1960 conv for sale $2000

[Otto Skorzeny]

.......................................$65,000 and counting............

That's the key phrase. You're being conservative on the chrome at 12K. I've seen $15-$20k on similar vehicles nearly 10 years ago when you count all the interior parts and exterior trim.

Not a car I would want for anything but parts. Cars that far gone better be in the Duesenberg value class before they're worth the trouble and expense.

[Stewart Homan]

Very short sighted in my opinion!

It doesn't cost anything like that money to do the cars in Europe!

I'm not talking about building a frame off senior show car - just a nice cruiser with nice paint, nice chrome (good used from another car) decent interior and good mechanics, by a guy that can weld!

[Sweede64]

Southpaw's car wasn't in anywhere near that bad condition. It would cost more to restore that car than it would to buy one all ready completed.

Otto, look at the pics, allmost the whole flor and rockerpanels, rear quarter, trunkfloor, southpws car was in a better condition to look at but under the white paint it was pretty much the same.

[76eldo]

At least 2 people agree with you.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260525216384&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2F260525216384_W0QQfviZ1&viewitem=

[Stewart Homan]

Good for them!

I've re-looked at the listing and I can't see a lot wrong with it - I mean if the guy knows or got told the car was 'restored' in '69 - which was more likely say new paint, top, interior and chrome for example, then he is passing that information on - I don't think he's in any way intimating that the car is still 'restored' or that it is a 99.5 point show car which has won honours at a Grand National (this seems to be the only cars that carry any importance for some!)

Can you imagine how many cars would be Skoda Oktavias if everyone took this moral high ground attitude because a car has a little rust!

I think I'm in the wrong place!

[Sweede64]

OK Lou, my miss, the -60 aint good but i have seen worse cars come together, the winters are long up here....... If you do the work yourself and dont let a shop do it its worthvile. But there is no way to tell unless one can inspect the car in person.

4" snow now and -6 centigrade, 4x4 on the Expedition and no problemo.

Merry x-mas and happy new year to ouy all

Thomas.

[austingta]

Just for fun, I searched on eBay for a 60 Conv, and this is the top listing:





The Buy it Now is 69995.00, so you know the seller will take way lower. How much lower, in this market, could be a lot lower!

It is almost never worth it, economically, to restore a basket case car. I've done it, and I won't again. If it has sentimental value, fine, but otherwise, buy the nicest car you can afford.

[Stewart Homan]

So in future, anything that isn't perfect original or perfect restored should be either crushed or used for parts... Unless it's a Duezzy!

I have to say, I'm staggered by the attitude of some on here! If a 25 year old guy on limited means wanted to buy this car, restore it or customise it or even get it on the road as a Rat Rod style car, I think that should be applauded rather than poo poo'd!

The amount of cars that have been brought back from the dead over the years is mind-boggling - on the basis of what you people are saying, these cars would be gone, finished, no more... Why would you want that!

I had a guy tell me my 59 Biarritz with the fins cut off - I didn't cut them off, it was done pre-1965 and I have a pair of quarters from a rust free Arizona Seville to go back on the car - that it was worthless without them... so the next day I told him that on the basis of what he'd said I'd had the car crushed! "What a shame" he says "I'm sure you could have done something with it!" Moronic!

All I'm saying is i) this car is worth saving ii) it really doesn't look  that bad iii) not everybody has $69,500 or best offer to buy a car iv) it means one more 60 Caddy convertible is on the road v) someone can take immense pride and satisfaction for rescuing the car... etc etc etc

Why would anyone who loves old Cadillacs deride this or pour scorn on it?


BTW, the inner piping around the pleated part of the seat on the car above is too fat - this car should be immediately crushed to a pulp as worthless! FFS!

[76eldo]

You have a valid point.  I would rather see the car restored than crushed.  I am sure that when I bought a rusted out Packard in 1985 and restored it, some older and wiser Packard collectors would have told me I was nuts.  I was, but I did the car anyway.

The thing with this car is that there is so much rust, the quarters are gone, the rockers are gone, the floor is probably gone, and I would really have to wonder if the frame is any good.  The interior is trashed, and there is something broken on the top.  Not much left...

I hope someone puts it back on the road, and I wish them well.

Brian

[Stewart Homan]

Thanks Brian, I appreciate the words!

I just think someone can take great pride and pleasure from doing this car!

Best regards,



Stew

[Sweede64]

Look at harrys cad-56 in another post, basketcase yes but now its running. If you dont have the monye maby you have the time?
If you do it yourself.
Body work $ 0
Sheets of steele $200
Garage heating and power $1500.
Paint work $0
Paint material $1000
Chrome $5000
Interior $10000
Small parts and engine overhaul  $10000
$27700 add the car and...... i dont know but it loks doable to mee.

[Quentin Hall Australia]

            Merry Christmas to all and good on you Stewart for saying exactly what I think as well. In 96 I bought an unrestored 59 Biarritz in Winnipeg and towed it to Dallas for the Nationals and then onto LA to ship back to OZ . At the Nationals I had some loud mouth tell me that he'd wrecked better cars than that and I shouldn't bother anyhow he only collected 53 Eldos.
          For a young guy in Australia battling with a horrendous exchange rate it was the only way I could get a Biarritz but heck I had done it and I couldn't care less that this loud mouth was either too rich or too stupid to appreciate what the "dream" was about .
           It took me two years to restore but I did that too. I then bought a 53 Eldo (not because of the loud mouth) to restore and sold the 59 for a very good price. As luck would have it another 53 Eldo came up . So now I have two.  The second car was much worse than the 60 when found.    
            "Our hobby" obviously means different things to different people. "My hobby" is about what I make and restore on these cars. Yesterday I cut and turned the lip on the replacement hood to suit the Eldo screen. On the weekend I will weld the rear valance under the trunk. It might take 10 years but every day I do something.
             You Yanks have had all the gold for many years but slowly and without noticing the rest of the world has been feasting on your discards. Just have a look at the 53 Eldo or 57/58 Brougham survivors lists. THere are more cars out the the US than in.
              I'd love to talk more but a show has just come on telly about a young Aussie designer heading Cadillac Design.
              Regards. Q      

[TrevorK]

I'm very much with Stewart on this one - I actually saw this car and thought it looked like an interesting project. Sure it needs everything, but that's the fun in taking what used to be a jewel and now looks like a piece of crap and returning it to its former glory. As for the E-bay listing, it wouldn't be enough to turn me off this particular car - he's probably just repeating what was told to him. The "restoration" that was done in 1969 may have consisted of a cheapo paint job and then the car was parked outside for 40 years (looks like it is sitting in some kind of salvage yard).

I might have to bid on it now after reading all the negative comments here!

Trevor

[Joe 12138]

Here's my 2 cents:
There's all sorts of talk about encouraging and attracting (as opposed to Discouraging) young people and novices to get involved in the old car hobby. Most young people don't have $120,000 to drop on a '53 0r 59 Convertible that's done. For many, the only way to get what you want is to work for it, go at it the hard way, spend hours of sweat equity instead of cash, and sometimes make compromises....4 door sedans are a realistic goal instead of a top of the line convertible. I applaud those who aren't afraid to work for it and have the patience to get there slowly by their own efforts rather than the instant gratification of sending everything off to a High dollar shop and saying you restored a car.....but it was really about a dozen other people who really did the work.
       That is my background....where I came from. In 1972 when I was still in my teens I got involved with my first project. It was a $20.00 rust heap that ran good. That car's long gone. 35 years later, I've got 5 Cadillacs, a Mercedes, and a BMW that make that old project from my teens look like a joke. But That's what I could afford. I've learned a lot from my work on it, and I've got fond memories and no apologies over the experience.
       The other point I'd like to bring up is that this car DOES have value! Abou 20 years ago, up here in the rust belt, there was a fellow making a real good living off of cars like this. A car like this furnished a title, a Vin number, and the convertible specific parts he needed. These were transplanted on to a '59 coupe body; usually tripling his investment. Ever wonder why there's so many '59 ragtops as oposed to coupes?  Now, what could we do with this '60??

[TrevorK]

Which car would you prefer - the first one or the one at the link below? The second one is supposedly rust-free, but completely dissassembled and who knows if all of the parts are there.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cadillac-DeVille-1960-Cadillac-Convertible-series-62-ZERO-RUST-Project_W0QQitemZ260529400987QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item3ca8c32c9b

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Trevor,
I'd take the second car in a heartbeat.  Let's watch what the bidding does. You sound like an energetic young guy that could handle either car. But, my & other posters point is... why do the rusty car? As another poster said" it needs a coupe donor car".  That's true. I'm sort of surprised that all 3 overseas posters are feeling "sorry" for the car. Maybe they haven't noticed their fellow countryman are now going for better cars as are buyers in the US.  Please note that I AM in favor of saving both 53 Eldos that have been discussed here.
Bob

[BJM]

Just for fun, I searched on eBay for a 60 Conv, and this is the top listing:

It is almost never worth it, economically, to restore a basket case car. I've done it, and I won't again. If it has sentimental value, fine, but otherwise, buy the nicest car you can afford.

Frank,
I'm with Stewart. 1st the car you posted is very nice and HAD to be restored at one time by somebody. It should not be about "making money". If this guy restored this very nice 60 to resell, he is getting what he deserves.

2nd, you restored one car from a basket case, so, yes you don't have to do another one. If everybody did ONE car we would save several of these cars.
Eventually, a few year from now, there won't be any to restore.

[mb]

That rust free one that is all taken appart looks like just what I need to fix my rusty 59 conv. After following this post it's a wonder that any cars got saved or restored. It may be a shame, but since no one seems to think these cars are worth much I'm thinking about buying that 60 that is rust free and putting my 59 1/4 panels on it, putting it on my 59 conv frame ect. Looks like a cheap way to fix my 59 conv.

[Stampie]

Why would you wasted a good 60 on a 59 restoration? 

Stampie

[MB]

Because the 59's are twice as good looking and worth twice as much when done. Most seem to agree acording to this thread there are not many 60's that are worth restoring. The rust free one should be restored, but..........