[Hillard]

My Dad started his car lot in 1979 with a focus on Pontiacs. I can't even begin to tell you how many Pontiacs I got to see come and go, how many different ones I had the privilege to ride in and eventually drive. Very grateful to have experienced so many classics. He's 77 now and has decided it's time to let everything go. He's obtained a rather large collection of parts over the years. Unfortunately none of it's organized or cataloged. Trying to figure the best way to sell this stuff off. We don't have to get rid of everything immediately. We can take our time doing this, just don't want to drag it out too long. Swap meets? Auction? E-bay? You have any ideas?

[lemansboy70]

Well, it depends on what your goals are. If you are wanting to get the most money for the items, you will have to go through the painstaking ordeal of cataloging everything and determining a value. Ebay would probably be the way to go.

An auction would clear the items out, but you wouldn't get as much for them normally.

You could advertise the collection through Hemmings and see if a collector would be interested in buying everything as a bulk sale.

Just some thoughts......

[cdrookie]

I have a guys number who buys remaining inventory from old dealerships. Not sure if he's a member here, but I will tell him about this post and see if he's interested.

[Hillard]

Originally Posted by cdrookie

I have a guys number who buys remaining inventory from old dealerships. Not sure if he's a member here, but I will tell him about this post and see if he's interested.

ok. Thanks

[unslow1]

Originally Posted by lemansboy70

Well, it depends on what your goals are. If you are wanting to get the most money for the items, you will have to go through the painstaking ordeal of cataloging everything and determining a value. Ebay would probably be the way to go.

An auction would clear the items out, but you wouldn't get as much for them normally.

You could advertise the collection through Hemmings and see if a collector would be interested in buying everything as a bulk sale.

Just some thoughts......

That's what I did. After doing Ebay, online contacts and swap meets for a couple of years I had a guy make on offer for several trailers worth that pretty much cleared out my Grandfather's stuff. Once I sold off most of the valuable stuff I was only averaging about $5 an hour invested once I paid expenses.

[Craig Hendrickson]

I would sell everything lock, stock and barrel to a single purchaser. Otherwise, your per hour value goes to minimum. Let the new buyer figure out what's there exactly after allowing him/her to view it in person or proxy.

[BOB VIDAN]

Making the parts go away is not the problem, it depends if you need the most $$ you can get, space and time as others have said and only you and Dad can determine that. I've been on both sides and the differences on return are vast. Also depends on what he has. I think the 60's stuff is ending pretty rapidly, has definitely changed in the last 5 years. NOS and rare stuff is always good but the common is poor and newly reproed stuff has killed off once harder to find items of the past, tripowers are the best example that comes to mind. Selling all at once generally brings 15% or so of the value again depending on what you have and if the buyer has to move, transport the parts any significant distance.

[gtohunter]

Be wary of auctioneers, be sure to do your due diligence if wanting to go that route! We had a 9 acre, 35 yr collection of "stuff" that my Father-In-Law left behind when he passed, (od grinders, radial drill presses, antique tractors, etc.) and we wanted Mom to liquidate and move to the south with us. The people we hired were reputable with good credentials , or so we thought, but seemed to be in "cahoots" with the bidders! Everything was low balled and one group wouldn't bid, knowing the other group wanted it, and so on! Put a reserve on a couple big $$ items and we kept a few other items, but she lost a lot of money as we were in a hurry. Frustrating watching snap on tools going for $5 a box, a 12" id/od grinder went for $47!!
You have the time and energy...do it yourself or at least be in control of it!

[stevep]

I am just finishing doing pretty much the same thing after 33 years.

You may want to try estatesales.net

[mgarblik]

Dave, I am somewhat familiar with what you have and I agree you would get pennies on the dollar in an auction setting. Of course you and your dad know what the gems are in your collection. Itemize and make known what the gems are you want to sell and use those gems to attract 1 buyer hopefully. If you have the time and are willing to do it, advertising individual parts is the best way to maximize your $$$. I will really miss a quick, easy trip right up the road to solve weird Pontiac problems I have from time to time. Call me if I can help.

[66sprint6]

Ebay the prime stuff. No matter what you do it's a pain in the butt. At least with ebay the buyer pays shipping as told to them. You can have a sliding scale of importance and if you get down to a certain point, then you can dump the dregs.

[Hillard]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Dave, I am somewhat familiar with what you have and I agree you would get pennies on the dollar in an auction setting. Of course you and your dad know what the gems are in your collection. Itemize and make known what the gems are you want to sell and use those gems to attract 1 buyer hopefully. If you have the time and are willing to do it, advertising individual parts is the best way to maximize your $$$. I will really miss a quick, easy trip right up the road to solve weird Pontiac problems I have from time to time. Call me if I can help.

Thanks Mike. This is probably the route we're going. Don't have to get this done immediately, but don't want to drag this out forever either.

[ponchjoe]

Contact GTO JOHN, he is going through now. He can probably make a recommendation.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by unslow1

Once I sold off most of the valuable stuff I was only averaging about $5 an hour invested once I paid expenses.

This is the thing you have to consider. You may be able to get top dollar for everything if you work at it long enough, but when you figure in your time spent on selling it may not be the best idea. On the other hand, an auction or estate sale run by a reputable company will liquidate everything in a day or two, and then you're done and can move on.

[Simple Man]

How about an estate sale? You set the prices, have it over one weekend. You would have to sort the stuff, and price it.

[Hillard]

Lots of good info and ideas guys. I appreciate the input. However we do it, it's going to be a huge, stressful undertaking.