value of a 1937 Hudson six touring sedan

alansking

Hi

Here's a question for all the really knowledgeable folk out there, what is the approximate value of a Huson six touring sedan with the power dome engine, 46000 miles, no rust, in good condition , could do with a few touch ups but drives well and interior in good condition but not original cloth. Chassis no. 731510 .

This is a really solid car, it is also right hand drive so may be less desirable to some.

Would appreciate some realistic idea, this is the 122" six cylinder.

Browniepetersen

It would help to know a year and then I would simply be a guess?  If you really want to know put it on ebay with a no reserve.  Then you will really know.....

PaulButler

RHD desirable to me of course although I am more than comfortable driving LHD as well.

The real answer is Alan "whatever someone wants to pay" however if I can throw a figure into the mix then I would reckon you may be looking at somewhere around £7,000+(ish) here in the UK.

Without an actual viewing of the car it's hard to give a true estimate of value of course. Low mileage is good but it needs to be documented really

Doing the touch ups would add value to the car of course but it would be a wild guess as to what

I've seen the pictures of the car and it is a good looking beast but as usual as Brownie has found what a car might be worth and what people are prepared to pay can sometimes be quite a way apart

Trevor J

well you could post it on eBay but being right hand drive of course it would not be quite so desirable in the USA however it would be sought after in a place like NewZealand where we drive on the right hand side of the road.

The downside of course as I have said on this forum before is that eBay has banned people from outside of the USA from looking at their cars for sale not great for eBay customers given the huge trade in classic cars to overseas customers.  They must have some spotty faced kid advising them who has no understaning of the interest in classic cars

Trevor NewZealand

PaulButler

Trevor,

Purely out of interest does that include eBay UK as well?

Trevor J

Hi Paul.  I'm not sure.  Ebay has become so big they don't care and you cant deal with them they never answer E mails its just best not to deal with them anymore

Trevor

alansking

For some reason I cannot seem to write directly on the forum and am having to create and post the text, the value of the car is linked to what people will pay I agree but watching similar cars sell such as the hudson terraplane of a similar year then basing sales on eBay of a car with no engine and gearbox plus so rusty it needed an entire rebuild if it could be done it sold for a few pounds shy of £7000, then an example from Scotland again needing loads of rust curing plus not having run for a long time selling for £8500+ then I believe my example is worth more. The problem with eBay is people are jaded and goods are often disappointing when bought.

I am trying though to gauge the value of a very rare model as it appears there are not many around, certainly none in the UK according to the Railton club members list. The car is for me an investment and I believe prices of classics and vintages are starting to reflect this.

Browniepetersen

OK, did some looking today and this is my best guess for value by condition.  Let's start with one of those 100 point perfect restorations.  Average value is considered $19,000.  A very nice restoration but one that is driven and enjoyed but still looks fantastic would be $13,370. Bring me one that needs a total restoration but is mostly complete and the engine is running and brakes will stop it.  Most else need not operate. $4,000.  At this point of decay, you most likely could sell the parts for more than the complete car.  What one sells for at auction or on an ebay auction are not, and most often not representative of the true value.  With that said, it is not the most desirable body style, Hudson made a bunch of them and a lot of them are still out there running around. Hudson lovers would not consider them as rare.  One coupe sold in my area earlier this summer and was a nice driving car that needed everything for $4,000.  Not what I would consider for an investment car and I most likely would not put money into it expecting to get it back.  This car would be a labor of love....

alansking

I do think values are a perception of the person buying, I did not pay a huge amount for this car and I do believe even if I sold it now I would easily make my money back, what though is interesting to me is finding the same model car to compare it to, the car is not a terraplane but looks the same so of course this is a good indicator, the car is in good condition but not concourse, everything works and this means quite a bit to buyers here in the UK, if we look at where to sell your classic car then it could strongly be argued that Europe is the place and in a lot of cases the UK.

I base the above on the huge number of cars being brought in from the USA for refurbishment and sale here in the UK, due to labour rates rebuilds are very expensive in the UK and this reflects in car prices.

I still strongly believe as do many financial analysts that investment in classic cars will increase as will of course the price for cars based on demand, rare or interesting cars will become even more highly priced and run of the mill classics are actually on the rise, proof of this can be seen in recent auction prices, of course some prices could be due to bidders being absolutely drunk or just getting carried away as recent prices on a e type wreck and a Ford Capri show.

I thank you all for your advice and perceptions and of course agree, I am nothing if not a realist.

terraplane8

I think there's a difference between investment grade classics and run of the mill classics. The rich desire Ferraris and Aston Martins etc so their value rises over time exponentially more than the run of the mill cars. I don't see the latter values increasing massively - certainly in the US values seem pretty subdued and there is plenty of supply of many models.

Personally I don't think buying a Hudson is an investment, as the cost of upkeep over time will equate to the value increase. One of my cars a fairly unusual excellent original condition twin sidemount Essex Terraplane Eight was bought about eight years ago and even today the value is not much changed.

terraplane8

well you could post it on eBay but being right hand drive of course it would not be quite so desirable in the USA however it would be sought after in a place like NewZealand where we drive on the right hand side of the road.

The downside of course as I have said on this forum before is that eBay has banned people from outside of the USA from looking at their cars for sale not great for eBay customers given the huge trade in classic cars to overseas customers.  They must have some spotty faced kid advising them who has no understaning of the interest in classic cars

Trevor NewZealand

Trevor, for some time now foreigners like us have been able to view and buy vehicles on eBay, they must have changed their somewhat odd inward-looking policy. There are a number of Hudsons now listed I see http://www.ebay.com/sch/eBay-Motors-/6000/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=hudson&_sop=3

alansking

I think the US is a hard market to measure the rest of the world's markets by, as is the South African market or many others. I hear what you say about the higher end car but here in the UK Joe Public also want to find collectable cars at good prices and my experience dealing with the jaguar market has shown me that certain cars do hold desirability , I do think if I had spent huge money on the hudson I would havean issue but since I would make a profit at the going rate for a wreck then I am ok, I do not think I would consider it an investment if in the USA but then nor would you folk consider some of the more common US types as desirable but in other countries they do.

Trevor J

Well re looking at collector cars for sale on EBay perhaps it is just NewZrealand that has been banned friends of mine are unable to access these pages on EBay as well so its not just me.  They did originaly reply to an E mail I sent them with a lame excuse anyway I no longer buy from EBay I'm over it.