Triumphs are recession-proof????

[vagt6]

Nice '70 GT6 bidding up to $15K, looks like a proverbial "feeding frenzy" (my term for when 2-3 bidders go to war on each other, artificially driving up the price):

Ebay GT6


Note the description in the ad says "GT-5". Hope that doens't mean it's only running on 5 cylinders! There are a few minor flaws, but I can't see anything major:

> rotoflex donuts need replacing (cracked rubber);
> minor surface rust on undercarriage (significant??);
> Very natty dashboard;
> Interior needs a little attention (carpets worn; seats a bit natty);
> Other details that only a concours judge would mind.


Big price for a non-concours GT6+! Mark IIs are getting rare as hen's teeth, especially a nice example. This is the first really nice example of a MKII I've seen in a year or so on eBay.

Anyone here bidding????

 

[Andrew Mace]

I'm a bit surprised it's gotten that high, and it will be interesting to see if that price holds (or if the car will reappear on eBay again soon). Beyond the somewhat silly description (some of which is incorrect!), it does look to be a pretty nice original car, save for a couple of details such as the rear lamps. I'll forgive the stop/tail lenses being wrong, since the 1970-model-only lenses are almost impossible to find, but the turn signal lamps and the red lamps (should be reflectors) inboard of the turn signals both are just wrong. But those are minor details that are easily fixed (except for finding those tail lamp lenses)!

So...auction fever, or honest value for a relatively low-mileage original GT? and it's not even red!

 

[vagt6]

Sharp eye there, Andrew!

It will be over soon. Just goes to show us that nice examples of these cars are holding their value, and more.

Good news in gloomy financial times, IMHO!

 

[Andrew Mace]

Sharp eye there, Andrew!

Thanks! It helps that I've owned a very early 1970 model GT6+ since 1975 (and have parted one other as well as several 1970 Spitfires all with the same lighting in the rear). Sadly, the GT's been in storage since 1983, and it's slated to become a short-term donor to a GT6 convertible project with my son. I'm hoping it won't be a permanent donor, but if there's any hope of completing the project by next spring without an unlimited budget, the other car will "loan" its powertrain for awhile....

Meanwhile, if I'd recently won the lottery or succeeded helping that Nigerian Prince transfer his wealth to the US, I'd be flying out to pick up this Spitfire 4 !!!

 

[tdskip]

I think good cars will always sell, marginal ones would be more likely to feel any downdraft.

I don't choose to look at these as investments, but I can sadly tell you that the "fleet" has held up a lot better than my 401K has over the last six months...

 

[jackag91]

I would like to fix up a GT6 after I finish my Tr6....maybe I will have time before I die.

 

[vagt6]

Winning bid was $14,900. 39 bids. I wonder how many bidders?

Anyway, this puts nicely sorted MK IIs into the TR-6 price range. This may have been an anomaly, but probably not. The rarity of the MK IIs is probably the X factor.

This car was not perfect, I'd give it an 8 out of 10, maybe. Nice, but not perfect.

And it was my favorite color, too! If only I wasn't building an addition onto my home right now, Ida . . .

 

[Andrew Mace]

Winning bid was $14,900. 39 bids. I wonder how many bidders?

Twelve, according to the listing.

 

[3798j]

I too was really drawn to both these auctions (MkII & Spit4). While admittedly I'm a sucker for each, I think the real hook for me,was the abscence of undercoating,the overall originality, and the appearance that it would not take anything too heroic to bring them into line. Unfortunatley both were left coast cars and I'm not. As far a auction prices, usually when I really like something, there's someone else with big money showing me why.

 

[NickMorgan]

That is a beautiful car and looks to me to be well worth the price. For me, an original car is worth so much more than a restored one.
Interesting to note that at today's exchange rate that car sold for £10,000, and I think that it would have sold for more than that over here.
Triumphs seem to sell for 50 - 100% more over here than they do in the USA. In fact there was an article in a classic car magazine recently stating (tongue in cheek) that the Americans don't appreciate Triumphs and because they are so much cheaper in the USA we should be buying them and bringing them over here where we understand the bumps and rattles!
The recent economic climate has knocked the price of average cars over here, but good ones are still selling for top money.

 

[vagt6]

Interesting, Nick.

I watch "pistonheads.com", a British website that lists a wide range of Brit and foreign cars for sale, with pricing. The MK II GT6s are scarce over there, too, and go for relatively high prices when a nice one pops up.

Nice examples of MK I and MK II GT6s, whether original or not, fetch premium prices.

Rare, beautiful car and tons o' fun to drive. The "poor man's Jag". :thumbsup:

 

[vagt6]

Sharp eye there, Andrew!

Thanks! It helps that I've owned a very early 1970 model GT6+ since 1975 (and have parted one other as well as several 1970 Spitfires all with the same lighting in the rear). Sadly, the GT's been in storage since 1983, and it's slated to become a short-term donor to a GT6 convertible project with my son. I'm hoping it won't be a permanent donor, but if there's any hope of completing the project by next spring without an unlimited budget, the other car will "loan" its powertrain for awhile....

Meanwhile, if I'd recently won the lottery or succeeded helping that Nigerian Prince transfer his wealth to the US, I'd be flying out to pick up this Spitfire 4 !!!

That's a very nice example, very restorable. And, my favorite year, too.

 

[TR6oldtimer]

If you look closely at the enlarged images of the under carriage, the car has rust issues along the outer floors and inner sills. You can even see bubbling of the paint in these areas, which means rust. It also appears the car was given a quick paint job to sell.

Still a nice car, but a bit out of my price range.

 

[dklawson]

I had been watching the Mk2 Spit for 5 days or so. It looked so unmolested I was curious about where it would close and I was surprised when it hit $6300 and hadn't hit the reserve. Imagine my surprise coming back after dinner and finding that it closed with 27 bids and went for $10.1k I know it's a wonderful example but I still was surprised it went for that much! Obviously originality has value.

 

[myspitfire]

2/3 of the OEM's did come to the USA & we have a bounty to choose from.And yes
good ones are holding there own.Its unfortunate tho with the times we live in with the economys, some have to give up & recycle there assets.Fortunately mines all paid for,and sitting pretty in a warm garage waiting for the first warm SPRING day.
Ken

 

[toysrrus]

Hi vagt6,

I bought a `72 TR6 from "California Classix" a few yrs ago. Super Nice Car & People as well. I would feel very confident in a purchase from them.

Looks like the auction ended at $14,900.

Did you win?

Russ

 

[vagt6]

Hi vagt6,

I bought a `72 TR6 from "California Classix" a few yrs ago. Super Nice Car & People as well. I would feel very confident in a purchase from them.

Looks like the auction ended at $14,900.

Did you win?

Russ

Hey Russ, sadly I did not purchase this GT6. Most of my mad money is going into a garage addition to my home right now. Another LBC will occupy the new garage sometime next year, and I'm thinking about a SpitSix, maybe . . .

It's good to know that you had a positive experience with California Classix. I've seen a number of their cars for sale.

Yes, these are some kooky prices for Spits ($10K) and GT6s ($15K). Somehow, I always knew the prices would escalate on these cars, seemed inevitable. So much fun to drive, (relatively) easy to restore/maintain, etc.

Are these higher values a one time phenom, or a new pricing trend??? We'll see.

 

[Tinster]

Recession proof?

I'm not sure I can do the advanced math of this one.
Thousands of hours labor spent; about $50,000 spent
in parts and professional labor to obtain a car worth
perhaps $6,000 to $7000 on E-Bay?

Sounds like a fool's errand to me.

d

 

[Andrew Mace]

Are these higher values a one time phenom, or a new pricing trend??? We'll see.

I think they're a bit of both. I suspect values in general will continue to rise for British cars for some time. And yes, there will always be the occasional instance of "auction fever" that results in $97k for a (possibly over-) restored TR4. More importantly, though, I think wise collectors will long continue to place a premium on exceptionally well cared for originals such as these two cars.

 

[vagt6]

Recession proof?

I'm not sure I can do the advanced math of this one.
Thousands of hours labor spent; about $50,000 spent
in parts and professional labor to obtain a car worth
perhaps $6,000 to $7000 on E-Bay?

Sounds like a fool's errand to me.

d

Not sure whose car you're referring to, but yes, to spend that kind of money would most certainly be a "fool's errand", or worse.

No need to <span style="font-weight: bold">ever</span> spend that kind of money on a TR/MGB/Spridget and/or most LBCs. <span style="font-style: italic">Totally unwarranted</span>.

However, such folks DO support the LBC parts aftermarket! What would the parts vendors do without them??? :lol: