In a message dated 10/3/04 7:57:15 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
owner-fot-digest@autox.team.net writes:
> From: "Richard Taylor" <tarch@bellsouth.net>
> Subject: $ for race cars
>
> Well, I can't figure it out either.
>
> My TR-4 was worth maybe $7000 before I blew the engine at VIR. A month ago
a
> fellow walked into my shop as I was pulling the motor out and offered me
> $12,000 for the car as is. I figure that the engine repair will cost about
> $3500 in parts and told him so.
>
> We've many of us been through this type of thing.
> I bought my first car, a bog-standard 67 Triumph Herald 1200 Convertible in
> March 1981 for 300 GBP, (quite a lot back then for me, 6 weeks pay in my
first
job)...it was parked out in the street in red-brown primer all stripped out
while my late fther an I worked on it, and I had two generous offers within a
week, the first was for 1200 GBP from an Australian guy who wanted something
interesting to drive around while he did his tour of the old country, I turned
him own for reasons that I didn't exactly understand at the time, as I had
never driven it.
The second offer was for 2,000 GBP from a couple of gentlemen of Arab
extraction. After some thought I also turned this offer down, as I figured
that
perhaps I had something in my possession worth keeping?
Over the following 17 years, and some 175,000 miles, I had many adventures
involving tuning, touring, track and test days, concours and a great deal of
Triumph Club life...these experiences are unrepeatable, and priceless. I have
never regretted not selling that car to those people for one second.
I built my Vitesse Convertible using much of the knowledge, and parts,
gleaned from running and repairing my Herald over the years.
When I left the UK with it in March 2002, it was valued, for insurance
purposes, at 16,000 GBP, and still with a lot of improvments planned and under
way.
The year before when on show at the London Classic Car Show at Alexander
Palace, a gent offered me a straight swap for his Rolls Royce Corniche
Convertible, (valued at around 21,000 GBP at that time)...much to the
considerable
incredulity of friends and family, I turned the offer down, not least because
I
really didn't want or need such a car, and I was already into my Vitesse for
around 30,000 GBP...even some of my best friends in Triumph clubs said I was
crazy
not to rip his hand off...but, and here's the thing, the elderly fellow said
to me that he wanted it for his wife as she found the RR rather heavy to steer
and wanted something a little lighter...he obviously didn't notice how the
front two cylinders of the Triumph 6 are in front of the steering rack, nor
the
triple weber DCOE's which might have perhaps been a little difficult for his
wife to come to terms with!
Since I brought the car over here, to rural southern Oregon, I have had one
serious offer from a man of means for 30,000 USD...nope, not happening.
I am still working on my car, I have to refit my oil cooler system, (ripped
off on road humps in London), and then there's those nice alloy rear wishbones
that I recently collected from Canley Classics with Superflex Polyurethane
bushes etc etc...
It is a work in progress, and unless such as Jay Leno says "here's 100,000
USD"
nope, not for sale...
You know it's really kind of nice to own something that even a rich man
cannot buy, especially for an average working Joe like me, heck I couldn't
even
afford to go to Triumphest, 60 dollars registration, plus hotels, banquets,
boat
trips and gas...not this year ;-(
Anyhow, I don't need any more trophies to polish, I already have my prize,
and it says Triumph on the front!
Regards 2 all.
Lion
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