Chrysler Question

[Guest]

Hello out there.

I had a question for someone who knows antique Chryslers. I recently came across a 1950 Chrysler Windsor Highlander. This is a 4-door sedan. It has a flathead straight 6, says "Spitfire" on engine. All original, 36,000 miles. The seller is asking $6500 for the car. I have little experience with cars of this vintage. My experience is in Mustangs and 1970's Triumph TR-6's. The Chrysler looks complete and is in great condition. The paint is in need of love, but no rust and the paint is complete, no scratches or dings, just dull. My question is this, is it worth the money to freshen up a car like this (4-door and all)? Is the asking price fair? What would the car be worth when done to showroom status?

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Chris Pommier

[Peter Gariepy]

sounds like a nice low mileage original car.

from my personal experience i know that chrysler products dont have the same interest as many others from the same era. I have a 1948 new yorker and a 1950 royal woodie wagon. The wagon is unique but its still work half what an equivalent ford or chevy bring.

the car you have is never going to be high-dollar. but if you like it, and will enjoy it, then the price being asked doesnt seem out of line. give it a nice paint job - then drive the wheels off of it.

hope that helps.

peter

[R W Burgess]

Pommier, I'd think you should have another $1500.00 or so in reserve to update the brakes and annoying engine problems associated with a car that hasn't been driven a lot. Low milage cars need drivetrain updates from gummed up gas lines, oil passages and the like. The price is right though. Wayne

[Guest]

We just purchased a 1950 Chrysler Windsor 2dr last night. It's got 23,000 miles on it and the body is prefect. Chrome and interior need some work, but looks good 15' away!! It sat in a slightly damp barn many years which took a toll on the chrome and interior. I second the thoughts on gumming spots. Get the spray oil out and free up everything. We paided just a bit less than what your talking, $5,000-$6000 is in the play park. (Iowa)

[Guest DeSoto Frank]

Good points from Peter and Rickenbacker;

I think the price is a little high, for a four-door sedan, but that is my opinion.

For that kind of money, the car should have a perfect original interior (not talking about the seat covers that Mabel put on it when it was new - I mean the worsted wool underneath!), intact and respectable chrome trim, good glass (no "milking" or cracks), good plastic (dash lenses and tail/parking light lenses), all equipment should work....and so on. Nothing should be missing.

Any fifty year-old car is going to need to have its hydraulic brakes completely re-built - this is a consequence of age, not mileage; and the tires are going to need to be replaced, and there's the "nusciance factor" of bringing "Sleeping Beauty" back to life, as previously stated.

All of which is not to say you should walk away from it, but this sounds like top dollar for a vehicle which may require yet another couple thousand $$ invested to make the paint look nice and the car operate safely and correctly.

Also, while this is a "nice" Chrysler (all of them were), the Windsor was not "top of the line", although the Highlander plaid interior was a nice ammenity; the top-dollar '50 Chryslers are going to be any convertible, the straight-8 New Yorkers & Saratogas, the Imperials, and the Town & Country.

See what kind of price you get from Hemmings on-line car-price search or the NADA antique car value search, just to get a perspective, and be realistic about the condition of the car in question....remember: "very few cars are #1 condition".

Also, try polishing the paint (if owner allows) with some good cleaner/wax such as Meguiars to see if there's any hope for the original finish...better to find out now whether or not it will polish-up or requires a complete re-paint.

When all is said and done, this is a comfortable, roomy family hauler that will cruise @ 55, maybe 60 without complaining; but still will not have A/C or 12-volt negative ground power to run stereos, etc.

The Fluid Drive with M-6 semi-automatic transmission will never win any drag races, but once understood and accepted, is a reliable drive train.

Good Luck!