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Value of parts car?

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TexBug

TexBug

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I've found a '66 Sprite with a "rebuilt" 1275 and front discs for a potential donor car. I haven't seen it yet, but I understand it's in boxes, mostly there, with rolling chassis and primered body. The stock trans is an owner rebuild, and the uninstalled engine is a "professional" rebuild about 3-4 years ago (never put back in car). I would go back through the engine with gaskets/seals anyway...

It's not near me, but I need to drive right by where it is located next week anyway. No big deal to drag a trailer along with me. My hard cost would be around $300ish for "transport" (gas mileage hit and other misc that always come up)....

Since I'm still easing into my project (but I did pickup a correct Datsun 210 tranny yesterday), I'm not quite up to speed on part values. All I have a use for out of the '66 are the front brakes and engine (I think). What's left would be resold, and unless I can stick my Bugeye's stock front end under the '66, keeping a rolling chassis will be hard.

I think I can score this setup for $1500 out the door (including transport costs). Problem is I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Comments?

Thanks folks!
 
Sprite/Midget in a box project - hmmmmm...MkII...hmmmm...can't see going over $250 maybe $300 even with the supposed engine/trans work...remember, a rebuild 3-4 years ago will require a refresh before you can use it! & there's no telling what you'll find (or not find) in those boxes!
 
$250-300? Yeouch... I haven't seen anything even close. Heck, it seems 1275 engine cores are $500+ around here (Dallas area). Man, I must be looking in the wrong places... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
maybe u could take a short vacation in Gurley Alabama with some of that $1500 ; )
maybe to the "autoist" museum..haha
 
I should think also 300 to 500 tops. Who knows what's there or not there.
 
So what's it cost for to round up the front brake bits themselves? That and the engine is the only value to me. I've eitehr got the otehr bits i need, or have them located.
 
That's about it 3 to 5 unless you real lucky.
 
So Jack, you're saying $500 should get me a parts car with disc brakes and a rebuildable 1275? Wow. I've been lucky to spot a 1275 alone for that.

Hmmmm. I need to hunt around a bit more then.
 
IF the 1275 were a Mini 1275, I'd give you $500 for the engine. Then, tack on $200 for the disks. 1275s ARE getting rare. I'm saying $700 to $750 would be my top offer. I'll bet the owner thinks this car is close to being "restored" and he'll want closer to your $1500.00 offer. After all, If the engine IS rebuilt, he'll have between $1000 and $3000 in it depending upon what was done. If he did a good job rebuilding the trannie, there's another $300 to $600 in parts. I guess the only way to establish those things is to see the sales receipts and use your judgement that those receipts go with this car.

On the up side:

You'll have no trouble selling the transmission for $100 to $200. Differentials are selling for $100 to $400 depending on the ratio. From what I have seen 4.22s go for about $100, lower numbers go for more, much more. The Tub??? I don't have a guess what the resale of just the tub might be(it may be crusher material). If the panels & pieces (doors, bonnet, boot, etc) are good, you can expect some cash from those too.
 
I've been dealing in used & new parts & cars since 1984 & have never ever paid more thsn $500 for a parts car! If you're figuring retail for individual parts when buying an old clunker you're driving up prices worse than Barrett-Jackson! &, trust me, Midget parts don't go anywhere near those prices...heck, we just crushed a dozen Midgets because parts don't sell & threre's no way to hang onto them forever! Used brake discs, front springs, & calipers have no value unless you have enough to merit core cost to somebody who rebuilds calipers....differentials - heck complete rearends go for maybe $125...axles are worth more than 3rd members....body panels? I've got dozens of doors, fenders, trunk lids - they don't move!

The guy may have a lots of money in it - his loss...he should've finished what he started...now you're buying an unknown quantity! Do you know him? Do you trust him? If not, you're going to have to rebuild everything he did...just this morning I opened an MGB engine I've had for several years...friend was here & commented that it looked brand new inside...yep, probably was as it was an unfinished project I bought...but, the only way to know is open everything up & go through it.

Midget parts cars bring $500 TOPS...& I ship parts all over the world.....so why pay $1500 for a clunker you have to spend labor & time ($$'s) disassemblying/hauling off when you can pay shipping for parts? Unless you just want to...

I pass up on Midgets all the time because there's no market for stocking the parts & one in a box I'd definitely pass up.
 
There you have it, THE expert has spoken.....

Cheers
 
The yellow one on ebay (https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...%3AIT&rd=10 went for $201.00 which in my estimate was about $26 too high (I dropped out at $176) because I have one bought here locally for $300 that runs (not much but enough to drive on trailer) & has a complete body.
 
So Tony, does that mean you have the needed parts laying around (and for sale) for a front disc swap onto a '60 Bugeye? It would save me a road trip... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Why swap to disks? They don't stop you any better. Disks are for reduceing fade when raceing. Bugeye stock brakes are fine for street driveing but they must be right, new cylinders and drums, also the master muct be good. Heck you can lock all four up if you wish and the brakes are up to spec. And I have.
 
I'm buying it for a friend who wants to convert his Morris Minor sedan to 1275 power...I'll drop it off at his house & pick up whatever's left after he's finished.

however, I don't think there's anything used in a front disc brake setup that you'd want to utilize except maybe for a backing plate & buildable calipers...I may have them laying around somewhere (just sent a whole bunch of old calipers off to a rebuilder as cores)....though were it me, I'd buy rebuilt calipers.
 
Better check, a 1098 was stock on a 66. But a good 1275 does have a value. If the car is a 67, it probably is a thin flange, (the oil pan flange is a little thinner). The motor is ok for street use, and it has a few parts that are better than the later 1275's. Good luck and let us know what happens.
 
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