How much are junkyard SL's worth?

[k]

Whats the lowest ball-park $ figure you have seen for a SL sitting on a junkyard?

ie, a car that is whole, w.top, interior, bumbers, chrome, rolls, but needs a total restoration. Not a caracass or stripped/picked apart shell.

I see quite a few of these in California, the Hamptons, and even in local gas stations.

I thought its was around around $2500....

This is for a potential tech-school/auto-preservation program that seeking donated cars.

Thanks

[66andBlue]

With or without soft top frame?

[JamesL]

I can lend you a '67 911 that fits that exact description

I want it back finished though

[Khurram Darugar]

My guess is the engine alone is worth $1k  even if its not running.

[dseretakis]

A complete basket case pagoda is worth way more than $1000.  My brother bought one 3 yrs ago for $3000 and sold it 2 yrs later for $5500.  It was complete, non-running and had very severe underbody and frame rust.

[Joe]

As I understand it, the term "basket case" means the car was dismantled by some would-be restorer, who then never got around to the restoration. It is quite different from a "parts car", which is a car that is probably not worth restoring due to condition and/or incompleteness.  Between a "parts car" and a "daily driver" lies a large spectrum of possibilities. In regard to our cars, of major consideration would be completeness in general, engine condition (if there), softtop presence (as mentioned), and condition of body and chrome. (I'm not gonna talk about what is restorable vs. what is not!
And, as for basket cases, if something is in pieces too long, parts tend to get lost and discarded, so even a "complete basket case" may have major parts missing.
This probably doesn't help the discourse much, but when I read the thread opener, I thought it might benefit from some additional detail.

Joe, getting in gear to organize and catalog several dozen motorbike basket cases....

[TheEngineer]

What about something like I'm stuck with: A car that just about runs, but the owner is a basket case?

[bsimaz]

My reasoning has alway been...  Something is worth whatever a person is willing to pay for it.   By this I mean I've seen complete basket cases go for 9k -10k.   I've also see restoreables go for less that 3k.   

If you want to look at it from a strictly money perspective.   Buy a car for $5000,  put $25,000 into it and you have a car worth $18,000.
That means you should have gotten paid to take the car away in the first place. 

So whatever you are willing to pay and whatever someone will sell it for is what it is worth.

[waqas]

Buy a car for $5000,  put $25,000 into it and you have a car worth $18,000.

Now you tell me this....

[GTMSJ]

As most price points seem to be available/represented in "restorable" cars, it might be a good idea to determine what are your budget constraints, then purchase the best vehicle you can afford.  The cost of parts will likely be the proverbial straw that will break the camel's back! 

[Mark280SL]

Alfred is wise to point out the soft top frame..... I've often seen them alone offered for 2-$3,000.00.  If one had a car that had a good removable hardtop, the soft top frame in decent shape, doors, hood, and trunk lid in reasonable shape and the engine regardless of if it ran or not it would seem  those items alone could sell fairly easily for 4-6k even if the rest of the car was total rust.

[douglas dees]

Whats the lowest ball-park $ figure you have seen for a SL sitting on a junkyard?

ie, a car that is whole, w.top, interior, bumbers, chrome, rolls, but needs a total restoration. Not a caracass or stripped/picked apart shell.

I see quite a few of these in California, the Hamptons, and even in local gas stations.

I thought its was around around $2500....

This is for a potential tech-school/auto-preservation program that seeking donated cars.

Thanks

I bought my 69 280SL  that was accidented on the left side and written off for $1,500. I spent $50,000 restoring it and it looks brand new. I also bought a body tub for $400 for parts
doug dees

[k]

this should answer the question shortly...one no reserve

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1965-MERCEDES-230SL-RARE-4-SPEED-EASY-RESTORATION_W0QQitemZ290302678751QQihZ019QQcategoryZ6338QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1967-1968-1969-1970-1971-Mercedes-280SL-parts-restore_W0QQitemZ120390189949QQihZ002QQcategoryZ6338QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Andres G]

Ouch! It hurts to see such a beautiful car in such a sorry state... :'(

Andres G

[Faust]

The last two I bought were $150 if I wanted to strip it where it stood, or $250 if I wanted the "weight" (meaning the value to them was in crushing them).

[graphic66]

My parts car was $800.00 for a 67 250SL 100% complete...rust that is. It was almost complete, I had to go back and give a hundred more for the seats. He kept finding more stuff. The guy pulled 4 brand new fenders , a tail piece and inner fenders,in factory black primer with the stickers on them,  he really let me have it on those- $1000.00 for all. The guy followed me into the gun shop one day to tell me about the car. It was about 3 miles from my house in a hedgrow rotting.  The car did run when I got it, complete with anti-freeze. It has been the most valuable piece I have bought for my 66' 230SL and my 78' U500. I cannot believe the amount of parts that fit my 78'. I just let it sit out in the back yard and go out and shoot some oil in the cylinders every now and then and turn it over. It is so nice to run out and look at how to put something back together after I have taken something apart.
   A serious deal on a complete rusted worn out W113 parts car, I mean all there, maybe missing the grill star or some other small things, I think can bring over $5000.00 and be worth it. Just look at the core charge alone on the rear brake shoes for a 230SL, or the cost of a set of brake drums. How about a nice disc brake rear end with a sweet high gear ratio? How much would a rebuildable 250SL head be worth, the Unimog guys kill for the carbed heads off of these sixes from the sedans, an injected head is way expensive. How about an ignition switch with the column lock and keys, Wow. The list goes on.
  I Did hear some advice once on how to make a little money on old classics like this, start out with a lot!

[Garry]

You have all done pretty well on your parts cars.  The last one sold on ebay yesterday got $3600 Ebay ID 120390189949

[k]

one more

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1963-Mercedes-230SL-like-280-SL-disassembled-complete_W0QQitemZ170315176497QQihZ007QQcategoryZ6338QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

oddly, this appears very complete v. shell that sold last week