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Kurtis

Kurtis

Jedi Warrior
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Check this out...

eBay Item 320018407439

Now look at this past auction...

eBay Item 4649766037

Note that the seller is the sucessful bidder from the previous auction. It looks like he sold it to himself through an eBay broker the first time! The current seller (jtimpson) clearly indicates that he's owned the car longer than a month! Shill bidding? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazyeyes.gif
 
"A few months ago, it went through the tough NY State DMV mandated inspection...."

That's laughable. They never even pop the hood on my 76 Capri. What's tough about driving the car for a safety inspection???
 
I'm a little doubtful it was a shill bid. He only entered the one bid, after the previous high. I'd expect a shill to be a little more active, with several earlier bids to push the price up.

But its very odd. He claims to have spent a couple thousand on fixing it up and the earlier auction ended July 27th, along with having it inspected a few months earlier.

Its using the same photos and much the same descrition as the previous sale.

I'd be suspicious that this was some kind of scam, but for the seller being the earlier buyer. Its very, very fishy, though.

Anyone interested should get the seller to explain these peculiarities....
 
If you buy a vehicle on Ebay you must do your homework first and talk to the seller. Make sure that the title is clear and that the title VIN matches the car VIN and that the VIN is correct for that car. After looking for months for a MG Midget I purchased a 76 Midget on Ebay for $3700.00. I have pictures posted in the "Photo" section. The owner & I talked on the phone and sent many emails back & forth. He didn't place a reserve on the car so I got it for what I think was a great buy. The car is everything he said it is and more. I am very happy with the purchase. I buy & sell N scale model trains on Ebay and have had very good results. When buying a vehicle on Ebay do your homework and talk to the seller.
 
There have been some beautiful MGBs on ebay recently, some from dealers, I was tempted enough to even talk it over with the wife. Most of the midget verbage I see in the descriptions have been suspect, 8 out of 10 I wont touch.
 
Barry - you are correct that there have been suspect Midgets on Ebay. There have also been some very nice Midgets. There was a rubber bumper Midget a few months ago that was originally given away on a NBC game show in the 1970s. The owner had all of the original documentation from NBC and the car had very low miles. It sold for around $7K. I didn't think that the NBC game show added to the price but I guess someone did. It was a very nice car even though it was orange (not my favorite) in color. There have also been some good buys for restoration project cars. I looked at 5 different Midgets in a 250 mile area around where I live. In every case the owner lied to me on the phone about the condition of the car. I drove to look at each one and was very disappointed in all of them. I then purchased a 78 Midget from an ad in the Collector Car Trader but the owner's wife wrecked the car before I had it picked up by an auto transport company so that deal was terminated. I then found the 76 Midget that I did buy on Ebay. I talked to the owner on many occasions and got as much info as possible and decided to bid on the car. I am very happy with my purchase. Like I stated above - do your homework and ask the owner many questions. The previous owner of my Midget told me that if for any reason I wasn't happy with the car he would buy it back. I am very happy with the car & plan to own it for many years.
 
My guess is that he threw up a high bid toward the end of the auction when he realized it wasn't going to sell for a high enough price.
 
It's back with a buy it now of only 6K. Not sure what is going on here but I wouldn't touch it...lol.
JC
 
[ QUOTE ]
My guess is that he threw up a high bid toward the end of the auction when he realized it wasn't going to sell for a high enough price.

[/ QUOTE ]

How strange.

A reserve would do that, and not involve any fee as a purchase would.

Its been re-listed:

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Austin-He...1QQcmdZViewItem

Something very odd is going on with the sale of this car.

No reserve now, and no buy-it-now... I think I'd stay away, all this makes the deal look decidedly questionable.
 
It has the back end of a later car grafted on!
Either that or a later car with the early flip front in place of the normal front.
This could be a custimizing job which a previous owner felt improved the looks or usefulness of the car, or the result of an accident, where someone just joined bits of two cars together; no wonder his description leaves some questions.
Simon.
 
Lots of times folks put a Bugeye bonnett on a later model. I expect this is what happened. It is a bolt on change.
 
But they did other things, like change the vin tag to an AN5 ... and change the doors and windshields, if I'm not mistaken. However, it's definitely an unusual one.
 
My original post was related to the suspicious nature of the listings themselves.

I'd guess the car is not a 1959 Bugeye. I suspect it's a simple bonnet and VIN tag switch job. Look at the voltage control box location on the firewall. I'm no Sprite expert, but I thought that was the box Sprite mounting location (I know that my 1959 Bugeye has the voltage control box mounted on the right fender.
 
The trunk on that guy looks almost identicle to my '68 Sprite. Basically, everything rear of the bonnet (including the engine bay) looks identicle to my car. That is not the 1275 radiator (with over flow tank), the wiring doesn't look like my 68 either. The interior on the other hand is pretty close to mine.

I'm reckoning a guess that it's a 65-67 Sprite with some heavy bonnet work.

Ben
 
[ QUOTE ]
When buying a vehicle on Ebay do your homework and talk to the seller.

[/ QUOTE ]

Go see the car!!!!! Talkers can be liars as I well know from the being lied to end. Not exaggerations - flat out lies.

Bruce
 
Definitely not a '59. It's a Mk II ('62-'64) with a bugeye bonnet and VIN plate bolted on, and seats from a Mk III or early Mk IV.
 
[ QUOTE ]
My original post was related to the suspicious nature of the listings themselves.

I'd guess the car is not a 1959 Bugeye. I suspect it's a simple bonnet and VIN tag switch job. Look at the voltage control box location on the firewall. I'm no Sprite expert, but I thought that was the box Sprite mounting location (I know that my 1959 Bugeye has the voltage control box mounted on the right fender.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yup yup...the tach is wrong as are the seats for the bugeye as well as the carbs, probably more if you look close. Not a bad looking car though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif Someone will have fun with it for sure.
 
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