Thread: 37 Buick Century in pieces, should I buy?

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There's the question, I found it at a yard sale today, in a guys shop he's been living in. The guy is moving in to assisted living and selling all his shop gear. He's had the car since 1960, always been a stock driver, he went to restore it a number of years back and health went south. So it's way apart, chassis is rolling, body is on, everything that far has been POR 15'd. Bad part is there's parts all across the shop, even the 320 V8 is torn down, good news is he has alot of new old stock parts still in boxes. One door and trunk lid off, dash out, all interior out, get the point...It's 37 Buick Century 4-door hump back. The question is, if I can get it for a fair price, is there a market for the parts? The body shape itself being a 4 door takes some desirablity out of it, but there's a ton of very good stock stuff. 1500 seems fair, charm in, what do ya think?

On another note, my rims are at the powder coat shop, will be done Tuesday, one more step closer!!!!!

I have seen alot of 4dr's rodded and i think there is a market for everything . If its clean try selling it whole if you get requests for parts then consider breaking it up . Some will buy a 4 dr because its clean and a easy fix for a rod . The mid thirtys are a desirable year for sure .

That's what I'm thinking, I like 4 doors, especially with rear suicides. Man you can drive around with friends in the car and have a hell of a time...

Yeah at age your feet won't go to sleep LOL. I would do it and see what happens plenty looking or just that and hey never know could be a good venture .

I picked this up years ago to be a family rod,... never got around to it until the family was all grown up,..... I put a Buick 455/400 & 9" ford rear in this car, all of which fit exceptionally well, never had to cut anything on it (In fact the engine looks a little small in the engine bay) It's a 1933 60 series Buick,... I figured we could be comfortable in the front,.. and the kids could play basketball in the back ! it's a big car.

The price seems fair. What is a 320 V8? Not what came in it . no matter.
Just keep in mind that a car in parts NEVER has them all, then you end up with a nice finished car with those hideous holes because you can't find trim.

If it is as you describe, $1500 is a steal. The 320 you mention sounds like it was either in there at one time or intended to be swapped in because the Buick had a straight 8 originally. While parts might be a little tougher to score than say similar parts for a Ford, they are still out there. You could join some Buick forums and get all the help and parts you need there too.

I think you will kick yourself if you pass this one up.

Don

I tried to trade for this '39 Special but the owner never responded.. evidently is not interested in a turbocharged Falcon

It can go either way in this market. I'm in the camp that believes you can make more selling it in parts than whole. Last year I had a pretty complete '40 ford sedan that came to me in pieces, a stalled restoration pretty much like you described. It came with a pretty thorough listing of the parts (stock/rebuilt/NOS/repop), that I just had to expand on. Turns out it was only missing sunvisors and one splash shield. I tried for three months to sell it complete, but being all apart limits the field of buyers to either the very knowledgable or the very gullible. Got the usual flood of "send me pictures" types, and one young tire kicker who "had to ask the wife" , but no serious takers. Finally got tired of that BS and posted up ads for the parts individually. In about 3 weeks I was $2k ahead of what I would have sold it for complete, and I still have a few boxes of small stuff to sell. Funny thing was, two of the guys that bought parts were from the "send me pictures" group. I let them know they missed the chance to make the extra money...........

Being that it was a Ford made my chances better than I would guess yours would be with a Buick, the audience is way larger for the Ford. That being said, you're getting the Buick for what I think is a pretty good price if it's complete and as "nice" as you've described. Especially if it's got a title. I'm not tuned into the Buick market, but if I remember correctly the grille on those is cast. If that one is really nice and not pitted or pimpled, I'd guess you could get most, if not all, of your initial pay out back on that part alone. If you've got the time, patience, available money, and space sounds like a plan to me. I find ebay a good resource for determining price potential, it reflects what people are actually willing to pay (understanding that that is just a snapshot of any given day in time)rather than guesses/opinions. You'll likely get more money for the pieces if you go to a national/international market. As suggested above, a Buick forum is a good place too.

Though it's sad to break up any car, my feelings were like your all's, Ebay the parts. First thing I started looking for was the stainless pieces, headlight,running light buckets, all the smaller parts that can be shipped easily. Last month I parted out a 36 Pontiac, then sold the shell and it was missing at least half it's small stuff, still doubled my money. It just seems gruesom, maybe even morbid to look for cars and cannabalize them for profit.
Stupid Huh! A moral dilema......

The other side of the coin is, how many unfinished cars can your parts car help complete? I agree it is almost a sin to part out something that can be saved, but sometimes cars get to that point. If yours is to that stage you can help out other rodders and restorers and like Bob said, probably make more than you would have made selling it complete.

It's like the parts I bought from Paul in Atlanta a little bit ago. He could have made way more money parting it out, and he realized that, but being the car lover and stand up guy he is, he just wanted to see another member get the parts and put them to good use.(and they WILL be put to good use! )

Don

Originally Posted by 68RATVT

It just seems gruesom, maybe even morbid to look for cars and cannabalize them for profit.
Stupid Huh! A moral dilema......

That's why I tried for several months to sell the car complete, even warned in my last ads that I would do the part out thing if it didn't sell complete. Nada! Some will argue but the reality of the market is at hand. Folks play with cars they can identify with. Those of us that are of an age to identify with this vintage of car will be continually diminishing in number. We're just at the leading edge of it IMHO, but the rate of decline has been accelerated to some degree with the rising price of fuel. If the election turns out the way it's predicted we'll have a an unopposed government structure that will favor environmental rules that will further discourage fuel/energy of all types production and, from their biased point of view, "excessive" pollution. Fuel prices will continue high, even (actually moreso) with pie in the sky so called "alternatives". Sedans, especially 4 doors, are the least desirable body style, so will be the first to feel the pinch. It's reverting back to the "old days" when fewer people (some would say the "real" enthusiasts) were interested in the old car hobby. The circle of life.

Well, if nothing else, I feel better now. Stand back, I'm going in!!!

Bob, I did the same thing, had a 37 Ford pickup I couldn't sell quick for $600 and parted over 3 grand and still have a bunch of it left.

Nice car. Had to google it to see what they looked like. It would be sweet to restore one.