I was looking through Facebook and saw this 32 Ford for sale. He posted images of the appraisal.
It says $85K in the build and appraised at $48K. The appraisal was done in 2013 and he is now asking $45K. But don't all those car shows have them flipping cars for a great profit?
Here and I worry about $100 for parts.

 

Being a former car builder, I have no doubt there's 85K there, even if it was built several years ago. It looks nicely done and he got his money's worth, from this one pic, anyway. The beauty of television is you can create all kinds of fantasy. Perhaps the market has softened more than I know for a Deuce Cabrio, but I would think that car should easily bring 60-65K. At 45, it seems like a bargain.

 

I am amazed at what they claim to get for cars on these "rebuilding" shows and that they always budget to come out on top even if they do a full top-to-bottom rebuild. The auction houses also jack things up quite a bit and the frenzy of that environment can bring in way more than a car is worth, too...and they take their cut. Those of us in this hobby for real know this is almost never true, and that it's always a losing proposition to have a project or classic car. And I've come to accept that. That said, I put the best I can afford into what I am working on for myself, not with an eye on resale. I'm not a flipper. That ALSO said, I do cry sometimes when I sink large amounts of coin into cars when I know I'll never get it back, lol

I agree with Wayne, this is a bargain.

 

"Reality TV" is anything but reality.

 

I guess if it was an custom old period correct hot rod restomod it would be worth a few more bucks, but that looks like an off-the-shelf parts list on a very mildly customized body. It might even be a brookfield or other vendor's body and frame.

Nice looking car, but even the classics aren't often worth more than they're built for, depending on the build itself.

 

I read a statement once that said, "There are more '32 Fords today than there were in 1933", Same thing with Corvette engines.

The "Reality TV" really skew every aspect of life. Everyone in their uncle think they can make a fortune buying old rust buckets cheap, installing a "crate engine" in it and spraying a coat of clear over the rust, excuse me, "patina" and making a fortune. That only happens on "Reality TV" Other people think they can buy a run down house in a questionable neighborhood for $20K, spend $50K half *** repair and flipping it in a month for $300K. I've been in this hobby long enough to know you rarely make any money flipping old cars and trucks. Sure, I've made money on every vehicle I bought and sold but for the time it took for me to pick up the truck or car, the fuel to get it and haul it home and then the time it took me to pull parts I figure I average about $5/hr. I am happy if I can find a few hard to find parts I can use for my vehicles.
The other unrealistic about "Reality TV" car shows is most never have to look for buyers to buy their bondo buckets, there always seems to be a willing buyer, sometime just by walking out their front door. My favorite are the old geezers at auctions with their "granddaughters" who are hanging all over them as they try to outbid the other two old geezers also accompanied by their "granddaughters". I always wonder why a guy who can throw $125K on a car when new sold for $3500 can be smart enough to make that kind of money but stupid enough to pay that much.

 

40 years ago it was reported in the magazines that there were more '32 Fords registered then than in 1932, with the availability and popularity of aftermarket bodies and chassis. I'm sure there's even more today. By the late 70's the supply of good original deuce bodies was used up, and even the scrap stuff was picked over. The steel aftermarket bodies available today are superior in fit, finish and construction to Henry's handiwork. If I was going to build a 32 today, I wouldn't even try to source 90 year old scrap to build on.
https://brookvilleroadster.com/models/32-roadster/
https://brookvilleroadster.com/model...-window-coupe/

Every person that ever sold a Camaro or Nova sold it with a Corvette engine, no doubt.

 

Absolutely LOVE this quote. I see this everyday.

 

I told my son, "You better learn how to fix your own stuff or have a job where you make enough to pay somebody to do it for you." He must be one of those guys.

I just sold a truck I bought non running for $500, put $1K in parts in it and sold it for $4500. If I figure my labor, I lost my ***.

 

That's what's sad, if you look at your statement quickly it looks pretty good, but figure in the time and it really isn't very appealing.

 

It really does depend on how you look at it. I have way more time than I have money. I enjoyed working on it. Gave me something to do while waiting on my "supply chain" parts delays. (8 months) And I turned $1500 into $4500 which paid for a nice set of beadlocks for my rock crawler with some left over. If I were a business, I definitely lost my *** though. I waited 6 months for an abandoned title too.

I NEVER expect to get my money back so I typically build for ME to keep forever. Reality shows are definitely not reality. I still like to watch some of the car shows though.

In defense of some of the people that pay so much for a restored classic or a high end shop to do the work, they like the vehicles as much as we gearheads do but lack the skills to do it themselves. They're the people that GOT the big paying job and can afford to pay for the work.

Oh, that 32 does look like a bargain to me too.

 

Time and money solve everything. If you don't have one, you better have lots of the other. A wise man once told me.
Appraised values are very subjective. When I got my truck appraised we agreed together what it was worth. I asked him what he thought, he told me. I thought it was worth a bit more as that is what I had into it in parts. He agreed and the next day I had the appraisal.
And the car looks sharp.

 

LIke you said, it's all about your goals. If you are trying to make a living with it, you lost big time. But if you are in it for the enjoyment and the love of old iron then you made $3k and had fun and probably learned many new things. To me that's a win.
I'm not in this for money at all. I would have a hard time ever selling anything I acquired.

I would guess these guys that spend lots of money on these cars were frugal at one time. They are probably at the point in their lives where they don't need the money so they spend it on fun.
People often say that older men buying sports cars are having a mid life crisis. I've always said that they most likely have always wanted something like this and now they have the money to have one. No crisis, just fulfilling a lifelong dream.

Here are a couple more pictures. They have a nice mustang as well. It's in San Antonio if anyone has a spare $45K

 

There are also probably more Z-28, and SS Camaros out there than were ever built by GM.

 

You can say the same thing about 57 Chevy Bel Airs. I see so many 57 Chevys listed on eBay as Bel Airs but what they really are is 210 models with the aluminum insert between the chrome strips at the rear quarter panels.