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How would you blow $1 million on cars?

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[ QUOTE ]
Well, if I could squeeze both a 427 Cobra and a Jag XKSS into the millon I'd be in heaven.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not a chance!!! The last XKSS to sell was Steve Earle's former XKSS for $990,000. With that last $10,000 you could buy a used truck and trailer to pull it to events!!!

I personally would also want an XKSS...but probably would forgo the one-for-one million idea, and take:

-289 AC Cobra $100,000
-Ferrari 246 Dino $65,000
-1959 Corvette $45,000 with dual quads
-Duesenberg SJ with dual-cowl phaeton body by either LeBaron or Murphy $400,000
-1960 Porsche 356C Cabriolet $35,000
- 1964 Lincoln Continental Convertible in Black $20,000
-1964 Buick Special Convertible $6,000
-1977 Pontiac Trans Am special edition w/ T-Tops and 4spd $15,000
-Stutz Bearcat $120,000
-MGA Twin Cam $25,000
-Lancia Stratos $145,000
-1970 Challenger R/T 383ci/4spd in Eggshell White $25,000
 
I saw a gorgeous C-Type in Houston a few years ago. Talked at great length with its owner -- a very, very nice and knowledgeable guy. Such a beautiful car.

But like you, I'm partial to D-Types and XKSSs...I supposed my be-all-end-all dream car (okay, one of them!) would be Steve McQueen's old XKSS. If not, I'd certainly love a D-Type racer. I think I have a picture or two of Bruce McCaw racing his D-Type at Pacific Raceways this past summer.
 
Can you believe that in lte '56 Jag had 15 D-types sitting aroung because no one wanted them?

42 D-types and 16 (plus two later factor conversions) XKSS's, well they say genius is unrecognized in its own time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonod.gif

I have to agree with you Steve McQueens XKSS would be the ultimate car to own, although I am sure that at twice the budget we still couldn't afford it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I personally would also want an XKSS...but probably would forgo the one-for-one million idea, and take:
-289 AC Cobra $100,000 . . .
-Lancia Stratos $145,000

[/ QUOTE ]Sammy, if you know of a 289 Cobra for $100,000, please send me a personal E-mail immediately, if not sooner!!!! I would trade my house for a drivable 289 Cobra, but my house isn't worth enough (notice I didn't say "sell my wife"; of course, if I sold the house to buy a car, my wife would automatically be gone too, so I might as well have said it). Big-block Shelby Mustangs are routinely selling at prices near or over $100,000. I have not seen any Cobra for under $250,000 for several years and frame-off restorations have been considerably over $300,000.

I also noticed that the second most expensive car on your list is a Lancia. Is the Stratos really worth that kind of money? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Steve,
I think you'd be surprised at what A/C 289 Cobras sell for away from auctions. The big money is spent on the 427s, but the 289s are (relatively /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif) reasonable. I know a guy with a '65 (original owner,) and his is valued at around $100K. (Beautiful black with red interior -- basically the car is almost entirely original, with the exception of the rear was repainted, but the original front paint didn't fade like the rear.)

There are some "driver" Cobras at this level. Obviously, a concours one is a little higher.

I guess with my prices, I put what I know I could find the cars for. I know others might think I'm lowballing some of them, but most people wonder how I got all the cars I own for the prices I paid (lots of research and a good, solid understanding of advanced principles of negotiation.)

Stratos examples tend to run about 90,000 pounds. I don't know of any Stratos examples permanently residing in the US, although I'd guarantee that someone has one somewhere in North America. I've always been a sucker for the Lancia, for no real apparent reason, other than my first grade teacher drove a Lancia Beta.
 
The Cobras I have seen on Hemmings.com must be reflecting the auction prices, then, and my Old Cars Price Guide has pretty high prices as well. I routinely look at AutoTrader.com and Cars,com, but neither ever have Cobras on them. I am visiting the Cobra Museum in Boulder this weekend, so I will see if they have any leads on "daily drivers."
 
Hemmings is a joke. The cars in Hemmings usually take 8-10 months to sell, and the best industry estimates are that listings sell for, on average, 60% of asking price.

I try to drive this home when I give seminars and in my column: "Asking prices are just asking prices...selling prices are in a completely different ballpark."

You're not really going to find a daily driven Cobra -- they are dreary drivers for actual frequent use. (Hence why most are either low mileage, or were raced.) But you will find cars that "are driven." The big value thing for Cobras are nut-and-bolt restoration and the "racing history." The key is to find one that has no racing history, is in really good shape (but not perfect,) and maybe doesn't even have its original block. That will put you under $100,000 easily. Again, the asking prices might be $130,000, but the sale price might be closer to $85,000.

You have to negotiate and wave nice looking cashiers checks. (For lesser cars like TRs and Corvettes, don't underestimate the power of cash. I once offered a guy $8500 comprised of a stack of $100, $50 and $20 bills for a big block Vette he was asking $14,500 for. I've never seen eyes get so big so quickly. "I'm going to go ask my wife" he says...a minute later he says "I can't say no to that cash.")

If you're serious about buying a Cobra, you can contact the Shelby registry and the Shelby club.
 
Shows that you always are learning around here. I had no idea of what a Stratos was until last week, I now I love 'um.
 
Was looking through the photos on my computer and discovered that I have to add the Alpine A110 to my list. Saw one (a road car, not a racing car) at Road America a year ago and forgot how nice I think they are. I'm thinking twice about the Deuce Highboy project to open up some money for old Alfa Romeos as well. Original Henry metal is pricey these days.

I was looking through my copy of The Healey Book, and would also consider putting together a collection of interesting Sprites and Midgets. Would make an interesting collection!

-William
 
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