I looked at the car

Just got back, here's my detailed report and evaluation. Car hasn't been driven in 20 years, hasn't been started in 5 or 6 years.

First thing I did was go, 'Durn, she needs a bath!' Then I checked the dipstick. Oil was NOT milky, no water in there. I was running out the door if I found that.

Overall, not as good as I had hoped, but better than I expected for $1100.

We didn't try to start it, no battery. But I shifted through the gears, worked okay.

Floors have been replaced, looked good, solid. Sills had been replaced, looked good, solid. Very little bondo, some but not much thanks to my trusty magnet. Dog legs are fine on both sides. Underneath the car was okay.

Body was straight, no dents.

Windshield had no chips, no cracks and I could find no pitting (I wiped it off) Other glass was also good.

Top was remarkably good, no tears, no sagging, other than the back window is cloudy.

No interior door panels, no carpeting.

Seats were in very good condition, other than a small 1" area on the outside of the driver's seat where the cording had come through. Dash, etc. looked fine.

Wheels looked good, some minor oxidation/rust. Not really an issue to me.

Tires were amazingly good, no dry rot at all.

Car was originally a butterscotch color. PO had it painted black, but not a proper paint job, engine bay and trunk are still yeller. Paint is spiderwebbing on the flat surfaces.

Chrome ring is missing around one headlight.

Grill is missing.

Only visible rust was above the driver's side rear wheel, about an 8" section, dead center, 1 1/2" high. And the passenger side was bubbled, so would replace both right away.

Rear shocks were good, front shocks shot. (because I bounced it up and down, front and back)

I'm sure the radiator and gas tank would need boiled out or whatever it is they do to them.

I'm going to offer the guy $700 tomorrow. This is what I'm telling him:

I have to assume the car doesn't run and won't start. We could be talking an engine rebuild. A couple thousand for body work, another couple thousand for a paint job, then there's a grille, door panels, carpeting, new tires. We're looking at an investment of $6-7000 not counting any engine/transmission work.

If he takes it, good. If not, I won't go more than $800, because I know I can get that back out of it.

And I FORGOT to take pictures I was so busy crawling around!

Sounds like a good plan. Now you look for a real cheap crust bomb for all the pieces that are missing from the good car.

What?? No pics? Actually, it sounds like you were incredibly thorough in your inspection of "Aunt B". I'm sure they knew they were dealing with no rookie when you whipped out the ol' magnet. Keep us posted...

I made an offer of $700. We'll see what happens. If he accepts, I'm taking a check up to him tonight, since I'll be gone for the weekend.

Good goin JB. Sounds like you covered all bases. I also think $700. is a fair price. I'd be leary goung any higher. Altho' the rockers looked good from the outside, they commonly rust from thr inside out. But the car sounds very salvagable. Luck to ya. Lee /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif

I've already decided I'm not going a nickel over $700. Because the guy didn't even bother calling me back and to tell me I offended him with the offer. That's fine. I just left him another message, telling him when he's ready to take my offer give me a call.

There are several people wanting to look at the car. It was emailed out to everyone in our car club. I know NO ONE will offer him more than $700. One guy will say, "Give me $100 and I'll haul it away for you." So perhaps when he realizes this isn't a concours B and really wants it out of the garage, he'll call. IF not, so be it. I don't want it that badly.

Sounds like a plan!

Good way to go...just be patient. if it was meant to be it will be..

mark

There's not an ounce of patience in this girl's body. I've already been paging through Moss for carpeting, door panels etc.

But, when he realizes $1100 is too high for that car (to anyone that knows MGBs), he may consider my offer. After all, the guy has a '57 Vette, an '86 Vette, another Vette, a '57 T-bird, a rustbucket '66 T-bird and something else. He has to get rid of a couple cars (the '71 I offered on and the '66 T-bird) IF the car was in running condition, $1100 would have been a very fair price I think. But - right now - it's just a 'parts car.' ~grin~

jaybird,

It's always good to go with cash. Put it on the table. Its much harder to say no to.

A couple of years ago, I responded to an ad in the local paper for a similar car, not running and in need of lots of care. The guy wanted $2500 for it...he had already replaced it with a Miata for his wife. I offered $1000 for the car, but he had other people "interested" in it and he turned it down. Two months later his wife called to see if I was still willing to pay $1000 for it...but I had already bought another MGB. It was a pleasure to tell her that I made and honest attempt to purchase the car at a reasonable price and that her husband was a fool to turn me away, as I have no patience.

As long as your seller thinks he can get $1100 (which he would in this market locally) he is not likely to take your $700. If you are sure that you price is fair, hang in there and wait it out. If it was meant to be, it shall be your B! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Good luck!

Bruce

I'm 100% convinced that my price offer is fair. I WISH I had taken pictures of the car for you all to look at. (I might call dason and have him run down there, he's 2 minutes away) I've talked to the bodyman/mechanic in our car club - the premiere MG man in the area, and another very knowledgeable guy, and neither would offer more than $700, one saying I should have first offered $500. So, I'm comfortable with my offer. Obviously the owner isn't though!!

I've left 3 messages with the owner, telling him I wanted the car and I'd have the money to him in 25 minutes and the car gone in 2 hours. He hasn't responded to one of my phone calls.

~shrugs~ IF he can get $800 or $1000 for that car, more power to him. IF he shows the car the next week or so to everyone that calls, and realizes he can't get a better offer than my $700, he has my phone number.

And if I decide NOT to put that $700 into Emma for carpeting and an overdrive, I may still take the car off the guy's hands. Or I may tell him 'thanks but no thanks, I'm not interested any longer.'

((Who am I kidding? I'd still take that car for $700!))

J.B. it sound like you're trying very hard not to run over to this guys house and throw more money at him.
Relax. Your offer was reasonable. Let someone else over pay while you wait for the next (and far better)deal to come along. It will.( I got a great TR4A project for ya, just kidding).
Cool off, If he calls you back, you'll get a good deal, if not It wasen't ment to be.
And you'll be happy

I'm cool. I just always sound impatient and anxious! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

When I mentioned I called the owner 3 times, let me clarify that. I called him with the initial offer Thursday morning. Hadn't heard from him so I called Friday morning, didn't leave a message. Called late Friday afternoon and told him I hadn't heard from him, wasn't sure he'd gotten my first message (heck, I'm still not certain he's gotten any of my messages) and that I'd be out of town a couple days but I did want the car if we could come to a deal.

I told him when I first looked at the car I could have it gone in a day (he's pressed for space because it's stored at his mother's house, and the house is now on the market and they're working to clear things out to sell it)

At this point, I really could care less one way or another. I'm more perturbed he didn't at least call me and tell me my offer was laughable. At least I'd know he did get the offer.

I'm not in need of a car, I have one. So in a couple weeks I may call him back and see if he got rid of the car. If not, we'll see if he's willing to come down on it.

In the mean time, I'm thinking of ways to spend that $700 on Emma...

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4580287659&fromMakeTrack=true
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

J. B. - never buy a car with your heart! That's where you are right now: you want it! Forget about it - wait - your offer was more than fair....if its meant to be, it'll happen...if its not, there's another car out there waiting for you!

Listen to Tony! He's right.

~nods~

I know. I know in my head it's not a big deal. Not a big deal at all that's it's my '71 chrome bumper. ~grin~

Seriously, I've got my eye on an od tranny on ebay, I'm picking out carpet for Emma, my manifold is back, the header will be done in a week or so, carbs are waiting to be rebuilt, I'm refinishing her bumpers this winter. I'm quite comfortable with the way things stand now. My offer is good, he wants it, he calls. If not, Emma benefits sooner!

((So okay, maybe I WAS hoping to haul the '71 home and have it in dahubby's boat spot in the garage before he comes home Tuesday night...))
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

<Homer SImpson voice>

MMMmmmmmmm.... OD Transmission.......

</Homer Simpson voice>

I bet an OD would give you better than 20MPG fuel economy... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

JB,
That's a beauty. Looks like a good project for da hubby and his resident gearhead...lol. It's a long way from St Louis to Boston but I'm feeling a road trip coming on... I just can't understand why people bid so early on stuff and drive the price way up. How much is something like this worth?
JC