Zacs Z stirred up my curiosity- What's too much for a parts car?

[ArnieTX]

He mentioned parts cars and I've seen a bunch of those lately.

I have the room at my house for parts cars and I have run by quite a few cars for $300 or less this week. The front fenders and light buckets , hood, most of this stuff survives rust free. Motor parts , carbs, lots of stuff.

Do you think a man can buy a parts car say for $300 or less and make his money back + some? I know where there are at least 15 old Z cars laying around. It would be fun to save what parts I can and use that money to save up for a Z-car.

How much are these parts worth? What parts are more in demand than others?

Where do you guys buy your body parts? Where can I see what's being charged out there?

Thanks

[Zak's Z]

I bought a complete lower front valance from a guy in texas and I think all 3 pieces with shipping cost me about $100.00 I also got from another guy both bumpers and another corner and some odds and ends for about $200.00. All of it was, imho, in great shape. A little surface rust on the back corner came right off with a brush.

I bought a parts car up here in Canada for $500.00. The interior was great and I got an early crack free dash (for sale right now). BUT..the body was completely rusted from the waist down. Rusted into one solid piece.

I figure that dash I got will be worth more than I paid, let alone the rest of the interior, seats and odds and ends.

[MikeW]

Do you think a man can buy a parts car say for $300 or less and make his money back + some?

Of course you can. However, you have to consider your time and effort. It takes time to disassemble a car. Even though you'd end up charging people for shipping and packaging there's still the effort of advertising even if it's just posting stuff on eBay. Unless you can set quite a few parts from a specific car you may find that it's more trouble than it's worth.

[hls30.com]

My rule of thumb has been if I can make more than three times in easily removeable parts sales as the car costs, it is worth it. Now if the parts car has something I need for my own car...well, that's gravy, or, in some cases, a reason to throw out the rule of thumb...(Rare competition parts or early series 1 parts...)

Will

[yor5150]

I paid $900 for a '71 Z that had a lot of rust but it had a dash in really good shape along with an L28 (P79 Head/F54 Block), a 79 280ZX 5 speed transmission and an R200 rear diff. It also had better rims than I had on "my" '73 240 Z. The seats weren't too shabby either. I think I got a good, if not great deal.

I may sell the dash but the engine/tranny/diff are in my '73 now. I plan on removing the glass and window mechanisms before junking it.

[WingZr0]

What parts are worth saving?... EVERYTHING

Just set the cars aside,

and start your own Pick and Pull

~Z~

[280~Master]

Arnie

I never paid over 300.00 for a single parts cars I bought in West,TX

In California I bought 2 cars for 600.00 and made 1 complete running Z that I had for 6 years.

[Go240Zags]

I bought two for $400 once, only one had an engine, made enough selling parts to more than pay for the cars. One was going to be my project -- but the rust scared me. Now it too is a parts car for my current Z project.