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49 Series 60 Special Fleetwood $500 - Should I, or Shouldn't I?

Started by Joe V, October 09, 2014, 08:26:58 PM

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Joe V

Elderly lady's 16 year old daughter was driving it and it started to smoke from under the dash.  The smoke scared them and so they parked it, and it has not moved since. That was 1975 and it has been under tarps since then.   What a stately vehicle the 49 Fleetwood Special is when restored.  Just beautiful.   

Basically complete and body rusted out most but not all places.  Definitely a part-out.  Surprisingly solid chrome and front fenders. I'm guessing the body trim is stainless that's why it is still there.  Filled the tires and the old gal stood right back up on her own four feet - last picture.  I thought that when I filled them the front and rear ends would go up and the body would not.  Not the case.  She stood up and I took a look underneath.  Chassis was also in surprisingly good shape.  Rear end all connected and bounced up and down a 2 or 3 inches.  Muffler pipe was even still there.  Definitely could get a usable rolling chassis out of it.  Turned the wheel and the front tires straightened out.  Any value to a rolling chassis with Title? I can always use an extra motor and trans, but who knows whether they are usable or not.  Doesn't look like mice moved into the motor because the choke is closed and all hoses were still in place and solid. 

Hate to see these beauties die, but the question is whether it is worth it or not.  Not the money, but the time and energy. 

For those that have felt the calling to pull one of these babies out of the dirt, and give it a chance to be an organ donor for whatever is salvageable, was the time and energy worth it for you?

Paul Phillips

As another owner of a 49 60S I hate to say it, but the amount of $$$ needed to bring this one back is way beyond any conceivable value, unless you could do absolutely all the work yourself.  Using it to keep several others on the road is probably a better call.  At $500, you should be able to come out positive for parting it out.

Paul
Paul Phillips CLC#27214
1941 60 Special (6019S)
1949 60 Special (6069X)
1937 Packard Super 8 Convertible Victoria
1910 Oakland Model 24 Runabout

jyinger

If you're serious about this year and model, I have the same car, but in much better shape.  It has all of the parts.  We haven't tried to start the engine, but the guy I bought it from said it ran when he parked it (over 20 years ago).  It has no rust except for a little surface rust.  Appears to never have been in an accident.

I bought two of these beauties from a guy in New Mexico.  We decided to tackle the dark blue one first (Lily--photo attached), then this one (Turq--cream over turquoise green) was to be next.  But I got sidetracked with a '49 CDV, then a '49 convertible.  So Turk has been neglected.

$4,500

Photos attached

Jon Yinger

CLC# 26643
49 Fleetwood (2)
49 CDV (2)
49 convertible
52 Fleetwood
58 El Dorado Brougham
Jon Yinger

Joe V

Thanks for the offer, but I'm not ready for another restoration project as I am working to finish my 49 convertible.  I would expect to part-out this old machine as it is (unfortunately) way to far gone for anything else.  I'd keep what fits and/or may be worth having for the future, pass on what can be salvaged, and take what can't to the scrap yard. 

I know there is some value and I could come out positive money-wise as Mr. Phillips noted above.  But the money we are talking is not such that it would be the deciding factor.  The deciding factor for me is whether the time and energy is worth it to get it out, get the remaining good stuff off, spend time back and forth to the scrap yard, store the larger stuff I don't need (frame, rear end, etc) until sold since it wouldn't be right to scrap, use precious space to store what I keep, post other parts for sale, pack and ship, and probably get fewer usable parts due to unseen rust. 

From my perspective and probably every enthusiast in this for pure enjoyment, there is intrinsic value to investing some energy to have a cache of parts and to keep restorable parts flowing into the system before they turn to dust. 

So my question to folks who may have spent the time and energy to do this, was it worth it to you?

Steve Passmore

I find its always worth it to have spare parts. There are some people here who will not buy anything until they need it only to find its no longer available when they want it.     I get smug satisfaction when I have a problem with the car that the spare is waiting at home to just fit on, no searching, no disappointments with the car off the road for months so yes, worth the effort every time for me and its no money really, I have paid three times that for a spares car.
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

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1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe