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Post by mitchsb on Nov 6, 2007 8:42:13 GMT -8
Hey everybody. I have a couple of questions.
What is the current aproximate price on a 1958 Toyopet Crown sold in the US? Also, does anybody know about how many of this model are left in the US?
Any help on this would be appreciated.
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toyopet
Nov 6, 2007 12:21:30 GMT -8
Post by toyotageek on Nov 6, 2007 12:21:30 GMT -8
Only a few hundred Toyopet Crowns were ever sold here in the USA. No one knows how many remain. As for what they are worth? Who knows? Since there are not enough to go around and get an idea of what the market is, value is really something that can only be determined by the seller and the buyer. If it is like with any other car, most sellers will want as much as possible, while most buyers will want to spend as little as possible. A lot will depend on the condition of the car. Since we have no idea how many remain, and since parts are impossible to obtain from Toyota or even the junk yard, any type of restoration will be time consummining and most likely expensive. Why do you ask? Are you in the market for one, or do you have one for sell?If you're selling one, forget everything I said. They aren't worth a dime, but I'll give you $20 for one. Now for my editorial comments for this...
Everytime I see a question like this I feel like asking, "Why?" Do people ask "what's a car worth?" beause they want to buy a car? Or do they have one they want to sell? Do they already know how much they want to spend or make? Do they expect other people to do their homework for them? Usually if I want to know what a car is going for, I'll check eBay or the paper or several other sources that list cars for sale. true, you can't really do this with a Toyopet Crown, but it would sure be nice if people gave a reason for asking and provided more detail.
But, hey, I'm a nice guy & I answer anyways.
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Oz_Stout
Toyota Enthusiast
I Really Need Hubcaps For My Stout
Posts: 270
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toyopet
Nov 6, 2007 15:37:37 GMT -8
Post by Oz_Stout on Nov 6, 2007 15:37:37 GMT -8
I'm leaning toward option 2 on this one TG. I reckon we have an owner who is perhaps looking to sell.
If that is the case mitchsb then what TG says is true. They are worth very little......... and......... he is a nice guy. However what I am prepared to do is this. I will pay you $50 for it............ and.............. I will pay my own shipping costs to get it to Australia. What an offer. ;D
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toyopet
Nov 6, 2007 17:34:28 GMT -8
Post by toyotageek on Nov 6, 2007 17:34:28 GMT -8
Awww..... geez Oz, now you started a bidding war! Before you know it, we'll drive the value up so much that niether of us can afford it! ;D All kidding aside, to mitchsb - please don't take offense to any of my remarks. I just had to vent a little. You see, I hear that sort of question all the time, and usually people are pretty crude and rude about it. But a little sugar goes a long way and gets a better answer. Back to the value of a Toyopet Crown. It's not like having an early Thunderbird, or maybe a Cadillac (just random examples of popular cars). Most people have never even heard of a Toyopet. A person might have to wait years to sell a car, espeically if the asking price is high. A fellow Froum member just sold his 1963(?) Crown on eBay for $6000. Was that high or low? We don't know, since there aren't any other Toyopet sales we can compare to. Anyhow, if you come back, clue us in a little more as to why you're asking. And don't worry, sometimes I bark a lot, but I never bite.
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toyopet
Nov 7, 2007 15:45:01 GMT -8
Post by mitchsb on Nov 7, 2007 15:45:01 GMT -8
Actually, if you must know, I work at Toyota Motor Sales in Torrance (as a business partner) in the archive. And yes, I know Susan Sanborn. We had a question about this yesterday. I know this may sound strange to hear, but we do not know the answer to either of those questions. Records at Toyota from that period are very hard to come by as Toyota was a tiny company back then. I mean, we know what they sold for back in the day. Just not what they go for today.
It's also funny you said that a fellow forum member sold his for $6000. I think that is where we got the question from.
Anyway, thanks for answering.
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toyopet
Nov 11, 2007 18:21:34 GMT -8
Post by Frenchy Dehoux on Nov 11, 2007 18:21:34 GMT -8
Hi everyone
Frenchy here I am the person who sold the Toyopet on e bay this week. I did not want to let this car sit around my back yard but rather see it been restore by someone who enjoys the hobby like me. I wanted to finish my 1958 Toyopet in time for next year's Toyota car show at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. It is very difficult to put a price on a car like this one as there are not to many of them around. I have locate 2 other ones sitting in fields.
Thanks again for the great comments Frenchy ( Toyota Transport Supervisor Phoenix AZ )
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toyopet
Nov 11, 2007 22:16:04 GMT -8
Post by toyotageek on Nov 11, 2007 22:16:04 GMT -8
Thanks for your input regarding this Frenchy. I was very close to owning a nice Toyopet Crown a few years back. Belonged to a woman up north. Somehow Toyota beat me to it and offered her more money. That car wound up being part of the Crown that was restored for Toyota in Portland, OR. Too bad. It was a complete car in good condition, but I think they cannibalized it to restore another Crown.
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toyopet
Dec 26, 2007 14:23:06 GMT -8
Post by Frenchy Dehoux on Dec 26, 2007 14:23:06 GMT -8
Hi Mike
The Toyopet that you were looking to buy is the one that Toyota bought and was restored at the Portland facility. The original car they had found in a field needed to much work there for this one was in more complete condition. As you know the 58 Toyopet I bought from Phil was very complete and very original and in addition to buying this car I also got the one from Portland in the deal. I just this past week after working on the car for the last 6 months build a new engine , brakes , fuel tank etc drove the car around my neighborhood. I have called Phil to let him know the car was finally running. I am now going to have all of the chrome redone on the car and the floor mats and be ready to have the car on display at various dealers here in Phoenix. According to Phil the last time this car was on the street was in 1963 and sat at the owners house and soon after at a repair shop in the bay area. I have not decided what I am going to do with the second 58 Toyopet.
Take care Frenchy
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Post by toyotageek on Jan 2, 2008 6:56:52 GMT -8
It's good to see some of these cars getting fixed up and out there in the publics eye.
These were not only the first Toyotas sold in the USA, but the first Japanese cars that were sold here. I just regret that I'm not in a position to try restoring one myself, as the Toyopet Crown has always been my dream car as far as vintage Toyotas are concerned.
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toyopet
Jan 2, 2008 17:47:02 GMT -8
Post by Frenchy Dehoux on Jan 2, 2008 17:47:02 GMT -8
Mike thanks for the nice reply I am very excited to have the hardest part of this car done. Now come the easier stuff removing everything to be re chrome. I will be going to Long Beach next week at the shop that will be responsible for all of the chrome.
Thanks Frenchy
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Post by Carlyn Dinkler on Jan 3, 2008 4:09:57 GMT -8
Frenchy: If you need hardware (bolts, nuts, washers, etc.) for finish work on the Toyopet, I may be able to help with some things. I have several thousand part numbers in stock both new (most new are yellow zinc but some are bright finish) & used, replated in yellow zinc. Carlyn cdinkler@bellsouth.net
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Post by Frenchy Dehoux on Jan 3, 2008 7:29:16 GMT -8
Hi Carlyn
Thanks for the help you are always supportive of the hobby. I have taken all of my hardware to a local shop that has redone all of the original nuts and bolts for the car in a doll silver as it was originaly. All of the original bolts have a H stamped on the head for HINO. So I wanted to make sure I was reusing all of the original hardware. I will let you know if I need anything else.
Thanks
Frenchy
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