MTFCA Forum

I've been diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal cancer and haven't been given much time. I need to sell my 1914 Model T touring ($18,200 OBO)
and 1917 Model T touring ($14,200 OBO). I've posted on local club newsletters and here on the MTFCA forum. Very few inquiries, including a few scams.
Any suggestions or advice on how to help sell these to a good Model T home(s)?? (see full adverts on MTFCA forum Vehicles for sale).
Thank you for any help. 1914 touring

Aw f***, what a lousy turn of events...

Good luck, God bless, Keep on fighting, because even as dire as the docs make it sound, it could turn around.... and if not, then leave a legacy that others will remember you by!!

Find a trustworthy third party that can do this for you... and watch out for people trying to take you for your car...

Prayers your way,
S&S

Both cars look great but are buyers willing to pay. I would take off the OBO - that only causes a potential buyer to think about what to offer & procrastinate on making one. If someone wants that Model T, price is a secondary decision. Suggest to lower the price of each about $1,000 - need to be just blow top price.

Forget about getting them a good home. Anyone spending that amount of cash on a Touring isn't think of making a hot rod out of it.

Don't know about putting in Hemming's and what commissions they charge.

Also would help to have Titles signed etc & ready for transfer in both scenarios.

I'm very sorry to hear about your medical condition. I would encourage you to contact Hemmings about listing them as an auction on their site. I sold our 1921 touring that way in September 2021 and it sold faster and for more money than if I'd had just a normal listing. The commission was reasonable too.

First, I'm so sorry to hear of your situation. My prayers already gone out to you and will continue.

Along with Hemmings, give the HCCA.org a try, I think they still offer free, limited text only ads, but now I think you have to join as a member to enjoy relatively inexpensive larger ad with pictures. If you do, I can just about guarantee the '14 will fly off the shelf, the '17 may go fairly fast there too. They have a huge audience also.


Again, prayers for you and God Bless.

Thank you to all of you above for your advice and best wishes. Hemmings is probably my next attempt. Thank you Neal for the advice on auction vs standard listing. Did you list a reserve? I went HCCA and had one response, but he was really looking for a 50-100 hp brass car for $90,000 to $100,000!
I’m still open to any advice from the club.
Bob

rbishop26 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 08, 2024 8:16 pm

Thank you Neal for the advice on auction vs standard listing. Did you list a reserve?

Yes I had a reasonable reserve and the car sold for above that. Auctions advertised with no reserve can result in a higher final sale price, but I wasn't willing to play that game.

Hemmings will assess whether they will consider your cars for auction, but I suspect that they will accept both of your cars. They will assign a person to help get the auction listing text put together and provide great suggestions for what pictures to take and how to take them. Many of the cars listed for sale on the MTFCA site have too few and/or poor pictures which don't help get those cars sold. I think the whole process took maybe three weeks total, including the one week auction listing.

Here's a link to the auction page for our 21 that I sold to make room for our 1911 project. You can see the type of pictures that I took based on their recommendations:

https://www.hemmings.com/auction/1921-f ... l-t-3/sold

Saddened to hear this. But as Susanne said, keep fighting it, and keep doing things you enjoy for as long as you can!
Attitude is very important. I have known quite a few people that went longer, sometimes much longer, than their doctors said they could. Often, the more they kept doing what they enjoyed, the longer they kept going.
Even when they did not extend their time by any appreciable amount? Sometimes the last year or so of their life became one of the best years of their lives.

Thoughts, prayers, and crossed fingers extended your direction!

I am sorry for your situation and that you have to sell your T’s like this. It could happen to any of us. I hope for a miracle with your health and that you find an owner worthy of your T’s. Regarding selling your cars, you’ll be amazed at how much a detailed Model T will bring as opposed to one that has not been detailed. I am amazed at how many sellers don’t take this into account and list their undetailed Model T’s for sale with dirty tires and a coat of dust covering their cars.

Rubbing down the tires with brake fluid to make them black and shiny, wiping down the tops with something that will revive the vinyl, polishing the brightwork to a mirror shine and a good coat of Meguiar’s paste wax on the body and spokes will do wonders. Even detailing the engine and the compartment under the hood will help increase the amount they sell for. It might also be a consideration not to put them both in the same auction. Buyers can afford one, but rarely can they afford both and there are never very many Model T buyers at an auction, unless you can convert them with the “wow factor”. Jim Patrick

jiminbartow wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 09, 2024 9:37 am

It might also be a consideration not to put them both in the same auction. Buyers can afford one, but rarely can they afford both. Jim Patrick

Yes, they should be separate auctions and possibly not run concurrently.