Thread: The current value of the Unobtainum 32 bodies

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I've wanted a '32 for years...I actually bought one(a 32 5 window) back around 80 for 600...ended up selling it to a friend for a tidy profit(then)....I know where a rough 5 window body was setting in a barn, but the guys brother wouldnt even talk about selling it....& that was 5 years ago, also know where a three window, unfinished project is setting...but I dont want to offer too much for it...it was a roller, 70s style chassis, fenderless...I guess my question is...What are 32 coupe bodies worth these days? I'm not looking for a museum piece, or a riverbank queen either.. any input?

If it's a steel body, the value is high..... Hard to say without seeing the chassis what it would be worth. If the body is good and the chassis is usable, I would say anywhere from 3K up. Depends on how bad you want it

The 32 body market is in a tizzy right now. The repro bodies from ASC and Brookville (and RodBods) established the value of a roadster. Now, Brookville is releasing their 32 coupe body. So, a metal repro coupe body is going to be available for just over $20K. These repros cover a lot of demand coming from the "no fiberglass" side of the hobby. However, the market for original coupes seems to still be going strong. I didnt make the LA Roadster show but was told that 3 window bodies sold for stupid money....more than a Brookville! Unless you have the original stuff (frame, title, etc), there is little to gain in buying an old body and trying to make it right. (If you already have one, the situation is different). If the original car has a documented history that has some interest, the price goes even higher.

In the end, when the car is done, people ask "is it steel or fiberglass?" (for some reason) They dont ask "is it old steel or new steel?" Therefore, the answer is uncertain.....evaluate what it takes to make it right. If the thing needs a bunch of body work, estimate the cost or get someone to help you estimate the cost. Then compare the cost of buying the older car and repairing it vs. the cost of a B'ville clone. If you pay $10K for a shot body and have to dump $15K to get it right, it aint worth it. Explain that to the seller, if he has any brain, he will realize that his project isnt Barrett-Jackson material and will be closer to realistic. Slap him upside the head if he isnt that sharp. An old body is ......well, old.

I saw a straight original body (only) go on Ebay a couple months ago for $ 25K. Admittedly, it was very nice, but none the less....................

Also saw a barn fresh complete '32 going for same amount at Daytona last year.

Guys are willing to pay stupid money for these cars, and are subsequently driving up Model A bodies too.


Don

My analysis of the problem shows that, after WWII, there was a young generation who was into hot rodding. These guys were in their 20s and 30s and were just experimenting with the new fangled hotrodding. There were some finite number of Deuces available.

Today, we have THREE generations of guys seeking the holy Deuce. The hotrodders from the early fifites are still hotrodders, their kids are hotrodders and their grandkids are hotrodders. 3X the hotrodders with less than the same number of original deuces. Also, the older guys have the $$ to buy.

I have met people recently who are retired and want to be a hot rodder. They are of the "whatever" cost mentality......they're not building Riddler level cars either, just a run-of-the-mill rod. IT costs $$$ to build the best but every rust bucket shouldnt cost a fortune.

mike in tucson