<VV> The Rising Price of Corvairs

[shortle]

I might take the cake in this group as far as price paid. In February I purchased from Eric Starkey 1969 Monza Convert. #2891. This car had 21,000 original miles and is a very good example of a survivor. It is a very clean original well optioned car. Many of you saw this car in Jax last summer as I drove it across country to attend the national convention and join the '69 group celebrating the 40th anniversary. I paid between 10 and 20K for this car. Now how about the money people have put into their cars? I'm talking about the beautiful restorations that don't get to see the highways as they sit in trailers. Anyone care to comment?
Timothy Shortle in Durango Colorado 

-----Original Message-----
>From: "airvair at earthlink.net" <airvair at earthlink.net>
>Sent: Dec 12, 2009 10:16 AM
>To: Bill Elliott <corvair at fnader.com>, virtualvairs at corvair.org
>Subject: Re: <VV> The Rising Price of Corvairs
>
>Back in '71 I bought my third Corvair, a '67 convert with auto and air for
>$1300. At the time that was slightly above book, but then the car (just
>slightly less than 4 years old) had just 20,000 miles on it.
>
>Today, it has 33,000 miles on it, still with the original top and rear
>window (still pretty nice yet), AND I still own it. How much is it worth? I
>have no idea, nor do I care (except for insurance purposes). I have no
>desire to sell it, so the point is moot. BTW, I also wouldn't sell my '67
>Monza 4dr hardtop, either. It has 56,000 miles on it, and both are loaded
>with options, the latter maxed out. You simply can't replace either one of
>them at any cost.
>
>The point is, I'm sure the convert's appreciated quite a bit since I bought
>it back in '71. Maybe I would have been better off putting that money in a
>savings account or other investment, but I think not. I have had the
>pleasure of putting those miles on it (few as that has been) and of simply
>owning it. And THAT is priceless.
>
>As the late Vincent Price (an avid art collector) once said, buy what you
>like. If it goes up in value, great. But if it doesn't, you have at least
>had the pleasure of owning it. And that beats owning something you hate any
>day. Even if it has appreciated.
>
>-Mark
>
>P.S. I also bought 5999 from Hal Smith in 1981. When I heard Hal's stock in
>trade was an investment broker, I knew I was in trouble. At the time, it's
>market value was approximately $6,000. I ended up having to pay $8500 for
>it, having had to outbid a Chicago ponycar collector for it. I donated it
>three years later to the CPF museum, and received a tax credit for its
>appraised value of $9,000. That yielded only about a third in real-world
>tax savings. For sake of reference, Hal had bought it three years
>previously from (original owner) Harold Boyer's estate for $2500. I lived
>up to my motto, "buy high, sell low, and just try to figure out why I'm not
>making any money." LOL
>
>> [Original Message]
>> From: Bill Elliott <corvair at fnader.com>
>> Subject: Re: <VV> The Rising Price of Corvairs
>>
>> About 7 years ago, I bought an almost completely original '67 4sp 
>> convertible... all records since new, 2 owners (both GM employees), 54k,
>one 
>> paint job circa 1976, maybe a carpet kit and a little repair to both the 
>> front seat upholstery. Original everything else, including the top. I
>paid 
>> what I thought was a very reasonable price (over $5k but under $10k)
>>
>> At least I thought it was reasonable... until I found the cancelled check 
>> where owner #2 had purchased it from owner #1 in 1976. So assuming the
>worst 
>> case, it needed paint, carpet, and the top corners of the front seats
>were 
>> split. It had to otherwise be in nearly perfect shape, was under 10 years 
>> old, and I think had like 30k on it.
>>
>> The price? $125.00
>>
>> Ouch!
>>
>> Bill
>>
>
>
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