Another scruffy garage find Speedster coming up for auction,,,
12-21-2016, 12:08 PM
#1
Track Day
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Another scruffy garage find Speedster coming up for auction,,,
Yet another sad looking Speedster is coming up for auction, this time at the Gooding in Scottsdale in Jan. (you can find pics on the Gooding website) Here's part of their description:
1958 Porsche 356 A Super Speedster
(Estimate: $200,000-$275,000 Without Reserve)
...."The car presented here is a final-year Speedster that benefits from the model upgrades made that year including improved rear suspension design, quicker steering, and a 1,600 “Super” flat four engine that produced 75 hp. The car was purchased from the original owner by B. Mitchel Reed, a well-known Los Angeles disc jockey, and his wife. The two enjoyed the Speedster for about 12 years until it was purchased by its current owner in 1970. The current owner purposely resisted the urge to have the car’s body refinished in shiny new paint, believing that it would make his car less tempting to thieves. After draining the oil and removing the battery, he garaged the Speedster in 1974. It sat there for the next quarter-century. He moved in 2000, taking the Porsche with him and again placing the Speedster in his garage until 2016, when he decided to part with the car. This Porsche epitomizes the term “garage find,” having been stored for 42 of its 58 years. A solid Southern California car, this final-year Speedster provides the next owner with a fantastic candidate for a concours-correct, factory-specification restoration."
The question that occurs to me is: Is the market (the buyers at those high auction prices for garage finds) saying no restoration shop can do it right? So to keep value in our cars we should never re-paint them, never re-upholster them? It's like total originality is The New Religion...
1958 Porsche 356 A Super Speedster
(Estimate: $200,000-$275,000 Without Reserve)
...."The car presented here is a final-year Speedster that benefits from the model upgrades made that year including improved rear suspension design, quicker steering, and a 1,600 “Super” flat four engine that produced 75 hp. The car was purchased from the original owner by B. Mitchel Reed, a well-known Los Angeles disc jockey, and his wife. The two enjoyed the Speedster for about 12 years until it was purchased by its current owner in 1970. The current owner purposely resisted the urge to have the car’s body refinished in shiny new paint, believing that it would make his car less tempting to thieves. After draining the oil and removing the battery, he garaged the Speedster in 1974. It sat there for the next quarter-century. He moved in 2000, taking the Porsche with him and again placing the Speedster in his garage until 2016, when he decided to part with the car. This Porsche epitomizes the term “garage find,” having been stored for 42 of its 58 years. A solid Southern California car, this final-year Speedster provides the next owner with a fantastic candidate for a concours-correct, factory-specification restoration."
The question that occurs to me is: Is the market (the buyers at those high auction prices for garage finds) saying no restoration shop can do it right? So to keep value in our cars we should never re-paint them, never re-upholster them? It's like total originality is The New Religion...
12-22-2016, 01:20 PM
#2
Three Wheelin'
I believe a large segment of enthusiasts, truly desire a 'rough car' garage or barn find appealing, because in a way it represents a vehicle which many would despise. And a sort of 'virginal' appeal. It has the element of being 'that guy who is first on the scene of a discovery'.
It has become the norm of late for cars which are showing extreme patina quality, to hold a degree of originality ( they are only original once ) to such an honored point in history. Now take that same car having been worn down to the nub in lets say 1984, then doctored up with a couple of Earl Scheib paint jobs and some cheap JC Whitney seat covers, some mid 90s wide fake Fuchs and you have a totally different diorama unfolding.
One which isn't as a appealing as a full on Concours restoration, OR a virginal barn find. Chicken feathers, chicken and spider dirt burned into the paint, and torn leather *but original German horsehair and leather seating*.
The latter two appealing to different audiences most of the time, but also finding acceptance and love from all camps. We may well thank those circulating in the rare air of Pebble Beach, to television drama on cable tv, for the bulk of this. Whatever the reasons, I for one am glad the trend has gained momentum. They all can be restored later, but not all can be appreciated in the barn find element again and again. It is all too infrequent one of us has that opportunity of rolling back a squeaky door and smelling vermin scat and touching a dusty fender. I think this may well be what some folks are yearning for, and trying to recapture by showing these jewels in the rough.
It has become the norm of late for cars which are showing extreme patina quality, to hold a degree of originality ( they are only original once ) to such an honored point in history. Now take that same car having been worn down to the nub in lets say 1984, then doctored up with a couple of Earl Scheib paint jobs and some cheap JC Whitney seat covers, some mid 90s wide fake Fuchs and you have a totally different diorama unfolding.
One which isn't as a appealing as a full on Concours restoration, OR a virginal barn find. Chicken feathers, chicken and spider dirt burned into the paint, and torn leather *but original German horsehair and leather seating*.
The latter two appealing to different audiences most of the time, but also finding acceptance and love from all camps. We may well thank those circulating in the rare air of Pebble Beach, to television drama on cable tv, for the bulk of this. Whatever the reasons, I for one am glad the trend has gained momentum. They all can be restored later, but not all can be appreciated in the barn find element again and again. It is all too infrequent one of us has that opportunity of rolling back a squeaky door and smelling vermin scat and touching a dusty fender. I think this may well be what some folks are yearning for, and trying to recapture by showing these jewels in the rough.
12-22-2016, 05:34 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
Very well said Mr GreenJeans. I must admit, it WAS indeed the thrill of being the first (outside of their immediate family) who had seen this car in over 30 years. And the fact that I had to walk through the only access, which was a 30" door & to find it cocooned in there,... was fantastic. The feeling of seeing a barn find was intoxicating.
https://rennlist.com/forums/356-foru...speedster.html
Thankfully my wife & I had the sense NOT to get sucked into the rising $$$ side of that barn find, which would clearly have over-extended ourselves. For us personally we could not match the $$ that other folks were willing to spend. Good for them though,... I am certain they can make money from money down the road (if they so choose).
=Steve
https://rennlist.com/forums/356-foru...speedster.html
Thankfully my wife & I had the sense NOT to get sucked into the rising $$$ side of that barn find, which would clearly have over-extended ourselves. For us personally we could not match the $$ that other folks were willing to spend. Good for them though,... I am certain they can make money from money down the road (if they so choose).
=Steve
12-22-2016, 08:50 PM
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Track Day
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But arent thos paying high prices for a "garage find" are like actors buying a role..
Whoever paid $660K for that '57 pushrod Speedster at the Auction America auction was, I think, similar to a rich but not necessarily talented actor paying off the producer to cast him in a movie. When he takes possession of that dirty but original car suddenly the spotlight goes on him and he is "the hero" that found an original. If you add the cot of a total resto that owner will be into it for more than $800K!
The only way it makes sense is if you buyer were some silicon valley magnate who made millions off his IPO so he's paying more because he was too busy to go out and make a "barn find" on his own.
The only way it makes sense is if you buyer were some silicon valley magnate who made millions off his IPO so he's paying more because he was too busy to go out and make a "barn find" on his own.
12-23-2016, 01:55 AM
#5
Three Wheelin'
Is this in reference to Jerry Seinfeld ?
His car locator and general walk about/ scout/ handler is a guy named Sam Cabiglio
Seinfeld is a real enthusiast. He is a hoot at a car show he is showing his stuff at......
His car locator and general walk about/ scout/ handler is a guy named Sam Cabiglio
Seinfeld is a real enthusiast. He is a hoot at a car show he is showing his stuff at......
12-23-2016, 11:08 AM
#6
Burning Brakes
12-25-2016, 11:35 PM
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I am a big fan of original barn find vehicles.
The more original, the better.
You not only know what you are getting, but the concept of the age is something that is hard to reproduce and truely shows the vintage of the automobile.
Restored cars have been done to death.
Running driving unrestored vintage collector cars are the hot ticket nowadays.
This car however is not very well preserved as some of the $300k plus "barn find"speedsters that sold this year.
This car might be numbers matching and 2 owners, but it has been repainted and is full of repairs.
Not the kind of preservation that fetches the recent big money.
I would be surprised if this car fetches over 200k.
A nice buy at $150k
The more original, the better.
You not only know what you are getting, but the concept of the age is something that is hard to reproduce and truely shows the vintage of the automobile.
Restored cars have been done to death.
Running driving unrestored vintage collector cars are the hot ticket nowadays.
This car however is not very well preserved as some of the $300k plus "barn find"speedsters that sold this year.
This car might be numbers matching and 2 owners, but it has been repainted and is full of repairs.
Not the kind of preservation that fetches the recent big money.
I would be surprised if this car fetches over 200k.
A nice buy at $150k
