Q: How-To's of Selling Rough Cars

[Citroënbender]

I'm intending to offload three early sixties cars fairly soon; one French and two Aussie.  All are collectibles, all are rough.

Got some questions for the "experts" as selling is normally a foreign concept.

How important to closing price on a "barn find" type prospect are:

• Running motor
• Car drives
• Brakes working
• Glazing
• Additional spares

Where are good places to vend such cars?  I have emotionally de-bonded from them and am simply looking at best ROI.

At present they're in paid dry storage, all having been outside at times.  Ongoing degenerative family illnesses are dictating that I am now away from paid work much more often than I'd like, and as the duration of this situation is unknown, I'd prefer to reduce my outgoings.

[Citroënbender]

I'm interested at the lack of opinions. My casual research and observation is ongoing.

It looks like "starts, runs, steers" is a big plus, as is visual coherence (ie, panels hung, glass in, even if they need to come right off again). Excess parts seem to be sold separately. 

Any opinions on brakes?

[Craig_m67]

I suspect you'd get more interest if you said what they were and showed the condition. Then the people who care or know something about those models can comment.

I personally wouldn't pay anything for an Aussie car, but others might stump up $350k for the right Monaro or Interceptor.

[Citroënbender]

It's more a question about the "methodology" - just as there are some established behaviours for flicking renovated properties. 

[poohbah]

As someone who always bought old rough cars growing up because I thought they were cool (but has no real insight into the peculiarities of "barn find" collectors), I would say do what you can to get them running - unless they are really rare/sought after. Always better if the buyer thinks he can at least get it out on the road while he works out what to do with it. Unless of course they require lots of work and dollars just to make them mobile.

[Citroënbender]

I suppose, part of my puzzlement stems from disengagement with social media (this forum being pretty much my sole exception, although I do get evil urges to troll Mumsnet). 

Since so much seems to be driven by people presenting themselves (this includes their assets, hangers-on, etc) in very "templated" ways, I'm fishing for guidance on what templates might apply to this situation.  I imagine buying the wrong barn find might be awfully infra dignitatem, post factum for many people now. 

[Alfetta77]

I would say as much detail as possible, decent photos showing the good and the bad bits, and complete honesty re condition and history where known. There is something very engaging about a really honest description of anything.