Any LaSalles that are worth nothing?

[TJ Hopland]

Got a call from a friend of a friend of a co worker that remembers me driving my Eldo to work a few times.  Its seems as he is cleaning up his father in laws estate and in the barn is a 'Cadillac just like yours' and a 'really old car in pieces with no make that we can find but model is Lasalle'.   I told them I am not in a position to pay much for the Caddy and I guess it was a daily driver most of its life so its not in that great of shape, they were not even sure if it was even an eldo or convert.   I explained what LaSalle was and that it may have decent value depending on condition and completeness.  They sad they have no idea what its value is and all they wanted out of both cars was $7000 to cover remaining expenses of the estate and if I took both cars I could have the 'tons of car junk' that was in the barn.   

I have a pretty good handle on the 60's-80's caddys and sounds like it may be only a $1000 car there so what I need to know is what I should be looking for on the LaSalle?   Apparently its a rolling chassis.  Where should I be looking for ID numbers and such?   How bad of shape would it have to be in or what sort of things would have to be missing for it to not be worth $6K?   Im trying to get pics because its about a 3 hour round trip to look and I dont want to waste my time.  I know someone in the area so I am trying to have him go take a look for me. 

Im trying not to get too excited until I see the stuff.  Last time I traveled to a old closed down movie theater / auto repair shop that got locked up in the 60's I had visions of pristine vintage movie, sound equipment, and posters in the theater and a Packard in the shop.   Turned out that the vintage audio equipment was gone along with most of the roof and floor of the theater building.  The auto shop had some sort of neat tools and parts (for decoration) and the old car was a 60's rambler sunk into the dirt floor.

[Otto Skorzeny]

What the LaSalle is worth depends on the year and model and condition. If that proposal were made to me, I would "waste" the 3 hours and drive out there to see what it's all about.

Take as many photos as possible of the La Salle and all the "junk". The junk might be real treasure.

[Brett Cottel]

You ever watch American Pickers on TV ?   They find all kinds of "rusted gold" in barns.
Brett

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Heck, I would have been there, Camera in hand, and been back home, BEFORE even posting on this Message Board.

Bruce.

[TJ Hopland]

I have seen American Pickers.  Its that work thing that gets in the way of buying toys when toy buying does not result in profit.  I cant get up there till Saturday but I think the guy I know in the area is going to be able to get a look in the morning.  He thinks he knows of the family if he is thinking of the right car he remembers a 85 Eldo convert.  He does not remember seeing any old car but if its in pieces maybe is not been on the road in a long time.   Sounds like the family had a real bad run of luck.  Son killed in Iraq a couple years ago.  Mom lost a battle with some nasty cancer stuff and the Dad had some sudden brain aneurysm.   

I will keep everyone posted, especially on the LaSalle and the 'junk'. 

[TJ Hopland]

Well it looks like it was good I was too busy to go chip my trailer out of the ice and go up there.   My friend got a look this afternoon.  He cant seem to get the pictures off his camera but it does not sound like there is anything I am interested in.   

The Caddy turned out to be an 83 Eldo with the top cut off and the 4100 engine apart.  He said it looked like it had some rust and issues before the top was cut off and it looked like it had spent some time exposed to weather since the top came off.  Outdoor carpet and plywood was used to 'finish' it.  My opinion on this one is scrap.

The 'LaSalle' turned out to be what my friend (a hotrod guy) described as a very odd incomplete 'T bucket rat rod'.  There is indeed a LaSalle script on the grille but my friend did not think it looked very old.   What he thought was interesting about the unfinished project is the drive train appeared to be an 80's Chrysler 2.2 turbo from a K car including the FWD and the rear axle.  Sounds interesting but not my sort of project.

The 'tons of car junk' appeared to be mostly 80's K car related, looks like what was left of the car(s) that donated their engines.  Only Cadillac parts was a 4.9 in pieces that looked like they were trying to put into the eldo.       

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Great to be able to get a "Local" to make an immediate inspection.

From down here, I have had the pleasure of having people look at things for me, and report before I decide to go any deeper.

Bruce.

[Barry M. Wheeler #2189]

I watch both Pawn Stars and American Pickers. First, guys, DON"T go riding out around the country in a luxury van when you're trying to get stuff cheap from people. One thing I do like about the show is that nearly all the collectors are like the ones that are the bane of our lives. They don't know "why" they don't want to sell today, just that they "have" to keep the item a little longer until it (generally) is worthless to anyone.

I really love the guy on Pawn Stars. His customers hear the "experts" say what the item is "worth" and then Rick offers them half or less, simply because he has to make a living. He really does have a neat job.

[TJ Hopland]

I dont know that I would call it a luxury van.  I did not know you could get them with the Mercedes badge here.  Originally (2000 ish) they were sold under the Freightliner name and then around 2004 under the Dodge name when they dropped the regular RAM line of vans.   For what they are doing its a practical van.  The extra height and rear door design that allows you to get the full with cargo in can be a huge advantage for people like them that dont know what they will be hauling next.   Its also got a 5 cylinder turbo diesel so its got better performance than a typical 3/4 ton van and still decent MPG.   What I was thinking since many of the people the are calling on are older smaller town Americans the may get a little more credit if they were driving the Dodge version of that van or better yet a Sanford and Son like pickup.  I also wonder if those guys are a 'couple'.   I bet that would turn off some of their potential sellers more than their 'import' van.   Sometimes I wonder if at some point the kids are going to show up and say 'NO NO Grandpa you cant sell this stuff so cheap'. 

Pawn Stars is a fun show.   I love it when they get the guy in the parking lot that says 'found this in the garbage so if I can get $10 I will be happy'.   They bring it in and call in an expert that says 'at a good auction this could sell for $700-$1000'.  They then ask what you want to get out of it.  9 times out of 10 they say $1000.  Store says $400.   I wonder how much of that stuff is staged and scripted for the show?   Im thinking that the people and items are real but they script and direct them for the TV show.  Im sure they adjust the numbers to make it more fun.  You can see that some of the people seem very nervous and are trying to remember their lines.