Randy Trautman said:
>Asking price is $3500.
>She did not accept $3000 (I'm on a budget, saving some for repairs) and we
>agreed to talk Monday. The car is not advertised. Let me know what you
>think. Please be gentle, I'm loosing sleep over it already.
To answer your question:
This section from my web site:
---------------
Bought my "Black Beauty" 73 B roadster in 1988 for $275.00. It was a real
"project" car. It was then white with a blue right front fender and a
rusted brown hood. It had at some time been last repainted with a paint
brush. The interior was navy, with all the stuffing's showing. None of the
tires matched. Bought it from the original owner, who had given it to his
young geeky son, who eventually trashed it. Didn't ring it out, just didn't
take care of it. Barely ran. I almost made it to my home with it. Drove it
15 miles to within a couple of blocks of the house then had to tow it the
rest of the way.
It had very little rust other than the hood and was solid otherwise. Since
then I have done one full 2 year restoration project, used it as a daily
driver, wore it out again, and completed (if you ever complete and MG) a
second refurbishing five years ago. It is fully updated, including
appearance and mechanical. While my B is not original in every respect, it
has been updated trying to keep as much of the flavor and period appearance
of the vehicle as was possible while still increasing the performance and
reliability and improving the appearance as much as possible.
-----------------
My B looks absolutely fantastic now, though not absolutely perfect as a
concours restoration would be. I am just NOT the perfectionist. IF I were to
have to sell it for some reason though, I wouldn't take anything less than
$7500-$8500 for Black Beauty, if I would even sell it at all in the final
end. Worth more to me than that, though probably nobody would pay too much
more.
Our (year) models (70 or so through the early 74 1/2 CBB) go from as little
as a few hundred dollars for a rough project/parts car, to maybe as high as
$9-10,000 very once in a while for an all original, perfect, numbers
matching well done concours restoration. I insured mine for $10,000.
Sounds like you've already got the "original" part with this 72 if you are
in-fact purchasing it from the original owner and being otherwise apparently
fully intact. But, to determine the value of the vehicle to you, you must
ask yourself either of the following two questions:
1). If you are looking at this strictly as a financial investment, the
question is; Can you cost effectively bring this B up to snuff (to the
standards of a potential normal buyer) within budget without spending more
than what you can sell it for, purchase price and repairs combined, as per
what I said above? Even if the car were to be in "brand new" condition, with
say, only 300-400 miles on it, it would still need lots of restoration money
spent on it. Lots or the soft gaskets, rubber and plastic parts rot, oxidize
and becomes brittle. You've got to replace all this, which means that most
mechanical components will still have to be disassembled, these soft parts
replaced and then everything reassembled.
- or -
2). Do you even care?
Personally, I don't care! I've spent a LOT more on my B (1 restoration and 1
thorough refurbish) than it is worth. I probably will spend a lot more too!
And, the money is nothing in comparison to all the work, labor and hassle
involved. You've got to love 'em and be a little bit of a "glutton for
punishment". I've had mine for 15 years now though, and I ain't planning on
it going nowhere no time soon!! My son, who helped me some with the first
restoration when he was just a kid, is planning on inheriting it one day
from me and I'm not planning on letting him down. However, I've still got a
good way to go (I'm only 57 years young). He better be very patient. I plan
on being around and driving it a long time still.
I think that lots of folks on this list are like me. Though we all have to
live within our limitations, the money really doesn't really otherwise
matter so much.
All that being said, if you still want it, offer to split the difference
with her at $3250.00. The art of compromise!! Works most of the time.
Hope this helps. I enjoyed giving you this answer.
-Jerry Erbesfield
73 B Black Beauty roadster
jerbesfield@mediaone.net
website- http://people.atl.mediaone.net/jerbesfield
///
/// mgs@autox.team.net mailing list
/// or try http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
///
|