MTFCA Forum

Hi Guys,

What sort of price can one expect to pay for 1913 parts such as restored JNO headlights and kerosene light sets, DB front axle and spindles, alloy hogs head?

Thanks.

……. …….. ………

A pretty broad question! So many variables. Just those few items? Or are you wondering about other things like frame or engine pan?

Antique era model T part's prices have always been fluid, with wide variations, and sometimes going crazy high for awhile then settling back down to something more reasonable. Over a dozen years ago, I wanted a fatman steering wheel for one of my T speedsters. I had had a few of them over the years, but sold the cars they were on, and wanted another one. To my dismay, I discovered that the silly things were SELLING for nearly and even over a thousand dollars, FOR A STEERING WHEEL! I could NOT afford that! I saw them at swap meets, and followed eBay, eventually finding a couple in really poor condition missing major parts that I got for a few dollars. Eventually, I did get one of those restored, but the car I wanted it for wound up getting sold before I finished it. That car never got the fatman wheel I wanted for it.
Soon after that, prices plummeted on fatman steering wheels to a more sensible three to four hundred dollars for nice ones. I now have two of them and no car to put one onto.

Brass era parts have done the same thing. A dozen years ago, I was putting together a 1913 myself. I had most of the engine, but needed a pan. I searched high and low for one. At that time, 1912 to 1914 pans in good but rough condition were selling for four to seven hundred dollars! Really nice ones I saw sold for eight hundred dollars! Again, I could not afford that. I scraped up three hundred dollars, and bought a late 1912/early 1913 pan in really rough shape. It was bent slightly, split in three places, and require other significant repair. While I was working on restoring that one, another became available, in worse condition, for $150. I scraped up the cash, and bought that one, and restored them both!
So I ended up with two nice teacup pans for about five hundred dollars and way too many hours of hard work. Then the price dropped for them! Ones like I had bought were readily available for under a hundred dollars! Nice ones could be had for three hundred! Before the prices on them fell, I grabbed a 1915 version that the nose had been hack sawed off for $30 at a Bakersfield swap meet. I already had a new old stock 1915ish nose piece in my parts stash, so I restored that one (it is currently in my 1915 runabout!). Since then? I got three more decent pans in much better condition than any of the three I had previously gotten, all needing typical restoration, but not nearly so bad. For less than I paid for the 1915 at Bakersfield.
Just my bad timing.

A lot of brass era parts have done similar roller coaster price rides, including aluminum hogsheads. For a few years, people were literally giving them away (I wish I had gotten a few then? But every time I heard about one was just after it was gone!)! I managed to get a few before the prices went crazy (for these my timing was better!), they surged up to almost three hundred for awhile, then settled back down a bit. I have seen a few not selling in our classified section for under two hundred recently. And of course, condition varies a lot. Currently, a really nice one with pedals and all, I would expect to pay more than two hundred for it? One missing pedals and needing minor repair should be had for under a hundred. But that could change any day now.

Antique automobile prices are currently in a state of flux. Between unstable social and economic issues, and so many old time collectors passing away or downsizing? A lot of people expect prices for early parts to drop a lot! On the other hand, prices have been holding and even rising for many things for several years now. There are more "young" people getting into the early cars than most people think or expected. Many of them buying cars that aren't in top shape, and need correct parts for them.
I have a future project that I would really like to get some 1912 or early 1913 headlamps and side/tail lamps for. I don't have money enough to pay a lot for lamps for a project I probably won't live long enough to begin working on, but have been watching the prices for them for a few years now. And they have been going steadily up for those few years!
About ten-plus years ago, I paid $150 for a matched pair of headlamps for my 1913. They are Jno Brown, missing the burners and mirrors, but in otherwise pretty good condition. They were the best of several pair available to me at that time at about that price. Since then, I have watched as the prices have steadily risen, going past two hundred to three hundred for similar condition pairs. Nicer pairs seem to be going for four to six hundred recently! Earlier year lamps even higher! Really nicely restored lamps can also go somewhat higher.
One might be able to do better price-wise if one were to buy individuals and match them up? Maybe? But the problem is that there were several manufacturers making batch runs of lamps for years. Lamps varied significantly from one batch to the next, even within a single manufacturer and model lamp! A person will usually buy several headlamps before finding two that match. Side lamps seem to be even worse. As far as saving a few dollars goes, one may be better off to pay a bit more for one pair that someone else has already spent the money finding matches! Unless of course one wants to start dealing in such items.

Dodge Brothers front axles are a different issue. While they are famous for them, the Dodge Brothers were not the only company manufacturing front axles for early model T Fords. By mid 1912, DB was slipping into second place for Ford front axles, and Transue was merging with Williams to take over the lead position. For 1913, there were at least three and maybe four suppliers of front axles other than DB.
The Horseless Carriage crowd goes gaga over their DB front axles. And while they may be a historic touchstone? They are not the only correct thing. Some 1915 model Ts apparently did get DB front axles from the factory? But that was a year after DB stopped making them! Both my 1913 and 1915 have TW front axles, with earlier style logos on them.

The real mark of value is what someone is willing to pay the day you are trying to sell. Last year at Tulare there were some really low prices on lamps. Ebay has had some very reasonable prices recently.

When I'm asked the question what your car worth is, I always answer whatever some fool is willing to pay the day I want to sell. If you want top dollar, place and ad with high prices, the response will determine of you are overpriced. There is no pre-determined value, its always supply and demand.

frontyboy

Db axles in decent condition, 200 - 250

Thanks everyone very much for your replies. I have not been following T part prices for quite a while and wanted to get some idea of where things stand.

Ten years ago I remember that I wanted a correct two piece driveshaft for my 13 but I didn't want to spend $500+ people were asking for them.

You can always take a short cut and buy this one, its available

TRDxB2 wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 3:26 pm

You can always take a short cut and buy this one, its available

Nice looking car!

m2m wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 4:03 pm

TRDxB2 wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 3:26 pm

You can always take a short cut and buy this one, its available

Nice looking car!

Next time you in the neighborhood, Moline Illinois, send me a email and visit Craig Beek's Museum . Has 17 of 25 left in the Building 3 of the 17 are promised.

TRDxB2 wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 8:16 pm

m2m wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 4:03 pm

TRDxB2 wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 3:26 pm

You can always take a short cut and buy this one, its available

Nice looking car!

Next time you in the neighborhood, Moline Illinois, send me a email and visit Craig Beek's Museum . Has 17 of 25 left in the Building 3 of the 17 are promised.

Wow, what a collection of T brass cars!

It depends on who owns the parts!

To answer your initial question: Two years ago I sold 1913 specific NOS Victor #1 cowl lamps along with a nice Victor #1 tail lamp for $750.

George House wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 31, 2022 10:49 am

To answer your initial question: Two years ago I sold 1913 specific NOS Victor #1 cowl lamps along with a nice Victor #1 tail lamp for $750.

Thanks, very fair price for NOS Victor lamps !

I've put up for sale a fully rebuilt Moore auxiliary transmission on the Classifieds Parts page; not a 1913 item but fairly rare.

Wayne Sheldon wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 28, 2022 8:08 pm

Dodge Brothers front axles are a different issue. While they are famous for them, the Dodge Brothers were not the only company manufacturing front axles for early model T Fords. By mid 1912, DB was slipping into second place for Ford front axles, and Transue was merging with Williams to take over the lead position. For 1913, there were at least three and maybe four suppliers of front axles other than DB.
The Horseless Carriage crowd goes gaga over their DB front axles. And while they may be a historic touchstone? They are not the only correct thing.

Having DB parts on your Ford allows you to claim to people who know nothing about cars, that your T is a very early "Hemi".

Hey there Constantine! Now, THAT is funny!
I always love to hear about your adventures!
Get out there and enjoy the world! But, please do be safe. Things are getting crazy in too many places.