I thought ERA only sold rollers (scam?)

[SCOBRAC]

Does this make any sense? I have ERA literature back to 1982 and I have never seen an ERA like this outside the plant. If it is a scam lets shut it down.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2456770626

[WBofTN]

and:
"Seller's payment instructions:
All shipping, delivery, and handling fees are to be payed by the buyer. Full payment for this item is to be received within ten days of auction close via cashiers check, money order, or wire transfer. Shipping Cst is Boat using about us$2,500 Air using us$8,000 to us$12,000.00"
?????????????????
WB

[Tongue Pirate]

I believe someone here actually looked at this or "these" cars a few months back. I actually talked to them about a year ago about one & didn't persue it from there. As said before they don't appear to be ERA bodies as there are no seam lines. Unless of course the bodywork has been done & it has some sort of non factory finish on it.????

[Chaplin]

Mike-
ERA will sell you anything from a bare bones kit (like you see pictured in the ad) to a turn key. The fact that it is just the body and frame does not necessarily mean that it is not an ERA. But it could still be a scam. Wonder what the ERA car number it is?

edit- But from looking at the frame, the mounting brackets on the frame and the rear subframe, it does look like an ERA. Does anyone other than ERA put the rear in its own sub-frame? Just noticed that it says it is ERA 158.

[SCOBRAC]

I know all the makers sold parts, service items if you will. Everything I have ever seen on an ERA pallet has certain parts attached, this just seems to be a super bare bones collection of parts. Maybe it's legit, maybe not. I forwarded it to BP and we'll see.

Funny the shipping is from SOCAL but the shipping costs don't reflect that.

[John 550]

Looks like an era to me ( got one ) althought , did the seller modified the mouth ?
Might make a good spare for me .

[decooney]

Yes, you can buy just a frame/body from ERA...but it makes little sense to do so since you need many other parts to finish it anyhow. This is a rerun of the same car that did not sell last time on eBay due to misleading information and extra pictures that had little to do with the ad (after multiple inquiries). Seems to include the subframe/differential this time. Getting smarter!

IMO: Requires onsite investigation to see what the real history of the body/chassis might be? Is it a takeoff from a wrecked car and then fixed for resale? The other question I would want to answer is what other parts are available for the car that are not included, and why aren't they included now with the car to make it a more attractive package for buyers, at a higher price for the seller? Strange. It would be worth investgating in person, and to see what MM would or would not say about it?

[strictlypersonl]

Mr. Tanabe did indeed buy many early cars from us. Frankly, I don't understand some of the body modifications that he mentioned but...

A couple of the cars may have been RHD.

If you bid on the car, make sure that you know exactly what is missing. We can supply almost anything, but the $ may tend to add up.

[Fox]

This is the thread decooney was referring to.

Is this really ERA 158??? Help!!!

-John

[Woodz428]

I don't know if it's a scam, but the same guy (or someone using the exact same wording) had some similar stuff on e-bay, about a month ago, and I think it was closed down early for some reason. It was also brought up here and there was some questionable language in the ad, actually it was at first in japanese until it was corrected and then closed. He did say that the mouth had been modified and was probably primered at that time.

[chopper]

I don't know if it's a scam or not, but one item which caught my eye was the statement on the e-bay ad which referred to a 91.5 inch wheelbase. As far as I know, all of the ERA cars have a 90 inch wheelbase, just like the originals. That's enough to make me suspicious, but then, I'm normally suspicious.

[Jim Holden]

Folks:

According to Peter at ERA, ERA chassis#158 was sold to a Joe Gleason in Vermont... Tho, it could very well be that "Mr. Tanabe" may have purchased this kit from Mr. Gleason. The frame and cage for the rear do look like those of that period (1987+/-)

Peter indicates that ERA has never made any other wheelbase other than 90" and but for a couple of very early cars that went to England, no right hand drive ones. The picutres of this kit indicate however that it is left hand drive.

Jim