What's it worth?

howie123

howie123

Senior Member
At a recent car show I looked at a 1926 Model T 2 door sedan. I really prefer the looks of a touring car but the asking price was $5500.00 O.B.O. which sounds reasonable to me. The body looks very solid with a few small cracks at the edges of the fenders. The interior is rather ragged, missing door panels, drooping head liner, etc. The wood spoke wheels look tight and solid. The tires are good but appear aged. The engine started and ran well. The body appears to have been repainted with a brush, and the roof was tarred. I have minimal knowledge of the Model T, but this one looks complete and pretty original. Any ideas as to the value would be appreciated. As a side note, if I bought it I would probably leave it pretty much as is, doing enough restoration to make it safe and drivable. Thanks Howie
 
Boy that's a loaded question.

26 T original. Fairly good interior. Minor body damage.

Well if it drives and stops I think it's a good buy. But pictures would help.

Few things to consider. You will have to put money into it. Somethings might be fixable for little cost depending on your end vision. If it were me I would tac the headliner up and then work on the mechanics to make to run (and stop) very well.

Many cars where brush painted and to me that is not a negative.

good luck!
 
Although I'm new to Model T's myself, I'm involved with old cars for decades. Old cars transport us back to an earlier, simpler time. The main thing for me is that a car maintains its dignity. It should be a portal to its place in time. I thus love cars that carry most if not all of its original paint. But how often do you find one?
http://www.tomlaferriere.com/1921_ford_model_t_speedster.htm

More likely is it that a 1926 T was repainted around 1938, when it was worth $20.00. How did they do that? How much money did they spent on it? It's quite possible that such a car was painted with a brush, and having today an 85 year-old car with a heavily patinated, 72 year-old paint job is something to be proud of.

The worst thing that can be done to a T is to restore it to better than new condition, with shiny-as-glass 2-stage paint job -- worse if it's not black, and oh-so-pretty everything. That's like grabbing a grandma on her way to church, dressing her up like a teenage hooker, and having her stand at the street corner. What a disgrace!

If you can call a 1926 Model T that provides a window to 1938 your own, that's something to be proud of. Preservation instead of restoration is something I embrace.
 
Howie,
I forgot to reply to your value question. When doing my homework on Model T's, I realized that the open cars are more expensive, where Touring cars and Runabouts are about equal in value. Then comes the Coupe, then the sedans. Depot Hacks, Pickups and Speedsters are a different thing.

I looked at an original '26T Coupe in fine fettle, good running and driving, factory paint, straight out of the desert and totally rust free, but with very weak interior. It's being offered at $6,5K but $6K would have bought it. I felt that was a fair price and a good buy for someone looking for a car that can be enjoyed right away.

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/2465863390.html

I only did not buy it because I was really looking for an open car, first and foremost.

I went to the annual Model T swap meet in Long Beach, and there were not many cars for sale. None of those that were I found worth buying or priced attractively.

I also looked at a '23 Model T Runabout. I really liked that car and although the owner was asking $8,5K o.b.o., I felt I could have bought it for probably $7K, if not less. By the time I was there looking at it, the car wouldn't start so I left to look at another car inbetween, the one I ended up buying. The owner called me a bit later, reprting the car was now running fine.

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/2501221106.html

In my experience, $7K to $8,5K will buy you a healthy open T. A sedan will cost less, of course, but if you want an open car, wait for one to come along. The do!
 
I bought my 23 Touring a few years ago. I paid $2,000 less. The wood needed to be replaced. The owner said the motor was "rebuilt". I had the motor gone through and found piston shims were actually made from beer cans. The block was cracked in several places and needed to be replaced. For not much more money you can get a car that is road ready. I have been working on my Touring for 5 years and have never driven it.
I see your from Eau Claire. We have a pretty good group of T guys in the area. Perhaps some one could help take a look with you to help get you started. Your also welcome to join the T-riffic T's and shorten the learning curve.
 
Only you can answer that question

Only you can answer that question ;)

Consider this ...

You saw the car & heard it run

You talked to the current owner

You are in an area where the economy is relatively healthy
so the current owner is not hard pressed to find a Buyer

Most folks in your area would have to pay transport
to bring in a car that they only saw pictures of

Seems the current owner is not trying to mask the
car with a coat of primer

If you think it is a good deal - buy it :)


Your opinion is the only one here that matters



Jim
 
Do you think it is worth it? Do you plan to keep her or resell her?

If you kept her for 5 years that would be what, $92 a month? Would you pay $92 a month to have and drive that car?
 
The car is worth what you are willing to pay and the seller is willing to take. How many times have you heard of the fantastic buy someone got on a "barn find". If you look hard enough there are still good deals out there. If the price sounds fair and you are satisfied with what you see and hear, then buy it. He who hesitates usually loses.
Just my opinion. Skip
 
All good advice and it is up to you. I will say this: If it's not the body style you want then don't buy it. I've had 3 T's. A '27 Tudor (estate sale) totally done for 5 g's and 2 '23 Tourings. The first '23 needed some minor work and my present '23 needed nothing. The first was 6 G's the present one was 7 G's. The one I have now looks like it was in a time capsule. This is in an area that's considered to have "no T's for sale".
All 3 were less than 25 miles from home. Advertise for a car wanted on the Forums and keep that piece of dead cow in your left rear pocket until the car you want shows up. Patience pays. Learn what to look for and if at all possible bring a knowledgeable person with you.
 
Mike V. Florida said:
If you kept her for 5 years that would be what, $92 a month? Would you pay $92 a month to have and drive that car?
Click to expand...

Mike that is a great thought. It would be less if you sold it, even at a loss. Some poeple pay 200-300 dollars a month for a toyota.
 
Thanks for all the input. I have decided to hold off for now. I am still doing finishing touches on my Model A speedster and don't really need another project right now. Even though it is a nice car at a decent price I am still more interested in a touring car or huckster. Thanks again. Howie
 
I seen that car at the swap, rust free, all original, ran very nice, unmolested in every way. A great buy on a good car. one of the above people would like to buy it for $4,000 and part it out on ebay for about $8000-$9000 or more. It is a crime to wreck a nice car.
 
thanks for the advertising bob, yep thats me, i part out out model Ts, 26 27's nothing older, how else is the model T restorer going to get NICE CLEAN parts, to restore one hes working on, sure i take on car apart, sell the parts but those parts go to many many different cars . at least a 10 to one ratio,helping someone put a incomplete car together. sure theres people out that that think its terrible, like yourself, but way more need those GOOD SOLID parts. im not going to get into a pi$$ing match with u on a forum, but we see each other from time to time, we can do it then if u wish.
I was stating a fact on the price of the car, and yes u can buy a very nice driver, for that 6500 to 7500, why buy a car that needs work for the 5 grand range and put another 5 grand or more to restore it, Most of the "restored" cars i see are done with a paint can. very few orginial out there.
for those of u that want to look at what bobs talking about me parting out model T's u can look at my ebay gunman63 is my ebay name. or if u need good clean solid 26 27 parts front to rear top top bottom feel free to contact me, no fordor body stuff, mostly coupe and tudor.
and again bob thanks for the advertising, MIKE
 
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