1937 Packard Super 8 pricing

[Guest SmarT]

Hello all. I'm looking at a Super 8 for sale and I wanted to see if you all could help me decide on a price to offer. Here are the issues with it:

-it runs and drives, but has a leak in the gas tank and the inside of the tank is unknown as whether it's rusted or not

-interior is shot, roof is gone and back seat is gone completely

-big dent in rear driver side top corner and dent in front driver side fender

-all chrome needs redone

-was in a barn for many, many years so just the usual items from sitting so long

-brake pedal doesn't return, but brakes work so so

-lots of surface rust and a repaint is a must

-not all gauges work

-hood ornament gone

-glass looks foggy

-rubber on running boards needs replacement

good things:

-has both spare tire covers

-has all hubcaps

-has rack on back

-radiator was gone through 20 years ago and tires and brakes and some engine work were done 20 years ago and has been driven around lightly since

-has title

-horn works

I don't deal with Packards enough to know what to offer. Would $5,000 be a good offer? It just looks like most everything needs a go-through, but since it's a Super 8 it would be a good investment, yes? Thank you for your thoughts. I want to make an offer within the next week so any help is appreciated.

[alsancle]

You didn't mention the body style. I would assume 4 door sedan. You need to post pictures but I would bet even with no info that it is worth at least 5k as a parts car.

[Guest SmarT]

My apologies for not posting photos and clarifying the model.

[Bleach]

Definitely HPOF material.

Too bad someone let it deteriorate so badly. It must have been a lot nicer 20 years ago if someone started to put some work into it.

[alsancle]

The Packard guys need to chime in but I think it is definitely worth more than 5k.

[trimacar]

$5000 would be a steal, engine is worth $3000 or more....car probably closer to $10K, unfortunately as in many cases, by the time you restore it you'd have more than it's worth in it....just chroming the grill pieces will probably cost $1500 or more...and that's the tip of the iceberg ...

[K8096]

That was a nicely optioned car as it has the deluxe steering wheel, trunk rack, and a radio. A friend of mine bought a 1937 Twelve with the same body in about the same shape, but not running, and he paid 20K for it. So I would think if you could get it for 10K or less you'd be doing OK. Please understand, as trimacar stated, that it would be impossible to make money on this car. Even if you did a lot of the work on it yourself, the cost of the interior and chrome alone would be more that the car is worth in 100 point condition.

[Guest SmarT]

Thanks very much for all the input everyone. I have been looking for the right shape sedan to make into a ww2 US Army staff car and I think this would be a good one to start with. The thing with a staff car is that ALL the chrome is painted over so I don't have to worry about redoing that. The paint is just a flat olive drab so that should cost a bit less than a high gloss, clear-coated black. The real kicker, like you all said, would still be the interior and wiring.

Can anyone tell me a rough estimate of what the interior and roof would cost? The roof is rotted away.

[K8096]

If you want to make up an Army staff car, I think you'd be better of with a late 30's or early 40's Cadillac model 75 sedan. There's plenty of them out there, and they go for less money than a Packard.

[trimacar]

Depends on what you mean when you say roof is rotted away...if it's just the padding and material, no big deal....but if the wood is bad, then other wood is also bad in car, and you're looking at thousands to replace....

If all wood was good and seat springs usable, you can figure $1000 in material and $8000 labor plus or minus on interior...

[Guest SmarT]

Good to know, thanks very much.