Value of Butler built in '08?

FreedomMachine · #1 (**permalink**) 07-09-2012, 12:41 PM

Hi everyone, I was thrilled to find this forum but unfortunately I'm needing to sell my Butler to help fund graduate school. I'm curious what you guys think is a fair asking price for my Butler built in 2008. It only has 3,8XX miles on it and runs like a champ. Still looks brand new. The ID number is BR1282011. Any information would be helpful!

joyridin' · #2 (**permalink**) 07-09-2012, 04:57 PM

Nice looking car. Unfortunately, this is a pretty bad time to be selling a Cobra as you probably know. More details are needed like what transmission, brake system, etc, but 2 things right off the bat that might hurt you. The hood scoop and the fact it has a Chevy engine.

$25-$30k if you are lucky?

FreedomMachine · #3 (**permalink**) 07-09-2012, 06:48 PM

Thanks for the feedback. Those are tough figures to hear. I'm open to any other thoughts/suggestions and will let everyone know what I end up selling her for.

Donunder · #4 (**permalink**) 07-09-2012, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joyridin'

Nice looking car. Unfortunately, this is a pretty bad time to be selling a Cobra as you probably know. More details are needed like what transmission, brake system, etc, but 2 things right off the bat that might hurt you. The hood scoop and the fact it has a Chevy engine.

$25-$30k if you are lucky?

Chevy engine? Not a problem for these cars as a significant proportion of Arntz/ Butler cars came with SB or BB Chevys from the manufacturer, and prospective buyers are aware of the Chevy heritage.

The scoop is somewhat oversized and squared off but with the engines being set so far back in these cars it is necessary to go oversize on the scoop to fit a worthwhile air cleaner. The traditional "notch" in the shroud to provide distributor clearance/ access appears not to have been done properly but otherwise the car seems to be well presented.

Genuine low mileage and overall good presentation should put your car in the $30-$35K category I would think. Butlers are an often overlooked make but they are a great car along with their Arntz predecessors. Be aware of the depressed market at present but don't let it go cheaply either! Perhaps advertising it on Cobra Country would bring it to a wider more discerning market. Pity you have to dispose of it but good luck with the sale.

Thor maine · #5 (**permalink**) 07-09-2012, 07:52 PM

The Chevy is not a problem. Don't let the "Ford Only in a Cobra " crowd tell you otherwise. The majority of Artnz/Butler's came built for chevy engines. And just think of the $15k less you spent to put in a BB Chevy.So say you sell it for $35 ish and say a top notch Butler with a 427 SO and Toploader sells for $50ish ,but you spent more than $15 extra to put that Ford sideoiler in.Net result you made more putting the Chevy in or a least it is a wash.

Thor maine · #6 (**permalink**) 07-09-2012, 07:54 PM

But the hood scoop does look a little odd.

joyridin' · #7 (**permalink**) 07-10-2012, 03:54 AM

Sorry, but the Chevy engine IS a problem. Mine has one and the first thing 95% of the people say is "Oh..it has a Chevy engine".

Butler and Arntz were great cars, but they are basically old school in the big picture of things. Since some of you have spent thousands upgrading the front suspension, you already know what I mean.

FreedomMachine · #8 (**permalink**) 07-10-2012, 10:26 AM

Thanks for all of the input. When I bought the car, originality wasn't my main concern. I rather liked that it had the Chevy engine and the more modern appearance of the squared off hood scoop. I know I may be the minority among enthusiasts but that's partly why it will be so hard for me to let this one go

.

Does anyone know if Butler is still building cars? I was surprised when I found out this one was built as recently as 2008.

Got the Bug · #9 (**permalink**) 07-10-2012, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreedomMachine

Thanks for all of the input. When I bought the car, originality wasn't my main concern. I rather liked that it had the Chevy engine and the more modern appearance of the squared off hood scoop. I know I may be the minority among enthusiasts but that's partly why it will be so hard for me to let this one go

.

Does anyone know if Butler is still building cars? I was surprised when I found out this one was built as recently as 2008.

I thought I read that Butler stopped making cars in the mid-80's. The owner must have set the project aside or bought an unfinished kit for it to be completed in 2008.

Good luck on the sale.

Donunder · #10 (**permalink**) 07-10-2012, 05:07 PM

Hey FM, I've been thinking..
Are you sure there isn't another way to finance graduate school?

Butlers aren't exactly plentiful, and as Joyridin says they are somewhat "old school" which to my mind adds to their desirability. They're built tough and they're heavier than a lot of the other makes but good old BB Chevy grunt takes care of that.

My car was built in 1979 and even though it's a low mileage example like yours, I felt it prudent to replace the original MGB front end (which was readily available at the time) with something lighter and more in line with modern suspension and steering thinking. This was purely a personal thing, and I know of other Arntz/Butlers around that lead a very active life, still with the original front ends. I'm not sure but I doubt that as yours is a recent build, it would have MGB componentry up front anyway.

There will be any number of other Cobra replicas to buy later, but once your Butler has gone the odds of getting another one in the future will be slim. Why not keep it, have another scoop fitted if you want, and just enjoy something that's very desirable and somehow unique in the Cobra world?

Donunder · #11 (**permalink**) 07-10-2012, 10:08 PM

PS: There's always this to consider too. A piece of history that even the most one-eyed Ford guys can't argue with...

Carroll Shelby wanted to go with Chevy right from the start. It was only when the GM heirarchy pulled the pin on involving the company in motorsport that Shelby was forced to go to Ford, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Carroll Shelby

So FM, you have what Shelby wanted and couldn't get.

n6opv · #12 (**permalink**) 07-10-2012, 10:56 PM

That car's been around quite awhile. I'm guessing you're not the one who bought it from Ron Butler in 2008? Ron bought it off the previous owner, fixed a few things and then sold it on. It was not built in 2008; I have pictures of it looking just like that dating back to 2001. Since the chassis is an early one (2/82), I'm guessing it was probably built in the 80's sometime. It looks to have all the early parts from that era still on it. It's a nice car. I drove it around a bit and it went well. I'm just not a Chevy guy...

Sadly, with prices the way they are now and that decent Chevy powered Arntz just bringing $16k (ouch!) on eBay recently, you'd be lucky to find that "one guy" around $25k and hope to get some interest around the low $20k range. We'd all be really happy if you proved me wrong though and got $30k

Jason