Another craigslist ad looking for a needle in a haystack

[auburnseeker]

Ok we already know I spend way too much time on line looking for a deal to add to my collection.  I ran across this ad and had to read it twice.  I hate to be the one to educate the young lad on the financial world of old cars and that his dream may not come true until some later point in his life.  He has some big expectations with this want.  I hope his father understands that a car of this type not only deserves but really requires a very professional restoration and should probably not be attempted by a newcomer to the world of restoration. 

Definitely a tall order to fill.

 

http://fingerlakes.craigslist.org/cto/5097459592.html

[dictator27]

Yikes!

Terry

[1939_Buick]

My son wants to restore a Bugatti He is looking for a 1937 57s

 

Hope the father has a very large bank account

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Type_57 (type 57S=43 produced

The location or fate of  710 Type 57's made is probably known

 

From wikipedia

Rediscovered Type 57S Atalante

Main article: Bugatti Type 57S Atalante number 57502

In 2008 the Bugatti Type 57S with chassis number 57502 built in 1937 with the Atalante coachwork for Francis Curzon, 5th Earl Howe was discovered in a private garage in  Newcastle upon Tyne, having been stored untouched for 48 years and known about only by a select few people.It was auctioned in February 2009 at the Retromobile motor show in Paris, France, fetching €3.4 million (~ US$5 million), becoming one of the highest valued cars in automotive history, owing much to its extremely low mileage, original condition and ownership pedigree

Edited July 18, 2015 by 1939_Buick (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

Nothing like setting your sights high, if you had a million dollars to buy a rough one, surely you would have another to spend on the restoration. One of the few cars in the world that would then allow you to make a profit on the two million investment. Had the pleasure back in the 1970's to work on several T-57SC's. Bob 

Edited July 18, 2015 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[nick8086]

Not craigslist. but ebay.. It got a write up..

 

Only 205  people are watching it..  Now 238..

 

 

http://blog.caranddriver.com/what-makes-this-1972-amc-gremlin-worth-60k/

Edited July 19, 2015 by nick8086 (see edit history)

[Ozstatman]

I'm intrigued by this statement in the ad "can do standard or automatic". Indicates the son has mechanical abilities but......an automatic Type 57!

[Guest Skyking]

Not craigslist. but ebay.. It got a write up..

 

Only 205  people are watching it.. 

 

 

http://blog.caranddriver.com/what-makes-this-1972-amc-gremlin-worth-60k/

 

If I had a big bank account I'd give this a look!  In '72 I ordered a Hornet with a 304. I can't imagine a Gremlin with a 401.....

[padgett]

I think he wants the special edition Bug 57 with a Pinto motor: http://www.delahayeusa.com/delahaye-build-your-own.php

[John_S_in_Penna]

Auburn Seeker, you SHOULD be the one to educate

the novice!  Clearly the father doesn't know anything

about restoring cars and is blindly putting the ad out for his son.

That implies the son isn't even an adult yet!

 

A few friendly minutes on the phone, with constructive guidance,

may keep them from being disillusioned and guide them into

the enjoyment of the hobby at a level they can afford.

A 1937 Bugatti as his first restoration!  There are hundreds of

other cars which they could be enjoying at a reasonable price point.

 

And, since Craig's List ads expire quickly, here's the text of the

ad for everyone's enjoyment:

 

My son wants to restore a Bugatti He is looking for a 1937 57s but let me know what you got. He has his heart set on it. It will be his first Restoration he will do most of the work but will have help when he comes to problems. any thing along those lines. He will entertain other years, he will just need to look at them. Thank you for your time. He has his heart set on one. can do standard or automatic.         Contact by phone:  315-730-4392.

Edited July 18, 2015 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[alsancle]

It is possible it is just a scam,  although it doesn't pull your heart strings a bit that the kid is in for a big disappointment if the setup is real.

 

On the Randle Gremlin,  I think that car is worth 30k all day long assuming his "invoice" is as he says it is.   60k does seem outrageous but he is getting a ton of press everywhere about the car.  I'll bet he finds someone that pays a lot more than 90 % of the comments (on various websites) are betting on.

[Rusty_OToole]

Let them dream. Where's the harm? It's not like he is going to find a Bugatti on Craigslist. Next month he will discover girls and forget all about cars.

[John_S_in_Penna]

That reminds me of a Letter to the Editor that appeared

in Hemmings Motor News in 1997:

 

"Hello, my name is Greg --------.  I'm 17 years old....

This letter is for anybody with a Lamborghini that they [sic]

are thinking of getting rid of, or anyone that has a Lamborghini

that needs repair which you don't have time to do.  I have always

dreamed of owning a Lamborghini but I wasn't blessed with being

born into a rich family.  I would greatly appreciate your help with the

fulfillment of my dream."

"You can either sell it to a rich guy who may let it sit in a showroom

and not appreciate it, or give it the treatment it deserves by working

out a deal with me...I would love any model."

 

I later wrote an editorial on the subject in a different publication.

That boy basically was asking for a gift, skipping

over the Chevrolets and Mustangs that he could probably

afford and enjoy.  He didn't realize that adulthood required

that he be responsible and earn his advancement!

 

There's no free ride to happiness.               

Edited July 18, 2015 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

I woke up about 3 AM this morning dreaming I was working on a large boiler. It was a sectional type, but an HRT or header type would have been fine. Now, manual burner batting on a modified D type with a superheater, now that's Lambo league.

 

One night I fell out of bed dreaming I lit it off the back wall!

 

Do you think the kid is looking for a Bugatti Type 57 on a VW chassis?

 

Wait, Finger Lakes Area; frozen brain syndrome, for sure. Yep, that's it.

Bernie

Edited July 18, 2015 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[JV Puleo]

My impression is that the original post was sincere and that we car enthusiasts tend to forget that the vast majority of the population knows absolutely nothing about old cars or what is rare and desirable. Just the influence that idiotic popular "reality" TV has on the the general public should give us a strong indication of how clueless most people are. I can well imagine my mom doing something like this 50 years ago... she knew or cared nothing about cars, nor did my father, but if I'd said I wanted a RR Silver Ghost for Christmas she'd probably have tried to find one. (Actually, she'd have recognized Rolls-Royce, but I'm sure she hasn't any idea what a Bugatti is.)

 

Last year I was at a local car show and one of the best vehicles there was a H6B Hispano-Suiza. The wife of one of my friends asked what it was and why we all thought it was so special... my friend is a professional automobile journalist and long time collector.

Edited July 18, 2015 by JV Puleo (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

JV, I think the original post was sincere too.

 

And either they didn't know how much 1937 Bugattis

cost--I can't say I know their value either! --

or someone was looking for a virtual donation.

[nick8086]

Sold exclusively at Randall AMC in Arizona, fewer than 25 examples were built.   FYI...

 

[jeff_a]

I would answer it like the letter from Virginia asking if Santa Claus was real. As long as we're in Walter Mitty Land we might as well go along with them. I would say something like this:

"Dear Dad and Son,

We do not often get requests of such taste and refinement here on Crusher List. Not often does our humble swap-o-rama get true connoisseurs like yourselves who not only can select a 1937 Bugatti 57s, but spell it. Many will tell you that such a car does not exist or that it will be too expensive. We think you should go for it. Take a look at the Type 57s in your neighborhood and pick the cheapest one, no matter the condition, or if it's an abandoned car with a tree growing out of it. The youngster hasn't restored a car yet. First, have him make something of himself and send him to a four-year antique automobile restoration program, preferably the one in Kansas, then send him to med school and when he has a practice and sets aside, say, $3,000,000 he'll be ready to actually buy the Bugatti. This way he'll appreciate the car more instead of having it handed to him. He'll have to wait 20 years, but we wouldn't want the lad driving the car to high school, would we?"

Edited July 19, 2015 by jeff_a (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

The same kind of people who want $100,000 for a rusty  58 Pontiac expect to get a Bugatti for nothing. Like I said, let them dream. Where's the harm?

 

I bet they get some funny responses.

[Matt Harwood]

Perhaps something like this would be attainable:

 

[JACK M]

I was at a garage sale a few years back that a friend was selling his house.

In the barn was a VW Bugatti roadster kit that had been parked for years and was in poor shape.

I bought it for $500 and the third party that had it stored there even came up with a title.

I pressure washed it and got it running and swapped it for a boat interior. I think I came out pretty good on the deal.

[sambarn]

I believe the sad part, Like JV mentioned, is that they want a type 57 repro on a bug chassis ( as Matt shows above) and they don't know or understand how significant a real Bugatti is. In that case the only problem is that those things have gone from 2-3K to 8-10K online. I bet it would be fun and simple and a great starter project for a kid. I just wish they would do research together. I'm guessing the kid knows what he wants - dad just needs some help. The constant roar is how do we get young people involved. The answer: help this kid out. Heck -expose him to a real car instead of an internet picture and he may soon develop a more refined palate for cars.

[auburnseeker]

Perhaps something like this would be attainable:

 

 

According to his Dad he is really set on the Type 57.  They look a whole lot different than these which I think are the Type 35.  If I'm wrong please correct me because I have very little knowledge of foreign cars but enough I knew that an ad looking for a kid to rebuild a Bugatti of that vintage definitely caught my attention.  Somewhere something deep in my cranium things aligned and I had a vague but pretty good idea of what he was looking for.  A quick google search confirmed what it was. 

 

Now if anyone has an old Auburn lurking in the back corner I'm just a 41 year old guy trying to get his first Auburn he's always dreamed of buying so let me know.  It would be great if it was a 31-36  Speedster.  But I have realized I may need to stoop to a convertible sedan if it's priced right and just settle.

Edited July 19, 2015 by auburnseeker (see edit history)

[Guest Skyking]

Perhaps something like this would be attainable:

 

 

 

I liked it better as a Volkswagen!!!

[John348]

 I hate to sprinkle my "Bronx" upbringing on this but every good con man does not come off as a con man!

[Restorer32]

I would find the original ad even sadder and more amusing had I not several years ago been given, totally out of the blue and against my advice to sell the car, a restorable '37 Mercedes which was originally built for the head Supreme Court Justice of Bolivia. I am now hoping someone forces a Duesenberg on me. Hey, it could happen!

[Guest AlCapone]

I think it is a sympathy troll! The father is hoping the son slant to the ad will make some old guy feel sorry for the young bug and give him a treasure for near to nothing. I think if is an ad by the father and for the father and he is looking for a sucker ! In other words, a con game ! ! MHO Wayne

Edited July 20, 2015 by AlCapone (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

My 8 year old son would really like a Duessy.  I'm sure my 1 year old daughter, Auburn, would be happy to have a car of her namesake as well.

[Restorer32]

Wish I still had my Auburn, an all original unrestored '34 6 Conv Sedan. It had been collected in the 1950's and came with numerous new old stock parts such as hubcaps that were purchased in 1951 and were still wrapped in newspaper from that era. We bought it off the old Blue Field at Hershey in 1970. Paid $3500. I had to sell it during my divorce 15 years ago. I assume the NOS parts were sourced thru Glenn Pray but all the stationery and correspondence was on ACD Factory stationery. The previous owner paid $1.52 each for the hubcaps. There was even a 10 or so page catalog of available parts, including rebuilt engines etc.

[auburnseeker]

I imagine the Auburn will be elusive for the next year or two while I get a new shop built here to move my business and collection to.  I still have the Cord though so I guess if I have to settle for that all is not lost. Now if someone wants to trade an open Auburn for my open Cord then maybe that will work as well.  The Cord is starting to grow on me though. You can't help but love those lines. 

[alsancle]

The 34-36 6 cylinder open cars are rare as hens teeth these days.  Since the bodies are identical many found their way on to 8 cylinder chassis over the years.   Did you see the "barn find" 35 6 conv coupe on eBay a couple of weeks ago?  Complete, right hand drive but needing everything. 

[auburnseeker]

I did see that Auburn.  While not a bad car to do.  I would almost rather get a slightly better original or an older restoration or partially finished restoration. I know the money pit a dead car can be so I'll try to get the best I can find/ afford.  There was a 33 Convertible sedan on the ACD site last fall I think it was that would have been perfect but timing was just off.  I was short just a little to outright buy it and if I traded my Cord in on it I would have taken a beating as the seller wanted to build a hot rod out of one and mine is too nice for that and better than he was looking for.  There was also a really good 33 cabriolet salon last fall that I was seriously persuing but we were in the process of buying a new house so it was just beyond my reach at that moment but not by much.

The good thing is they do come up for sale so I will find one eventually.