Newbie question... what is a 1968 Cutlass S, automatic, numbers car really worth?

[Tungsten]

I am in the process of either "inheriting" or simply purchasing from my father a 1968 Cutlass S that has been in my family since my great-uncle ordered it from Oldsmobile back in 1968.

The car is a numbers matching car, automatic on the column, air-conditioning, power brakes and various other options. It was wrecked once in the mid 1980s and took damage in the front cap. To my recollection, the only sheet metal replaced was the hood and one of the two fenders, and I do remember that a big deal was made at the time of using only NOS metal.

The vehicle has sat in storage, albeit covered with dirt and bird crap, in a dry garage for the past 20 years. The windows were left cracked open so that it would not mold (or at least not badly) inside. A recent casual inspection by me yielded no signs of significant interior damage due to time or the elements.

The paint is the Silver Green color and the black vinyl roof appears to be in good condition, although I'm not sure if it is original or replacement. I remember that it was replaced at some point, but that may just be my memory playing games with me. I'll be 37 years old this month, so I was a teenager fascinated with exotic performance cars and not even really paying much attention to this Olds back when it was mothballed.

Mechanically I'm sure plenty needs to be done to the car to make it truly road-worthy again. I intend to pull the engine and transmission and freshen both up, but keep them true to stock. The only deviations might be a slightly more aggressive cam and Stainles Steel Works headers and exhaust just to give it a little edginess at the Cruise-Ins and car shows. Nothing that could not be returned to stock later if desired.

Brakes will definitely be replaced with power disc front and rear, steering will be gone through, and suspension bits and pieces will be replaced as appropriate and necessary. Again, I do not want to deviate too far from stock or modify the vehicle in any way that could not be easily undone later if desired.

So basically the car is in pretty good shape. The paint needs some love shown to it to bring back the original luster. The interior likely needs a good, thorough, but gentle cleaning. Under the hood will need some attention in terms of the normal stuff needed to bring a car that has sat for 20 years back to life.

All of this being said, if I were to outright purchase this car from my father rather than allow him to gift it to me, what is a fair price for it?

I realize from experience that this is an open-ended question and a really accurate answer is subject to a lot of different criteria, so a ball-park estimate is certainly fine with me. Or even a price-range.

Suffice it to say that while my dad would likely be willing to just hand the car over, my mom is a bit more "materialistic" and has already voiced concerns that the car should be sold and that I should pay for it whatever anyone else would pay for it. Family discounts don't exist in my mom's world. She's a real keeper sometimes, so me paying for the car is likely the better choice for all parties involved for the long term.

Thanks.

[tclaemont]

Well, I would not take less than $7,000, and that would have a be on a REAL good day for my 68 Cutlass S shown here:

http://www.HurtsOlds.com

The economy is tough. The online value guides are worthless. Best indicator is probably COMPLETED ebay auctions with SOLD prices on them.

[Tungsten]

Can't seem to find your '68 on that site. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places. But yes, I agree that the economy is tough and that certainly affects the market value of these cars right now.

Thanks for the idea to look at completed eBay auctions; I hadn't even considered that.

[lshlsh2]

Sold my 68 s No air 350 4bl for $5000. Got it for 1600 put in a new front end and rebuilt moter and trans and new paint. It is always going to be worth more to you than anyone else. I would think about 1500-2000 with out seeing it would be fair. I would go under it and really check the floors and frame. Rust there will turn it into a 750 dollar car real quick.
Larry

[tclaemont]

Sorry Tungsten, here is the correct link:

http://www.HurtsOlds.com

It is HURTS, not HURST.

[Tungsten]

Beautiful car! Thanks for sharing those photos.

[agtw31]

he's your dad.

offer him $1000

[citcapp]

I agree that you need to pay something (because you don't need friction between your mom and dad) But you should get a family discount because of the history behind the car. I would say in the 1k to 3k range would be fair.

[Tungsten]

Originally Posted by agtw31

he's your dad.

offer him $1000

That's about the price range I was considering, given the amount of work that needs to be done to restore the car to roadworthy condition.

[tclaemont]

Step one is to ask your mother what she thinks it is worth. If she says 500 then you make everyone happy since she is the one that put the price on the car. It is REALLY tough to be both a buyer and a seller at the same time. When you go to the supermarket they dont ask you what it is worth, do they?

Figure the car sold for what? 2800 new? Factor depreciation at even a modest rate and the car is worth about what? 87 cents?

[rocketraider]

Which side of the family did it come from originally? If your father's, then he should have final say on how much, if any, money changes hands.

You also need to check the "gift" laws in your state to make sure no one gets shanked with a tax bill. DMV is going to want their cut and you'll have to declare a value for sales tax etc when you title the car in your name. You don't have a declared value, they'll value it at top restored dollar.

Ya wanna fix your mom? Tell her you'll pay for the car, but the money HAS to go in her pre-paid funeral account so you won't get stuck with her funeral expenses. Her mouth will probably drop open and she'll probably call you an ungrateful heathen smart-ass, but it's a subtle hint that sometimes money does not need to change hands between family.

[Tungsten]

Originally Posted by tclaemont

Figure the car sold for what? 2800 new? Factor depreciation at even a modest rate and the car is worth about what? 87 cents?

Originally Posted by rocketraider

Ya wanna fix your mom? Tell her you'll pay for the car, but the money HAS to go in her pre-paid funeral account so you won't get stuck with her funeral expenses. Her mouth will probably drop open and she'll probably call you an ungrateful heathen smart-ass, but it's a subtle hint that sometimes money does not need to change hands between family.

Loved these replies.

I'm headed back home in a few weeks and have a trailer with winch lined up. Shouldn't be any problem to bring it back behind our F250. Already bounced that thought off of my dad earlier and he said he's "thinking about it" and then started rattling off a list of things that he figures I'll need to do to the car "if" I get it back down here. Seems that the idea has a little bit of momentum, especially since he suggested that I restore it for him and give it back once I'm done. lol.

[citcapp]

Think I'll try that one on my kids, how does this sound for my 48 Olds,

Gee son I'm getting old and tired can't work on the 48 any more why don't you take it home with all of the parts I have collected and finish the build then bring it back to me, you do love your dad don't you. I can here him laughing already