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'63 T-Bird value?


Guest TurnWalt

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Guest TurnWalt

Hi. Not looking for an insurance appraisal, just an educated starting point on the value of this vehicle. It's a barn-car for 10-20 years. Driven into the barn before my wife's grandfather passed away and now I'm looking for a value so I can sell it for his wife. White leather interior is in remarkably good shape. If it's low enough, I might get a new project. High enough and you might get a new project.

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Turnwalt,

There would really need to be more information to make an educated guess. I would suggest getting it out of the barn and giving it a thorough cleaning. Right now I can't tell if the car is just really dirty in spots or if it has surface rust. How rusty is it underneath? Of course it hasn't run in 20 years and will need work on the engine and complete brake overhaul before you could even consider driving it. I don't think that particular model is a the high end of the '63 T-Birds. I would say as it sits it might be worth in the 3 to 5 thousand dollar range, but that may be too high. I would check on EBay to see what similar cars are going for. That will give you a better idea of what you have.

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Guest TurnWalt

Thanks very much. The ebay T-Birds are all over the place I think and I'm not sure which would be a valid comparison. My wife's grandfather bought it as a collector car and drove it into that barn, then promptly got sick and passed away. There's not a blemish on the finish or surface but I don't know what the underside looks like. Being in central Texas, I doubt there's any rust issues but don't know for sure. I thought the same thing you did; get it out of the barn, put tires on it, shine it up and then see what it is. My son wants it so bad he can taste it but I want to give her some reasonably accurate information.

Thanks again!

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  • 5 weeks later...

Rust is sometimes an issue with "barn stored" cars if it sat on an earthen floor. Lots of moisture comes up out of the ground and can rust 'em out underneath quite quickly. Given the relatively low tolerance of these unibodies for any underbody rust, might be best to try to peek underneath first. Also look at the bottom of the fuel tank.

My "Old Cars" price guide says that one of these in "good" drivable condition (that is a #4 by their standards) would bring as much as $5000.

If the frame isn't shot, shine it up and get it running. If it hasn't been started regularly in those 10-20 years (doubtful it has) a lot of prep work will be needed before any attempt to start it now... as I'm sure you're well aware.

Maybe you can make a deal with your son if he gets it running and it's his... or you'll pay him the extra value it will have as a running (if not yet driving) car. Great learning experience, but of course it'll require a lot of guidance if he hasn't undertaken such a task before.

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Guest Chubb Car Guy Jim

You can download a free classic car guide app for either an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone at Classic Car Insurance Online | Chubb Collector Car Insurance.

It is built off of 20years of auction data from sports Sports Car Market magazine, and is pretty cool. Full disclosure: I'm in marketing at Chubb, so I'm biased - but that doesn't mean that I'm wrong about the app.

Jim

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Guest TurnWalt

Thanks to all for the info and suggestions. I was just down there bringing the 1906 Maxwell home (yay!) and asked her what she'd like to do with this car. Apparently, it's going to stay in that barn on the dirt floor for a little while longer.

Thanks again. I think all the questions I have are answered, at least until I can pull it out of the barn and shine it up a little.

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  • 3 months later...
Guest cardolly

I recently looked at prices on the NADA Antique price guide, I remember that points cars could go as high a $28,000-30,000. Mine will never be that high, we prefer to keep it a survivor with pretty paint, but you might reconsider putting a teenager in a car with a powerful V8. At best you could see a lot of tickets coming in. Some 30+ years ago I gave my folks lots of headaches, and I cost them quite a bit of money, until they said that the next ticket was mine.

Our daughter recently did the same to us.

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