Durant Motors Internet Forum
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I was asked by a friend if I would broker a deal for him, as he has no computer and is not a member, so here goes. He has a large hoard of Star parts mostly 1924, 1925 and 1926 and looking to sell them all as one lot and is taking offers.
1 1925 frame
1 1924 complete windshield frame c/w without glass
5 1924/25 rear fenders in good condition, no rust
3 1924/25 complete rear ends
5 sets of intake and exhaust manifolds
5 heads W4\'s & W5\'s
5 clutch assemblies and several clutch plates
2 radiators
3 radiator shells
3 gas tanks (1)new
1 front axle complete
2 rear axles complete
6 vacuum tanks
6 wooden spoke wheels c/w tires
9 transmissions
4 motors (1-W4 & 3-W\'s )turn freely
And several other miscellaneous other small parts and he thinks there might be more, so he is still going through storage areas, the years stated are to the best of knowledge and might not be 100% accurate, but the are all Star parts.
All parts have been stored in side and are in good usable condition
Please pass along your offers to me via email so I can show them to him and let him decide what he\'s willing to take. He has indicated that pickup and shipping will the responsibility of the winning bidder.
Where Are You From? Mississauga Ontario Canada
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1933 Frontenac biult by Dominion Motors Canada
1- Where are these parts located?
2- Why is your friend not selling these parts on the open market?
3- Does your friend have a total value in mind? And, if so, how did he arrive at the value?
4- I would be glad to make an offer but it would be completely dependent on the present market for Star parts. At the present time, all two dozen of us.
Where Are You From? Texarkana, TX
Do You own a car built by Durant? Several
Firstly, thank you Don for your email. to shed some more light on this hoard.
1. The parts are located in southern Ontario Canada approximately 75 miles from Toronto
2. He has no desire or inclination to sell these parts piece meal on the open market and he feels it\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s a far too time consuming task at this stage of his life.
3. He has also now supplied me with a price, which is firm and non negotiable, he\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s wanting \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\$1,650 Canadian for the complete package, it\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s all or nothing.
4. Everything one buys for resale is always dependent on current market value, as for Star parts, it\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s my guess that good quality parts are becoming harder and harder find. These parts need to put back into the market place so many Star restorers can realize their goals.
Update after speaking with him again he has agreed to sell his 1925 Star Roadster R/S. This car is fairly complete and rust free and has been stored in a container for many years now, the car runs and functions properly. He will forward me photos that I will post and you can make your judgements from them. He is wanting \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\$4,000 Canadian firm. He will include 4 brand new tires and a few various other new parts with the car.
If interested in either package deal or both, please contact me by email so I can present your offers to him as I mentioned before he has no computer nor is he a member.
Where Are You From? Mississauga Ontario Canada
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1933 Frontenac C-400 made by Dominion Motors CanadaF
Steve and I conversed via email about his friends parts stash and this is my reply to him. First let me say I don't want to be guilty of chafing anybody's chaps but I want to try to be realistic in conveying values as possible. I actually saw this auction once on Ebay, "80 year old tomato can, dug up in back yard, good condition for its age, great display for your Man Cave,only 100.00"
This is taking it to the extreme but some old things are worth a lot of money and some old things are only old things.
The value of our Star and Durant cars are worth more to us than anybody else and there are not as many of us as there are for other makes.
Hi Steve, that is a hard call to make. From an investment standpoint, it would not be a good idea. As the saying goes, anything is only worth what someone is willing to give you for it. Very, very little ever sells on Ebay. On the other hand, I have bought several items from there.
Do you have storage facilities that you could purchase the parts, preserve them and ship out if anyone needs something? Someone closer to the source would have a better chance to recoup their investment. In all reality I would loose money over 10 years by the transporting costs alone, from my location, (Texarkana) even if the parts were free. Maybe your friend would be willing to keep the parts and let you sell them as need arises? I probably have as large a Star parts supply as anybody in the South but, since 1976 I have never broke even with my inventory. Instead of trying to sell my parts and cars, I intend to will it all to the DMAC when I pass. Hopefully, we will have someplace to at least store the parts at that time. Hopefully we're not in any hurry,,,,
Where Are You From? Texarkana, TX
Do You own a car built by Durant? Several
Personally I do have the room nor the the time to bring this hoard home and part with it one piece at a time, as I will be thinning out my own accesses soon. It's unfortunate your so far away making it more expensive than you would like, but I have heard of members on here going great distances to get something they really wanted and needed. Maybe it would be more economical for a club member in southern Ontario or the northeast to jump in and make the deal, anyone who ends up with this hoard no matter where their from is going to need the the space and time to make it profitable. I have seen the car and most of the parts and can report the is no tomato cans there, from the prices I have seen on here and other sites the fenders and wooden wheels alone should just about get your money back for the total asking price of the parts hoard, never mind all the motors, transmissions, radiators etc. I really can't say if he's in a great hurry to close a deal, but I would guess now that he's made up his mind to sell, the sooner the better. I really hope that a club member will jump in and get these parts back on the open market it's where they really need to be so those who are restoring can get what they need to help move their projects along. Thanks Don for your interest and insight.
Where Are You From? Mississauga Ontario Canada
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1933 Frontenac C-400
Steve, it seems I too have heard of nutty fellows travelling great distances, even into different countries for their much sought after parts. 
I wanted to check out this roadster and hoard while was in Ontario earlier this month, but time and distance did not allow. I'd be very interested in the car especially, but obviously the costs and paperwork of importing an entire auto are concerning. Plus, I am well aware how far Kansas is from Ontario. It'd be a hoot to see what all I could assemble with my accumulated bits combined with the hoarded parts. Out of morbid curiosity, do you have any detailed knowledge on the car as far as color etc.? Wish I would have had more time up north!
Where Are You From? Marysville, Kans
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1923 Durant A-22 Touring
Hi All.....
I've been following this discussion. You all have made very valid points.
The entire make up of the old car hobby is changing. The interest in our era of vehicle is fading. The younger people are less interested in any kind of cars. Our age group is not accumulating as much as before. Heck I can't even lift motors and transmissions like I did years ago.
Rare does not translate into valuable (it really never did). Even complete cars are not selling as well as they did. There are many good buys out there. I probably know of a dozen or more Durant products that are for sale. Many have been available for years. Some are over priced, but many are not. Some that I purchased where on the market for years before my offer was accepted. I was able to purchase a couple because the family had no interest in the car. I asked our son what car he would want from our collection his choice was a Ford Model TT grain truck, followed by the 1908 Buick.
I have purchased many hordes of parts over the years. Other than some prime pieces most of the Durant stuff sits on the shelf. This seems to be the case with most odd ball or orphan products. My Ford stuff still sells, but I'm even accumulating less of it. I bought a garage full of T stuff a few years ago, I haven't even moved it home yet just picked out a few smaller items that I needed.
Transportation and storage costs are skyrocketing. I never thought much of taking the truck and trailer on a long adventure, but I do now.
As a couple people have said, we are in this for the FUN of the hobby. If you are looking for an investment that pays $$$ this is not the hobby for you. If you are looking for an enjoyable and interesting group of people and cars this is exactly the hobby for you.
Hope to see y'all in North Carolina.....
Frank
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Where Are You From? Hookstown Pennsylvania
Do You own a car built by Durant? a bunch
Frank, if you ever hear of Durant products in the neighborhood of Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Colorado....you be sure to pass along that information. They apparently big movers out here and I wouldn't mind checking things out that weren't 1000+ miles away.
Where Are You From? Marysville, Kans
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1923 Durant A-22 Touring
Todd: Yes it's to bad that you didn't get over to look at the car and parts after coming all that way and just a few miles more from it. It's a 1925 Star Model F Roadster R/S built in Leaside and has a W5 motor and is rust free. The car is painted Dark Blue with Black fenders and Tan convertible top. The only area of concern was the rumble seat section, at one point someone removed the deck lid and seat and installed a wooden box for carrying supplies, that has been removed and a plywood deck lid installed over the opening but he has the original deck lid for it, so seat would have to found or made. Over all a nice looking car, nickle plated rad shroud, barrel type head lights, running boards are solid. Did not here it run as the storage container it was in was pretty full of some of the parts (extra full frame, extra 1/2 frame with front axle and drums attached and tons of other parts. He also has 5 brand new tires for it and a few nos parts that go with it, he's been asked to supply photo's and I hope he will forward them to me soon so I can post them. From some of the emails I have received about this car, the price of $4,000 Canadian apparently is too high and $2,500 to $3,000 is more in line with the current market ?? I think the buyer will be the judge of what their willing to pay after seeing the photos and hearing it run. HAS any member shipped a complete car to the U.S.. from Canada and if so what does the border people base their prices on and what kind of fees are we looking at based on it selling for the $4,000 Canadian ??
Where Are You From? Mississauga Ontario Canada
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1933 Frontenac C-400
Hi Steve.....
Back about 10 years ago, I bought a complete running 1927 Star sedan from Jack Innes, in Brooklyn Ontario. I had it on an open trailer, had all the documents like bill of sale, signed title and the stamped serial number visible on the frame horn? This was a Canadian, Leaside car.
Took us about 2 hours sitting in traffic to get to the border crossing booth. Asked me if I had anything to declare, said just the car on the trailer I bought in Canada.
Told to pull off to the side and go into the office. Had to fill out a couple forms, saying I was bringing into the US for personal use. They never looked at the car or my paper work. A few minutes and I was on my way. No fees of any kind.
Frank ---
Where Are You From? Hookstown Pennsylvania
Do You own a car built by Durant? 19 and counting
Thanks for sharing that Frank, this might inspire a club member to rethink about buying it and taking it across the border. By the way was that the same Jack Innes who is the curator of the Canadian Automobile Museum in Oshawa Ontario ?
Where Are You From? Mississauga Ontario Canada
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1933 Frontenac C-400
Hey Jeff
Your 100% right, the younger generation is not interested in anything at all unless its sports or gaming. The few car lovers of them are only interested in what we used to call rice burners. Something they can just purchase bolt on parts and go. It's a universal problem in every area. When our generation goes, I fear there will be no more Jaycees, Kiwanis, Masons, Sons or Daughters of the American Revolution of Confederate Sons Associations out there. The AACA is even screaming we need new people and they manage to get some younger ones interested if their family has cars and they're under 18, but once High School and college start for the most part they are lost. Even I, who have three sons, in their early 30's think my cars are cool, but have no interest in helping restore or learn about them. One is into Harley's the other sports and working out. Oh sure when they were in their teens one of them liked driving my Triumph TR6 but now that I've been busy restoring the Durant, hasn't once offered to help or show any interest. Sad sad for sure. BUT we still owe it to the future generations and historians to preserve the history of and our cars. There will always be a small group of people like myself that have a fondness for the early automobiles that were made long before I was born. we can only hope to reach that group.
Where Are You From? Oviedo, Florida
Do You own a car built by Durant? Yes 1928 Durant Model 65 4 door sedan
Hi Steve.....
Yes that was the Jack I bought the car from. Interesting fellow, had a barn full of cars that he rented to the movies.
Our Star was used in the Canadian TV series "Wind At My Back" I found it listed for sale on the HCCA site.
My experiences with crossing the border have been decent. I know of others who have had problems. Just depends what official you encounter and if your common name appears on any watch list !
I just sent a set of Spicer balls to Pug Wash NS. It took a month to clear customs and be delivered after they arrived in Canada.
If someone wants this stash of parts and the roadster, crossing the border should not be a problem
Frank ---
Where Are You From? Hookstown Pennsylvania
Do You own a car built by Durant? a bunch