considering selling my '76 Buicks

[Dana Bennett]

Hi everyone!!
Right now I am only *considering* this, but I thought it would not hurt to post now, kind of like floating an idea and starting on the path of finding a good home for these coaches if I do eventually decide to sell. I have a lot of things I am trying to figure out but I'm the kind of person who needs to look at every available option and selling them IS a possibility. And I do see this as a proper post and posted in the correct forum.

I do really like these cars and want to keep them but I'm kind of realizing that I have had them for several years and have yet to do anything with them while they continue to deteriorate in the NY climate. I have to be realistic, WHEN am I going to get to fixing these cars up myself??

I worry about what will become of these and my other cars when my time has passed, other than my 1979 Trans Am I have never heard any family member or friend mention they would like one of my other cars. I was reading a little the other day on a facebook post about a 1975? limo and several Eldorado's (mostly converibles?) that a man owned, he passed away and the son inherited them. set a firm price of like $10,000 each and wouldn't bargain, said if nobody wanted to pay the prices then they would be crushed, and well, I guess they ended up being crushed. I do not want that to happen to the vehicles I have, I wouldn't have them in the first place unless I saw something special about them!

anyway, on to the cars. They are 1976 Superior Buick hearses made by Armbruster/stageway for Superior, supposedly 36 built according to the Superior book. One is a Precision Crown with the stretch after the rear side doors the other is a Custom Funeral Coach with the stretch between the front and rear doors. These cars are worthy of restoration. The black one is from Oregon/California, I have had it about 5 years or so?? it is solid but has some rust/rot, was told it needs a rear end. White one I have had about 10 years or so, this one is out of a farmyard in Iowa, came from Omaha, Nebraska before that. This one is pretty rough but is restorable with hard work and dedication, "I" think it is worthy and is NOT a parts car, I have done nothing with this car and it will start and drive. I will try to include a photo of each coach in this post if I can.

As I said, I do not "want" to sell, but I AM seriously considering it. I prefer to only sell to a PCS member who can gaurantee a good home (NOT derbied or parted out!) with a hope of future restoration. I also would prefer that they both go to the same home.

Trying to be "realistic" on pricing and I'm thinking $3,500 is a "fair" price for the pair, considering what they are and what they need. I would also prefer the cars be seen in person before any sale.

Again, this is ONLY a consideration, IF you may be interested then please e-mail me (mrwgnmstr@aol.com) and I will keep your name and contact you should I decide they must be sold.

Thankyou for reading my post and understanding my reasoning for making it. And please do not be angry if I do decide that I will not be selling them.

if it works here is a link to my facebook album with a few more photos of these '76 buicks and a few other '76 Buicks hearses that have surfaced in recent years.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3207697789776.231730.1186117691&type=3&l=30fcf5678b

Dana Bennett
Forestville, NY

 

[Bill Marcy]

Dana, I believe you are very wise to think ahead about your coaches. While they are very rare and unique, they may require a special buyer, either a Buick enthusiast, or a dedicated hearse restorer. If preserving these cars is important to you, then perhaps you should put the dollar amount aside for a moment and understand that doing a correct restoration will cost much more than these coaches are worth today. Perhaps there is someone here who would restore these beauties, that is truly where they should go, in my opinion.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

keep one sell the rest to finance the repairs on the one you want. a man finds himself in the hording range. they are easy to buy, expensive to fix. but lining them up along the fence and looking at them fall apart is not fun. driving one of them is.