...W
hen last we spoke…Mark had asked me to assist in putting together a collection of cars. The first step was to set some goals. I set down what I thought would be an appropriate criteria, and an initial list of cars.
Basically, cars with period (post war to late sixties) World Sports Car Championship derived drivetrains, dressed in interesting Carrozzeria bodies, with some obvious ethnic variations.
Look for privately held cars, with about 10 or 15 year old restorations. No trailer queens, just solid drivers. Cars that could be driven and enjoyed, and express the engineering characteristics of the period. Through mutual discussion we put together this initial list:
Daytona coupe
Merc 300 SL Coupe or roadster.
Maserati Mistral Spyder
Alfa Giulietta Veloce Zagato
XK120
Early Aston
330 GTS,
Miura
289 Cobra
Lancia B20 (coupe or spyder), Fulvia HF, or perhaps Stratos Stradale
Things suddenly became quite hectic. When we started this the market was in the tank. Our target was to get as many cars as possible near or below 100k. This was not unreasonable. An example of this is the Daytona market. Since their market highs of 700k for a berlinetta, 1M plus for a Spyder, we're seeing them in the 150k range. Then there was a Barrett Jackson auction where a Hemi 'Cuda convertible sold for above a Mill. Suddenly the Classic Euro guys, like the Daytona owners, could be heard to say, "Hey, I've got a car that's not only faster, but can go around corners and stop!"
As a result the classic car market has exploded over the last few months. Many of the target cars have rapidly moved to incredible new highs. 400k for a Miura SV with all the necessary upgrades. 289 Cobras have gone from 150 - 175k to 350+. Ferrari 330 GTSs from 250k to 325+. And Mercedes 300 have moved with equal speed up from 200 to high 200s and as much as 350k. Maserati Mistral Spyders, like all GT Masers’, are hard to find, and of indeterminate value; maybe 70, maybe 170. Frustrating really.
The Cobra I located is a prime example of the market. The car would be eminently worth buying as the original owner was Lance Reventlow; I have his order sheet from Shelby. Unfortunately, it has been extensively screwed with (Cobras being renowned victims of fashion). These guys want top dollar, while the car needs to be returned to its original white with red interior and the wire wheels of Reventlow's car for provenance strength. But at 365k there’s no room for making the right move. The irony in all of this is of course, it was Lance's Reventlow Automobiles facility Shelby took over, inheriting most of his crew as the basis for Shelby Motorcars. Here's a link to the shots.
I have a funny story about a 300 SL in Southern Cal I was referred to by my Dad's friend Jack. When I called the guy his tone was all-full of that 'you're lucky to be offered the car'. Nice guy, though, the car's been an attendant of Steve Earl's events since the wheel became vintage. Still street registered. Sounded like a solid, streetcar with track mod's, looked after most fastidiously (and constantly) by a racer / mechanic. Asking price: 350k... Since it is in Costa Mesa I asked my friend Denis Mitosinka (who is in Santa Ana) if he could do an appraisal on it. Dennis is a bonded, licensed appraiser, who spends quite a bit of time in court representing clients on insurance cases, when he is not valuing estates, and collecting one-off's. He said he'd be happy to, and agreed with me that Marx' 300 was about 60k high, but...
So I arranged the appraisal with Marx, and Dennis goes over; two cameras (one film for details, one digital for overviews). Well it had exactly the effect I hoped for; Marx was completely unsettled by the visit. Marx had working at his shop that day, a restoration guy who knew Dennis and told Marx that he was the real deal. Dennis first inquired as to the location of all the original equipment he had switched out.
"Oh, I've got it all," Marx replied.
"I expect it will be part of the deal?" Dennis asked
"Oh yes!" Marx assured.
To shorten a story which unfolded over two hours...by the time Dennis had left, Marx assured Dennis that he would be replacing the rock chipped windshield, "And," he continued, "Since I've been racing it, before delivery I will be completely rebuilding the engine, so it will have all fresh bearings."
It doesn't get much better than that. I couldn't stop my appreciative chuckling at Dennis’s retelling of the story!
When Mark & I reviewed Dennis’s inspection report, it was a gem, with full write up and little stick-on arrows pointing out the quarter inch shrinkage of the top, irregular chrome petina, etc...
The one car Mark wanted was a Daytona. This was the poster car from his high school years. So I went looking for some. Within a week or so, through friends near and far, I found about five.
One really reflected the times and prices. It was suggested by a buddy in Southern California, a very serious Maserati collector: 1951 Vignale A6G, 1948 A6GCS. The Daytona was in LA, clean bill of health and in fine shape. 135k. Problem was it was silver. This having been the de rigueur color for the Silicon Valley through the 1990s, it was let pass. Shame, that shape looked show car sharp in silver, but the dream was remembered in red.
Of the others the most amusing result was another in LA. If memory serves it was a high 175. It was touted as a platinum winner car. Now this had been suggested from a friend who had noticed it, but didn't know much more about it. First call was to Dennis to see if he had heard of this car.
His response was that it rang a bell. "Hold on," was his suggestion.
"Scott, thought that rang a bell. I testified to the insurance company on that car last year…"
"Testified for an insurance clame?"
"Right. It had been hit by a garbage truck in Bel Air."
"You're kidding!" I said through laughter.
"Even at that time the guys who owned it were claiming it was a platinum winner and all original. When I inspected it, it was obvious it was an old restoration and certainly not a class winner at any event. Before it had been hit by that garbage truck."
Mark did buy this Daytona: It is a fine driver. 3 owner car, last owner had it for 20 years. Sold it because he hadn't been driving it the last 2 or 3 years, so it needs new rubber (hoses, belts &c), but it's solid (strong compression across the board) and clean (bare metal resto in the nineties). Paid what I thought was too much. Ironic for the time, it was being used as a market setter at 200k, by two very reputable Ferrari guys. But, the market seems to have come to us since its purchase
Called on a red 300SL roadster in New York. First thing I was told was that it was ready for Pebble. I thanked him and asked if he had any 300s that were ready for the road. He also sent me these pics of another 300k 300SL. The news from the East coast was that a clapped out, rust buck 300 Gullwing had sold at auction in Connecticut for 250k in late spring; so this was justification for open season on prices. To double check this I called on a number of 300’s. Found this one in LA, long time, honest owner. Found this one which we have a 14 day first right of refusal on: The car has had a number of owners since purchased in Minneapolis in 1960, but each has been a member of the 300 registry. My friend Dennis is going to look at it for us next week. It’s in the high 2s. Hopefully Dennis will have his effect. We call it the Shasta 300. This link leads to a gallery of 300SLs, and a discussion with Scott Grundfur on preservation verses restoration. Then there was the local 300 Gullwing on the Peninsula. High 200s.
After calling on a couple of 330 GTSs, I thought I would go mad if I hear one more person start a conversation by saying, "I just don’t know what Ferrari’s are worth anymore." I knew with those words I was about to be bent over…and of course the price to follow was always in excess of 300k.
I saw the 330GTS as a fine car for appreciation. Its superb four A arm suspension and transaxle rear end, make it arguably the finest road chassis of the period. And with that four liter engine, one of the finest all round driving Ferrari ever.
I said to Mark, "OK, I say the 300 SL is the last big buck car we go after." Our initial budget was only a million.
I’d found an Aston 2 / 4 Mark II for 74k, a nice runner out of Illinois. Now this was fun going after something under 100. We might even be able to collect a few cars. The day I called it had been sitting around for three months without a serious bite. Ten minutes later a guy calls from Philly. He beat me back there by a day, and bought it. Oh well right car, right price; now that was fun. Sites reset, a new field to hunt. This made me particularly interested in the Feltham Astons. They truly are street derived successful competition cars with beautiful alloy bodies., unlike the DBs that followed. There was the Black MkIII roadster (DHC) out of South Carolina. A red MKIII Coupe and a green MkIII. I always find the composition of the photos an intriguing insight to the current owners vision of the cars. As interesting for what they contain, as for what they don't. The accompanying briefs are always interesting. Which all immediately become a research road map for the calls that follow.
This one would take too much of our initial budget, but I couldn't resist loading it up on the site. I called the owner about a 330 GTS he had in Classic & Sportscars. By the time I called the GTS was gone, but when he found out I was an historian and writer, it unfolded into a non-commerce car guy conversation. He started telling me about another Ferrari he had. This one was quite special, forgive what will become a pun. It was one of four customs made by Pinin, that, design wise, sit at the crossroads of the 410 Superamericas and the Boano series of 250s.
It is a 1955 250 Speciale #0465GT. All four were built to order, this one ordered by the president of Fiat. It's engine is a 128, near comp spec. In his capacity over at Lingotto, he designed the dash and instruments, which he had built internally at Fiat. The car has little touches like an adjustable steering wheel, moved the window cranks down away from his clutch knee, and saddle-style twin gas tanks (notice in truck shot); I guess his mistress always traveled with a lot of luggage. $650K. I just talked to him, and he’s taken a 40k deposit on it, but it is well worth seeing.
Pietro, who owns the 250, enjoys a bit of friendly torture. He sent off these shots knowing I would like to get a Mille eligible car. I was thinking something like a Giulietta Sedan comp car (something the organizer’s love entering), so he sends this. It is a Fiat 508S MM. An early example of a Berlinetta, on a Fiat 508S chassis. One of eleven made. (115k).
Pietro also has this Alfa 1900 CSS, ran in the Mille when new, Conrero engine. A rather neat Ghia body, done during the period when Exner was building all his Chrysler prototypes there (225k).
So, by June I'm starting to get calls from friends all over telling me of cars. Not just available cars, but interesting examples of the target cars.
Mark mentioned he’d like a XK120. My response was why bother with a chopped and channeled sedan chassis and faux sports car, when the XK140 MC is the real fully developed super sports car with a LeMans C type engine.
This is a '55 Drop Head Coupe a guy in New York has.
In early June, Paul Merrigan calls and says he's located the factory demonstrator Aston 2 / 4 fixed head coupe. The catch, it's in the UK. So I call. Thus begins a month long arrangement to buy the car. As previously mentioned, I feel the early Astons are not only the most relevant of the Astons, to the purpose of the collection, but currently overlooked. Turns out the car is the first fixed head coupe made, built directly on the experimental department prototype # 515, and the third 2 / 4 Mark II (the previous were a fast back, & drophead, demonstrators and show cars all). It was used for publicity, road tests and the London and possibly Paris show car. Fast forward three weeks of staying up until 3am and getting up at 6am to negotiate the deal, and the inspection of a car that I have never physically seen, in a land far, far away. It’s over in the English midlands, two hours north of London. Nice sympathetic restoration back to original Cream over Berry paint, done about 20 years ago, been in a private collection for nine years; as such it is (and as the inspection showed) suffering from not having turned a wheel since. We bought it yesterday. Turns out during the time I spent negotiating the deal the pound went from 1.81US to 1.64US. We managed to save about 7k US. AM300-1103
While I'm working on the Aston deal, Dennis calls from Orange county. He tells me that a friend of his is thinking of selling his XK 140 MC. He's arguably the top classic Aston mechanic in California, and he's just finished a bit of fresh up; paint, interior (white over red) and going through the engine. He’s selling because he’s building a house and going upside down because of it. I call to find out that the car has 300 miles on the resto, and it has been his personal car since 1966. We bought it on Friday.
When we got the car, putting it up on the lift made clear, this was no rotisserie restoration rewriting the Jag's history. It hadn't been necessary. This XK looked to be, up on the lift, a real period time capsule. It had been acquired when the guy's buddy went to Vietnam. It then sat in the back of his garage, then Aston shop, like the cobbler's shoes; maintained and preserved. The XK140MC.
One of the targets is a Maserati Mistral. Have been offered a red over white spyder that's down in Laguna Beach. Really like the Frua design in this version. Strange lack of photos sent for this one. Guess they just expect me to fly down. Not a bad idea. Also a coupe in L.A., silver over red, that looks like it's led a happy life.
Last Sunday, I’m over visiting Gene O’Gorman’s, who I’m sure you know from the Maser club. I’m trying to establish the value of a Mistral that has come up in the UK. It is alleged to be the second prototype show car made. It is supposed to have a 3500 engine, rather than the 3.7. It came with a story of being taken to South Africa for display; then a sale to the finance minister; it’s subsequent sale to a local, who kept it till he passed, and his son sold it up in London in 2002. I was negotiating with the current owner while checking with the factory historian to verify facts. So Gene and I are discussing this, and drinking cold bottles of water, Pleasanton was hot, and Gene offers me his Sebring, with the words, “It would be a much better car, and cost less in the long run”. Well, I think I’m hearing things. I verify I’m not. There’s only one proviso, we take delivery after Concorso. Gene has owned the car for 25 years, and four years ago he decided to paint it. He prepped it in his garage, sent it out to be sprayed, and has been rebuilding it for two years. So, after C.I. the collection will have a GT Maser. The Series I Maserati Sebring.
A funny note on the Sebring. After we got it Mark and I met. He proceeded to tell me that he had just made the short blast up from Oakland, through the Caldecott tunnel to downtown Orinda were we were meeting. This is a real torque test of a car, as it rises from 187 feet above sea level to about 500 in a quick 6 mile blast., He was standing next to the Sebring. Now you have to appreciate that all the hot rod cars were being judged by the standards of the Daytona.
"You know I have to say…coming up and out of the tunnel on the grade I nailed it," he said, patting the Sebring, "And I was well and truly pushed into the seat!"
Always have considered the Sebring an underrate car.
As I close this note, we thought it would be fun to get a 308. They could be gotten resonably. We went to look and drive one locally. A Swiss friend sent notice of a 250 Lusso that gave us pause. Instead we've just closed on a BB Boxer out of Pennsylvania, and a 550 Maranello from over on the Peninsula. Both well under a 100k.
Thought you’d be amused.
Scott
Post Script: In this grouping of photos are some that were offered and looked into. Like the 1956 Maserati A6GCS, the 1953 Ferrari 500 Mondiale, the Ferrari Lusso, The 8C Alfa, The Maserati Mistral coupe, The Aston MkIIIs, the Ferrari 330 GTS. These photos are live, or soon will be, linked to their own page with more of the offer photos. These were offered and analyzed, as in "Can we really afford them?" Truth be told, there was the money, really, but when you're just starting, it is hard to write that first check for over 300k, in a market rich with cars from 75 to 225k.
Then there is the Ferrari 250 PF II photo here. This was one of two offered to me by Kirk F. White. I just could not convince Mark to go for them. He thought them too plain. I saw them as bargains to be collected for the future. You can draw your own conclusions here, as Kirk offered both cars, a silver one and a white one. Each were offered below 100k.
Basically, cars with period (post war to late sixties) World Sports Car Championship derived drivetrains, dressed in interesting Carrozzeria bodies, with some obvious ethnic variations.
Look for privately held cars, with about 10 or 15 year old restorations. No trailer queens, just solid drivers. Cars that could be driven and enjoyed, and express the engineering characteristics of the period. Through mutual discussion we put together this initial list:
Daytona coupe
Merc 300 SL Coupe or roadster.
Maserati Mistral Spyder
Alfa Giulietta Veloce Zagato
XK120
Early Aston
330 GTS,
Miura
289 Cobra
Lancia B20 (coupe or spyder), Fulvia HF, or perhaps Stratos Stradale
Things suddenly became quite hectic. When we started this the market was in the tank. Our target was to get as many cars as possible near or below 100k. This was not unreasonable. An example of this is the Daytona market. Since their market highs of 700k for a berlinetta, 1M plus for a Spyder, we're seeing them in the 150k range. Then there was a Barrett Jackson auction where a Hemi 'Cuda convertible sold for above a Mill. Suddenly the Classic Euro guys, like the Daytona owners, could be heard to say, "Hey, I've got a car that's not only faster, but can go around corners and stop!"
As a result the classic car market has exploded over the last few months. Many of the target cars have rapidly moved to incredible new highs. 400k for a Miura SV with all the necessary upgrades. 289 Cobras have gone from 150 - 175k to 350+. Ferrari 330 GTSs from 250k to 325+. And Mercedes 300 have moved with equal speed up from 200 to high 200s and as much as 350k. Maserati Mistral Spyders, like all GT Masers’, are hard to find, and of indeterminate value; maybe 70, maybe 170. Frustrating really.
The Cobra I located is a prime example of the market. The car would be eminently worth buying as the original owner was Lance Reventlow; I have his order sheet from Shelby. Unfortunately, it has been extensively screwed with (Cobras being renowned victims of fashion). These guys want top dollar, while the car needs to be returned to its original white with red interior and the wire wheels of Reventlow's car for provenance strength. But at 365k there’s no room for making the right move. The irony in all of this is of course, it was Lance's Reventlow Automobiles facility Shelby took over, inheriting most of his crew as the basis for Shelby Motorcars. Here's a link to the shots.
I have a funny story about a 300 SL in Southern Cal I was referred to by my Dad's friend Jack. When I called the guy his tone was all-full of that 'you're lucky to be offered the car'. Nice guy, though, the car's been an attendant of Steve Earl's events since the wheel became vintage. Still street registered. Sounded like a solid, streetcar with track mod's, looked after most fastidiously (and constantly) by a racer / mechanic. Asking price: 350k... Since it is in Costa Mesa I asked my friend Denis Mitosinka (who is in Santa Ana) if he could do an appraisal on it. Dennis is a bonded, licensed appraiser, who spends quite a bit of time in court representing clients on insurance cases, when he is not valuing estates, and collecting one-off's. He said he'd be happy to, and agreed with me that Marx' 300 was about 60k high, but...
So I arranged the appraisal with Marx, and Dennis goes over; two cameras (one film for details, one digital for overviews). Well it had exactly the effect I hoped for; Marx was completely unsettled by the visit. Marx had working at his shop that day, a restoration guy who knew Dennis and told Marx that he was the real deal. Dennis first inquired as to the location of all the original equipment he had switched out.
"Oh, I've got it all," Marx replied.
"I expect it will be part of the deal?" Dennis asked
"Oh yes!" Marx assured.
To shorten a story which unfolded over two hours...by the time Dennis had left, Marx assured Dennis that he would be replacing the rock chipped windshield, "And," he continued, "Since I've been racing it, before delivery I will be completely rebuilding the engine, so it will have all fresh bearings."
It doesn't get much better than that. I couldn't stop my appreciative chuckling at Dennis’s retelling of the story!
When Mark & I reviewed Dennis’s inspection report, it was a gem, with full write up and little stick-on arrows pointing out the quarter inch shrinkage of the top, irregular chrome petina, etc...
The one car Mark wanted was a Daytona. This was the poster car from his high school years. So I went looking for some. Within a week or so, through friends near and far, I found about five.
One really reflected the times and prices. It was suggested by a buddy in Southern California, a very serious Maserati collector: 1951 Vignale A6G, 1948 A6GCS. The Daytona was in LA, clean bill of health and in fine shape. 135k. Problem was it was silver. This having been the de rigueur color for the Silicon Valley through the 1990s, it was let pass. Shame, that shape looked show car sharp in silver, but the dream was remembered in red.
Of the others the most amusing result was another in LA. If memory serves it was a high 175. It was touted as a platinum winner car. Now this had been suggested from a friend who had noticed it, but didn't know much more about it. First call was to Dennis to see if he had heard of this car.
His response was that it rang a bell. "Hold on," was his suggestion.
"Scott, thought that rang a bell. I testified to the insurance company on that car last year…"
"Testified for an insurance clame?"
"Right. It had been hit by a garbage truck in Bel Air."
"You're kidding!" I said through laughter.
"Even at that time the guys who owned it were claiming it was a platinum winner and all original. When I inspected it, it was obvious it was an old restoration and certainly not a class winner at any event. Before it had been hit by that garbage truck."
Mark did buy this Daytona: It is a fine driver. 3 owner car, last owner had it for 20 years. Sold it because he hadn't been driving it the last 2 or 3 years, so it needs new rubber (hoses, belts &c), but it's solid (strong compression across the board) and clean (bare metal resto in the nineties). Paid what I thought was too much. Ironic for the time, it was being used as a market setter at 200k, by two very reputable Ferrari guys. But, the market seems to have come to us since its purchase
Called on a red 300SL roadster in New York. First thing I was told was that it was ready for Pebble. I thanked him and asked if he had any 300s that were ready for the road. He also sent me these pics of another 300k 300SL. The news from the East coast was that a clapped out, rust buck 300 Gullwing had sold at auction in Connecticut for 250k in late spring; so this was justification for open season on prices. To double check this I called on a number of 300’s. Found this one in LA, long time, honest owner. Found this one which we have a 14 day first right of refusal on: The car has had a number of owners since purchased in Minneapolis in 1960, but each has been a member of the 300 registry. My friend Dennis is going to look at it for us next week. It’s in the high 2s. Hopefully Dennis will have his effect. We call it the Shasta 300. This link leads to a gallery of 300SLs, and a discussion with Scott Grundfur on preservation verses restoration. Then there was the local 300 Gullwing on the Peninsula. High 200s.
After calling on a couple of 330 GTSs, I thought I would go mad if I hear one more person start a conversation by saying, "I just don’t know what Ferrari’s are worth anymore." I knew with those words I was about to be bent over…and of course the price to follow was always in excess of 300k.
I saw the 330GTS as a fine car for appreciation. Its superb four A arm suspension and transaxle rear end, make it arguably the finest road chassis of the period. And with that four liter engine, one of the finest all round driving Ferrari ever.
I said to Mark, "OK, I say the 300 SL is the last big buck car we go after." Our initial budget was only a million.
I’d found an Aston 2 / 4 Mark II for 74k, a nice runner out of Illinois. Now this was fun going after something under 100. We might even be able to collect a few cars. The day I called it had been sitting around for three months without a serious bite. Ten minutes later a guy calls from Philly. He beat me back there by a day, and bought it. Oh well right car, right price; now that was fun. Sites reset, a new field to hunt. This made me particularly interested in the Feltham Astons. They truly are street derived successful competition cars with beautiful alloy bodies., unlike the DBs that followed. There was the Black MkIII roadster (DHC) out of South Carolina. A red MKIII Coupe and a green MkIII. I always find the composition of the photos an intriguing insight to the current owners vision of the cars. As interesting for what they contain, as for what they don't. The accompanying briefs are always interesting. Which all immediately become a research road map for the calls that follow.
This one would take too much of our initial budget, but I couldn't resist loading it up on the site. I called the owner about a 330 GTS he had in Classic & Sportscars. By the time I called the GTS was gone, but when he found out I was an historian and writer, it unfolded into a non-commerce car guy conversation. He started telling me about another Ferrari he had. This one was quite special, forgive what will become a pun. It was one of four customs made by Pinin, that, design wise, sit at the crossroads of the 410 Superamericas and the Boano series of 250s.
It is a 1955 250 Speciale #0465GT. All four were built to order, this one ordered by the president of Fiat. It's engine is a 128, near comp spec. In his capacity over at Lingotto, he designed the dash and instruments, which he had built internally at Fiat. The car has little touches like an adjustable steering wheel, moved the window cranks down away from his clutch knee, and saddle-style twin gas tanks (notice in truck shot); I guess his mistress always traveled with a lot of luggage. $650K. I just talked to him, and he’s taken a 40k deposit on it, but it is well worth seeing.
Pietro, who owns the 250, enjoys a bit of friendly torture. He sent off these shots knowing I would like to get a Mille eligible car. I was thinking something like a Giulietta Sedan comp car (something the organizer’s love entering), so he sends this. It is a Fiat 508S MM. An early example of a Berlinetta, on a Fiat 508S chassis. One of eleven made. (115k).
Pietro also has this Alfa 1900 CSS, ran in the Mille when new, Conrero engine. A rather neat Ghia body, done during the period when Exner was building all his Chrysler prototypes there (225k).
So, by June I'm starting to get calls from friends all over telling me of cars. Not just available cars, but interesting examples of the target cars.
Mark mentioned he’d like a XK120. My response was why bother with a chopped and channeled sedan chassis and faux sports car, when the XK140 MC is the real fully developed super sports car with a LeMans C type engine.
This is a '55 Drop Head Coupe a guy in New York has.
In early June, Paul Merrigan calls and says he's located the factory demonstrator Aston 2 / 4 fixed head coupe. The catch, it's in the UK. So I call. Thus begins a month long arrangement to buy the car. As previously mentioned, I feel the early Astons are not only the most relevant of the Astons, to the purpose of the collection, but currently overlooked. Turns out the car is the first fixed head coupe made, built directly on the experimental department prototype # 515, and the third 2 / 4 Mark II (the previous were a fast back, & drophead, demonstrators and show cars all). It was used for publicity, road tests and the London and possibly Paris show car. Fast forward three weeks of staying up until 3am and getting up at 6am to negotiate the deal, and the inspection of a car that I have never physically seen, in a land far, far away. It’s over in the English midlands, two hours north of London. Nice sympathetic restoration back to original Cream over Berry paint, done about 20 years ago, been in a private collection for nine years; as such it is (and as the inspection showed) suffering from not having turned a wheel since. We bought it yesterday. Turns out during the time I spent negotiating the deal the pound went from 1.81US to 1.64US. We managed to save about 7k US. AM300-1103
While I'm working on the Aston deal, Dennis calls from Orange county. He tells me that a friend of his is thinking of selling his XK 140 MC. He's arguably the top classic Aston mechanic in California, and he's just finished a bit of fresh up; paint, interior (white over red) and going through the engine. He’s selling because he’s building a house and going upside down because of it. I call to find out that the car has 300 miles on the resto, and it has been his personal car since 1966. We bought it on Friday.
When we got the car, putting it up on the lift made clear, this was no rotisserie restoration rewriting the Jag's history. It hadn't been necessary. This XK looked to be, up on the lift, a real period time capsule. It had been acquired when the guy's buddy went to Vietnam. It then sat in the back of his garage, then Aston shop, like the cobbler's shoes; maintained and preserved. The XK140MC.
One of the targets is a Maserati Mistral. Have been offered a red over white spyder that's down in Laguna Beach. Really like the Frua design in this version. Strange lack of photos sent for this one. Guess they just expect me to fly down. Not a bad idea. Also a coupe in L.A., silver over red, that looks like it's led a happy life.
Last Sunday, I’m over visiting Gene O’Gorman’s, who I’m sure you know from the Maser club. I’m trying to establish the value of a Mistral that has come up in the UK. It is alleged to be the second prototype show car made. It is supposed to have a 3500 engine, rather than the 3.7. It came with a story of being taken to South Africa for display; then a sale to the finance minister; it’s subsequent sale to a local, who kept it till he passed, and his son sold it up in London in 2002. I was negotiating with the current owner while checking with the factory historian to verify facts. So Gene and I are discussing this, and drinking cold bottles of water, Pleasanton was hot, and Gene offers me his Sebring, with the words, “It would be a much better car, and cost less in the long run”. Well, I think I’m hearing things. I verify I’m not. There’s only one proviso, we take delivery after Concorso. Gene has owned the car for 25 years, and four years ago he decided to paint it. He prepped it in his garage, sent it out to be sprayed, and has been rebuilding it for two years. So, after C.I. the collection will have a GT Maser. The Series I Maserati Sebring.
A funny note on the Sebring. After we got it Mark and I met. He proceeded to tell me that he had just made the short blast up from Oakland, through the Caldecott tunnel to downtown Orinda were we were meeting. This is a real torque test of a car, as it rises from 187 feet above sea level to about 500 in a quick 6 mile blast., He was standing next to the Sebring. Now you have to appreciate that all the hot rod cars were being judged by the standards of the Daytona.
"You know I have to say…coming up and out of the tunnel on the grade I nailed it," he said, patting the Sebring, "And I was well and truly pushed into the seat!"
Always have considered the Sebring an underrate car.
As I close this note, we thought it would be fun to get a 308. They could be gotten resonably. We went to look and drive one locally. A Swiss friend sent notice of a 250 Lusso that gave us pause. Instead we've just closed on a BB Boxer out of Pennsylvania, and a 550 Maranello from over on the Peninsula. Both well under a 100k.
Thought you’d be amused.
Scott
Post Script: In this grouping of photos are some that were offered and looked into. Like the 1956 Maserati A6GCS, the 1953 Ferrari 500 Mondiale, the Ferrari Lusso, The 8C Alfa, The Maserati Mistral coupe, The Aston MkIIIs, the Ferrari 330 GTS. These photos are live, or soon will be, linked to their own page with more of the offer photos. These were offered and analyzed, as in "Can we really afford them?" Truth be told, there was the money, really, but when you're just starting, it is hard to write that first check for over 300k, in a market rich with cars from 75 to 225k.
Then there is the Ferrari 250 PF II photo here. This was one of two offered to me by Kirk F. White. I just could not convince Mark to go for them. He thought them too plain. I saw them as bargains to be collected for the future. You can draw your own conclusions here, as Kirk offered both cars, a silver one and a white one. Each were offered below 100k.
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