Ever wonder what you’d buy if money was no object!

[greenie]

I have. Check out the RM Sotheby’s site for the Elkhart Collection. A Fort Wayne, IN businessman built a collection of about 300 fabulous cars. Many are prized European sports cars and rare examples of high performance vehicles. All were restored to a high standard or maintained as low mileage survivors. 
The trouble is, he used some questionable financial tactics and would up in bankruptcy court. The court seized most of his assists including the car collection.
Enter RM Sotheby’s to liquidate the collection. October 23 and 24, in his airport hanger display garage. We attended the preview yesterday and the auction began today. The second day will stream live on the RM website.

Most of the cars on day one met or exceeded their estimates. Hopefully all those harmed by his dealings will be made whole as these fabulous cars pass onto new owners. 
It sure was fun to watch! 
 

[TerryB]

Mecum Auctions did the same at the Indy auction this year for a Lancaster county real estate developer who apparently ran in to issues with his method of financing his development project.  His cars were sold to help pay back investors.  

[1912Staver]

I think most of could find a car that would delight us for under say $75,000.00 . But property with room for a decent shop and the cost of building plus tools and Equipment

is in most cases going to be far more than the price of the car . It's the all up costs of the hobby that really count.

I  like Toyota 2000's but are they really 10 times better than a very nice , early 240 Z ? 

 

Greg

[John_S_in_Penna]

If money were no object, I doubt that I would

buy much more than I have already.  I'm not

materialistic, and I can find plenty of enjoyment

in a $10,000 or $20,000 antique car--about the

price of a used Toyota!

 

My 1979 Buick gives me as much enjoyment as

someone else's $200,000 Packard:

 

 

Edited October 23, 2020 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[TTR]

2 hours ago, greenie said:

... .he used some questionable financial tactics and would up in bankruptcy court. The court seized most of his assists including the car collection.

 

See my 2nd to last comment on “Acclaimed Alfa B.A.T. concept cars to be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s“ thread.

 

These practices appear much more common than most realize, even in this hobby, and one should be mindful of this if/when they idolize some “collectors”.

 

Over the years/decades I’ve been approached by few so-called “collectors“ dangling/throwing around large amounts $$’s I suspected (or learned) having been gained with less than ethical methods, and after the first screwing I got from one of these slick (read shady) characters 25+ years ago, I’ve taken a habit to turn down all exceptionally lucrative “proposals” (including my own TV show, long before they became popular) from these “slicks" that come and go through this hobby like a revolving door.

 

OTOH, I’ve also seen several colleagues falling for these "deals" and some have lost more than just their shirts.

 

Well, as they say “If a deal seems too good....”

Edited October 24, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[padgett]

A mechanic.

[Bhigdog]

Well, since you ask. Arthur Jones, the inventer of Nautilous excercise machines amassed a fortune and spent a lot of it on alligators, airplanes, and females. When asked about his goals in an interview he simply said "bigger gators, faster airplanes, and prettier women."

He died at age 80. Presumably with a smile on his face.

No mention of cars in his bio.

Different strokes.......Bob

[edinmass]

1 hour ago, padgett said:

A mechanic.

 

What do you pay?

[edinmass]

 

All cars are the same......it’s how much your Intrested in any particular year, series, or model that make it special. Personally, I like rare and unusual cars that are exceptionally good drivers for their  year.  Condition isn’t important.......the fact no one knows what it is floats my boat..........

[34LaSalleClubSedan]

My dream car now is a:

1917 White 16 Valve High Power Botha 7 Passenger Touring, Body By Rubay. 100 percent original.🦈🤪

[edinmass]

26 minutes ago, 34LaSalleClubSedan said:

My dream car now is a:

1917 White 16 Valve High Power Botha 7 Passenger Touring, Body By Rubay. 100 percent original.🦈🤪

 

Send me a blank check.......I’ll fill it out for you.

[Frank DuVal]

Wait, well there is something you do not see everyday.

 

Among these high end European sports cars is a 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wait

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subaru 360 Police Car!

 

[padgett]

Police or cheap rent-a-cop ?

[padgett]

"What do you pay?" I usually get paid to teach. However if money were no object then an apprentice would be good.

[Guest]

 The cost of the original purchase price is irrelevant to me.

 Many of my cars were given to me.

 My main driving force in acquiring a "new" car is how much work is needed to make it mine.

 My theory is, the more you pay, the less work is needed, so less enjoyment I get. 🛠️👍😁!

[1912Staver]

This is the aiming point. After this the cars are easy.

[edinmass]

Too much house.....and not enough garage!👍

[padgett]

" thickly settled " - remember those signs in Mass.

This is supposed to be the glorious cool dry months we put up with summer for.

Which tag did you get ? Florida has lots.

[TTR]

21 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Too much house.....and garage, but perhaps not enough shop space (with lifts, etc). 🤔

FIFY 

Edited October 24, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

Too much house.....and not enough garage!👍

 

 

Could be a Zoning deal, that may be a two story garage with a central lift designed to fit into the neighborhood. There is a concealed car barn under construction here in town that will look like a house from the outside with room for 25+ cars. 

Bob

[1912Staver]

2 hours ago, edinmass said:

Too much house.....and not enough garage!👍

I agree , but since retirement 65% + of my household income comes from my wife's job. She doesn't care about old cars as long as everything is out of sight .

So my dream situation has to accommodate both of us. Even dreams need a foundation in reality.

 

Greg

Edited October 24, 2020 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[SC38dls]

I wouldn’t turn it down if someone wants to give it to me!  

[padgett]

It is possible to have a house built in a development with sidewalks and a HOA that from the street looks like several others of the same design but has 2k sq. ft. of living area (2 br, 2.5 baths) and 2k sq. ft. of garage. With a lift.  Room for 7 cars inside & 10x25 ft of hidden RV parking. Just have to forego a swimming pool. A matter of priorities.

[1912Staver]

I prefer a more Semi - rural location like I am currently in. Cows and sheep really are good neighbors. But a small shopping center is only 12 minutes away, the main built up area

Costco, Home Depot  and most other things 20  min to the West. But my lot and 3 others are very small for the area. A corner sub -divided off a much larger farm back in the 1950's

you could not do it today, nothing smaller than 5 AC permitted since about 1980. Substantially  limits the value of my place as it is far too small to qualify for farm status taxes like all

of my neighbors. 

 

Greg 

[Fossil]

Quote

Ever wonder what you’d buy if money was no object!

   Neither of us are interested in a big house and at this point in life we are getting rid of things.  We've discovered that most things are just that, things.  Our home is on an acreage.  We like fishing and spending time on the lakes so we did buy a new boat this year and have enjoyed it immensely. The 30 DeSoto (June Bug) is fun to work on and own so it will have a home here for the foreseeable future.  

  I can't really think of anything else I'm interested in owning. 

Edited October 24, 2020 by Fossil (see edit history)

[JamesR]

I certainly couldn't or wouldn't buy a too-nice/valuable-to-drive car. There are also cars that I loved as a kid that would no longer be practical for a 60+ year old person, e.g. XKE or '57 Corvette (too hard to get in and out of...I presume.)

 

With those categories out of the picture, I think I might like to have a nicely restored but driver level '53 or '54 Studebaker Starliner coupe. An Avanti would also be cool...and about the upper limit of appropriate sportiness for a person my age. 🙂

 

It would be nice to turn my '65 Thunderbird into part of a Sixties personal-luxury collection that would include a '63 - '65 Riviera, a '66 - '70 Riviera, a nice driver '72 Lincoln Mark IV, maybe a '68 Eldorado, maybe a Toronado...that kind of thing. A later model two door Ranch Wagon to go along with my '54... I'm thinking like  a '59, '60 or '61, as those are very rare...but I'd like it original, NOT hot rodded (which would exclude 90% of the existing cars.) Also would love to have a step down Hudson. I love most old English cars, so maybe an MGTD.

 

So it looks like what I'd really need to buy with unlimited money would be EXTRA SPACE to store my ten new cars! 😃

 

 

[keiser31]

I would buy one of these....

[padgett]

My Dentist had one.

[Paul Dobbin]

I think i would buy back two of my favorite cars.

My 1934 Ford V8 Phaeton aand my 1957 Porsche Speedster.  I know where the Phaeton is!

[Paul Dobbin]

15 hours ago, padgett said:

Police or cheap rent-a-cop ?

  I owned a Subaru 360 for awhile.  A 4 passenger jellybean.

[Doozer]

I’d START  with this.

[padgett]

Well without the Subaru 360 (Any one remember there was also a Honda 360 ?) we wouldn't have been blessed with the Bricklin.

 

 

[JACK M]

2 hours ago, Paul Dobbin said:

  I owned a Subaru 360 for awhile.  A 4 passenger jellybean.

 

I had one as well.

I was young and had a long commute.

They were $995 new. They would paint it just about any other color for another hundred but I took the cheap one. I did have them move the drivers seat back.

Fell asleep at the wheel on my way home late one night and rear ended a parked milk truck.

Totaled the 360. I had a couple of stiches in my chin where I hit the dash. I must not have been going very fast.

No damage to the milk truck except for a couple of scratches on the bumper.

[Joe in Canada]

On 10/23/2020 at 7:10 PM, John_S_in_Penna said:

If money were no object, I doubt that I would

buy much more than I have already.  I'm not

materialistic, and I can find plenty of enjoyment

in a $10,000 or $20,000 antique car--about the

price of a used Toyota!

 

My 1979 Buick gives me as much enjoyment as

someone else's $200,000 Packard:

 

 

Well said.

[padgett]

Heck, in June there were plenty under $5k.

[Frank DuVal]

9 hours ago, Paul Dobbin said:

Ummmmm,     ALL 360s were TWO CYLINDER!!!!!!!!!!

 

Also Honda 600s were two cylinder.

 

And yes, Malcolm was responsible for bringing in the 360s and starting Subaru of America.

I've got two of them as parts cars. Used one as a carpool car back about 1980.  Loads of fun!

[Frank DuVal]

On 10/23/2020 at 11:45 PM, padgett said:

Police or cheap rent-a-cop ?

Police. Around here rent-a-cops do NOT get blue lights. If they have them, they get a ticket. Had a plumbing company use Police in their name, and install blue lights on the roofs of their vans. Yep, soon black trash bags were covering the lights!😁

 

Met a guy who bought a 63 Ford Police car from the movie company who made the JFK movie in Richmond, VA. He also was having issues, as the car was still fully decked out in police colors, lights, siren, signage.....😲

[1935Packard]

My dream cars if price were no object: 

 

1) Duesenberg J 

2) '34 Packard 12 bodied by LeBaron

3) Bugatti Type 57

4) Mercedes 300SL gullwing

 

And, most importantly, a place to put them and an Ed to keep them running!

 

 

 

[1937hd45]

70 is just around the corner, it might be fun to have a big pile of money to cover finishing EVERY project I've started in my lifetime. That would keep a lot of people gainfully employed.  I've had my eye on a piece of property for my dream garage/barn to house things in, so there is another gang of craftsmen employed for a year or so. 

 

Bob 

[Walt G]

What I would buy if money were no object - car wise it would be a car my friend has and I was in on from pulling it out of storage from the dank basement of a museum ( non car museum) some years ago then going with him to see it restored in a shop once a month for many months. It is the black 1937 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron town car that W.P. Chrysler had built for his wife Della. The car just speaks to me. Plus a nice postwar 1955-70 full size station wagon or 4 door sedan to get groceries in . ( but not at the sacrifice of my two current pre war cars)  Other wise the living accommodations and location are fine , would be nice to have the $ to take friends out to lunch at least once a month ( local and those in the UK, Germany and distant places in the USA)