Well hello everyone, I'm Justin, and like the title got into a trade that went bad, and now am pretty deep into a 1968 olds cutlass s, background on me have been a car guy my whole life and run a little restoration shop in my spare time, have a restored 1970 chevelle ss I started restoring when I was 13 and still have to this day(finished when I was 18 but really are they ever finished, lol). I'm looking for a fair and honest value on the car(pics included) car as stated about is a 1968 olds cutlass supreme non post car, clear and clean iowa title, came with two 455 olds engines(one in the car right now has a headgasket blown, other motor is nice but stock), car is an automatic, mostly complete. The bad: needs both front fenders and the guy that traded it to me had it at a bodyshop that must have used 5+ gallons of filler(is it really so hard to fix a dent the right way and cut out and replace rust??!?!?) looks like might need quarters the rest of the car is super solid but needs to be restored, haven't decoded the vin because the car has been a sore subject with me for the last year and has just sat in the shed... As of now the car runs and moves kind of(brakes need work and tranny is shot....) Looking for honest real numbers they may hurt but I can take it, thanks in advance for the replies.

 

Need to see more pictures to have any useful input. Underhood, undercarriage, more interior, front, rear, etc. Your car could be worth anywhere between $1500 and $15,000 -- it's all about the condition, and there's not enough information here to make a determination on that.

There is this, though -- Hagerty's shows a #4 condition '68 Cutlass S hardtop being worth 8 grand, which seems generous to me but that's what they say. The question is, then: is your car a #4?


EDIT: Sorry, didn't see your post count. Welcome to CO!

 

Collector Car Market Review says $2,375 in #4 condition, which I think is more accurate.

Is this a #4? Only you know.

Welcome to ClassicOlds.

- Eric

 

May be wrong but I think Hagerty bases car values and what people have same car insured for with them. Since you can select the value you want to insure for it may be distorted to high side. The $2,375 value sounds closer to me. Of course if floors and frame are all rotted it would make a big difference.

 

Welcome. The Collector Car Market Review pricing is based on actual ebay auctions that have closed with the car sold, so this number is a lot closer to how much cash has actually changed hands. Other price guides that only use data from high-end auction sales, like BJ and others, are typically skewed very high. You can also search completed auctions on ebay yourself. The thing you'll find is that high dollar cars rarely sell on ebay, they are usually reserve not met.

As noted, actual value of your car depends on a lot more detail than you've provided so far. Rust is the most important factor for a car in that condition. A rust-free shell is worth a lot more than a running but rusty car, for example.

 

To me, the car isn't worth it as a restoration candidate but could be a nice driver for someone. Could you put it together as much as possible w/out making a big financial investment to maximize your return? In the pics it looks presentable even if it is a bondo bucket. Put the bumpers back on, get the brakes in shape & sell it as a driver that needs a head gasket & transmission work.

 

... Or spend to small amount of additional time and money to fix the head gasket and make the motor run smoothly, and possibly get twice as much for it.

- Eric

 

I'd say its worth about $3k as it sits, get it running and driving probably $6k.

 

I will get some more pics later today, i have to move into the garage and out of the shed before someone totally destroys the car. I agree with a lot with the lower values(from my research before) it hard to value as i dont know this market but feel these cars are greatly under valued. As stated before floors are solid, except i forgot there's a big tear in the trunk floor pan(never seen anything like with all the gm cars I've worked on, but i could fix easily) needs front fenders and a trunk lid(forgot about that last night). I have a fresh turbo 400 transmission i had built awhile ago just to have, and like i said the spare 455 i have is in really good shape would probably pull the heads have them gone threw and small cam with a matched set of springs up top to help her out. Ill be honest im into this for $7500 right now, and would like to see someone enjoy because the car has great body lines, but also dont want to sell someone a pile of junk they are just going to buy and let it sit and go to hell.

 

Unfortunately, that doesn't equate to what the car will bring in it's current state. As an example, if I actually added up the receipts, I've probably got $7K into my 1962 F-85 wagon right now (since I just dropped $1800 on upholstery). I'd be hard pressed to get half of that for it, and this is a running, driving car that's been registered and on the road since 2010.

 

Based on your second post, it sounds like you just want to get out from under the situation without completely losing your total investment... If the initial $7500 is actual cash investment, IMO you will be hard pressed to recoup it all in it's present condition... On the other hand, if part of the $7500 is overhead investment, for example your time and labor, write that off and see where you actually sit with money out of pocket expenses and adjust what you really need to get from there...

 

Right I 100% understand that, as I stated I restore cars in my spare time and have done about 30 vehicles so far and most of the time end up spending more then the value of the car to restore it especially to do it right. Cruzn 66 it is actually $7500 hard money I have in it, and you hit it right on the head with your reply. I have alot going on right now I have my dad's 1970 gto(original owner car) in my shop right now, 3 late model duramaxs, and trying to get my new house up this year, just out of space and time and want this car to have a good new home, I know I'm going to lose my *** just trying to figure out how bad and see where I can juggle the loses.

 

My suggestion is to put it up for sale at your $7500 price and take the first good offer.

 

Also, you have a spare running 455 that can be sold apart from the car.

 

Or look at how much labor only you are willing to put into it to get it running and driving to get a better price. Engine and trans swap etc. Providing frame, floors etc make the car worth someone else dealing with it.

 

This might be a good apprentice car. Get a young buck on the hook and teach him/her what you know of restoring on this. You get his time for free, he learns for free, and if you play your cards right, you get to take the money sunk into the carcass as a tax deduction. Make your money back with him working part time on those paying projects and you might get away clear.

 

You are going to spend considerably more time/ and or money to get it to be a driver- moreso to make it nice... Even finished nice- a 68 base cutlass isn't going to be worth what it will cost(on top of your $7500 investment) to make it nice.

You say its already a sore subject, so spending more time and money on something that you are already upside down on is just salt in the wound.

I'd price it around $4500, & move it down the road and cut your losses.
Somebody else will have rosey colored glasses and be all over that.

 

Some more pics of the car

 

More pics

 

That's an early Toronado air cleaner, but I think I see and EGR diaphragm, which would make it a low compression '73 and later engine.

Better check the engine number, way down at the head seam facing the side, under the alternator (if '68 or later).

- Eric

 

pics

 

That looks like a smallblock to me from this angle - what's the casting number from in front of the intake manifold?

- Eric

 

Eric I'm sure it probably is still has manifolds and a crossover pipe for single exhaust, but i will look at the numbers on both engines.

 

hmmm that wouldnt make me very happy if that was the case....

 

blue engine has rib indicating big block

 

Good eye - had to blow it up to see it, between the oil filler and the fan shroud.

- Eric

 

Yes, BBO with EGR means 1973-76 motor (unless, of course, the intake was changed). Formerly from an A/C car, as evidenced by the alternator bracket. Converted to an internal regulator but original regulator is still on the firewall. "Freestyle" wiring. Built third week of April 1968 in the Fremont, CA plant. Substantial "skim coat" of bondo on the driver's side front fender begs the question, how much is on the rest of the car?

 

you say clear iowa title.iowa cars are bad for rust hence probably the reason for the bondo.is it still in iowa??if so where.i might be interested if its not too far from me.

 

Well i can say this so far this has been one the best online forums I've been on, you guys have been super knowledgeable and helpful! joe padavano as stated above looks like there is about 5 gallons of mud( i didnt do this its the way i got it), floors are super solid and car is clean for the most part does have issues on the front fenders and small amount in the quarters but there is no gaping holes in the quarters or does not look like a lot of repair has been done, to me just a lot of shoty bodywork can see dents in the quarters that could have been easily pushed out and fixed and they just werent, I've fixed cars way worse then this one for sure.