Information needed on 1935 50 victoria

[Karrer]

Hello,
Can any of you experienced Buick guys help me out here. I'm a Cad/LaSalle member, but I've spotted a great 35 model 50 Victoria coupe. It's on e-bay right now and I've seen it in other places. I'd like to make this gentleman a fair offer on the car. Everything I've seen auction-wise and in car value guides has a #1 in the upper mid 30's range. I want to respect this gentleman's car, but I'd like to make a fair offer as well.
Any advice?
Thanks,
Ken Karrer

[Pete Phillips]

Looked for this car on ebay. Cannot find it anywhere. Can't suggest a price if we can't see what condition it is in.
Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

[Karrer]

Thanks. You're quite right. The car can be seen at the White Glove Restorations web site.
White Glove Collection
Thanks.
Ken

[Mark Shaw]

I expect a fair offer would be in the low to mid 30's...

Just my opinion....

[50jetback]

This is the link to the eBay listing ( now closed for bidding ).

Buick | eBay


Realising values/pricing vary greatly between Australia and the United States on many motor vehicles I wasn't going to comment on this request but was looking forward to the estimates proposed by the many learned participants on this Forum.

Alas it seems almost everyone is keeping this one at arms distance!!

So I might as well add my 2 cents worth.

First up a 1935 Buick Series 50 Victoria Coupe in this condition would sell for the asking buy it now price of $49000 and if it is as good as claimed ( and looks ) the asking in this country would probably be more like $60000 AUS ( around US$63000 depending on the exchange rate at the time of purchase ).

Admittedly this would be a rare car in Australia but Series 40 4 door sedans which are nicely restored tend to change hands from between high $20000 to high $30000 ( probably around $10000 higher than their US counterparts ).

I have seen some of the sellers ( Bloomie48 ) restoration work on Trippe Lights that a couple of local members have purchased and that has been absolutely 1st rate, so I would imagine this car would be to the same standard.

Do BCA records support the judging awards? If so this must go a long way to supporting the asking price. In Australia award winning cars attract premium prices.

The other question I have is the " book " values we see quoted. Surely this can only be calculated on confirmed sales - so how many #1 condition1935 Series 50 Victoria Coupes have been sold in say the last 5 years in the US?

Mid 30's Buicks are desirable - both for style and performance ( okay, I'm a bit biased when you look at what I drive ) but if this car were a Convertible Coupe in this condition I'm sure the asking would be over $100000.

So that's probably my 2 cents worth but to answer your question ( remember I come from a different market place ) I think the lowest starting point without insulting anyone would be $45000.

[Karrer]

I expect a fair offer would be in the low to mid 30's...

Just my opinion....

Thanks very much for your response.

[Karrer]

Mark,
Thanks for the reply.
Ken

[Karrer]

Thanks very much for the reply. Interesting that you're in Australia. The guy that just bought my 56 Sunliner Convertible is from Australia. You're right Rick at White Glove does quality work and has for a long time and while I feel compelled to check price guides and recent auctions, it's tough to compare a true concours car with others that are typically strong 2 cars. My other concern is that I don't know much about the 35 Buicks, It would seem that with that straight 8 and the size of a Victoria, it should make a good tour car. Do those cars have any particularly good qualities (besides the styling) or any eccentricities that I should be wary of.
Thanks again,
Ken

[Matt Harwood]

As someone who works in the industry, I'm guessing that an offer in the low- to mid-30s will not buy that car.

My thought is that as a #1 condition car of a somewhat rare and desirable model, they'll want to get close to $50K for it. And honestly, I think it's probably worth it if its as nice as they say it is. $45K might buy the car, but probably not $35K. There's easily twice that much wrapped up in the restoration alone. This car has been for sale for a long while, suggesting that they're not interested in coming down on the price and are willing to wait for the individual willing to pay their price.

Just some thoughts from a guy on the other side of the fence.

[Karrer]

Matt,
Thanks for your reply. I think you're probably right. By the way the car is now posted on e-bay again. As I am leaning that way and since I have experience with Cadillacs, Chryslers, and Fords, but not Buicks...any idea as to what kind of tourning car this would be? I wouldn't think that the straight 8 would run hot, but I don't know if those trannys were synchro and what kind of highway gears were in the rear ends of that era and make.
Thanks again,
Ken

[Matt Harwood]

I think it's probably a fabulous touring car if it's fully sorted. Buicks were always powerful, reliable, comfortable cars, and I would have no qualms about putting that particular one on the road. I don't know what gears it has, but I would imagine that it would happily run at 55-60 MPH, which is plenty, given the technology of the brakes and suspension. Overheating with a straight-8 is a non-issue if it's clean inside, and by 1935 they had fully synchronized transmissions. The body style is spacious and closed cars are always popular for touring--you don't arrive at your destination feeling like you just spent 5 rounds with Mike Tyson. Having grown up in a Model A rumble seat, I LOVE how my '29 Cadillac sedan drives with the windows down and the vents open. I think for touring, you could scarcely do better than a big Buick. Although I'm a Buick guy at heart, that opinion would be the same no matter what car I was partial to--they're fine automobiles that drive as well as anything else of the era.

Yeah, I'm certain the car will be on eBay over and over. At VMCO, we advertise most of our cars on eBay, but I never expect to actually sell them on there. However, you just can't beat the number of eyeballs that eBay generates, the search engine results it delivers, and the contacts that it generates. We get lots of tire-kickers and low-ball offers, but also guys who ask us to keep them in mind if we get something else. I don't consider eBay a sales venue, I look at it as simply part of the marketing program. I'm sure this dealer uses it the same way.

[Thriller]

I think it's probably a fabulous touring car if it's fully sorted. Buicks were always powerful, reliable, comfortable cars, and I would have no qualms about putting that particular one on the road. I don't know what gears it has, but I would imagine that it would happily run at 55-60 MPH, which is plenty, given the technology of the brakes and suspension.

The problem with touring with a #1 car is that it won't easily remain a #1 car as dirt will find its way in, things will wear, corrosion may start, stone chips and similar happen. I'm not saying that this wouldn't be a fabulous car to drive, it is just that if you are paying a premium for a concours level restoration, then drive it, you may wind up devaluing the car considerably. I'm not suggesting that this particular car should remain a museum piece, just helping to ensure eyes are open on a possible purchase.

I think Matt is bang on with the speed. This weekend, I put 200 miles on the '41 Special and it was quite happy around 55 or so, although as a group I think we tended to go slower than that (led by a Ford V8 fwiw). I know a fellow who does a lot of touring with his '29, which is a 6 cylinder and if I recall correctly, he says the car is happy in the 50-55 range. So, I would expect a model half way between these would still be content there with mechanical brakes.

Good luck coming to a decision.

[50jetback]

This would make a really good tour car, large and roomy, plenty of room for luggage and passengers and really good road handling capabilities including excellent brakes ( mechanical ) PROVIDED they are correctly adjusted and maintained.

Not the fastest Buick for 1934/35 - that was the newly introduced Series 40 with the brand new 233 cu in motor which gave a great power/weight ratio and meant it could outrun the rest of the Buick range in 1934/35 - until the new 320 motor was introduced in the Century and above series in 1936.

Derek,

The problem with touring with a #1 car is that it won't easily remain a #1 car as dirt will find its way in, things will wear, corrosion may start, stone chips and similar happen. I'm not saying that this wouldn't be a fabulous car to drive, it is just that if you are paying a premium for a concours level restoration, then drive it, you may wind up devaluing the car considerably. I'm not suggesting that this particular car should remain a museum piece, just helping to ensure eyes are open on a possible purchase.

Hmm - if I was outlaying this sort of money I would definately be using it for touring. If I want to look at a car I go to a museum - if I own it I want to drive it. Point taken that it will get dirt in, it will get stone chips and things will wear but I guess this is the price for the privledge of being able to recapture a little of the past. How many people today are able to jump into a 1934 or 1940 or 1960 Buick and slip back into time?

By using a car like this you are also sharing it with others, it's like a mobile museum. I know you use your cars and have experienced the thrill people in country towns get when 10 or 20 cars from a bygone era park in their main street - it's hard to get away sometimes!

We have a saying down here " drive it like you stole it ", well it is only a saying and we all do look after our cars, but they aren't babied either. My 1934 Roadster has paint chips, some rub marks, the upholstery has obviously been sat in and it has probably devalued over the last 3 or 4 years - but there are memories from some of those tours that are priceless.

So Ken, good luck with negotiations and I for one would love to see this car being driven ( okay, not like you stole it - but if you got it for anything in the 30K or even low 40K it would be!! ).

[Thriller]

Stuart,

I am generally in agreement with you. I guess I was just trying to caution that driving a concours level car will either reduce it below concours level quality, therefore reduce its monetary value significantly, or require considerable work to keep it at that show level. Thus, in my mind, while this is a fantastic car, if it were me, I'd look for a similar car in perhaps a "less desirable" body style or in a lesser condition. For instance, my '41, which was judged as a BCA Bronze level car in 2007, has imperfections such that I don't worry too much about stone chips in the paint and such that result from driving it. Taking that anxiety away is part of what improves the enjoyment for me. It is easier to relax when one isn't worried.

Besides, buying a less expensive car leaves more money left over for fuel and wear items.

Of course, that is opinion. For me to have a car like this, I would prefer it to be in less perfect condition. I'm not trying to take anything away from this car, and it is a personal decision.

[Karrer]

You guys are great for taking the time to reply so thoughtfully. I must say I'd already considered just about all of those angles...to have a #1 car for once in my like would be great, but there's a lot of worry associated with that, especially since I will drive and show it. My philosophy is that there's really no point to having great car if it's not driven and shown. The surprise I've had here is that, and correct me if I'm wrong, you're saying that at 35 Buick has mechanical brakes?! I thought only Ford held on to that notion for so long and finally he even wised up in 39. I've had 4 early Chryslers, 29's, 31, and 35 and they all had juice brakes.
Ken

[50jetback]

The surprise I've had here is that, and correct me if I'm wrong, you're saying that at 35 Buick has mechanical brakes?! I thought only Ford held on to that notion for so long and finally he even wised up in 39. I've had 4 early Chryslers, 29's, 31, and 35 and they all had juice brakes.
Ken

Yes, mechanical brakes - but equal to and better than many early hydraulic systems. From memory the larger series had a Servo Assit booster as well.
Buick didn't go to hydraulic brakes until 1936 ( letting others perfect them? well thats our story ).