[JJHertzler]

Hi all,

I found a 1958 180D for sale about 10min from my house. Basically a barn find and has been sitting for imo 30+years. Looks like frame is rust free and wheels rotate. All engine parts appeared to be there when I looked last night. Needs a ground up restoration but mechanically seems like nothing is missing. Any idea on what I should offer?

 

[Fonzi]

Any idea on what I should offer?

Often cars like that have been relocated to “yard art” and the cost to bring them back to roadworthiness is tens of multiples of what’s paid for the car. So paying $300 (scrap metal pricing) to $1000 is often the price people will accept to get it gone, but if the seller thinks they have something precious on their hands, that’s when you might get into wasting a few thousand on the purchase price when you might fine one for maybe $1000.

I used to say a car needs 2 of 3 to be worth restoring:

• rot free
• cosmetically nice inside and out
• mechanically solid

You may have 2 there, and if so, the car might be worth a couple thousand. I don’t know. Look for similar nice running cars on eBay to see what crazy asking prices people might ask but not easily get when trying to sell.

 

[JJHertzler]

Often cars like that have been relocated to “yard art” and the cost to bring them back to roadworthiness is tens of multiples of what’s paid for the car. So paying $300 (scrap metal pricing) to $1000 is often the price people will accept to get it gone, but if the seller thinks they have something precious on their hands, that’s when you might get into wasting a few thousand on the purchase price when you might fine one for maybe $1000.

I used to say a car needs 2 of 3 to be worth restoring:

• rot free
• cosmetically nice inside and out
• mechanically solid

You may have 2 there, and if so, the car might be worth a couple thousand. I don’t know. Look for similar nice running cars on eBay to see what crazy asking prices people might ask but not easily get when trying to sell.

Thanks for you input. The seller just wants to get rid of it and is only asking 4k but willing to go lower. It's hard to see in the photos but from what I can tell a lot of the work will be cosmetic. Mechanically all engine and trans parts are present. According to the seller it ran when it was parked x years ago but that N/A in my opinion.

 

[Fonzi]

Looks pretty crusty. Purchase price doesn’t matter but should be much lower than $4000 from what I see. It might be valuable to someone who wants parts from it.

Edit: maybe you could have some fun with it at scrap metal pricing $300-500, but I’d have a hard time justifying much more. Just look at the steering wheel.

Every car “ran when parked”.

 

[nigel slade]

I have one, very expensive to fix, parts are quite easy to get.
Diesel, I doubt if it will keep up with modern traffic 180DB 43HP, 0 to 60 MPH, 29 seconds, petrol 19 seconds
Unless you like welding, fabricating etc you are better off looking for a much better one, there are a surprising number still around.

 

[rumb]

Hagarty values an average car at $26K. Ask yourself how much it would cost to bring this car up to that condition. It's pretty much always less to buy a nice car than spend the time and money on one like this, unless you like working on cars for fun and want the experience.
Go talk to seller armed with costs to repair everything and get a lower price.