jeeppapa Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Guys I could use some input. Picked up an 88 eliminator a few weeks ago. I've already got an 87 4 x 4 Pioneer that I love and a 2001 XJ Sport up country. The Eliminator I'm fixing up to sell. The purpose is to fix it up and flip it and get it back into circulation. Make some money buy another and do it again. It was a work truck and on its way to the crusher if it wasn't saved. The decision I'm banging around in my head is to change to 4wd or leave 2wd. I come from a hotrodding background and love the idea of a sporty speedy little pick up but I also think that if I change to 4wd it will bring more money. I really like the history behind the Eliminator package but more money =s more parts for the next truck. It's the old leave it original or modify dilemma. I'm going back and forth. I would like some thoughts on it. I brought this to the forum because it's a jeep thing and I'm not sure if others would understand. . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Depending where you are being 4wd vs 2wd will greatly affect resale. Where I live a 2wd truck is worth half of a 4wd one. I'm guessing you're in SoCal though... Bang the dents out, pull the cap off it, buff and polish the hell out of it, and it will be a sharp looking around town truck for somebody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeppapa Posted June 2, 2017 Author Share Posted June 2, 2017 Depending where you are being 4wd vs 2wd will greatly affect resale. Where I live a 2wd truck is worth half of a 4wd one. I'm guessing you're in SoCal though... Bang the dents out, pull the cap off it, buff and polish the hell out of it, and it will be a sharp looking around town truck for somebody. Roger that Durtymanche So Cal is correct. Thanks for the input. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kansashogan Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 If you put to much money into it you would never recover it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 If you put to much money into it you would never recover it. Very true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeppapa Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 Ya that's always lurking in the back of my mind. I'll be selling it in the LA market and they are making a move upward. But I known for getting very detailed witch in this case wouldn't be a wise idea. I want to build a safe reliable truck. It can become somebodies baby and they can put the details into it. Spending to much time on details could sink the ship. I like DurtyManches idea of pulling pulling the shell off of it. I think I could sell that separately. It's got to come off anyway because it came with a broken sliding rear cab window. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 No good deed gets rewarded. You won't get a penny more for it. See if I'm right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 See if I'm right. I think popping that dent with a basketball and a bit of hammer work then buffing the paint would net a couple hundred bucks more. If there's anything really wrong with it or worn out, no, you won't be able to fix it and recoup the costs, unless you value your time at nothing and happen to have a shed full of good parts that were given to you. I've got a huge amount of money into mine to make it look okay... Certainly nobody would pay what I've put into it, and that's assuming my time is worth nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeppapa Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 No good deed gets rewarded. You won't get a penny more for it. See if I'm right. I will see if your right but my guess is your wrong. Unless you live in this market you don't know the market. Ive been on it for over a year now pricing multiple Comanches and what they go for and how much their parts go for. That may be true in your market but not this one. Things dry up quick around here. In all of the LA area there are 2 Comanches in the yards within a 50 mile radius. One is a beat to death 86 the other is a striped out shell of an 87 the guy wants $700 for. It doesn't even have excels under it. I'm no babe in the woods. So until you live here put the time in that I have chasing parts in this town you really don't know. But we will see. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 The decision I'm banging around in my head is to change to 4wd or leave 2wd. I come from a hotrodding background and love the idea of a sporty speedy little pick up but I also think that if I change to 4wd it will bring more money.I really like the history behind the Eliminator package but more money =s more parts for the next truck. It's the old leave it original or modify dilemma. I'm going back and forth. I would like some thoughts on i Well............OK................. You didn't inquire as to the value of dent beating and cosmetics. I'm not wrong, regardless of which market. I'm very familiar with the SE market, I watch it routinely. 4X will bring about $1500 more here in E TN than in FL, for example. $2500 and less trucks move quickly, however, I have watched trucks in the $4500 range not move for 6 months to a year, if they sell at all. Over the course of a year I brought into my area 9-10 XJs for resale, all 4X. The one I made the most money on was the one I did the least amount of work to. IIRC, it was a '90 Wagoneer, fluids, shocks, and a set of Ravines, I bought it for $1200 and I had about $500 in it, I sold if for $3500. When I evaluated my time searching, travel, buying, cleaning, selling..........effort, time, dollars................there was really no profit to be gained. As to the 'Eliminator' dilemma, it's a decal and a center console, no one is going to pay a dime more for that either. If you want to convert for the sake of converting? more power to ya. If you think there is a big payoff in the end.............you'll find I'm more right than wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeppapa Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 You are still missing the point about different markets and basing your opinion off knowledge you have in your own market. Never said there was going to be a "big payday" off changing to 4x4 those are your wards. I am fully aware of the difference in price. .We were talking about value of an original optional shell. I'm not naïve to this world of XJs and MJs. You seem to assume that I am. That is a mistake. I bought my first XJ new off the lot in 89. Sense I've had 5 XJs, 2MJs and 2 ZJs for the wife. I haven't owned anything except jeeps for 28 years and I've done virtually all my own repairs. The market is truely different out here. I come from Missouri and have been shocked. Everything here is more expensive and you pay more for what you want. If there is any doubt check out craigslist LA. Make sure you check title status and milage. Now I realize that wanting and getting are two different things. There is a 4x4 Comanch on there now with over 500,000 on it. He is asking 4,000. There is no way he'll get that but he will walk with about 3,500. One was on 2 weeks ago with 36,000 miles on it supposedly all original he was asking 12,000. That one was suspicious because being able to manually reset odometers on these cars is an issue. And I know Meiko blue paint when I see it and that had a blue accent paint design I've never seen. It was announced that the new Jeep pickup is defiantly going into production. It's going to list for about 36,000. That's going to be a stretch for a lot of guys who want one. That means renewed interest in the old pickups and hire asking prices. I retired now and my hobby and passion is working on these old trucks and bring them back to life. I've got a lot of spare time. It's not all about the money to be made it's about saving them. I'm good with money so all the extra money that is made will go back into the next one. I enjoy it for the love of the trucks. We can go back and forth about who's rite here but at the end of the day it makes 0 difference about anything. It truly is a wast time and energy. The forums purpose is to help, inform and support MJ owners not to beat each other down that's only negative and stroking ones own ego at the expense of others. Time to turn this conversation around and move to the positive aspects of this forum. That being said I wish you the best of luck in everything you do and hope you make a ton of money flipping XJs. It's a small cub and we will encounter each other again maybe at some time one may help the other in some way in a more positive venture. I hope so. Now I'm going to go out and work on my truck or go to the junk yard and see if I can find a treasure. Take care. Hayden Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 I insinuated nothing. If you want to make a wise decision, flip it for $500 more than you have in it, you'll be ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 OP, you never mentioned how many $$ you have into this truck now. In my mind, that's the bottom line determining factor for deciding whether to 4WD it or just clean it up and quick-flip it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 You are still missing the point about different markets and basing your opinion off knowledge you have in your own market. Never said there was going to be a "big payday" off changing to 4x4 those are your wards. I am fully aware of the difference in price. .We were talking about value of an original optional shell. I'm not naïve to this world of XJs and MJs. You seem to assume that I am. That is a mistake. I bought my first XJ new off the lot in 89. Sense I've had 5 XJs, 2MJs and 2 ZJs for the wife. I haven't owned anything except jeeps for 28 years and I've done virtually all my own repairs. The market is truely different out here. I come from Missouri and have been shocked. Everything here is more expensive and you pay more for what you want. If there is any doubt check out craigslist LA. Make sure you check title status and milage. Now I realize that wanting and getting are two different things. There is a 4x4 Comanch on there now with over 500,000 on it. He is asking 4,000. There is no way he'll get that but he will walk with about 3,500. One was on 2 weeks ago with 36,000 miles on it supposedly all original he was asking 12,000. That one was suspicious because being able to manually reset odometers on these cars is an issue. And I know Meiko blue paint when I see it and that had a blue accent paint design I've never seen. It was announced that the new Jeep pickup is defiantly going into production. It's going to list for about 36,000. That's going to be a stretch for a lot of guys who want one. That means renewed interest in the old pickups and hire asking prices. I retired now and my hobby and passion is working on these old trucks and bring them back to life. I've got a lot of spare time. It's not all about the money to be made it's about saving them. I'm good with money so all the extra money that is made will go back into the next one. I enjoy it for the love of the trucks. We can go back and forth about who's rite here but at the end of the day it makes 0 difference about anything. It truly is a wast time and energy. The forums purpose is to help, inform and support MJ owners not to beat each other down that's only negative and stroking ones own ego at the expense of others. Time to turn this conversation around and move to the positive aspects of this forum. That being said I wish you the best of luck in everything you do and hope you make a ton of money flipping XJs. It's a small cub and we will encounter each other again maybe at some time one may help the other in some way in a more positive venture. I hope so. Now I'm going to go out and work on my truck or go to the junk yard and see if I can find a treasure. Take care. Hayden Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Since you edited your post........... Hayden, I painted my first house 37 years ago for my mother who was a realtor/investor, we continued to flip houses for the next 20 years, we built new houses for 10 years after that. Except for a short stint with Old Dominion (I make a lousy employee), I've been self-employed most of my life. We were flipping houses before Flippers were Flippers. When construction was at a standstill I decided to give a go at flipping Jeeps, It's a tough racket, particularly when you are being vehicle specific. I have always looked for a way to make a buck, if it were easy, I'd still be doing it. Some folks are very very good at it, most will fail. As for your market.......... The asking price on this truck is $19,500 in your backyard. This truck will fetch the same price in the Atlanta, Knoxville, Charlotte, or Tampa markets, easily. There's no gold in them thar hills. Watch some of his vids, you'll learn a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeppapa Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 1,450 guy needed to sell it quick. He had a full time job and his own painting business on the side. Truck got broken into and he got nailed, tools stereo system everything. He was going to buy a XJ instead. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 1,450 guy needed to sell it quick. He had a full time job and his own painting business on the side. Truck got broken into and he got nailed, tools stereo system everything. He was going to buy a XJ instead. In that case I'd pull/push out the dent, buff and polish out the paint, clean it up, then flip it and make a quick grand or more. Probably more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeppapa Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 This seems like a pretty rare truck in good condition. I would think it would fetch good money any were you sold it. Just not many of these in that condition around at all. That's kind of a primo example. TLC are these the guys that are putting chevy V -8s and trans in the Old Land rovers ? Met a guy at a campsite in Yosemite with one. His was from the late 70's think he payed 36,000 for his. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeppapa Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 Got a retired buddy how owned a body shop I might have him through some classic black paint back on it. He'll give me a good price if I do all the work and help him shot it. I'm thinking with paint, his labor and new decals would be 900 -1000. With new carpet, me doing head liner and dash pad and that means everything working and good condition I would ask 6,200 and take 5,600. We'll see if I go that far with it. I still have to put allot of work into my keeper MJ. I could just get sick of working in it and let it rest for awhile. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Below are pics of the Wagoneer, very clean. I drove to Atlanta to get a set of 5 Ravine wheels and tires, these were a collection spares, perfect condition, 0 miles, for $300. I was saving those for a 'keeper', regrettably, I put them on this XJ to get it sold. Those deals don't happen often. One does what one has to do, I guess....... Good deals are few and far between. You'll look at 6-7 before you find one worth buying. Once you do, it's a lot of work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 As for paint......... The body shops I spoke to would not even write me an estimate on my MJ. Most do insurance work and are not interested in complete repaints. Most told me it would be upwards of $5K for a complete paint. I recently found one shop that is willing to spray it if I do all the body work and have it stripped and prepped. He agreed to separate the bed and prep the back of the cab and front of the bed since I only want to separate it one time. I'm looking at about $2800 labor. My paint and sundries will run be about $1,100. I hope to get it painted this fall, looks like my total cost will be about $3.900 and that's with me paining my own jambs. I painted my engine bay myself, primer, base, pearl, clear ran me about $250. I don't see anyway you are getting that truck painted for anywhere near $1K. Thanks for hearing me out though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeppapa Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 Love your jeep. That double head light is so classic. I've thought about putting that on my MJ. Ya I've had that problem with body shops too. This friend of mine has opened is own shop on his property just doing things on his own schedule. He's told me there's not that much money in full paint work. Your dead rite about their money is in insurance work. My brother had a residential painting painting company and I worked with him for years. We did a lot of spraying. I am fully aware that shooting a car and a house are two different animals. I sprayed a few cars when I was younger but it's been years. I've got every thing I need to do it so I might just pick it up again. The paint I could probably get after some practice but shooting the clear that's what makes me wiggly. It's so easy to screw that up and black shows everything. Haven't checked with Marco but I've had some not so good experiences with those guys on my XJ. I think they will let you do that prep work but they won't gerentee the paint. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 I can scratch and blast an exterior for well under $1k using Omni single stage. It shows though. It's not how I would paint anything I really cared about. But for a flip, yeah, unfortunately. I still stand by my opinion that popping the dent out, ditching the shell, and buffing it (maybe spray a tiny touchup where the paint is missing in the dent using a lacquer or single stage) would produce the most money relative to time and invested money. I'd be wary of buying a repainted truck if it appeared to be a scratch and blast job. It's a red flag to me that the truck isn't really going to be 'worth' anywhere near asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 I still stand by my opinion that popping the dent out, ditching the shell, and buffing it (maybe spray a tiny touchup where the paint is missing in the dent using a lacquer or single stage) would produce the most money relative to time and invested money. I'd be wary of buying a repainted truck if it appeared to be a scratch and blast job. It's a red flag to me that the truck isn't really going to be 'worth' anywhere near asking. Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeppapa Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 I still stand by my opinion that popping the dent out, ditching the shell, and buffing it (maybe spray a tiny touchup where the paint is missing in the dent using a lacquer or single stage) would produce the most money relative to time and invested money. I'd be wary of buying a repainted truck if it appeared to be a scratch and blast job. It's a red flag to me that the truck isn't really going to be 'worth' anywhere near asking. Exactly. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeppapa Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 Me too, but there are so many people out here that only care about the look and know only how to put gas in a car that might not be a concern. I've got s friend that payed 40 bucks to have a tail light bulb replaced. The guys that grew up doing their own work on cars are really getting fewer and fewer. What a second I just described myself scratch that thought. Hell some of neighborhoods around here your subject to a fine if you leave your garage door open. It's just nuts I don't get it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now