Trade offered not sure about the deal!!!

[auburnseeker]

I had a trade offered on my 57 Thunderbird 3 minus condition. Factory porthole hardtop, Non factory soft top, 312 4 barrell automatic Manual steering and brakes. Runs and drives great. No rust but old collision damage fairly well repaired. 1980 restoration. Still looks pretty good, Nice interior and most chrome real nice. Turnkey.

I would say worth around 25,000

I had a trade offer for a 1948 Plymouth Ragtop, Bad paint. Cracked and falling off all over. Good interior, Good top, Runs excellent, Needs Kingpins, Good trunk floor, All front floors replaced with steel but not factory. :confused: Pretty clean undercarriage, Tires shot, Most chrome tired or poor.

The owner wants to trade 2 for one and is offering with the Plymouth a 1963 Bonneville Ragtop. Runs pretty good. Good floors. Typical weatherstrip shot, Under the hood messy, Surface rust dirt oil ratty hood insulation etc. Paint is fair, Has a spot missing right above the wheel well. Chrome is fair. (there is alot of potmetal on this car) Quite a bit of pitting. Some rust in front fender (bubbles) ,Good top. Very good undercarriage, Front seat badly cracked. Cracked dashpad (several spots) Door panels fair. Some scarey rust chunks crumbles fell out of the hood lip and tunk lip but the visible part looks OK. Must be rusting up inside. Doors seem OK. Didn't try it on the road. Has original trunk liner which probably is concealing some rust.

Both cars gave me that quick musty mouse nest smell at a first whiff but then seemed to disappear. So there are some critters some wheres. They look better in the photos that they are in person. Nothing makes a car as shiney as a little Mother nature's mist!!!!

Should I even consider it? Should I ask for money with it. How much? Should I just walk?

The worst part is I kind of like the Plymouth!!! Not in love with it but kind of neat.

My wife said just see if he wants to sell the Plymouth. What's that worth? Books seem to hit it pretty low.

What do you all think?

[PONTIAC1953]

hi, just my opinion, i would walk and keep the 57 thunderbird, charles coker, 1953 pontiac tech advisor.

[Matt Harwood]

There might be some upside if you sell both cars as-is fairly quickly after the trade. However, now you've got [at least] two ads to run, two sets of tire-kickers to deal with, two cars to store, insure and maintain, etc. Early Thunderbirds are tough sells these days, but nobody's burning up the phones trying to get their hands on those other cars, either. Early Bonnevilles are perking up, but to get good money, you'd need to invest in that one and I think you'll get upside down on it pretty quickly. I'm about to list a nice '48 Plymouth convertible coupe that's similar to that one but in better shape, and I'm hoping to get $30-35,000 for it. Values on them plummet pretty quickly if they aren't finished or need work.

I get offered trades quite often in my line of work, and more often than not I pass on them. These days it's a struggle to sell nice cars--projects more often than not simply sit and rot. Everyone wants to trade up, but nobody's trading down. That puts the low-end cars at a severe disadvantage.

Unless you love one or both of those cars and want to own them for yourself, I'd pass. The headaches won't be worth the marginal profit you may make on them.

Just some thoughts from a guy who does this for a living.

[60FlatTop]

So you are wondering if two cars that need lots of work are better than one car needing lots of work?

Owning the car is the "entry fee" everything else costs pretty much the same. Rust repair on a T-Bird cost about the same as rust repair on a Plymouth. Brakes; about the same. And on and on. with one car you only have 300 $100 jobs to do.

The T-Bird is a bit of and icon, you know.

[keiser31]

Being a MoPar kinda guy, I would do the trade, pedal the Pontiac and work diligently on the 1948 Plymouth convertible coupe (1 of a three year total run of 15,295 from 1946 to 1948).

[auburnseeker]

My Tbird has no rust and is a turnkey proven driver now. It's the type of car that's foolish to redo unless you want to take the punishment and nitpicking of Concourse judging. A great enjoyable car as is that no one would be ashamed to drive, it just isn't show as every show you go to has a Thunderbird that has been overrestored and never driven. As is looks great runs wonderful and easily turns heads. I have the 36 Chrysler under my profile which I just took out for the first time this year so this isn't my only bird in the nest. I have a few other cars as well.

I don't think either car is going to be an easy sell. It seems every one that ever looks at my cars when I sell them. Goes through them like they are judging a National event and looking for anything to cut them down. I never get the idiot who walks around it and says looks great I'll take it. I usually get the 2 hour inspection even on a $1500 project car.

The plymouth to be right really needs floors and chrome work not to mention paint in and out, weatherstripping tires as mentioned. Complete strip and redo. The usual needs 30,000 worth of work to be a 25,000 car, I think the Bonneville may be hiding more upon close inspection as well.

I know Tbirds have tanked lately. I never thought it would be harder to sell than a 61 Tbird Convertible. The economy definately isn't helping either.

My wife frowns on the idea as she thinks I will then disappear for the summer. (spend it under the cars)

I just thought I would get some other opinions.

[TexRiv_63]

Walk away and wait for the cash.

[Guest AlK]

I would do the deal. In this economy how many people have your asking price in their pocket or even in the bank

[auburnseeker]

His wife has a thing for 1957 Thunderbirds and saw mine one day I had it in front of my shop.

They stopped looked my bird over then offered the trade. I had 26,500 on the windshield. Figuring I had more wiggle room when trades were offered. I wasn't expecting that kind of money in cash.

I am kind of thinking pass on the Bonneville I don't think there is a whole lot of market for it as when you start really looking it over everything needs attention. Not much caught my eye as being real nice other than the undercarriage, and see if he can do some funds and the plymouth. Maybe 15,000 and the Plymouth. I don't think that's a rediculous offer. What do you guys think. What's that plymouth really worth like it is? He bought it off an old lady and I'm not sure how much he really has in it? I can't imagine he has all that in it. I think he has had it a while. He definately isn't doing it any favors. Looks to have had speratic outside storage by the rust spots where the paint is leaving also evidenced by the rust streaks around them.

[Dave@Moon]

I would do the deal. In this economy how many people have your asking price in their pocket or even in the bank

Walk away and wait for the cash.

No 2 people are going to have the same answer for your question. It really depends on what you want out of your cars.

If the T-Bird is not going to be touched, and is only an occasiuonal driver, it would be enough for me to keep it. '57 Thunderbirds were the car that got me interested in the hobby in the first place, and are still in the top 5 of my wish list (#1 among post-war American cars). However just having a driver is boring for a lot of people. Having 1 or 2 restoration projects would make those people much happier.

...and unless you are a dealer trying to turn a profit, happiness is what this decision turns on. Do what you will enjoy the most in the coming years, be it driving one, selling 2 cars (T-Bird & Pontiac) to restore something new, or restoring two cars. This is all about enjoyment, not winning anything at the end. :cool:

[John_Maine]

If it's what you want to do, I would do it. Friend of mine had a partially restored '66 Barracuda Formula S, traded it for a '42 Ford and '65 Dodge Dart. Just tired of the 'Cuda and wanted something different. I wouldn't have done it, but he got a lot of enjoyment out of the Ford and Dart which he kept for a few years and sold.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Auburnseeker, I guess I would use the rule of "I know a good deal when I see it, if I need to think this long it maybe is not for me" Seems to me if either of these were vehicles you could not live with out you would be reporting on your new find.

I would mentally note the Plymouth, and if you sell the T-bird outright, offer him between $8 - 10K for it. Remember, cash talks - maybe start at $7,500. You do not want the Pontiac and would need to get rid of it so you have the same problem as you do now, unless he comes up with $15K plus the Plymouth, essentially the same thing assuming low 20s is your number on the Bird. I bet you are right on in that the car was probably acquired for less than $8 - 10K but you never know for sure. Floor would bother me but you could always re-do it, I just hate to pay for something I know I will be re-doing...

Along those same lines, based on your description, I think both cars are cases of looking better than they are. As you say, the Pontiac needs it all despite looking ok at first glance. Why pay for fair to poor chrome, pot metal, uph.. etc. as it costs the same to reupholster a seat with a couple splits as it does one that is nearly gone but for the springs.

If you can nail down the Plymouth for under $10K you can probably come out of that deal OK - and it would be a cool summer car for a family.

[caddyshack]

The last time I had to ask someones opinion about buying a car, I hesitated to long and the deal fell through. I YOU want it, do it and don"t hum and haw. If YOU don't want it, say no and be done with it. Just my opinion.

[auburnseeker]

I might have a deal. Thanks for the advice. I put it off a few days and finally bit the bullet and proposed my deal to the owner. I told him keep the bonneville, give me 15,000 and the Plymouth for my Bird. He instantly said I was thinking 13,000. I said well I'm sure we can meet somewhere in the middle and he seemed to agree. So I'm thinking 14,000 will probably be the magic number. I had an odd request though. I asked him to measure the car to make sure it will fit in my garage where the Tbird is. That makes the deal more palatable if I have a spot for it without having to make room at my cluttered shop for long term storage. It will have to go there for paint anyways along with brakes and kingpins as well as a general once over. I don't think I'll do to bad at this price. I can spruce it up so it's a bit more presentable and have some fun with it hopefully without getting upside down.

Lets hope it works out and I don't find anything I didn't see the first time. I told him I still have to give it another closer look before commiting.

I think it's at that point where if you don't save it now it will go fast the otherway. Especially with the care it has had for the last few years. I hate to see old cars especially convertibles get to this point because of neglect.

I'll keep you all posted.

[nzcarnerd]

According to the books your T Bird is 182 inches long and the '63 Bonneville is 218 inches long so you need at least three more feet of length in the garage. It'll be wider as well.

[auburnseeker]

Actually now that you mentioned it, I forgot that the Standard catalog had measurements in it. Since I'm bailing on the Pontiac and going with the plymouth. I will need an extra 15 inches to park it on that side. I think I have just over that. Looks like I may have 5 inches left over. That's just enough to squeeze through. Looks like I'll be getting it close when I pull it in the garage then move it by hand to get it to fit. Easy enough to do after you have been driving it as the tires don't have a chance to get flat spots in them. It's going to be tight. Biggest problem is if you go just a bit to far you don't hit the wall but you will hit the front of the 32 Ford I have in the garage in front of it. That's against the wall on the other end. I'll cross my fingers, That way I can keep it at the house and drive it to the shop on nice days a few miles down the road. Gives me an excuse to use it.

[auburnseeker]

Bad news. The guy decided to not buy the Tbird and just sell the Plymouth outright. He wants 12,000 for it. In the condition it's in thats way too much. So I guess that's the end of the story. I wouldn't want to spend more than 8,000 for it. It's a 4. I don't even think you could drag it to a 4 plus in the condition it's in. Lets hope he sells it before it gets put out to permanent pasture.

[Guest lorrainecook2012]

My husband has been thinking of making a trade deal which I apparently didn't like since I find it still very expensive to go on with that trade. But it was my husband's interests so I just supported him with what he wanted. I was really not a fan of cars but I've got to love it since my husband loves it so much.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Auburnseeker, put it on your follow up list and when it is still sitting there, start with $7,500...

Took me five years once to buy a car, others have taken longer so never say never...

[poci1957]

Auburnseeker, put it on your follow up list and when it is still sitting there, start with $7,500...

That sounds like a good plan to me auburnseeker. No loss on the Pontiac either. As an owner of a 1963 Pontiac I can tell you they are great cars but you cannot afford to do much restoration work on one like that.

[MarkV]

2=1 bad deal, as for the car being up for sale, wait him out!