Building to Sell?

Chris_Hamilton

Chris_Hamilton

Trying to be the best me, I can be
Anyone care to share what they are building and re-selling. Shine I know you've talked about it in the past. I'd like some input on what cars to build? How much (or little) should be done to one? Stock or modified? Where to sell? Anyone care to share?
 
Chris I was redoing Nova's and Chevelle's when the price was lower,alot has changed now. No total restos but nice cars needing clean up and repaint. We are in southern Pa so we have Carlisle and Hershey also Ocean City MD. car cruise to sell and of course the internet. Now doing newer cars but harder to buy so back with collision work for now. Use to be a lot of fun and no customers.
 
My two cents worth from what I see.
Take old trucks and a 95+ restoration job with rare exception the truck is going for less than the restoration costs.
If its a ford a new raptor from the factory with modern suspension parts or a gm with a new LS the same way will bring the big bucks.
The day of a nice stroker or rebuilt newer engine does not get the buying attention.

If I had the energy to build one or the time now, you can buy a new body for the 67-69 Camaro of Firebird and challengers cheap, around the 13000 to 15,000 dollar range., then a new LS7 or a new Hemi and were at the $100,000 range if done right or more.
About 2 years ago looked at building a 69 Firebird convertible like this loaded out with LS7 and best of best suspension I had figured about $30,000 in the cost, of course, my labor is worth nothing and that $30,000 was padded by about $4000 to cover odds and ends I missed.
Just before that, a guy down the street had a beautiful one built this way done by a local shop and he had just under $70,000 into the whole thing.
He has since moved but I bet that car at auction would easily grab $125,000 or more as every bit of that car was done right from options to drivetrain.
 
69 Camaros and 67-70 Mustang fastbacks are good candidates. LS and Coyote powered restmods bring good money if done right. Do your homework and use the right suspension parts. Some off brands do not sell well...

Firebirds do not bring the same money that Camaros do.

Dynacorn bodied Camaros are tough to sell. This one has been for sale for years despite having top shelf suspension:

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/d/1969-chevrolet-camaro/6448684988.html

Don
 
Last edited:
my choice is 54-56 ford or 55=57 chevy big windows. c-4 / ls drive trains. to do any good you have to swing for the fence . if you do mII and a 350 your wasting your time . trucks done right sell for really good money. you can clear 50k on one if you do it right.
i have 2 trucks left then i will be looking for early corvettes only. i'm done with rust and dents .
 
Out here the Chevelles and Camaros are fetching close to 20k and still need total restoration. Big block 67-69 mustang fastbacks are nearly impossible to find, small block restorations selling in the 40k range. Right now a guy has a rotted out shell of a 1967 S code Fastback with no drive train, fenders, hood, deck lid, glass, interior or parts and wants 15.5k for it.
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/d/1967-mustang-fastback-code/6426204587.html

1957 Thunderbirds still fetch fair prices as do the 65-67 GTOs

In all, the older cars need to be factory special cars, SS, GT, Z28, R/T, etc to even hope to make a profit after restoration costs. If you keep an eye on craigslist every now and then a deal will pop up but they only last a couple of days. I missed out on a 66 GTO 4 speed that was pretty much complete with very nice looking chrome for $4k. It needed some lower quarters and 4 speed tunnel work but nothing out of the ordinary.
 
'68 Coronet R/T said:
Out here the Chevelles and Camaros are fetching close to 20k and still need total restoration. Big block 67-69 mustang fastbacks are nearly impossible to find, small block restorations selling in the 40k range. Right now a guy has a rotted out shell of a 1967 S code Fastback with no drive train, fenders, hood, deck lid, glass, interior or parts and wants 15.5k for it.
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/d/1967-mustang-fastback-code/6426204587.html

1957 Thunderbirds still fetch fair prices as do the 65-67 GTOs

In all, the older cars need to be factory special cars, SS, GT, Z28, R/T, etc to even hope to make a profit after restoration costs. If you keep an eye on craigslist every now and then a deal will pop up but they only last a couple of days. I missed out on a 66 GTO 4 speed that was pretty much complete with very nice looking chrome for $4k. It needed some lower quarters and 4 speed tunnel work but nothing out of the ordinary.
Click to expand...

The real money is in restomods with updated drive trains imho. All you need is a plain Jane shell and you are good to go. I like to pick up 69 Camaro shells. They are still around and all the sheet metal is available. I look for cars with solid rockers and frame rails.

Don
 
dhutton01 said:
69 Camaros and 67-70 Mustang fastbacks are good candidates. LS and Coyote powered restmods bring good money if done right. Do your homework and use the right suspension parts. Some off brands do not sell well...

Firebirds do not bring the same money that Camaros do.

Dynacorn bodied Camaros are tough to sell. This one has been for sale for years despite having top shelf suspension:

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/d/1969-chevrolet-camaro/6448684988.html

Don
Click to expand...
Isn't the difficulty because it's all apart, and who knows what's there and what's missing, or if any of the done work is done right?
 
remember being complete means nothing. there only a few things that are important because they are hard to find . 80% of the car needs replacing anyway . beat up stainless and pitted potmetal are useless .
the only thing that has held steady over the past 10 years are trucks. everything else is controlled by collectors . a 70k streetrod will bring 35k at auction so choose wisely .
 
crashtech said:
Isn't the difficulty because it's all apart, and who knows what's there and what's missing, or if any of the done work is done right?
Click to expand...

I take my cars down to bare blasted shells and build up from there taking pics as I go. Anyone who buys one knows what they are getting. Right now I am mostly keeping busy building painted rollers for specific customers.

Don
 
I follow the auctions pretty close but by no means an expert - Camaro’s I don’t think you can get your money back if restored, mopars seem to hold their values but they’re expensive to begin with so maybe not to big of profit to be made - street rods are going cheap right now - 70 thousand $ builds at half price - restomods are where it’s at - this new generation wants to drive them ! Seems like all you have to do is drop an LS motor in them and it adds 10 grand . I found a 68 mustang fastback, 390 4 speed that hasn’t been outta the garage since 1984 - needs floors and quarters - it WAS 1 of 6 according to Marti but engine is not original - paid 10 grand ! Restomodding it will bring way more than “period correct “
 
Thanks for all the responses. I figured build what you know so I've been thinking about building some Brookville bodied 32's. You guys are saying the Street Rod market is dead? My other thought was Vintage Japanese stuff. 240Z's, 510's, Celicas, but parts are very high and body parts non existent for those. Actually I'm starting to make body panels for 240's-280's by hand and selling them but there doesn't seem to be enough guys willing to pay for the time it takes to make them.
Shine are you Auctioning your stuff or simply selling through your Network of contacts you've built over the years. Same question for everyone else, Auctions, consigning them or what?
So Restomods are still in vogue? Don't like the Pro_Touring look so I hadn't really considered them. Irregardless it sounds like you guys are saying put the best parts on the build in order to be able to get high enough prices to make anything.
 
If you do a 30’s hot rod don’t make it a street rod, they date themselves to quick. 50’s-60’s traditional hot rods never go out of style. The H.A.M.B. aka Jalopyjournal is all about Traditional Hot Rodding
 
I guess I kinda put restomod and pro touring in same category- I think the difference is more horsepower in the pro touring . I just helped a buddy build a 63 nova convertible- restmod I guess since it’s only a 350 - he put disc brakes on - mustang II front end/ coil overs , air and nice paint - has about 20,000 in it and has been offered $35,000- takes it to a lot of car shows - isn’t even advertising it for sale cause he wants to keep it- the younger crowd (30’s and 40’s) flock to it !
 
Here it is
 

Attachments

  • 6E352AA1-DAD8-404B-BF2C-40B18C9ED8FA.jpeg
    6E352AA1-DAD8-404B-BF2C-40B18C9ED8FA.jpeg
    204 KB · Views: 166
so far i have never finished a car before it sold. which is a pia because then your under pressure to get it finished. will not do that again .
 
So y'all are saying that an older car body on a newer suspension, with a modern drive train is what they are looking for? This whole restomod thing is really new to me since I mainly restore classic cars but if I can pick some of the cheaper classic models and turn them into something desirable, that sounds interesting.
 
'68 Coronet R/T said:
So y'all are saying that an older car body on a newer suspension, with a modern drive train is what they are looking for? This whole restomod thing is really new to me since I mainly restore classic cars but if I can pick some of the cheaper classic models and turn them into something desirable, that sounds interesting.
Click to expand...

Unless it for a car collection, people want an interior and options of a Mercedes, modern drivetrain (no carb), so they can get in it turn key and go anywhere but the outside looks like a classic except for the modern wheels and tires.
The old farts like me that drool over Model A's, 30's Packards, Cords, Alburns and all original 40's, 50's and 60' cars are dying off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top