MTFCA Forum

Thought I’d question the experts….local add…. claim that it was never restored…. Excellent running car…. What’s it worth?….

Depends on what they are meaning by never restored? That car looks to have been restored at some point. Nice looking car with some patina.

This car may be a good example of one of the reasons that I truly *hate* (a word I never use lightly!) the forever recurring endless debates over the definition of the word "restore", or "restoration". Too many people (my apologies if this offends someone here?) get on their high horse and claim that "restoration" is ONLY and absolutely one hundred percent complete and total disassemble and fully restore each and every piece to better than the factory ever made them and only to exactly factory specifications to every detail! Anything less, is NOT a restoration. Then people that read or hear that, go around, telling other people in their holier than Thou attitude that "They are "WRONG when they claim their car has been restored" because some minor detail isn't up to that absolutely impossible standard, and therefore their car has NOT been "restored".

There probably on this car isn't one square inch of visible original paint. It may not have been restored to the highest standard? But it clearly is not an unrestored car.


Overall, it looks very nice. I would even call it a better than average restoration from what I can see in these photos.
As to value? I don't really like appraising other people's cars. But there have been quite a few 1926/'27 model T touring cars hitting the market recently. Most of them a bit overpriced based upon the fact that several of them hadn't sold for more than a year at their asking of 12K to 14K. One similar car on the AACA forum was discussed at length a few weeks ago, the general consensus was that it (that other one) was likely worth about $9000. It was fairly nice also, but frankly, I don't think it looked quite as nice as does this one? So maybe this one is worth just slightly more? (Don't ask me, I am not an appraiser.) As always! EVERY car should be closely inspected and checked out before committing to buy!

I think they may mean "never restored by present owner."
Allan from down under.

$5,500.00 to $7,000.00 is what I would be looking at have sold a couple 26/27 this last year my opinion

That car has been restored. Paint, top upholstery, and radiator, all look great but are not original to the car. It is a car I would be proud to own and would insure it for $12K, I would sell it for $9,500, and I would buy it for $7,500.

I'm going to give it a little more value than my colleagues. The market for 26-7 Model Ts has been a little better than the earlier years lately. IMO a range of $11K-$13K for a well running very good condition 26-7 makes sense. Check the engine and frame numbers to see if they match, thats a bonus on a 26-7.

Does it have the 2 row radiator?, or an old radiator in poor condition? Babbitt thrust washers? Fresh tires/battery? Tight, true-running wheels?
Tight wood? Top fresh and properly installed? And so on and on and on....

Without actually seeing and if possible driving the car I wouldn't hazard a guess as to a fair price, but if it's anywhere as nice as it looks in the photos, I would want more then $5,500 to $7,000 for it.

Today's dollar is worth very little.

question:..that touring spare tire seems abruptly vertical to the back seat. Could that be because of a roadster spare tire carrier ?

Completely different mounts, George - Sedan & Touring mount off the 2 u-bolts holding the rear spring in - Runabout & Coupe mounts flat on the rear lower body panel.

If you have to ask the price then you don't really have to have it.

The radiator looks like a new replacement. It has a full depth core, flat tubes, no reinforcement/mounting bar and a top outlet like Bergs used. There's a good few dollars sitting up front.

Allan from down under.

Hummm? Valued on forum at $5,000 to $7,000, and at a popular national advertised auction a final price of double will be presented. Why?

Not sure about the prices these days but I got $11,000 for one that looked that good about 6 years ago. Heck of a buy for $7500 though. Say what's that piece of glass towards the rear in the top photo?

Maybe I missed a post, but if this is advertised, what is the asking price? I searched PA for T's for sale and the prices are all over the board. And, car prices, like real estate prices, can start out in Fantasy Land and end up in reality.

7 to ten year old everyday beaters sell today for $10 K and up....

Charlie: it’s the same piece of glass behind the right side view mirror in the second picture. Some call them ‘wind wings’.