EBay "Original in Every Detail"

[DLynskey]

An amusing Ebay Item -- a "1926 Chevrolet Superior Coupe.. beautifully restored.. original in every detail".

Chevrolet : Superior V: eBay Motors (item 190456232379 end time Oct-23-10 09:40:02 PDT)

It's a Chevrolet, I'll give them that. But a 1927 (not 1926) a Capital (not Superior) a cabriolet (not a coupe). It has a 1928 engine, incorrect paint, a painted radiator shell, top and upholstery in poor condition and many other problems.

Well, it is Ebay.

Don

[starfireelvis]

...reminds me of something I saw one time on TV; think it was for a baseball with an "authentic replica" of Babe Ruth's autograph, or something like that. Yep, that's what I want--a "real fake"!!

[Dave Mellor NJ]

I don't know Chevies, Don, but I would call that a sport coupe or a soft top coupe. If Chevy didn't have a harder top coupe I think it would be OK to call this a coupe. Cabriolet is the name for a convertible coupe but these door tops ,windshield posts, and top are fixed. Other than that I agree with you but Ebay is famous for this. I give up trying to correct people. Every car with an Earl Sheib paint job is Fully restored to factory specs, every car is a deluxe whatever, and every car is the buy of a lifetime.

[Restorer32]

Love those taillights and the pipe strap taillight hanger.

[DLynskey]

I don't know Chevies, Don, but I would call that a sport coupe or a soft top coupe.

You're right, Dave, that strictly speaking it is a coupe. A cabriolet is normally a convertible which this is not. However, Chevy bought out this model which they called a "Sport Cabriolet" in late 1927. The "Sport Cabriolet" had a lower top than the coupe and the top looked like it should fold (in 1928 it did fold) It had a swing open windshield, a soft rear window like a convertible and a rumble seat which the "Coupe" lacked. Inside the top bows were exposed in the "Cabriolet" to resemble a convertible whereas the coupe had a normal full headliner. The "Sport Cabriolet is actually a lot rarer and more desirable than the more common "Coupe".

Don

[Guest billybird]

I see things like that quite frequently on Ebay. I've noticed a lot of people use the word "restored" rather loosely. Like if it don't have a Chevy 350 and automatic, she's original. A lot of times I see a full blown street rod advertised as completely restored. It seems people have trouble distinguishing the words restored, rebuilt, redone,fixed up and worked on all confused with one another.

[GARY F]

I LOVE THE STAINED & HANGING HEADLINER

[Matt Harwood]

I, too, have given up on trying to explain to people what the words "original," "restored," and "survivor" mean. As a writer, I am very precise with my language, and it is a source of never-ending frustration. Now that I have worked in the old car industry for a while, I've seen everyone from dealers to experienced hobbyists misusing these terms, pretty much rendering them useless. Here are the current definitions:

Original now means anything from untouched since new to "pretty much like I think it might have been sometime in the past."

Restored now means "I put in some work to fix it, but I didn't really care if it was accurate or well done."

Survivor now means "See this here bolt? I never even touched it during the restoration to original."