Testing the Ohio Market...

[dave boley]

Hi Folks,
I do quite a bit of transporting of custom and classic vehicles.  In my travels I have passed up more than a few interesting vehicles due to space limitations and the fact that I can't really find the time to do anything with them myself.  It really bugs me to know this stuff is probably headed to the crusher if someone doesn't save them.  Also there is the fact that I am often dead heading back with an empty trailer.

I am not interested in going into the junkyard business, but I would like to do some buying and selling of this stuff, whole and/or in parts on a limited basis to support my hobby interests.

Here's an idea I had that I would like to throw out there for the purposes of a sort of market test.  I have a friend who has a secure place for storage and has agreed to acommodate me.  If I start collecting a few odf these old vehicles on my travels, and create a website to display and catalog the the inventory of vehicles ans parts, does anyone think it would be an attractive source for people interested in these things?

I have delivery and shipping capabilities as well as the time to devote to this.  I make frequent trips to the South, and South West and I often have the space on deadheads to bring stuff back.

[enjenjo]

There is a guy near me that does just that, and makes a good living at it. At any one time, he usually had 15 to 20 cars. He buys cars that will move fast, highly collectible. He has indoor storage. It does take a lot of time, and a lot of traveling. He averages about 80,000 miles a year on his truck, plus a lot of airline miles. He also has a network of buyers in the west and south.

[dave boley]

There is a guy near me that does just that, and makes a good living at it. At any one time, he usually had 15 to 20 cars. He buys cars that will move fast, highly collectible. He has indoor storage. It does take a lot of time, and a lot of traveling. He averages about 80,000 miles a year on his truck, plus a lot of airline miles. He also has a network of buyers in the west and south.

Thanks Enjenjo,
I doubt that I'll be so dilligent at it as your neighbor, but it is nice to know there might be a market.  I doubt I'll be buying really nice stuff.  Mostly saving stuff from the crusher.  I'm rather low budget and I pretty much deal in near death stuff.

Later Man...

[GPster]

Fear (self generated) has always kept me from trying such things but I would try something to further my own interests rather than hope you can predict someone else's interest. Because you're in the '53 to '56 Ford truck realm I'd start there. could see you collecting pieces for builder's packages. Following your plans you'll have a rolling chassis in a short while. That piece could find a new home, maybe with the cab off an F600 dump truck. I guess I'd put myself nearer a fad that exists than to start stockpiling for a fad you hope might develop. Of course this kind of thinking might explain why I'm no further than where I am. GPster

[phat rat]

I do some of that myself. But I don't have the luxury of having someone else pay for one leg of the trip. Last year I had a 5500 mi trip and this year 4500 mi one. Both payed for themselves and a profit. Last years trip also produced a 26/27 T roadster which I kept for myself. As Frank said it can get time consuming selling it. In the first 24 hrs I had this years load listed I had to answer over 50 emails and pm's,  but I had my investment back within 2/3 weeks. I also don't buy the finished stuff, just someones future project and parts.

[dave boley]

I do some of that myself. But I don't have the luxury of having someone else pay for one leg of the trip. Last year I had a 5500 mi trip and this year 4500 mi one. Both payed for themselves and a profit. Last years trip also produced a 26/27 T roadster which I kept for myself. As Frank said it can get time consuming selling it. In the first 24 hrs I had this years load listed I had to answer over 50 emails and pm's,  but I had my investment back within 2/3 weeks. I also don't buy the finished stuff, just someones future project and parts.

If youn are interested in getting paid for that trip check out U-ship.  You can google it.  I have picked up three trips this year that made it possible for me to deliver one vehicle to my son near Atlanta and two made it possible for me to bring home trucks that were both down in GA.  I was bale to stay over at my sons on all those trips.  Now that I have about everything done that I need moved I think I'd like to go for picking up some diamonds in the rough on the deadheads.  

Later Man...

[phat rat]

I'd heard about U-ship but never looked into it. Wish I had as I passed on a bunch of Ford stuff just a couple of weeks ago out in Mt because of the gas cost. It's too late now as the guy just emailed me this past week-end that he'd sold it. So I'll surely remember this for another time.

[dave boley]

I'd heard about U-ship but never looked into it. Wish I had as I passed on a bunch of Ford stuff just a couple of weeks ago out in Mt because of the gas cost. It's too late now as the guy just emailed me this past week-end that he'd sold it. So I'll surely remember this for another time.

Yeah, so far I have mainly used U-ship to finance the trips for getting stuff back here with exception of taking a plane to Phoenix.  We did that one just for the trip.  We had never been there before and I think once was enough.  I have a large enclosed trailer but I need to also get an open trailer because everything doesn't need to go in the enclosed trailer and it is really a lot harder on fuel because of the wind resistance.  I had it custom built higher to accomodate trucks and vans.  It's a real air catcher even with the V nose.  If you look at U-ship, my username is r4r.  I also have my own site which is www.rides4rides.com where I have posted a few pictures of stuff I have moved plus pictures of the equipment.  I need to get a picture of that plane on there.  I have it but I haven't gotten around to posting it.  Maybe I'll go do that now.

Later Man...

[SKR8PN]

I have used U-Ship a couple of times with very good success! The last thing I had shipped was a 1000lb smoker that I had custom built in Georgia. I got lucky because the fellow that brought it up for me was from Mansfield originally and needed a reason to visit some family members. He brought it up and delivered it for 300.00

[Danimal]

I think it could work. There was a shop in Pontiac MI that did only finished cars. Called Southern Motors. He was doing brisk business for a while until the economy took a crap. If you look in the Auto RV trader there is a guy in London, OH (IIRC) near Dayton that ALWAYS has project cars for $3500 or so. I can guarantee that he didn't pay half that for them but they are always southern or western cars with nearly no rust.  Selling one of those would probably pay for the gas to do it a time or two.

[dave boley]

I think it could work. There was a shop in Pontiac MI that did only finished cars. Called Southern Motors. He was doing brisk business for a while until the economy took a crap. If you look in the Auto RV trader there is a guy in London, OH (IIRC) near Dayton that ALWAYS has project cars for $3500 or so. I can guarantee that he didn't pay half that for them but they are always southern or western cars with nearly no rust.  Selling one of those would probably pay for the gas to do it a time or two.

I bought a '49 chevy pick up down below Atlanta that my son located for me.  I paid $500.00 for it and sold it about four months later for $1,000.00.  It was a real rust bucket.  I picked it up on a deadhead back from Phoenix.  I also bought a truck for myself the trip before that one on a return trip.  It was these two trips that started me thinking about doing this.

Space for these things to wait on a buyer was my main concern, but recently a friend of mine with the secure space, has decide he would work with me on this.  I'll be going down to visit with my son for the month of October and we plan to do a lot of scouting around for stuff then.  If I find anything I'll buy it and cut a deal to leave it set until I can get a good U-ship run to cover the cost of retrieval.

Later Man...

[Choptop]

I have used U-Ship a couple of times with very good success! The last thing I had shipped was a 1000lb smoker that I had custom built in Georgia. I got lucky because the fellow that brought it up for me was from Mansfield originally and needed a reason to visit some family members. He brought it up and delivered it for 300.00

That sure is a sweet lookin' smoker !