73 satellite?

[challenger_moe]

hey guys Im looking at a satellite thats for sale local and wondered if its a good deal. it has a 318 rebuilt 8000 miles ago, buckets and center console. two rust spots about size of a quarter in quarter panels behind drivers door. needs new wiper bushings front buckets recovered and a headliner. all new front end in it. he wants $3500. is it a good deal? this is a link to his craigslist add, he wants to possibly trade for my dart 4 door I have for sale.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/cto/3246531734.html

 

[YY1]

Probably, if the rest of the quarter panels, and the cowl are good.
Check the seams of the cowl in the door hinge area.
Check the cowl closely under the hood (including near the hinge pockets and the water drain flap).
Remove the screens (wehere you access that wiper linkage) and feel the base of the vent flange.
Look closely at the quaters where the existing rust is. This is a common area where the quarter meets the rocker.
Look at the floor from underneath.
While you're down there, look at where the K-frame bolts into the isolators.
Another common and expensive rust area.
Also look around the corners of the back window/windshield and the front windshield especially if it has or had a vinyl top.

Wiper linkage bushings can be bought for $7 (Dorman/Help), but they are just short of a nightmare to install.

Pics would help a lot.

 

[bigredbird]

See JoshB's thread about the Belvedere he bought a few weeks back -- looked great, and then he peeled back the carpets to find the floors gone. All you can do is go over the car with a magnet, a magnifying glass, and a stethoscope, because $3500 can turn into $13,500 really easily when the "hidden gems" like YY1 mentioned start appearing.

If it's solid, then you'd have a great project for turning into a sleeper, a RR clone, or a Satty street monster.

http://www.nadaguides.com/Classic-Cars/1973/Plymouth/Satellite/2-Door-Coupe/Values

 

[Ron 73]

If it all checks out it looks like a fair deal to me..Its a good looking car with the rally cluster and i like the interior in it.. YY1 mentioned the areas to look at and id suggest doing it as well.. I myself wouldn't hesitate trading a Dart for it, but i just like the b-bodies much better.. You could always offer a bit less and see if he would part with it, if hes asking this, he may expect someone to offer less and made his final price according to it.. Cant believe he calls the interior "ugly" id like to have it lol.. Good luck.

 

[Bruzilla]

I wouldn't go over $3,000 for this car, and would probably offer $2,700 and see how firm he really is.

 

[moparmarks]

Actually that is a SSP. Buckets, console and Rallye dash. Looks like a nice western car. That lower quarter rust is common out here. No biggie. As stated, check the floors and trunk pans. Check that roof real good to. If it has a good solid Western body then 3500 is a good price. If it needs much more than the lower quarter patchs for rust repairs then the price starts dropping.

 

[YY1]

Looks real good from the pics.

I like it. It does look lit an SSP- the VIN would start with "RP".

I usually don't like "modern" whels on these cars, but those work.

Make sure to check for the normal things on any car, like bringing a magnet to check for bondo, especially on the wheel well areas of the quarters.

I paid 4K for mine and it's a base model "custom". It had the quarter to rocker seam starting to go, but the PO had it fixed. rest of the body is rust free, but some very light surface rust is starting here and there.
I'm very happy with mine for the value I got for my money.

1973 PLYMOUTH SATELLITE 318-150hp (8cyl-2V) AT
#5 #4 #3 #2 #1
Sebring Plus 2dr Hardtop 850 3150 7325 11675 17150
Custom 2dr Sedan 525 1975 4600 7325 10750
Custom 4dr Sedan 450 1400 2375 4850 8375

Add:
360-175hp (8cyl-2V) NC%
400-185hp (8cyl-2V) 5%
400-225hp (8cyl-4V) 20%
440-280hp (8cyl-4V) 25%
Power windows 3%
Sunroof-sliding 15%
Deduct:
3spd manual transmission -10%
No air conditioning -10%
Manual steering -5%

 

[Bruzilla]

Hey Moe, I was looking at your CL out there, and there's a guy in Everett selling a bunch of steering wheels for $28 and an uncut 150MPH Rallye cluster for $50. Go snag those and sell them on ebay. You could make a quick $500 or more that would help offset the price of the car.

 

[challenger_moe]

Hey Moe, I was looking at your CL out there, and there's a guy in Everett selling a bunch of steering wheels for $28 and an uncut 150MPH Rallye cluster for $50. Go snag those and sell them on ebay. You could make a quick $500 or more that would help offset the price of the car.

thanks for the heads up will look into it.
also thanks for all the info I am waiting to hear back from the guy to go look at it. i know the wiper thing can be a PITA, after reading some posts here but nothing I wont tackle. Now SSP, is that the Sebring Plus?

 

[tpodwdog]

looks like a great car....solid and straight. thats a good one to start with. Bigredbird is right....3 G's can turn into 13 G's real fast. look it over good....make sure ALL the lights work......blinkers,,,back up ,,,,ALL OF THEM. electrical gremlins can make you want to sell it as soon as you buy it!

 

[Bruzilla]

thanks for the heads up will look into it.
also thanks for all the info I am waiting to hear back from the guy to go look at it. i know the wiper thing can be a PITA, after reading some posts here but nothing I wont tackle. Now SSP, is that the Sebring Plus?

The Satellite was the four-door model, the Satellite Sebring was the two-door, the Satellite Sebring Plus (SSP) had the buckets, rallye dash, and console, and thee Roadrunner was the performance version of the Satellite Sebring.

BTW, how long has that car been for sale? Is this his first posting or has it been on there multiple times?

 

[YY1]

Mine is a 2 door and NOT a Sebring.

I've seen both "Satellite" and "Satellite Custom" listed for base RL Satellite 2 doors.
I'de like to get to the bottom of that, even though it really has no bearing on this thread.

 

[challenger_moe]

The Satellite was the four-door model, the Satellite Sebring was the two-door, the Satellite Sebring Plus (SSP) had the buckets, rallye dash, and console, and thee Roadrunner was the performance version of the Satellite Sebring.

BTW, how long has that car been for sale? Is this his first posting or has it been on there multiple times?

its the thrid time the car has been posted. think he was asking 6900 for it the first time, and 4500 the second. Not sure if thats a good think or not.lol

 

[Bruzilla]

The 74 Roadrunner I bought started at $5,000, then went to $4,000, then $3,000, and I bought it for $2,000.

If he's dropped that far, it's likely because he either wasn't getting any serious buyers, or little or no contacts at all, which makes sense as his prices were pretty high. The guy I bought mine from was tired of hearing from people who said they were interested and wanted to see the car, but then they never showed up. He told me I was the first person who actually had.

The approach I would take with the guy is:

A. If the car were a 72 or older, you could name your price, but 72 is still considered the end of the Muscle Car era, and 73 and older cars just don't command the prices the 72 and older cars are getting.

B. Fully-restored 73 Roadrunners are barely bringing in $10k in most markets, and that's with big blocks in them. This car is a Satellite with a 318. Even in fantastic shape it's only worth about $5k to $6k in today's market, and this car isn't close to fantastic shape.

C. You've got rust in the rear quarters, which is the death knell for these cars since no one is making reproduction quarter panels, and every year that goes by, there are fewer and fewer 73-74 cars to restore so there's no way anyone's going to start making replacement panels. That means I'm going to have to buy OEM sheetmetal to fix those quarters, and that costs a small fortune.

BTW, this is likely a reason why the car hasn't sold. Those quarter-sized holes in the quarters are just where the sheet metal has fully rusted through... not where all the rust is. Quarter panel rust has been a serious issue with 73-74 cars for decades, thanks to the poorly designed drainage holes in the back of the car. They quickly got clogged with dirt, pine needles, leaves, etc., and allowed water to back up and rust out the quarters. I'm pretty sure if you start feeling around those holes, and looking at the backsides of the quarters, you're going to find a lot more rust damage. If you do, my best advice to you say "thanks for your time' and leave. Yes, you can buy some replacement sections for the quarters, but if the rust is very extensive, you're going to be paying more for bodywork than the car will ever be worth, and there are too many nicer 73-74 Sats and Roadrunners for sale out there to blow through a ton of cash fixing up a rusted out 318 car.

 

[moparmarks]

Satellite is a 2dr
Satellite Custom is a 4-dr.

 

[challenger_moe]

well I talked to the guy about meeting and he wanted to know if I was going to give any money on my end with my 72 dart. the dart is rust free and a great daily driver while i dont know the history of his but I think he wants me to throw in like 2000 along with my car. there is no way I will do that deal. But as of yesterday he reposted his car on craigslist.

 

[Bruzilla]

Sounds like he needs money and had few options. I would offer $2,500 and no trade. He'll likely say no, but leave him your number and leave. You'll probably hear from him.

 

[moparmarks]

Your Dart and 2K? No. Like Bruzilla says offer 2500 and see. If it is a solid western body then 3500 is fair.

 

[Bruzilla]

Your Dart and 2K? No. Like Bruzilla says offer 2500 and see. If it is a solid western body then 3500 is fair.

There's no such thing as a "fair" price. The concept of "fair" only applies if you're sitting on a pot of money. Otherwise, you should try to get the best possible price.

This seller was trying to gouge some moron for just shy of $7k on this car, so he certainly wasn't concerned with fairness, so why should any buyer worry about it? Forget what's fair and focus on what gets the deal done for as little as possible.