Not for a hardtop he won't get $90K.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1970-...item43a85fed5f

 

I like how he says it's appraised at $103,000. At that level, do you really need the 3? Can you really whittle it down that finely? I would think $100,000 is close enough and gets the message across.

I also like how the appraisal is "in writing." I can write down anything I want. Does that make it true?

 

With the current market I doubt he'd get it for even a Pace Car. If he gets a serious bid for $65k he'd better take the money and run, Thornton restoration or not.

We must remember that people traveling at this level travel in different circles than you and I. They do not view cars as cars, only as investments. It's what happens when there's too much money around, fueled by auction frenzy.

 

The average 1970 442 fastback (even at BJ) is only pulling in around 20K - 60K, even with frame off rotiserrie jobs. Probably hoping that the 'Thornton' branding will make it worth more? We've been round the horn a few times on this issue, and it comes down to what a buyer is willing to shell out.

If you want a rare (2009 sale on BJ) have a look at this one: sold for 173,000.00 - of course it is a vert. But that also brings up the question: Just how important is that last 3 zeros? Well Spanky, when you're being paid to sell cars and you get commission on numbers those 3 zeros mean something

 

Which is the big problem I have with auctions. They WANT the bids high and sometimes use questionable tactics to drive up the bids, so the commission and buyer's premium gets fatter.

Realistically the only people who make out at auctions are the auction company, and I don't see where their services are worth that much in a transaction involving a car. Don't get me wrong- I enjoy a spirited antique auction as much as anyone (and I go to way too many), but the auctions I hit are out there to make a living, not make a killing.

And yes, sometimes I run into people with too much money at those too. Sometimes you can look at someone and tell they're gonna be trouble. I lost a nice Chinese chest a few weeks back to a silver-haired woman who exuded the look of money, and she threw quite a bit of it around that day.

 

Been there, done that. I hear ya brother! On the + side, there are a lot of nice cars out there that don't go to auction and get sold for a fair price. What you've got into a car isn't what you're likely to get out. Cars are just not good 'investments', they are material objects that most often depreciate faster than snow melts in August.

At the Olds show on Sat, I talked with a guy who has a 72 442 fastback. He wanted 35,000.00 for it. I wouldn't have paid anywhere close to 1/2 of that. Too many people think their cars are worth more than they actually are. In my case, if someone asks what my car is worth, I tell them it's 'priceless' to me. It was my Dads and has a lot of sentimental memories. Not for sale to even the richest bidder. Ok, I lied. If they offered me 230,196,000.00 quadrillion samolians, I'd probably think about it , but no warranty

 

This is a 5 year old Thorton restoration. They have continued to improve but the older restorations are not a nice as their current ones. The auction states, engine, trans and rear end matching numbers. This is totally different than documented w-30. I would have to agree that the auction does not have enough detail to fetch 100k.

I couldn't even guess what my cars are worth so I say a different price every time someone asks. Today I took out my 1971 w-30 convt 4 speed. When someone asked what it was worth I said $75,000 but I have no clue.

Lee

 

I think its all relative to what a buyer wants to pay and if its a car he has got to have. If a guy does'nt care he'll pay whatever. Even though the car is really not worth the price. Kinda like taking a family of 4 to a baseball game for 2 to 3 hundred. Not worth it but wanted to go anyway.