How much do you think this will sell for?

[rkep01]

1965 Austin Healey Sprite, 200+ RWHP 1.6 Miata, 5 speed

 

[mightymidget]

that is a hard question because the car is on ebay and people pay big money for junk and bid low on the good stuff. This car seems to be a really nice car and well put together. buuuuuut....You have to find the person who wants this basically one off set up and willing to pay the money. The WoW factor is nice but few people actually want ownership.

When you buy a car like this the person buying car did not put the project together, so when mechanical issues arise it is a mess, what part is this, what year did it come off of,how was this wired or routed..It gets to be a real mess even to the orignal builder with a poor memory.

I am building a bugeye that will have the same values and I realize I probably will be stuck with the car for the rest of my life, or sale at a give away price.

Truly this car will sell for what it is worth. and that is the amount someone is willing to pay.

 

[Boink]

Tough question indeed... and agree about the eBay buyers. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if it reaches $10K, but as/if it goes above that, it would be in direct competition to "authentic" (unchanged but renewed) early Sprites. Remember the "roto-bug" that has appeared a couple of times over the last few months? No sale (though attempts at $15K). If a very nice 1965 restoration is reaching $8-10K, then a modified one probably won't (as nice ias it appears to be). Still, you just KNOW that the seller is going to want over $12K! You'll just have to ride this one out and see if it goes above reserve. Fun to watch.

I wish more people selling their cars did YouTube videos like this guy did. It's SO much more revealing that a dozen still shots.

 

[Bayless]

It would be fun. I have to agree that I would not really want to own it though. Looks like a really well done job. I do like the BE nose on a Spridget too.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

There seems to be too much that I'd have to redo. I do not care for the front suspension/brakes nor the rear axle and wheels/tires. It seems that the car has a bunch of power, but no good way to get it to the ground and control it.

 

[AN5Sprite]

I feel like I've seen this car for sale on CL or Ebay at least once a year since 2008....

 

[mightymidget]

Trevor brings out a very good point,
Not enough tire to benifit from transplant, and with the original wire wheel set up no way to fix that issue.

Spin city

 

[Jim_Gruber]

It still is a very interesting engineering exercise and The Mite web site provides some interesting details on transplanting a Miata engine and Miata 5 Speed into a Spridget Chassis. 200+ hp overkill as you can't put the power on the ground. I'm still surprised it doesn't turn faster times but again that tire contact patch at the back of the car is always a limiting factor.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Aerodynamics is another limiting factor.

 

[mightymidget]

More horsepower more skill needed to get the most out of a vehicle.
That is why the magizine guys can get much better times than Joe blow that goes out and buys a new Mustang or Camaro. It is very hard to launch and get good 60' times in a car with alot of performance capabilities

 

[Sarastro]

I feel like I've seen this car for sale on CL or Ebay at least once a year since 2008....

I know it's been on ebay at least once before. I don't remember what it was bid up to. Too heavily modified for most LBC people and not what the hot-rodders are looking for. Still, I enjoyed the web site and I think it was quite an impressive job.

 

[DWeeB]

I bet it does awesome smoke shows

 

[Jim_Gruber]

GO to the Web Site for The Mite and the last clip is indeed a smokeshow.

 

[Guest]

I'm gonna buy it and put nitrous on it.

 

[Gerard]

I feel like I've seen this car for sale on CL or Ebay at least once a year since 2008....

Your impression is correct... I've seen it too.

 

[Boink]

Looks like it might fetch a fair bit! It just hit $10,000 with 5 days still to go!!!

 

[AN5Sprite]

Doubtful there's a legit bidder in the bunch. They're all just trying to see where the reserve is and if one of them finds it, the fun will be gone and so will they.

 

[Boink]

Doubtful there's a legit bidder in the bunch. They're all just trying to see where the reserve is and if one of them finds it, the fun will be gone and so will they.

Might be. I see that the light-green one that had the flared fenders supposedly went for $15,900 only to see it back on eBay within a day (and then didn't sell). Kinda sneaky really.

 

[61frogeye]

I was just looking at the actual bids: the bidders, the dates/times and the amounts. Is it just me or does something look odd there?

 

[Boink]

I was just looking at the actual bids: the bidders, the dates/times and the amounts. Is it just me or does something look odd there?

Yes, a slightly odd pattern and only a couple of serious bidders. I've often wondered if some sellers set up fake biddig accounts (or others set up fake ones just to explore or troll). The 2 bids at $10,000 are the product of some auto-bidding (thus the one person continues to hold the high spot). Typically these things don't really get going until the last day or so... which is making this pattern interesting.