72 Boattail, Sink or Swim?

[Guest BJM]

Bad pun, but I posted this in the General section as well -

Hey all.

Just went and looked at a 72 Boattail about 35 minutes away (real close) offered on Craigs List. I have purchased a 73 Centurion 455 2 door hardtop for a Spring delivery. Sight unseen except for CL photos. I know it does NOT have BRWheels. (The Centurion)

I never look at a car for parts purposes only as cheap projects. This one even has me scared though. I strated to take photos and stopped so I apologize for the few photos. It was a balmy 4 degrees here in Iowa and I didn't feel like standing around too much. I could not get the doors open as these notoriusly have bad door handles and I didn't want it to break off.

Here's the scoop. 455 automatic, 40/60 power seat. Cruise control, power door locks, power windows. Black interior with pristine door panels, seats need recovering, crack in dash, radio missing and fascia would require replacement (hack job) CRUISE CONTROL, broken windshield, all other glass good.

4 nice Buick Road wheels. Left front fende rbad, front bumper bent (grille perfect though) rear bumper straight but mashed upward a little. I could not tell if there was a posi.

For my 73 Centurion I want to transform it into a daily driver to replace my 2004 Bonneville. I am planning on a hotter 455, TCI massaged transmission, and I want a posi in the rear.

Posis are pricey so if this Boattail has a posi, that's a bonus. Few Centurions have posis. I don't know if my 73 has a posi, with a 455 it might, but I doubt it.

My thinking is, buy the 72 Riviera for $200, drop $125 to get it delivered and part it out to support the Centurion and other projects. I recently sold some spare 49 Buick parts for about $350. Sold some spare 63 Pontiac parts for $150. I'm talking eye openers that people bought these parts, but hey they must have been needed.

Any idea what I could get from a part out of this Riviera? $2000? The grille is very nice, interior door panels. Not much I need from this car - the road wheels, maybe the cruise control.

I believe anything can be restored. BUT I know as soon as I start a search for 1-2 front fenders (right side has some rust) I'll be quoted $250 per fender or something, front bumper $250 and so on. I believe this is a huge problem. There are plenty of $500 project cars out there that are in no worse shape then the project cars from the 20's and 30's that were available in the 50's and 60's but they aren't getting done because of parts cost.

This Boattail would require a lot but could be saved. It has been in this same spot for 9 years. It's complete except for the hacked dash. Save or part? Leave it or part it?

[JZRIV]

There are several things to consider when buying a parts car. Some are obvious but one thing often overlooked is how long you'll have to leave the scavenged eye sore parked by your house until you can sell enough to feel it was worth while.

When I buy a car for parts, I typically look for one or two big ticket items or rare options that I want for another project as well as items that I know have proven value. For example I bought a junk 67GS for $300 and a long out of state trip to haul it home. It had the 3.42 limited slip and passenger seat recliner both of which I knew had decent value whether it be to me personally or to sell. At the time, scrap prices were really high so after I got what I wanted, I sold the car for scrap for what I paid for it.

If you have a car trailer and truck so you can haul these gems yourself that is a big plus in your favor. When you have to start paying someone to haul it to you, and away when its done, it becomes less attractive. Also, how much spare time do you have? With the Centurion project it sounds like you already have enough to keep you busy. Either way keep in mind from removing the part, to advertising it, packing, and shipping all takes time.

"Straight" bumpers for 71/72s have some value but this car has neither in straight condition. The wheels appear to have rust. 71-76 Riv wheels are a dime a dozen in this condition. The door panels on these cars held up pretty well so they aren't necessarily high value either. If the sheet metal has any rust through at all the value drops way down. Big items like bumpers and fenders are a pain to ship so unless you have an item in excellent condition to get top dollar its not as atractive. 72 grilles are strong and held up well so replacements are not hard to find. Does the car have 4 note horns? Those are a highly sought after item. Personally I don't see anything about this car thats saying "BUY ME" but thats just one opinion and not viewing the car in person.

Having said all that, if you look at it as a hobby vs a business deal, parting a car can be fun as well as a learning experience and in that case, just breaking even financially you are still ahead.

[Guest BJM]

Jason,

Thanks I appreciate your comments. This car does have cruise. I pulled cruise (complete set up including wiring) off a 73 Buick once in a yard and got $125 for it. You make good points about the door panels.

I am now swinging toward buying it and keeping it to restore along side my 73 Centurion.

[Patrick91914]

Without a doubt, sink it. Then again, I live in S. California and have a low tolerance for rust. There are plenty of other boattails out there worth saving. There is no need to drain your wallet trying to save the entire car or salvage rusty parts in the hopes that you could sell them. The headache that comes with parting a car (this comes from a guy who has parted nine or 10 '65 Rivs) and storing those parts for years may be worth it. I decided a long time ago that I would focus solely on hard to get accessories and options. Anything else is gravy if you have the space to store it--but that's just me.

[tim63riv]

Bryan,

Might be worth dragging it home and getting it running. That of course depends on your mechanical ability. Contrary to some people's belief, a rusty ol' original can be a fun car to drive and just plain enjoy! If you buy it for $200, get it home for $125 and get it running for $350, you could probably get a decent return on your investment.

As far as making a profit on a parts car, good condition body parts and rare options are what drives the value up, so you need to keep that in mind.

Let us know what you decide to do!

Tim