[TR] Wanting an OD

[TeriAnn J. Wakeman]

> spitlist at cox.net writes:
> In  terms of today's money, That $85.00 could be multiplied by 10.  So  $850
> was substantial.
>    

I was thinking that $85/month plus or minus no more than $5 was my 
parent's monthly house payment during that time.  Our new 1960 Ford was 
about $2K.

I have collected a number of old magazines from the late fifties and 
early '60s and the prices listed seem incredibly low.  But the dollar 
bought so much more back then.

To give you a better idea, I grabbed the magazine on top of the pile.  
June 1955 with the road test of the new XK140.

Some adds for new cars:

2L Arnolt-Bristal $3995 for the competition model

Coming soon, the new Mercedes 190SL, $3998

Triumph TR2 $2499

Arnolt-MG coupe $2995, convertible $3145 (badge bar $8 extra)

Fiat 600 priced about $950.

Panhard sports sedan, $2245 including all extras

The new Jaguar XK-140 roadster, $3450, The M option (wire wheels, twin 
exhaust, 2 fog lamps, windshield washers $145 extra  The MC option, as 
the M option plus special crankshaft damper, "C" type cylinder head (20 
more HP) $295 extra.

Or how about some nearly new used cars from the June 1955 classified 
section:

1951 Allard J-2 with lots of racing spares $2500

1953 Aston Martin, vantage engine, immaculate $4500

1955 Austin Healey 100, less than 1000 miles, new car condition, $2400 firm

1953 Bentley Continental, perfect show room condition, low mileage, $11000

750 c BMW/Nardi competition roadster and trailer ready to race, some 
spares $2000

1955 Corvette, 4 months old, perfect shape, fully equipped, asking $2600

4.9 Ferrari roadster with lots of spares, indistinguishable from new,  $8000

1954 Ferrari 4.1 America-Mexico coupe 1500 miles, excellent condition $7800

1954 Ferrari 4.5 ex-Goldschmit Finished 4th in Mexico, ready to race $11,500

1954 Jaguar XK-120 , as new $3000

1948 Jaguar MK IV drop head coupe won third in latest C.S.C.C. 
concourse, engine overhauled with 5000 miles, $2500

1949 MGTC, 2700 miles, asking $$1100

1952 Porsche super coupe in A-1 condition $2500

1952 Riley drop head coupe, very good condition $1750

And this is just a representative sample.

Teriann