Fotget everything I’ve ever said about Dream Cars Wot I would Buy Wiff A Lottery Win.
Then go here and see my current Object Of Desire.
There are a couple of caveats, though. Replacing the original (and exquisite) 3-liter straight-six engine with a modern 3-liter straight-six engine makes sense, if you want to keep your engine maintenance and repair costs down.
But then you can’t expect to ask $400k for what is in essence a resto-mod, albeit a stunningly-gorgeous one:
Be still, my heart!
That would be the perfect car for you, just drive the darned thing and enjoy it. I don’t think it is worth $400,000 but if the money meant nothing, then go for it. It is only worth what someone will pay for it after all.
If you would like to commission a similar vehicle, I have a M103 engine and 5-speed in my 1986 300E parts car.
The Rommelwagon, a 1986 300E 5-speed in Desert Tan, still runs quite well for an old girl. The odo broke at 297k 15 years ago.
Tsk tsk… they just don’t make them like they used to.
Don’t blow off the possibility so quickly. Do the math assuming:
It’s your Uber tool.
You can depreciate it for taxes. (Is this true?)
You can build a steady customer base who will pay a whopping premium for luxury services.
This hillbilly wouldn’t be a potential customer because, in me, cheap goes to the bone. But I don’t live near Dallas so I’m irrelevant anyway.
It looks very nice, but I’m sorry. Lottery win or not, there isn’t an automobile on the planet worth $400,000.
There are lots; just not this one.
Let’s be fair, there is an awful lot of cars of that vintage that have non original motors or transmissions. With ALfas or Jags of that era finding a matching numbers car is not easy.
You either sit in the purist camp (group A) which means if you acquired that car sans engine, you scour the world for as close as period correct and that you value originality.
Or, you are a modder. The whole hot rod thing. The car as built is just a starting point. Modern engine? Why not? Five speed all synchro? Much nicer to use. Disc brakes? ABS? Need a new hood? Get a lookalike fabricated out of modern materials. There is no end to the list of potential “improvements” one could make. Are you adding value? Well, yes to someone who is not in group A. To a person in group A, this is all work to be painstakingly undone later.
Keep an eye on the auction for its actual sale price. I doubt it will be half as high as estimated, but we shall see. They have some interesting cars there including an Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce , that might be of interest to you.
The one I will watch is the Alfa Stradale aka Dodge Viper. Let’s see what that goes for. There are a lot of people who have lots of money who can buy these cars without a second thought. Is this a great country or what?
> Even the transmission is shifted via a column lever, as original, completing the preservation of the 1950s look and feel.
Five on the tree? That might be a first.