The Lincoln Zephyr On American Pickers That Sold For Lower Than You Might Think
As the old saying goes, "One person's trash is another person's treasure," and that mantra couldn't be more appropriate for "American Pickers." After all, the series is all about digging for rusty gold in the most unlikely places and bringing lost pieces of history out from the shadows to be appreciated once again. The likes of Mike Wolfe and Danielle Colby have lived up to this mandate incredibly well over the years, but there's more to their line of work than simply finding such unique treasures. They also have to pay for and typically sell them off as well.
To many "American Pickers" viewers, much of the show's fun comes from learning about an antique's value, or lack thereof. This aspect of each episode opens the door for negotiations between the "Pickers" team and potential sellers, and if they can strike a deal, we sometimes get to learn a bit about the cost of cleaning and refurbishing and how these processes impact the amount the item will sell for. Sometimes the crew let their excitement get the best of them and prioritize personal interest over profit, but that's not to say they don't manage to score impressive deals all the same.
For example, here's a look at the unexpectedly low price the "American Pickers" crew paid for a 1940 Lincoln Zephyr.
The Pickers only paid a few thousand for the Zephyr
Season 20's "Pick Like a Honey Badger" saw Mike Wolfe and former co-host Frank Fritz meet with a seller to check out a 1940 Lincoln Zephyr (via YouTube). He wanted to customize it just as his father did with his own car previously, but such a project never fully came together. Sure, the body of the car certainly looks its age, it doesn't have the original engine, and the interior has rotted away, but none of those shortcomings dampened Wolfe's interest in it. He and the seller ultimately decided on the price of $8,000, and so they got to work pulling it out of storage.
Even though the Zephyr needed a ton of work to be road-ready, $8,000 for such a rare and iconic piece isn't a bad deal by any stretch. After all, looking back on the numerous car buys that have taken place on "American Pickers" over the years, they know when to walk away and when to pounce on a great price. For instance, according to Hot Cars, they've scored numerous classic automobiles for surprisingly low amounts, though a bit of TLC is almost always required after they buy. Some of the most notable include a 1939 Plymouth for $5,500 and a 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood for $9,500.
Piecing together old cars isn't always an easy or cheap process, but in the eyes of the American Pickers, putting in the work for a Lincoln Zephyr is worth it. Besides, for $8,000, why wouldn't they pass it up?