Asking for help

[james.heider]

Hello ford barn members
I am writing to see if anyone can give me some direction. My husband was a member and has recently passed away. We have a 1931 Victoria that he was restoring and is not yet finished although we have all the parts, most of them new. Can anyone give me some advice on how to sell it.
In addition, we have a 1936 ford cabriolet also nearly finished.
Both are beautiful cars. If anyone can help me please email me at [email protected]
Thank you
Cheryl

[Mike V. Florida]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

The first place to advertise would be here on the for sale section. Pictures, pictures, pictures, would help to define what work is left to do. Remember that a Victoria is a fairly rare body style. Ebay would also be a place to sell. Where in Florida are you?

[james.heider]

I am in auburndale, between Orlando and Tampa. I can try to take some pictures but I may need some help in how to post. I am trying to figure out this site.
I do appreciate any help I can get.
Cheryl

[Mike V. Florida]

I can help if you like. Can you send me the pics [email protected] I'll be happy to put it all together and post it here for you.

I'll also contact the clubs in Florida, and connecting states before anything on ebay.

[james.heider]

Thank you
I will work on getting them together. I do appreciate your help.
Cheryl

[Ross/Kzoo]

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I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Was your husband a member of any local Model A clubs or any local car guys that could help you out?

[james.heider]

He was not a member of a model a club, just a Porsche club. They are helping me but don't know much about model a's. I am overwhelmed by all this.
Thank you for your reply

[700rpm]

Mike is a very knowledgeable Model A guy and will treat you right, fair and square.

[Charlie Stephens]

Cheryl,

First let me express my sympathy about the loss of your husband. If you can afford to, wait a year before you make any major decisions. There are enough things on your plate at this time and you will be amazed at how different things will look in a year. This applies to the cars, the house and anything else in your life that is major. The cars are taking up space but they are not eating anything or going down in value (that being my assumption). Be sure you have a good estimate of what the cars are worth before you try to sell them. When you settle your husband’s estate an appraisal may be required so ask the lawyer if a formal appraisal will be required and if he knows any appraisers experienced with cars. If the lawyer just needs a paper trail you might pick up a copy of “The Old Cars Price Guide” (goggle it). It is frequently available on the magazine rack in major bookstores but probably not the magazine rack at the local supermarket. If you can’t find one you should be able to order one from the publisher. This publication is good for a rough order of magnitude (and maybe settling an estate) but not accurate enough to form the basis of a sale price. As others have mentioned, be sure to ask for help from any car friends and clubs your husband was a member of. Post if you are having trouble finding local clubs. Be sure you don't sell to the first person (or their friend) telling you what they are worth. Take your time. When you are ready to sell plan on it taking a couple of months for ads to be published. Be sure that any relatives and friends know the price. Send a letter every model A and early V8 club within 200 miles requesting they place an ad in their local newsletter. (the national club sites are mafca.com, modelaford.org and earlyv8.org, they will list the local chapters). Explain the situation and I would not expect the ads to cost anything (it is actually a service to their members). Place an ad in the national club magazines. If they want to charge have someone that is a member place the ad for you (ask for help). Place an ad on fordbarn.com, ahooga.com and earlyfordv8.org. I am not sure an ad in a national magazine such as Hemming’s Motor News would be worth the expense but I am sure others will comment. Don’t hesitate to ask for help. Try to post is often as possible instead of using direct emails as it will enable other people to comment on what is being suggested and may generate further comments based on what they read.

Charlie Stephens

[Tom Wesenberg]

I am sorry for your loss. I agree fully with Charlie about not making any decisions in haste. You might later have second thoughts about them. Do you have any children that would be interested in picking up where your husband left off? I know at the time of a death in the family things are very overwhelming. Just take your time, as right now these cars aren't the most important things to worry about. Hopefully you will have good support and help from family and close friends.

[Mike V. Florida]

Here is what I have so far;

It also has an entire La Baron Bonney interior. The seats are already professionally done.

[1931 flamingo]

Cheryl: So sorry for your loss.

I doubt if you'll have trouble selling either one especially if the cabrolet looks as good as the victoria. Don't be hurried or bullied into selling.
Do a little research into pricing. Lots of people here willing to offer assistance as Mike has already.
Paul in CT

[Joe K]

Another aspect which you might want to consider as a "sole survivor."

Rather than go all FORMAL with appraisals and quantification - keep it "unofficial."

Likely your husband had a will which leaves all his personal effects to you. YOU are now the owner lock stock and barrel.

How these things are effected are now your determination.

It may be possible to consider your husband's belonging as so many personal effects. If you give lawyers and the law the opportunity, his personal effects may morph into his investments which become subject to capital gains or estate taxes on their sale.

Better this between you and your buyer rather than between you and your buyer AND your government. Or the lawyers.

Truth is, most of what we own that gives us pleasure is best kept "off the books." Houses/property/bank accounts are all on the books. Even possibly automobiles considering title law in your state. But a car which is off book can stay off book VERY easily. And is probably best left that way.

Just my personal experience this last year with closing my mother's estate which now more than a year later after Mom's passing is STILL being disbursed by the law firm. Might have a claim against the estate yunno? (They view Mom's Estate as their little rice bowl methinks.)

Meanwhile I have all my Dad's tools and personal effects which were parted as only so much "contents" to the house within a week after Mom's passing. And I'm fortunate that my brother did not contest AT ALL how it all came out. It could have been much more messy.

But Mom & Dad raised both their boys to "do the right thing."

My condolences on the lost of your husband.

Joe K

[james.heider]

Joe
Thank you for your input
This is one aspect I don't have to worry about
All the property is mine and there is no estate. Our son is an estate and probate Attorney so he took good care of us.
I just need to part with Jims cars in order to move closer to our sons.
It is very hard to part with these cars as they have been a part of our life for 40 years and I love them as much as he did.
Cheryl

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by james.heider

Joe
Thank you for your input
This is one aspect I don't have to worry about
All the property is mine and there is no estate. Our son is an estate and probate Attorney so he took good care of us.
I just need to part with Jims cars in order to move closer to our sons.
It is very hard to part with these cars as they have been a part of our life for 40 years and I love them as much as he did.
Cheryl

With sons and your attachment to the cars think long and carefully about selling them. Once they are gone, they are gone.

Charlie Stephens

[jim1932]

If it was a huge part of both of your lives, AND if this isn't about needing the money. I would keep one and sell the other. Use the proceeds from one to finish the other nice. That way you have a keepsake, if it was what he did, and his passion. Sell them both. Otherwise they will sit around and decay and be a burden.

[steve s]

I appreciate that this is a deeply personal issue and any advice from total strangers may turn out to be inappropriate, but here goes mine. I agree with jim1932. If it's a tossup as far as you are concerned, I would suggest keeping the one that you, or others that you care about, would be more likely to drive. I'm pretty sure that would be the 36.

When my dad died, Mom got rid of everything he owned but kept delaying on his Model A, which she had never shown a lot of interest in. Finally, we confronted the fact that she DIDN'T want to let it go--it was the same model they had courted in--so she arranged to have it completely restored. But driving it quickly became too much for her arthritic shoulders and feet to handle. But, at age 94, every summer she still recruits "her drivers" to drive her in local community parades.

Condolences.

Steve