly sits. Plus, those who have seen the garage know it needs a lot of work, and my daughter will have college expenses. It's just 'that' time. Dad has been gone since October of 2015... so I've had a long time to think about it.

Thanks Guys.

Mike Jr.
 
That seems to be an unbelievable bargain at 35k especially with truck loads of parts. I am out of room (and can't part with any of the cars I have) or would be interested. I can't believe someone here hasn't jumped on that. Heck, payments on 35k would be easy to live with.
 
deuce_roadster said:
That seems to be an unbelievable bargain at 35k especially with truck loads of parts. I am out of room (and can't part with any of the cars I have) or would be interested. I can't believe someone here hasn't jumped on that. Heck, payments on 35k would be easy to live with.
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I didn't say the truck loads of parts all go with it... but of course the parts unique to the vehicle, such as the side curtains, etc do. Of course the NOS front axle, rear fender, etc can be points of negotiation. Here is a portion of the cell phone pics taken of them hanging in his garage before we loaded them up. The heater will also go with the car... as the vent is already mounted on the firewall. :)

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Mike Jr., love the car and the history.

Why not get a professional appraisal? That way you will have an unbiased valuation of the vehicle. Don't allow anyone interested in buying the car, or selling it for you tell you what it is worth. Once you have established a value, then move forward. As many have suggested, in the end, who you sell to might be more important than how much you get, but at least start from a point of knowledge.

Also, research through publications and online. Hemmings Motor News, Ebay (look at Sold prices, not list prices), other online option like Classic Car Trader, Cars for Sale, etc

Wherever possible look at 'Sold' price, many vehicles languish for years when listed at pie in the sky prices and will show up online again and again. Many prices are based upon invested capital rather than actual worth.
 
CaliforniaBorn36 said:
Mike Jr., love the car and the history.

Why not get a professional appraisal? That way you will have an unbiased valuation of the vehicle. Don't allow anyone interested in buying the car, or selling it for you tell you what it is worth. Once you have established a value, then move forward. As many have suggested, in the end, who you sell to might be more important than how much you get, but at least start from a point of knowledge.

Also, research through publications and online. Hemmings Motor News, Ebay (look at Sold prices, not list prices), other online option like Classic Car Trader, Cars for Sale, etc

Wherever possible look at 'Sold' price, many vehicles languish for years when listed at pie in the sky prices and will show up online again and again. Many prices are based upon invested capital rather than actual worth.
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Thanks for the $0.02 :)

The thing with this car, is the sample size is too small to find valid comparisons for accurate assessments. As for 'invested capitol'... Dad bought the car in 1963 for $600. lol Pretty much every other car back in the 60's, 70's and 80's that was in similar condition got restored. People use to bug the crap out of us at car shows to either restore it, or sell it to them to restore. Dad would just politely decline as us kids would slide down the fenders. lol

Many believe cars like these are worth MORE than a restored vehicle, as they are only original once. When was the last time you saw original, usable side curtains for a 1934 Pheaton? lol Cars like this are FAR more interesting to look at. They are also LOW MAINTENANCE and easy to clean! You can drive it around town without worrying about paint chips, washing is a simple soap bucket, and going to shows is a painless affair! It's EASY. Plus, a $35k car like this will draw more attention than a $100k fully restored vehicle someone spent all weekend going over with Q-tips!

Well marketed... The right person may pay over $60k for it at the right arena, such as Hershey or another big show. I think $35k is an absolute bargain. If it doesn't sell for that soon, I'll likely take care of some minor details, then concentrate on marketing it properly. As of now, this is the only place I've even mentioned selling it.

Below is another shot of parts in the garage. The steering wheel is NOS 1929 Model A. Sold it for $400, another guy wanted it for $400, then another offered $500, but it was first come, first serve. Last guy said he had been looking for one for years. Told the first guy in case he wanted to sell, but he had a car that had been waiting on one as well. I'm not out to make a killing... just to pass things on to their next caretakers at fair prices.

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Here are a few pics of the interior. All of the side panels, floor mats, etc are original. The only thing that has been re-done are the seat bottoms. Even the seat backs are the original leather!

Also included is a pic of the engine. When he went through his 'fenderless' phase, he decided to paint the heads silver and add an old Ooga horn. lol The original horns and wiring are there and just need plugged in. :)

It's an incredibly FUN car!

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