Guest lunaperro Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 My dad left his girlfriend a 1934 Packard V12 Roadster, unrestored, but in good running condition. I was looking at the Old cars price guide and it list the value as "not estimable. What exactly does that mean? Is the car worth millions of dollars even though it is not restored? I noticed very few other cars with this rating. Are Dusenburgs and Auburns not estimable as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 It means that not enough of these particular cars change hands to establish any reasonable comparables. No it's not worth a million nor anywhere near it but depending on completeness and condition and provenance it is certainly desireable and should be easily sellable. I'm sure others will venture guesses as to its value. She must have been quite the girlfriend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Ah, good old 33-34 Packards, arguably the most desirable Classic era Packards around. I missed getting a '33 V-12 convertible coupe, in the same condition you describe, in 1975 or so. Price? $18,000, which would buy you a house in central Louisiana at the time, where I and the car was located.Now, an unrestored one, particularly if presentable and running, probably in the $100,000+ range. Restored, what are they now, $250,000-$300,000? These are nice round numbers, a lot depends on condition of car, completeness, and for restored cars, quality of restoration.Remember too that a professional restoration on such a car can cost $150,000 or more, easily. I'm told a V-12 Packard engine rebuild is in the $25,000 range if done correctly......so condition of the car as it sits now is critical to value.A great car to inherit that's for sure, and left to a girlfriend, gotta be a good story there. I hope he left you a lot more, or there may be some Packard envy going on..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lunaperro Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Not that great of a story really, and a little sad actually. She took care of him when he was in his 80's, but he was still pretty active up until the day he died.He left my sisters and I all the other cars in his collection, and his house, I'm not sure what any of it is worth. Unfortunately, our husbands are not car guys and we don't think we are in a position to maintain the antiques they way they should be, so they will getting auctioned off this summer in Illinois. There is a '40 Packard Convertible and a 28 Stutz sedan, but the '34 was the jewel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mitchell Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 He had a lot of fun with his cars, whether they were Fords or Packards, and his girlfriend was good company to him and they made each other happy. I remember years ago when he told me she paid for the new convertible top on the 34 for him, and he was thrilled. They both enjoyed the cars and going places in them. While it is sad that he is gone, it isn't sad in that at least these two found happiness and enjoyed the cars together in his later years. It was a very nice thought on his part to give it to her.The 34 isn't worth millions and the cost to restore it will be close to or more than it is worth when done. This isn't an easy restoration (starting with the engine no longer being a V12, but a 120) and will most likely cost well more than $300,000. A 1932 roadster, originally owned by Clark Gable, restored by a well known collector to win at Pebble Beach, just sold for $670,000 at a well publicised auction, which was a record. This 34 won't bring that much even restored as it lacks such provenence. I'm not putting the car down, it is still a 34 Packard roadster, but don't feel too bad thinking that it might be worth huge sums. The sale of the other cars and parts will surely total much more than the value of the 34.He was quite an authority on antique cars of many types and had a national reputation and you can be proud of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 That is a little sad, but it's good that she took care of him. Do you have pictures of the cars you could post?If you wanted to get some idea of values (and maybe some pre-auction offers!) then pictures and description on this forum would be great.Yes, the '34 V-12 Packard is as desirable as it gets in the Packard world......although some might say a Darrin might give it a close race........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Oh, I just saw Dave M's post, if it doesn't have the V-12 in it, then the numbers on value I stated are meaningless.....That is a good story, though....thanks for the "rest of the story" DM! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lunaperro Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Well, dad does have a V12 Engine for the Packard, it just isn't in the car right now.But anyway, I am very glad Dad had a special friend to share his life with after my mom passed. He was quite lonely and when this girlfriend came along, it helped him a lot. I'm not bitter about her getting the car. I just wondered what it actually might be worth, and was confused about the unestimable rating. Dad always said it could be between 50 to 110,000 depending on the economy, but he would never sell it because he enjoyed driving it too much. It is just kind of sad to have to auction off so much of his collection, but I would rather see the cars go to someone who will fix them up and keep driving them. It's a mixed bag of emotions for my sisters and I, but my husband doesn't have a mechanical bone in his body. The minute something breaks, he calls me to fix it, and I usually do. I will try to post something with all the cars and pictures soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mitchell Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 You have my sympathies, both for the loss of your father, who was a gentle man, and that you have a lot to take care of. Let me know if I can help. It is good that you aren't bitter. Your dad was well known in the hobby as a collector, authority and judge. I remember how sad he was when your mom passed too, and talked about cars that she liked when I visited him at the house. He enjoyed owning the cars, and I'm sure he thought that someday he would get to restoring them, but that day just never came, and now you are right, someone else will take them, love them and restore them, but your dad saved them for the next generation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 You should take Dave up on his offer. He's not only a well versed Packard collector, but a gentleman to boot, and you can take his advice to the bank.....I've known him for a while, had some dealings both long distance and face to face at Hershey, and he's a straight shooter...OK, Dave, you're on your own, I've nary a cliche left to use........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lunaperro Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Right now, I am trying to make a photo album of all the cars that are going to be in the auction. Stenzel Auctions will be our auctioneer, and they are located in Cambridge, Illinois, which is a short drive from the Quad Cities. I will post these on my profile page as an album, unless there is a better way to do it. Many of the pictures dad had of the cars were kodak type, and I don't have a scanner, so I had to take lots of pictures of these cars inside, with out the best light, but at least you can get an idea, and I am hoping to put some history of my memories of each of the cars as well. I am also learning to navigate this website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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