Went to a auction Saturday- 1928 Chrysler barn fresh.

[mikewest]

Saturday was a small country auction that advertised a 1928 Chrysler 2 dr sedan , 4 cyl car that was original. Ive known of the car for over 40 years, only seeing it once when I was 16 or 17. Over the years I tried to buy it , but it was "not for sale". I went the day before when the  auctioneer was setting up the sale and was allowed to look it over. It was the smallest model , 4 cyl, 109 in wb , 2 dr sedan . It showed 54000 miles, well used but very complete. The wood was weak with the doors dropping several inches  when opened. The fenders were bumped and the pot metal handles crumbling.  I met the owner who remembered me - now 83 years old. His grandfather bought the car new  and kept on the road until 1958. When he passed the car went to his oldest son who kept it in the same garage. He was killed in a car wreck and then the car went to the present owner. Nobody ever got around to fixing it up.  Now fast forward the day of the auction I thought Id buy it , scrub it up , get it running and offer it for sale as a survivor car. The auctioneer was calling for 3000, then 2500, 2000, 1500 come on lets get it started, 1000 and no takers . A young man that had looked it over real well said 500! It went 550 from another young lad and it was just the 2 young men to the selling price of 1400. I was temped to jump in and buy the car but I was so excited for the two young bucks that I said to my self shut up and enjoy the show. After the hammer was down the first bidder was just beaming ..... The car will make a nice collector car and he said he was going to fix it up as a survivor car. Good for him! Ill post some pictures of the car in a bit.

Edited November 11, 2019 by mikewest (see edit history)

[keithb7]

Looking forward to pics. Thx. 

[jeff_a]

You have all the the good sales and good cars in your area, Mike!  I remember your story about going to check out a Nash Metro in some building and there being two Peerlesses, which you bought. Those early Chryslers -- I've heard --  were well-built vehicles for their price. The young man who bought it got kind of a Rip Van Winkle car, with one-family ownership and its completeness.

[maok]

The headlights don't look like my '28, though it's a six not a four.

[mercer09]

yep, modernized headlights.

 

good for you Mike on staying out of the fray and letting a youngin have a blast...........!

[keiser31]

6 hours ago, mercer09 said:

yep, modernized headlights.

 

good for you Mike on staying out of the fray and letting a youngin have a blast...........!

Those headlights are original style offered in 1926 and later.

[28 Chrysler]

9 hours ago, maok said:

The headlights don't look like my '28, though it's a six not a four.

Open cars in the US used drum headlights, closed cars had the streamlined bullet lamps.

[keiser31]

2 minutes ago, 28 Chrysler said:

Open cars in the US used drum headlights, closed cars had the streamlined bullet lamps.

Not according to "The 70 Years Of Chrysler". It shows drum and bullet lamps on many Chrysler body styles.

[mercer09]

John,

never saw anything that modern looking on a 26, unless it was E and Js or similar projection headlights.

[DLynskey]

The bullet shaped headlights are correct for a 1928 Model 52. This is an untouched, one owner 1928 Model 52. The right headlight rim and lens are missing, but the drum headlights are shown.

 

and a photo I found on the internet somewhere.

 

 

 

 

By the way, Mike, I didn't comment on your initial post, but this appears to be a genuine, untouched treasure. I applaud your letting the young guys have a chance at it. That's how many of us got started in the hobby.

 

Don

 

Edited November 12, 2019 by DLynskey (see edit history)

[Wowabunga]

Enjoyed reading about the auction.  You also racked up some big Karma points by bowing out.  Somewhere in the future you'll be repaid for sure.

[keithb7]

Good score at $1400 for the young lads. Hopefully the new owner has a mentor and some guidance on it’s revival. 

 

Classy move bowing out. It would have been awfully tempting to snatch up the car at that price. 

[mikewest]

Ive been going over in my head how long Ive known about the car . Those headlights are absolutely correct. I first saw the nose of the car when the barn door was open when I was 16 years old . My mother had a new red Ford Thunderbird (1974) . Im 61 today. If the Chrysler was a CD -8  I wouldn't of been so gracious..... The car had 19 inch wheels on the front because at war time the 20 inch tires couldn't be found. The correct wheels were in the back seat . That's the reason the car had 2 different hubcaps..

[Guest]

On 11/12/2019 at 6:43 PM, mikewest said:

 If the Chrysler was a CD -8  I wouldn't of been so gracious..... 

[Guest]

On 11/12/2019 at 8:20 AM, keithb7 said:

 

Classy move bowing out. It would have been awfully tempting to snatch up the car at that price. 

Reminds me of a Police auction of found bicycles in Winnipeg in the early fifties.  About two hundred bicycles, most sold for ten or fifteen dollars max.  A young lad, maybe eleven or twelve  bid on almost every bike and topped out at four fifty.  Part way through the auction when they were bringing in another batch of bicycles the auctioneer seemed to have a huddle with his helpers.  Finally the last bike came up, a nice clean balloon tired bike with a heavy delivery style carrier on the front.  The young lad bid four fifty and the hammer fell. SOLD to the young man in the second row.  Not a single complaint from anyone and he left with his bicycle and a round of applause.

Nice to see that there are still nice people in the world.