Help with 1974 Series III estimation

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  • bstraw
    Low Range
    • Dec 2010
    • 20

    Help with 1974 Series III estimation

    Hi all. I have been out of the rover world for the past 10-15 years and was reaching out for some help estimating the value of my series truck. Some brief details. The truck is a 1974 Series III. Ten or so years ago I put a new (used) frame on it from a doner out of New Mexico. It had no rust and I wanted to keep it as original as I could…ok bull****, it was way cheaper to do it that way. It is a III, so the tub had the usual seat belt bracket corrosion so I replaced the tub with a IIa and painted it as close to blue as I could. I completely re-did the bulkhead. I redid the motor rings bearings crank cut, etc. and put a 2.5 cam in it with a Rochester conversion. Reworked head for unleaded (I think 8:1)All new brakes and lines, drums are not new but all hardware and shoes and seals. Newish exhaust, and interior trim…the basic complete kit from Exmore. Not shown in the pictures. Starts right up, runs like a rover should. Has an old hard top and door but the glass is broken out due to a chain break pulling a basketball hoop out for the neighbor. 16” tires on it now, great tread but dry rotted…hold air and work fine for me. Deluxe hood has some rust underneath, but doors and seat box are solid. Newish gas tank. Clean Colorado title. NAS truck. IIRC one of the last imported into the USA during the 70’s. Im sure I am missing stuff here and there but hopefully you get the overall picture. Bunch of pictures to get an idea of the work done and back together (not in any particular order) by clicking here. Any idea what this thing is realistically worth? I am not sure I even want to sell it but have been toying with the idea for years and there may be another coming up that is a resto candidate and may want to save that one with the kids. Any help would be appreciated. I’m not looking for an exact price I just want a ballpark. Thanks again. Below is a direct link to the pictures.

    Byron

  • vlad_d
    2nd Gear
    • Apr 2021
    • 239

    #2
    Hi bstraw.
    It's hard to say. Cost of cars, especially specialty cars like these Land Rovers is basically what someone will pay, and how much other ones go for. There's also geographical region. I live in California, and you don't see them so often. But it seems like everyone in Vermont owns 3 or 4 of them. So, I'd pay more in California than someone on the Atlantic coast would. I just bought mine, a 1973 Series 3 109 about 4 months ago...so I was in the market and looking all over Ebay Motors, dealerships and auctions. I didn't want to deal with auctions or private buyers, because I was stuck at home(like everyone else) so I went with a dealership which means I overlaid by about 10%. But I was looking at comparable Rovers in the $18k to $39,000 range. The ~$18k ones were kind of bare bones, missing tops and various hard-to-find trim pieces. The $39k ones looked very well cared for, but were the very late 4 door station wagon models from the 1980's. I ended up paying $22,000 for mine...after all the fees and $800 shipping from Chicago to San Francisco, it came out to ~$24k. My Rover had a nice paint job, but needs alot of work. Engine runs great and all, but lots of little projects and the brakes were scary(all rusted, wheel cylinder shot,etc). So, it wasn't perfect at that price and I went into it knowing it would need some work but I wanted a nice start.

    North American Overland up in Vermont does restoration jobs on these. They sell you one of their project cars and then you pay them to totally restore it. On their website, their project cars cost around $5k-$10k (but you can't buy them for that and drive off with them...it's like a "core" fee. Their full restoration goes for about $90k. So, I guess that tells you the "upper limit" that these are worth is about $95k, fully professionally restored.

    I'd say look on ebay. You're probably in the $20k-$25k range?? You know, unless you're in a real rural area and selling to your neighbor. But I'd say a buyer looking a cross the US for a car would pay that.(I did). If you have a really clean one, maybe $30k. Sadly, I don't think all the work you did on it 15 years ago will sell it faster or increase the value. Having dumped a ton of money into project cars, I can tell you the only people that notice are other gear heads...and they are notoriously cheap...or you could say "looking for a deal". So, Joe ebay-er isn't going to pay $5k more for one with a new frame, even though that's what a new frame project costs. So, if you're trying to increase the value for a sale, I'd shoot it with a simple paint job and put some new seat covers in. That's if you're looking to bump up the value. And maybe get a new piece of glass from our hosts. People are going to low-ball you several grand over a $300 glass piece. Worth fixing it. But I haven't seen your pictures.

    Try ebay with a reserve and "buy it now" price.You can't lose. Don't sell for less than $20k and put a "buy it now" for $30k. Then let it sit in the auction for 3 weeks and see what happens.
    ...┌───────┬──,,
    ...|______OD__|__\\_____
    ...d ..__ .........° |°... | ..__....p
    »»└/ | \────┴──┴/ | \─┘≡
    ..../..@........................@

    1973 Series 3, 109

    Comment

    • bstraw
      Low Range
      • Dec 2010
      • 20

      #3
      Thanks vlad_d! I appreciate your detailed response. I was thinking somewhere between 17 and 22 but, like I said, I've been out of it for a few years, but I drive it at least once a week! It would be hard to let go of.

      Comment

      • vlad_d
        2nd Gear
        • Apr 2021
        • 239

        #4
        Every time I go to sell one of my project cars, it goes the same way:

        I start fixing some little things that I never bothered to before deciding to sell it. Then I take it for a car wash, then Armor-All the seats and steering wheel and hoses under the hood, shine up the tires...and...wouldn't you know it...I fall in love with her again. Dang it, I'm not selling!
        ...┌───────┬──,,
        ...|______OD__|__\\_____
        ...d ..__ .........° |°... | ..__....p
        »»└/ | \────┴──┴/ | \─┘≡
        ..../..@........................@

        1973 Series 3, 109

        Comment

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