| Author | Message | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 4961 Registered: 12-2000 |
That would be a fun project. Buy this car and Martins. Rebuild the engine, trans, carbs yourself and then reinstall in the race car. Hmmm, ok, I have way too many projects right now. My guess on total cost all in would be $30k. You would learn a heck about these Ferraris though. | ||
| Paul Cox (Paulc)
New member Username: Paulc Post Number: 26 Registered: 2-2003 |
Martin's car is body and rollbar with out the engine. He wants $4900. If you can do the work yourself, you might have a decent car for a bit more than CMV. | ||
| Paul Cox (Paulc)
New member Username: Paulc Post Number: 25 Registered: 2-2003 |
Doesn't Martin in FL have a gt4 body without and engine for sale? | ||
| Tillman Strahan (Tillman)
Member Username: Tillman Post Number: 646 Registered: 11-2001 |
I know. I keep thinking of it in Rosso Dino with black speedlines and Mark's supercharger kit. It'd be a heck of a DE car  | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 4960 Registered: 12-2000 |
The love of Ferrari is beyond reason of the wallet. Restore them, don't part them. | ||
| Ralph Koslin (Ralfabco)
Junior Member Username: Ralfabco Post Number: 141 Registered: 3-2002 |
Part out the car. You will make far more money this way. Of course you will have to sit on the car/parts awhile. I wish restorations were less money. I gave my father a grey market Mercedes 350 SLC with a manual transmission to use as an extra car. The car is in excellent condition. I could not justify paying thousands to restore this car to mint condition. In the end it is just a 6-8,000 used Mercedes at best. You would lose thousands on that car, the same way someone will lose thousands on the GT-4; if they decide to restore it. There are a few cars I would love to restore that can be purchased cheap. Economically it is better to look for a quality restoration undertaken by someone else. Of course it is fun to also make the decision with your heart instead of what is above it. Ralph | ||
| Brad Hescock (Bradh)
New member Username: Bradh Post Number: 9 Registered: 9-2002 |
Tillman, I was tempted before when Rick was selling it, but didn't bite then. I doubt that Mr. Psychic would take $4k, but it sure seems as though he'd let it go for his initial investment. Then there is the question of the non-existent title to deal with. I suppose that it could always be parted out to get you whole if the title thing proves to be too challenging. It is a pretty nasty car, but if it can be made to run well with simple carb work, it might be fun to beat on for a while before you flip it to someone who just doesn't know any better. Cheers, Brad | ||
| Tillman Strahan (Tillman)
Member Username: Tillman Post Number: 645 Registered: 11-2001 |
Brad, I was wondering if he was referring to you when he said a "Brian" came by to drive it. Once I recognized the car the seller went off on a mini-rant about how everyone in the area knew each other, and knew all the cars, and then asked if I knew you. Small world I'm tempted to go down there with 4K cash and see if he'll bite. | ||
| Brad Hescock (Bradh)
New member Username: Bradh Post Number: 8 Registered: 9-2002 |
I went and drove it on Friday morning. With the first few emails, the seller tried to feed me a line about how he had owned it for two years and had all this work done to it, had the whole car painted, etc. As soon as he mentioned that it had a scrape down the passenger side from "his" riding lawn mower, alarm bells went off in my head. When I asked him if he had bought the car from Rick Prindle, his sales pitch went downhill fast. When I met him on Friday, he went on and on about how his reserve was $14k, even though I told him repeatedly that I knew this car sold for $6k, and his sh**ty quickie paint job added no value, regardless of what he paid for it. End of the conversation, he caved and said he just wanted out for about what he had in it. As for the car, I'll totally concur with Tillman. The body and paint work that it needs alone exceeds the car's value. It runs rough and makes marginal power through the backfiring carbs. Perhaps a carb rebuild/adjustment could get it running well. If you wanted something to beat on, perhaps you could live with the marginal repaint and just drive it. But even at $6k, the cost to restore will put you deep underwater in a big hurry. I did enjoy the psychic angle, especially when he couldn't remember where he put the records and the paint receipts! Cheers, Brad | ||
| William Huber (Solipsist)
Member Username: Solipsist Post Number: 928 Registered: 9-2001 |
Wow, the psychic Ferrari freinds Network. Sounds like more of a "hole" in the pocketbook to me. Maybe the owner was consulting a psychic to find if the financial curse of a 308gt4 could be removed. It can with lots of $$$$. | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Intermediate Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 1485 Registered: 11-2002 |
>>>Maybe he should've consulted his psychic! << I was going to suggest he throw in a psycic reading with the sale to see if it was going to be a happy fun experience and if it was possible to come out whole on the deal....;-) | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
Intermediate Member Username: Jimpo1 Post Number: 1804 Registered: 7-2001 |
I can't believe he didn't sell it for $12k. Maybe he should've consulted his psychic! This is a prime example of how good Ebay can make your car look. This car is trashed, I've seen it. Yet, the pictures make it look like it just needs a little work. | ||
| Chris Pounds (Eggman)
Junior Member Username: Eggman Post Number: 85 Registered: 3-2002 |
...sounds like a moneypit even for $6000... Seeing as how a practically ace example can go for not much more -- $15/18.5k? -- (and original/no work done to it), I don't see this one as that much of a deal. Possibly a modest buy if you do absolutely all the work yourself and save on the labor. Unless, of course, you just made a couple of "fixes" and tracked the hell out of it... My .02, Chris. PS - Howdy, Tillman! | ||
| Tillman Strahan (Tillman)
Member Username: Tillman Post Number: 643 Registered: 11-2001 |
I was cruising around today, and thought I caught a glimpse of something low and red behind a little house. A quick turn around the block revealed a red and black boxer trimmed GT4 sitting behind a by-appointment-only psychic shop. Since a parking lot is a public place, I pulled in and checked the car out. Turns out the thing is up for sale again. The current owner has decided that the GT4 isn't the style of car he wants, and is looking for a project 308GTS. My first impression is that the GT4 body style really looks great in person. I think it's because in person you're looking down on the car, and so you don't see some of the awkward angles that straight-on pictures show. The second impression is that the interior is much bigger than my 328 and less constricting. All-in-all, a very nice design. Forza Bertone This particular car is rough but running. The rear lower fenders are swiss cheese, and the inner fender liners are missing. The Dino emblems are missing from the rear of the car. There's rust bubbles around the windshield, and the paint is very, very bad. It's not bad from 60' away, but it'll take a bunch of work to make nice. The interior could use new carpet and the console has some weird bondo/caulk looking stuff at the edges. Seats could use a recover and it smells musty. The weatherstripping is shot, naturally. The glass looked good. It does run and sounds good once it settles at idle. It could use some carberator work at a minimum. No throttle body filters/air intakes/etc. Is there supposed to be something there? The seller was talking a good game about having an international buyer on ebay (see http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6212&item=2414272232) and wanting 13K, but started backing down after he stated that he bought it at Shadetree and I said "Oh, is this the one that just sold for $6000?" The seller seems like a good guy but probably just wants out from under the car. I don't know if I want it, but I was surprised to see how good the bodystyle looked. |