gilletman Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Hello, A few weeks ago i found an incredibel nice 1951 ford convertible 'shoebox'. From first owner, fully documented. Resting in a warmed dry garage for over 30 years now.With all original documents and invoice of purchase. At the time the value was around 5 times of regular cars, like citroen etc..original Belgian Car not imported.Wat would be the value ? i'm interested buying it. No rust, no dents, no dirt, good chrome first paint etc.............. almost a new but dusty car. Just stood there long time, needs new tires onley. And lots of TLC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1939_Buick Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Photos?Exact model type?Location? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilletman Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 did take some time to post foto.car is in Belgium at 10 miles where it was bougth new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 (edited) Great car and a nice find if the price is right but I'm not so sure that color was available on the '51 Ford. At least not here in America. Maybe a repaint? Especially when you look at that sprayed inner fender. Missing a little bit of side molding and the hub caps are different than most '51 Fords here too.And what is that emblem on the front of the hood?Still, an excellent car if the price is right.Greg Edited August 4, 2015 by Guest (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilletman Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 Great car and a nice find if the price is right but I'm not so sure that color was available on the '51 Ford. At least not here in America. Maybe a repaint? Especially when you look at that sprayed inner fender. Missing a little bit of side molding and the hub caps are different than most '51 Fords here too.And what is that emblem on the front of the hood?Still, an excellent car if the price is right.Gregthe emblem is from the garage where it was sold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilletman Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 i do have an album of Jaques chocolate water drawings, whit a this color on this car on it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilletman Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 i do have an album of Jaques chocolate water drawings, whit a this color on this car on it. The question, wat is a fair price on this car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlCapone Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 What is he asking for it ! Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilletman Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 What is he asking for it ! Waynehe wants me to make an offer.................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlCapone Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 he wants me to make an offer....................In my opinion a bad way to do business ! You can't be buyer and seller at the same time ! Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnseeker Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 I've found when I make offers, I have a number in my head. I then roll it back a bit especially when you consider it's been sitting so long. You can spend alot of money on mechanics getting it up and running if it's been sitting a long time. You will have to go through all the brakes, the fuel system, tires as you mentioned, cooling system, and hope the motor is OK when it was put up. If you can do the work yourself it's not so bad but you could spend any easy $3000-4000 here in the USA at a shop just to get it up and running. Tires are 1,000 right off the top. More pictures would help us determine how nice it really is. Door jamb and undercarriage shots. Under the hood, in the trunk etc. Alot of cars look great almost freshly restored in photos about the size and distance from the car you posted but the devil is in the details. The close ups reveal a whole lot more and often really changed my impression of cars I was seriously looking to buy. Show us more photos if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Take a stack of 100 euro notes with you. Start putting them down on the bonnet until the seller smiles or makes a noticeable movement. Then put down two more. If he says yes it's yours. If not, scoop them all up and leave. Wait at least two days and come back with 200 more. If he doesn't take it the second time, wait a week. Then come back 10 days. Chances are, you'll get back to your car the first time you leave and he'll follow. It's more fun than playing poker.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidAU Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 The paint under the fender looks too clean to be original. Almost looks like it's had a re-spray and hasn't been on the road since. Nothing wrong with that I might add. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleek Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Mileage may help tell something about what you could expect as far as running gear condition. But the time it has sat without upkeep could be more damaging than the miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 I may be stupid and have been an enthusiast for ever but I have never heard where the term 'shoebox' came from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capngrog Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Someone correct me if I'm wrong (I'm often wrong), but I think that series Ford was the first of the American "Big Three" (Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford) to have faired-in fenders giving it a "boxy" look. Since almost every one was familiar with a shoe box, I guess that's the type of box that was cited when describing the "new look" Ford's styling. Many folks used the same terminology when describing the "modern" styling of the 1955 Chevrolet. Just in the interest of "Truth In Advertising", the 1946 Crosley was actually the first American car to come out with the faired-in fenders and the shoe box look. Thinkin' inside the box,Grog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 gilletman, This information may help:Currently there are two '50/'51 Ford Convertibles listed on eBay. One is a frame off restoration listed at $50K the other is a very nice driver quality listed at $30K. I know asking and selling are two different things. SOLD listings show a fully restored version went for $28,500 and a nice driver quality car sold for $16,600. The restored coupes seem to run anywhere from $12K to $15K. The sedans are under $10K.Good Luck, Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Old Cars Price Guide says $19,350 for a #3 and $8600 for a #4. If it has been sitting a long time it can take a lot of work and expense to put it back in commission and the price should reflect this. If it has been sitting for 5 years or more it will need new tires, battery, complete brake job, and a lot of cleaning and polishing at minimum. It may also need top and upholstery, if it is dry rotted, even though it looks good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 What Grog is calling "Faired-in" I've always heard as "Slab-sided". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilletman Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 What Grog is calling "Faired-in" I've always heard as "Slab-sided". this is verry helpfull. i tought is was worth much more........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnseeker Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Up and running so you can take it for a drive and listen to it run makes it more valuable. If it really is original never repainted with original interior in still like new condition with crazy low original miles, it may have more value but as a friend told me, they have to prove to you that it is indeed all original and nothing has been restored. The price guides don't have a way to accurately value a car like that as few exist in that condition and even fewer are sold. I've also always found that any cars I have found never fit neatly into the 1-5 categories. I've had cars with #1 mechanics and # 1-2 Chrome but the paint was a 4 so it's hard to value cars that have really strong features mixed with really poor ones. There are also huge jumps between some of those numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 As a lifelong Buick driver I have always called them shoeboxes because any logical letters besides o & e got me in trouble.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob staehle Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 thank you Bernie for my fist ha ha ha of the week Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 SH**BOX? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 All these experts and no real answer that I understand.I think that some of these guys only use the term because everybody else does. I will start calling some cars 'slab sides', Most of em I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capngrog Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 All these experts and no real answer that I understand.I think that some of these guys only use the term because everybody else does. I will start calling some cars 'slab sides', Most of em I guess. What answer were you looking for? The answer I gave in Post #16 is the consensus answer with the "old car guys" I hang out with. The term "shoebox", when used in describing certain cars, became popular, because the term seemed apt. If someone uses a descriptive term, because it's an accepted/popular term(everybody else uses it), what's wrong with that? Would it be better to use a descriptive term that nobody could recognize or understand? By the way, I believe that "slab sides" or "slab-sided" is a common, but less popular way of describing these early '50s Fords. Slab-sided, I am,Grog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 It's a popular term that has been around a long time. Check out this 1960 R&C cover: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rod-Custom-magazine-September-1960-/321798193037?hash=item4aecaabf8d I remember buying that issue. Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry W Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 To my understanding, "slab side" description applied to mid sixties Lincolns and late sixties Olds Ninety Eights and Buick 225's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Now it would appear that some magazine pushed the term.I have only heard the term related to those Fords and since I am a Mopar guy didn't want to understand.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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