[Nate Y]

Would like to hear what the community thinks. I'm going to part ways with my '71 350SL. No time for the restoration with the job I have and the two businesses I'm getting off the ground. I've sold a few parts here and there, mostly Porsche stuff when parts were moving like tulips in Holland in the 1630's, so it was effortless. Haven't sold any MB stuff. Doing the math on this car, I think it's worth more in pieces.

Has anyone here parted out a whole car? How was the experience? Recommend it or would you have rather sold the car in one piece? My car is mostly disassembled so a lot of the hard work is done. It's all in boxes in storage.

Here's a quick picture. Not a basket case but not close to being on the road either. Drive train is not original.

Thanks.

 

[ChiefRider]

That's a tough call. First observation the car looks too nice to break up, but then again there is a lot to do to get it back together. My thought would be to determine what you would accept for it, and put it out there for sale. Parting out would likely net you more cash, but only you can determine if your time and effort are worth it, and how you would dispose of what's left.

 

[Nate Y]

There's a guy named Larry who lives off of I-5 south of Portland, OR. He has about 20-30 R107's on his property. Nice guy with a lot of great parts. If I do part it out, he may want to buy the carcass. If he does, that would solve the biggest problem.

 

[benztag]

It looks like it has too much potential to part it out to me, but then my bias leans toward keeping them alive when possible.

 

[cwmoser]

It looks like you have resprayed the body recently - looks nice.
Does it have manual transmission?
If I had a 350SL in need of paint and was rusty, I might like to have your car to rebuild on.
But, it would be a project.

As a metric, I purchased a rusty 1981 380SL for $1K with Euro headlights.
A lot of parts were in poor condition, but I sold some parts and still have other parts in boxes.
A lot of work parting, and a lot of work shipping too, but it was worth it for the education.

 

[Nate Y]

Carl, unfortunately the manual transmission and 3.5 motor were swapped out at some point in the past. Currently has a 4.5 and 3-speed auto. The motor is a M117-12-13XXX. Not sure what it model it came out of. The heads are at the machinist right now getting rebuilt. If memory serves, the camshafts are 52 and 53, I think they're transplants from the 3.5.

I'm currently out of country working but get home in about a month. Thinking hard about the next move with this car.

 

[nobby]

No time to finish it?

But time to part it out?

Parting out is a big job that can drag on for months....or years. Ask Roncallo.

 

[1995-5.0]

As a person who has sold AND parted out multiple cars in your case I would sell it as a unfinished project. Parting out a car will happen two ways. in person or shipped. Both will take a tremendous amount of time. Partly because if you let people come and take parts off they may damage other parts you’re trying to sell. and shipping will take boxes packing driving and a shipping account.
yes you can make money parting a car out but in that time yiu will have a car you cannot move taking up valuable space AND you are waiting to sell a lot of parts that may be slow movers.
with your description of not having time for a restoration and getting two businesses off the ground do you think yiure gonna have a lot of spare time to part out a vehicle?

I parted out a F350 crew cab 4x4 pick up and some parts (axles, trans, engine interior sold immediately for big money. But a lot of parts took forever. I ended up having to give the cab away and I left a bunch of stuff there as the parts simoly weren’t moving.

Imo sell it to someone who wants a project. Take the money and invest in your business.

 

[Nate Y]

Great input. I think I know what to do. Thanks everyone!

 

[1995-5.0]

Great input. I think I know what to do. Thanks everyone!

Trust me man. When someone calls you and says I need x part and you gotta remove a bunch of stuff to get to it and then you misplace or damage other parts and THEN the buyer flakes out or wants to now negotiate more cause he found it down the street for half the price you’ll wanna eat the steering wheel.....ask me how I know.
Unless you’re into parting out cars it’s not worth it in the long run

 

[Fonzi]

Trust me man. When someone calls you and says I need x part and you gotta remove a bunch of stuff to get to it and then you misplace or damage other parts and THEN the buyer flakes out or wants to now negotiate more cause he found it down the street for half the price you’ll wanna eat the steering wheel.....ask me how I know.
Unless you’re into parting out cars it’s not worth it in the long run

Totally agree, but if it comes down to wanting cash fast, you will probably do best to sell the bumpers, and a few other parts and be at the amount of money you’d get for the rest of the car. Get $1000 for some euro bumpers. And then get $500 for the rest of the car because you might get $200 in scrap value. So it’s easy for a buyer to justify the $500, sort of like only paying $300 for it since the scrap metal value is always there. It might be easier to get $1000 and then $500 than it would be to get $1500 for the whole project. And then here we all are debating over what to do with a $1500 car. This is why I have so many. I’m not wasting my time trying to figure out what to do with a $1500 car. Donate it to charity as opposed to dealing with trying to sell it.

 

[1995-5.0]

Totally agree, but if it comes down to wanting cash fast, you will probably do best to sell the bumpers, and a few other parts and be at the amount of money you’d get for the rest of the car. Get $1000 for some euro bumpers. And then get $500 for the rest of the car because you might get $200 in scrap value. So it’s easy for a buyer to justify the $500, sort of like only paying $300 for it since the scrap metal value is always there. It might be easier to get $1000 and then $500 than it would be to get $1500 for the whole project. And then here we all are debating over what to do with a $1500 car. This is why I have so many. I’m not wasting my time trying to figure out what to do with a $1500 car. Donate it to charity as opposed to dealing with trying to sell it.

At $1500 selling it as a project will be easy. a Lot easier than trying to sell the bumpers. The chances of finding a local buyer that can pick up are slim on such vehicle. If it was a mainstream car I would say sure. But a older MB isn’t like a old Ford Taurus. The market itself is smaller. Yes you can get more for the parts because it’s more rare and hard to find but that also means a smaller pool of buyers.
ive had project cars I sold due to various reasons lost/lack of interest/space/funds/time or combination. But it was far faster and easier to sell it complete. In some cases it was worth selling in parts as it was worth more.

It’s really just a matter of how much time/work you’re willing to put into it. But if you don’t wanna deal with anything you put it FREE online someone will snap it up. When I gave away the shell of the cab I had 20 people calling in one day. Was loading it up the second day on a trailer and it was gone. I dont know if places that take donations will take a car that’s in pieces. I’ve seen non running etc but never a car that’s all taken apart.

 

[Fonzi]

At $1500 selling it as a project will be easy. a Lot easier than trying to sell the bumpers.

I respectfully disagree, especially when the car is in pieces and a total project. I’ve sold a lot of euro bumpers. I’ve been selling cars with euro parts, and everyone asks to just buy the bumpers or headlights. Anyone can buy a part like a set of bumpers and find a place to store them. Some people can find a place to store an extra running and driving complete car. Very few people have an empty garage waiting to be filled with a new project (that for some reason the guy selling the project was able to start it, but not complete it... why?).

 

[1995-5.0]

I respectfully disagree, especially when the car is in pieces and a total project. I’ve sold a lot of euro bumpers. I’ve been selling cars with euro parts, and everyone asks to just buy the bumpers or headlights. Anyone can buy a part like a set of bumpers and find a place to store them. Some people can find a place to store an extra running and driving complete car. Very few people have an empty garage waiting to be filled with a new project (that for some reason the guy selling the project was able to start it, but not complete it... why?).

I don’t think you’re wrong in that peole want a specific bumpers or headlights. But you’re talking a low numbers vehicle and the chances of a local with such car wanting that style bumper. So lots of times it’s gotta be shipped. But if you have the space to store bumpers you most likely have the space to store a car. Nobody sai anything about a empty garage. I used to have a townhouse with a two car garage and I was able to restore a few cars And my wife could still park and I had tools, toolboxes welders, torches etc.
most people sell projects due to financial reasons. Simply put they run out of money Because they 7bderestimate the amount of work and the cost. I’ve picked up some great deals that were 80% finished. That’s usually when people give up. They worked on it so long and it seems like it’s not gonna get done. My neighbor is working on a 67 convertible mustang. He’s three years into the restoration and isn’t more than 50% done. And he bought it at 40%. his issue is time not money. I offered to help him but he wants to do it.

 

[Fonzi]

I offered to help him but he wants to do it.

Sounds like you are the man for the job on the OP’s project!

 

[1995-5.0]

Sounds like you are the man for the job on the OP’s project!

lol. no thank you. between three trucks (one is a project) two regular driven cars one suv flock of chickens two dogs a handicapped wife and a 1/2 acre yard and house chores and a regular job I don’t have a whole lot of spare time. I schedule everything now