Keep it or sell it..

[nick8086]

This is car from my fathers collection.

 

I parked 12 years ago and have not looked at it..

 

It is a 4 door Chev  v8 miles 24 K or 42K.

 

I can not find any that have sold on the net in the last 10 years..in this color and a V8..

 

Or just chime in on a good price,

[Trulyvintage]

If it has sentimental value to you

then keep it.

If not - sell it.

That weird picture looks like it was

taken years ago.

12 years sitting can be a death sentence depending on how

the car was prepared to be stored

and how it has been stored.

Your question cannot be answered 

based on the information you

have provided.

 

Jim

[nick8086]

Here is a better pic..

 

I has all the glass in it..  The only thing that was not done was to put the Dome light in it..

 

It was stored in my garage. Just like my other cars.. I going to sell my old house and need to move it..

 

 

Yes the car has a story behind it..  Back 1955 that was the only car my dad bought new..

 

He owned 200 cars... And that is the only one he bought new..

 

Not sure if this is the same car he bought.. I do know he fixed it up for his 50th wedding anniversary and took my mom for a ride that day.. I think is was the car he picked mom  up in back in 1955 for their first date..

 

Edited April 7 by nick8086 (see edit history)

[Dave Wells]

Here are some values pulled from the internet. Considering the fact that it has not moved in the last 12 years, a buyer would take that into consideration. Despite the time, effort and expense that was put into it in the past, it still would fall into the lower value ranges as it sits. If it were running and driving, it would easily pop at least into the "average" value range. 

 

Depending on the sentimental value, how pressing your need to relocate is, and the amount of time you have available to either get it back on the road or market it as-is, it will be your decision.

 

 

1955 CHEVROLET BEL AIR

4 DOOR SEDAN

Source	Low	Avg	High
NADA	$5,275	$12,900	$25,500

Source	5: Low	4: Mid-low	3: Avg	2: Mid-high	1: High
OCRPG	$3,660	$6,100	$13,730	$21,350	$30,500

Source	5: Low	4: Mid-low	3: Avg	2: Mid-high	1: High
VMR	$2,825	$6,950	$11,650	$16,775	$24,600

 

 

 

Edited April 7 by Dave Wells (see edit history)

[pkhammer]

  I have a good friend that just purchased a 1957 Chevy BelAir 4 door sedan in two tone paint blue and white. A very original car with 265 V8 and powerglide automatic. Car is a driver, certainly not a show car and although it ran and drove well it needed a bit of work such as new exhaust. He paid a bit under $10,000 and felt he got a good deal. He had looked at several similar cars priced in the $10-$15k range.

   If your car were running and driving down the road I would think the price would be in a similar range but of course we have no way of knowing the current overall condition of body, paint, interior, etc. Since it's been sitting, chances are several thousand dollars and time will need to be spent on tires, brakes, fuel system, battery, etc just to get it back on the road, and that is if it was stored well over the years. This will all need to be taken into consideration.

   If you have room to store it and would enjoy driving it and it has sentimental value to you, by all means keep it and get it back on the road. If it's just going to continue to sit, then I'd say pass it on to a new owner that will use and enjoy it.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Just one man's opinion!

 My philosophy is that any { almost?] car running and stopping is worth in the $5000 range. Nice maybe $10,000.

 

  More cars than I can drive, at least monthly, is TOO MANY.

 

  Sell it.   Price it at $10,000. If it does not go as quickly as you want, drop a thousand at a time until it does.

 

  Ben

[TAKerry]

It must not mean that much to you or the topic would not have come up. In that case I would sell it. IF it looks as good as the pics I would think that you could easily find a buying in the 15-20k range (I would think this car perfect would garner 30k). Not run for awhile is a detriment, as well as a 4 door. But like has been mentioned a thousand times before, restoration costs make buying a crappy car prohibitive today. One in good condition with good paint and int, as well as good chrome is a huge bonus. If the car was indeed running good at one time I would think minimal effort would get it back on the road again.

[CChinn]

I had a similar dilemma with this car 6-8 years ago. I bought it in 1994 when I was young & single. Was my dream car and drove it all over So. Cal. Got married, had a son and it sat for years in the garage gathering dust, battery died , bad gas in the gas tank and all 4 tires totally flat at the bottom. We needed room in the garage. Made some inquiries about selling it . A guy come over who offered $5k. Couldn’t part with it for that price. Got my Axx in gear, fixed it up, got it running and enjoying driving it again with absolutely no regrets. Yesterday, it earned an HPOF Original award at AACA SE Nationals. So glad I decided to keep it and not sell it

[28 Chrysler]

If it is like what the photo shows get it running and stopping.

Parts are easy to get,  $500 spent on brakes could add $5,000 to the sale price.

[DavidinCA]

It would probably help to take a current, decent photo and post it without the aid of photoshop.  

 

Non-running, and hasn’t moved in 12 years, sounds like $5k or less if it doesn’t present well.  Running and driving, adds a lot of value.  I’d venture to say that whether or not it’s true, statements like just needs a battery, will run with new gas, etc are not convincing and make the car fall in the category of not running.  

[JFranklin]

I would drain and add new gas, oil change, pump up the tires , and put a used battery in it and see if you can start it up. Wash it and now make your decision to keep or sell.

Edited April 7 by JFranklin (see edit history)

[3macboys]

Is there a next generation waiting in the wings that has an interest in the car?  If yes, my vote it to hold on to it and preserve it to the best of your abilities until the time is right to pass it on.  If the answer is no, the next question is, do you have an interest in it or are you holding on to it as a memory of your dad?  That question is only one that you can answer and you don't need to tell us - that's an emotional choice and I can understand that.  That being said you still have the pictures for the memory.  End of the day only you can decide what is right for you and don't let anyone here sway you one way or the other as there is no wrong nor correct answer to your question.  Just make sure that you are comfortable that there are no regrets with whatever you decide.  

 

Don