<VV> Short Fall Carlisle Report
Bill Elliott
corvair at fnader.com
Thu Oct 4 17:43:33 EDT 2007
I played hooky for a few hours this afternoon and went for a walk around
Fall Carlisle. The weather was beautiful (unlike the typically cold and
wet fall weather) and looks like it will stay that way throughout the
show. So if you haven't been in a while, now is the time to go.
Not a lot to report from a Corvair angle. The blue '65 sedan was there
again, still priced at $1850. I think this is the 6th show I've seen it at?
Outside Gate 1 (up the street towards Gate 2) was a decent looking '65
convertible. Reported to be an "older restoration" in black/ burgundy
interior... the paint left something to be desired and there were some
disturbing rust bubbles behind the front wheels which would bear further
investigation, but overall it looked like a possibility for a driver.
Price was $6800 or so... soft I sensed.
Inside the most interesting non-Corvair but semi-Corvair related car
that you never ever see was a very nice '78 Monza hatchback with the
four horizontal headlamps, factory 305 and a 4 speed. You just never see
these H bodies any more and never the combo of the sleek front end, V8,
and manual trans. (This one looked stock outside, but had a full cage
inside (along with a completely restored factory interior) and I suspect
more than the stock 150hp 305 under the bonnet. Beautiful paint (blue
met), nice trim, period alloys correctly restored... just a very nice
car overall. If anything the professionally built cage
detracted...that's how nice the car was otherwise. Price was a
tantalizing $5500 and it was drawing a crowd.I don't know why you don't
see more of these attractive cars...
Not many Corvair parts on display for sale, but I can settle the old
argument of what's worth more, 13" hubcaps (because they are more rare)
or 14" hubcaps (less rare, but fit more cars). Vendor (on row IH for
anyone interested) had two NOS sets of mag hubcaps (my favorite
hubcap)... a 13" set and a 14" set. 13's were priced at an awesome $200
(I would have bought them at that but my only steel wheeled Corvair is
running 14's) and the 14's at a number more in line with what I've seen
before... $800.
I did not go through the car corral carefully... just sort of grazed
around the edges, so I may have missed some Corvairs there. But with the
regular announcements for "recycled car corral" ticket holders to report
for their space assignments, cars seemed to be moving much more quickly
than years past.
Overall, I sensed a general softening of the extreme prices I've been
seeing at shows lately. The Monza was one example, but today there were
TWO nicely restored Ford rumble seat roadsters (one factory 4, one
tastefully rodded), each under $20k. No way you could restore either car
for that... the understated rod being a real bargain in my book. Unlike
a lot of shows lately where anything attractive was $30k or over, $20k
would have given you your choice of several very nice and desirable
cars... still makes you happy to be a Corvair guy where nice cars are
but a fraction of even those lowish numbers...
I had planned to go back on Saturday morning... almost afraid to. If
that Monza hasn't sold and the guy reduces the price again, I'll be in
danger of "automotively wronging" my wife! ;-)
Bill
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