Big block CSX3259 at dealership near SF

[CobraV8]

The engine had holley dual quads and chrome valve covers. The article from 2000 says the car has the sideoiler engine, but you can't tell it from the pictures (cross bolted mains not visible).

What you can tell for sure is that the car underwent a complete restauration since then.

[tkb289]

Nice photos and interesting history ... I wonder what the car looked like before it was restored ....

- Tim

[RodKnock]

Stewart Hall does wonderful work, though $300,000 is a tad more than I spent there with my Kirkham.

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by tkb289

Nice photos and interesting history ... I wonder what the car looked like before it was restored ....

- Tim

I've got pics from 2002...was red then, with pipes, scoop and roll bar. Same engine w/webers.

Had street dash and street trunk then.

[Rick Parker]

May I be so naive to ask what $314,000 gets you in a restoration other than blue sky?

[Excaliber]

Good question Rick. Assuming the bulk of the parts used in the restoration were not original (but genuine ) the cost of said parts would be a very small percentage of the cost.

I'm thinking the labor was in excess of a $100 an hour and the kind of detail speaks of LOT'S of man hours. So, assuming the parts were a 1/3rd, more likely a 1/4 or less, of the total cost, how many hours of labor at $100 an hour?

What IS the going rate for shops that restore classic cars, Cobra's in particular? I'm thinking a $100 an hour is to low. Perhaps $200 an hour? How about 1\3rd for parts? $100K for "genuine" parts? Hmmm, that's possible, engine could easily go $50K by itself.

[Igofastr]

I still think that they're asking too much, and will add that I think they probably paid too much for the restoration. Depending on what they paid for the car, they could well be underwater.

Remember, this was a street 427, with a 428 motor, with no significant history. Now, it bares little resemblance to it's original form for no reason other than the whims of the owners. In my opinion, in today's market, they're asking too much. Probably six figures too much.

ps..Where's that guy from Florida? How much did he pay at BJ recently?

[Excaliber]

I don't think the engine 427 vs 428 original or not is an issue though. Many of the originals had the 428 out in not time at all and a 427 installed in it's place. As it concerns the "conversion", yeah plenty of street cars went through that at some point in their life (street to SC). Value depreciation because of the conversion? Maybe with a car with some history, but 99% of the street cars had no history anyway. In this case, I doubt it makes much difference.

Asking to much at $700K plus? Hmmm, that's a tough one, if I was selling it I'd start there and entertain offers. How much they got in it doesn't matter when it comes to how much it's worth. It is a very clean clean nice car, could command top dollar on that alone.

I'd say in excess of a 1,000 man hours. Could be easily double that. At $100 an hour 2000 hours is $200,000 in labor. Typical English sports car, trashed, ground up resto takes about a 1,000 hours for an experienced shop. The labor rate for a GREAT Austin Healey mechanic I used on occasion in Honolulu was $125 an hour. I didn't use him often...

[Igofastr]

I agree with everything you say, except that I don't see the market at $700K for an otherwise run-of-the-mill street car (nicely, but not perfectly finished).

Of course, a seller can ask anything he wants too. It doesn't mean anybody will pay it. Time will tell, I suppose. I'd like to find out what this car really sells for, but that may not be possible, as often the buyer/seller don't really want that information "out there".

Originally Posted by Excaliber

I don't think the engine 427 vs 428 original or not is an issue though. Many of the originals had the 428 out in not time at all and a 427 installed in it's place. As it concerns the "conversion", yeah plenty of street cars went through that at some point in their life (street to SC). Value depreciation because of the conversion? Maybe with a car with some history, but 99% of the street cars had no history anyway. In this case, I doubt it makes much difference.

Asking to much at $700K plus? Hmmm, that's a tough one, if I was selling it I'd start there and entertain offers. How much they got in it doesn't matter when it comes to how much it's worth. It is a very clean clean nice car, could command top dollar on that alone.

I'd say in excess of a 1,000 man hours. Could be easily double that. At $100 an hour 2000 hours is $200,000 in labor. Typical English sports car, trashed, ground up resto takes about a 1,000 hours for an experienced shop. The labor rate for a GREAT Austin Healey mechanic I used on occasion in Honolulu was $125 an hour. I didn't use him often...

[1ntCobra]

The Fantasy Junction website says they are asking $785K. That does seem high. I think CSX3020, which is a competition roadster went for around $1M at auction recently. I doubt a street car would go for almost 80% of the price of a competition car, but what do I know?

Also I think that the polished aluminum panels takes away from the originality, more so than the swapped motor and S/C conversion. Considering that a S/C conversion was done, the tail lights jump out as being wrong. For the over $300K worth of work done, you would think they could have put in the rectangular tail lights and more original looking side pipes.

Originally Posted by Igofastr

I agree with everything you say, except that I don't see the market at $700K for an otherwise run-of-the-mill street car (nicely, but not perfectly finished).

Of course, a seller can ask anything he wants too. It doesn't mean anybody will pay it. Time will tell, I suppose. I'd like to find out what this car really sells for, but that may not be possible, as often the buyer/seller don't really want that information "out there".

[1ntCobra]

For that price it should also have more rivets in the hood.

[Igofastr]

Originally Posted by 1ntCobra

For that price it should also have more rivets in the hood.

No kidding.

Really, $300K is TOO MUCH for that restoration. Heck, the Kirkhams could have built the danged thing for a third of that. Yah, yah, I know, a restoration can be more difficult than building from scratch in some ways. But seriously, how much of that car is original anyway.

Oh well, wish I had the money for it. I wouldn't buy it, but wish I had the money .

[Jamo]

Hehehe.......

[tmareina]

That looks exactly like the car I ALMOST bought in June of '67 from Shelby. I still kick myself for not buying it.....BUT......at 20 I would probably have died driving it.

[RodKnock]

Considering that a recent 289 sold for $440,000 (?) and a comp car sold for $1MM, $785,000 seems in the ballpark to me. Fantasy Junction isn't known for selling anything cheaply.

I saw this car at Hall Fabrication when my Kirkham was being fitted with its engine and tranny and I thought it looked nearly flawless and those are REAL MAGNESIUM Halibrands.

The ad also says that the $300K+ resto includes "fastidious maintenance."

[4pipes]

Tough Room.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by 4pipes

Tough Room.

I agree. While it's not exactly to my taste, the work is/was flawless.

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

I think 700k would be about right for this car. The 427/428 issue is a non issue, as they just made it right. The condition prior to restoration probably has no effect on a total body-off resto price (stripping good paint vs. stripping bad paint?). It's a beautiful car and undoubtedly will not depreciate. I wouldn't mind taking it out for a Saturday morning drive.

[Excaliber]

Pretty rare for a dealer to stick to asking price to the point of letting someone walk away. They would drop to $700 pretty quick is my guess and then you start negotiating from there.

[Woodz428]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Pretty rare for a dealer to stick to asking price to the point of letting someone walk away. They would drop to $700 pretty quick is my guess and then you start negotiating from there.

You would think...but having worked for some real a$$holes over the years, it doesn't always happen. I can recall more than one case where they didn't budge, even one where the dealer insulted the guy. The one that is the most indicative of the mentality I have seen was a few years ago and the guy had picked up a very low mileage HD, decked out in chrome and a bunch of HD crap. He felt that it was worth X amount and stuck to that. Even when a guy walked in within a week with cash and offered him several thousand less than WHAT he thought it was worth. 6 months later, he sold it for the same as the guy had offered him the first week he had it. Of course all the interest he paid until then negated any profit he may have made, if the greed hadn't run so deep.
I might add that everyone of those guys is out of business...for unsound financial reasons,LOL.