Who bought it?

[George Smolinski]

I posted this a while back - Advice on 1933 Hupmobile Roadster purchase, please. 

Did anyone here buy it? It seemed there was some interest, but the engine not running was a turn off. I backed out because the seller and poster were 2 different people (no explanation why), the seller was a little too slick like he had all the answers rehearsed, and the car was way overpriced considering it's condition(there's an epidemic of that now).

[F&J]

18 minutes ago, George Smolinski said:

and the car was way overpriced considering it's condition

I disagree with it being way overpriced.  Just because a person won't go look at it in person, (and then may be allowed to check out the motor condition), is a lame excuse to think it can be bought for fire sale prices or 4dr common make sedan money.

 

It is a very rare, upscale open car from the good years of 32-33, and well cared for, for many decades...and basically original untampered with.

 

Snooze, you lose, is the old saying.  Very few people who respond to early cars ever really are ready to buy.  I used to flip for decades, and that was my experience.    (or it was a dealer trying to get it for cheap)

.

[George Smolinski]

Well we're all entitled to our opinions. A few people here thought 20K if it ran would be a fair price. 20K with unknown engine, transmission, & rearend condition is way overpriced IN MY OPINION. Maybe the guy that bought it will be ok money wise on it & maybe he'll take a bath on the mechanicals. I wasn't willing to take that gamble, & I'm glad you're not in charge of my spending my money on cars.

[Captain Harley]

All I've got to say is that the spotlight on it was not original nor era correct either, so there....

 

Capt. Harley😉

[Paul Dobbin]

I also thought it was a very interesting car and would love to know the rest of the story.

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Edited April 12, 2021 by Paul Dobbin (see edit history)

[Graham Man]

I am just glad it is sold (before I bought it), if it had been a 1933 Graham, it would have been in MY garage in a heartbeat.  I still think it is a great car, you could have gotten a Model A roadster, maybe for that money?  and it would not be half as interesting.  My guess the engine is just like the car, unrestored and has been sitting around for the last 30 years... bet it is running all ready.  Sure hope to get to see it at one of the shows around the Minneapolis. 

 

This picture is deceiving this car is a 116" wheelbase, a Model A Roadster is 103" wheelbase, so a lot bigger car.

 

Curious about the spot light comment, my 1933 Graham has the original 1933 Sportlight, also an option form Ford in 1933, not saying this one is correct but they were available in 1933 as an option.

 

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by Graham Man (see edit history)

[George Smolinski]

35 minutes ago, Graham Man said:

My guess the engine is just like the car, unrestored and has been sitting around for the last 30 years... bet it is running all ready. 

The owner prior to the seller was driving it to Milwaukee when he heard noise from the engine, shut it off, & pulled it over. He had it hauled back to MN where he disassembled the engine down to the long block. It sat that way for many, many years 20-30? The seller bought it in that condition and didn't do anything to the car. He also had it for a number of years before putting it up for sale. I didn't buy it because of that and the seller seemed too rehearsed in all his answers to my questions. Sometimes you get a gut feeling & it's usually good to pay heed to it. I have no regrets. I'm just curious if someone here bought it.

Finally, I have to call bull sh-t on the car being original and/or unrestored. It was repainted in the 70's, someone on here said some or all the upholstery is redone, and that ugly spotlight sure as heck didn't come from the factory.

[Dandy Dave]

Thought about it but did not buy it. If was closer to home and I was able to look at it I probaly would have. I did not think it would linger for long. Dandy Dave.

[wayne sheldon]

I am not an expert in any sense on spotlights. Something I do know but do not have any documentation for is that that 'style' of spotlight goes back to at least 1929, as an after-market accessory. I know this because one of my longest time best friends many years ago had one on his 1929 Ford model A town sedan. He did have a copy of an era advertisement for it, and I saw it. All that said, that one on the Hupp roadster is not that early. It could be as early as the late 1930s. Or it could be as late as from the 1950s. They were made for many years with that type white plastic handle. The early ones used Bakelite ball handles, and had a straighter/sharper cone shape along with less rounded bezels. Note, even the early ones were generally not totally straight cone shape, and did have slightly convex lenses. Like in the advertisement Graham Man showed above.

There were better pictures of the spotlight on the previous thread.

[lump]

My GUESS is that it was a pretty good price, IF there were no hidden disasters in there anywhere. If I had garage space and some interest in a pretty darn cool roadster just then, I would simply have gotten in my truck and driven there immediately. I've done it before, and had some great adventures along the way. Often I turned down the car in question, but enjoyed the trip anyway. Other times, I came home with a car which I was very glad to have. 

[vermontboy]

in 1961 I bought this Model "A" Ford for $100. We took it to one of the local AACA club meets (GVACS) and a fellow who had a Model "A" Phaeton and Roadster - both fully restored, offered me $75 for the Sportlight 9yes, sold it on the spot). Not sure what originals are worth today. A few years later he lost both cars to a garage fire - do not use gasoline to clean parts when using a space heater. 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by vermontboy (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

To truly evaluate the value of a car one has do buy it, experience ownership, and then sell it, My wife knows the more overpriced a car is, the shorter that cycle.

 

In those shorter instances I made a better sales presentation than the guy I bought it from and made a few bucks.

 

If I have the money and want it I will buy it. The important thing to remember, the purchase is the start of the value cycle.

 

I can remember cars I was disappointed in, but none I regretted buying.

 

Bernie

Edited April 11, 2021 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[JACK M]

2 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

 

I can remember cars I was disappointed in, but none I regretted buying.

 

Good way to put it.