For Sale: 1939 Packard 120 Touring Sedan - $3,000 - Buffalo (Orchard Park), NY - Project - Not Mine

[58L-Y8]

For Sale: 1939 Packard 120 Touring Sedan - $3,000 - Buffalo (Orchard Park), NY - Project

1939 Packard Touring Sedan - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle... (craigslist.org)

1939 Packard 120 touring sedan. 8 cylinder, This car is in parts. Engine rebuilt, front shocks rebuilt, frame painted. I have double parts, 8 doors, 2 interiors, etc. Body in very good shape on rotisserie. May sell with rotisserie. Moving south. Odometer: 60,000

Contact: no phone listed.
Copy and paste in your email:  6b0dff84dac4374ab24867d18013eb83@sale.craigslist.org

 

I have no personal interest or stake in the eventual sale of this 1939 Packard 120 Touring Sedan - Project.

[1957Birdman]

Some assembly required! Seems like more than a reasonable price for what you get.

Lew Bachman

1957 Thunderbird

[suchan]

Seems like someone could do well parting it out?

I can't see it being a realistic reassembly project.

[alsancle]

I feel bad when I see projects like this because I know somebody started out full of enthusiasm and eventually reality sets in (or the owner passes away).

 

The parts business stinks,  so I don't know if that would be such a great direction.   

[Steve_Mack_CT]

This level of restoration at home takes a lot of dedication.  Reminds me of my pal Rick's 39 Chevy.  Nut and bolt, done by him with the exception of upholstery and chrome.  4 plus year effort, 2 of which were summers in high school, lots of nights and weekends.  Maybe 20 hours a week on average with little time away, so maybe 4,000 hours?  You are generally either a teen or retired to have that much time, let alone talent.  He can do body, paint and mechanical work, so that is a help.

[rg171352]

3 hours ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

 You are generally either a teen or retired to have that much time, let alone talent.  

Well said!

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Rg, my pal still has the car 42 years out of HS, and it would place at most judged shows, but his Packard project has been in restoration for 30 years, inching forward.  Why? He works a lot...

 

I would love to restore a car from the ground up but not till retirement.

[BucketofBolts]

The parts sold individually would fetch more than the $3,000 asking price for this project. 

[m-mman]

14 hours ago, BucketofBolts said:

The parts sold individually would fetch more than the $3,000 asking price for this project. 

 

The problem is that it isnt just the $3000 purchase price. . . . .

Rental of big truck to move everything. (it wont all fit into a pick up) 

Gas to run the truck back and forth between the sellers house and yours (how close are they? Even if they are, it will take several trips) 

Cost of help to load & unload. (at least hearty lunches for your friends)

Time to load/unload, sort and label parts

Space to store everything until it is sold. (how big is your garage or do you need to rent space?)

Time to list and ship on eBay or the fuel and space rent to take it to a swap meet (If we ever have swap meets again) 

Disposal of all the stuff that really has no value. (How quickly is a stripped sedan body going to sell?) 

 

It adds up to the sad fact that IF you could double your cash ($6000?) you would probably be losing money. 

In the used parts business typically a 100% mark up is the minimum needed to meet overhead, not necessarily make a profit.

 

I am tankful for all the hobby sellers who do make parts available as a HOBBY, because they sure are not getting rich.