1953 #135 is up for Auction on EBAY

[Rob]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2402072523

For historical purposes, I have included the text and pictures in an article ( 1953 - #135 ) here in our 1953 Corvette Research Center.

 

[Rob]

41 Minutes remain in the auction - Reserve Not Yet Met.

 

[Eric]

WOW - one owner! Nice story to go along with it too. - Eric

 

[Mad-Mic]

WoOf!

one schweeet ride!

 

[Mac]

hmmm

Perhaps it's just my cynical nature but as I read the text, my 'bogus detection' radar goes wild. Perhaps the car is legitimate as presented, but I doubt it.

If this car were legitimate, it would be sold through a credible auction agency or at one of the event auctions, like Barrett-Jackson, not on eBay.

While I expect there are many fine automobiles which are sold by eBay Motors, anyone wanting to purchase a vehicle with a history such as thing (if authentic) would want the opportunity to inspect it and examine the accompanying documentation.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Well it never hit the reserve. i wonder what it would take to buy it? It could be a simple as just not wanting to transport the car someplace else to put it in an auction. I know if it were mine I would be very concerned about damage happening to it in transit or at an auction. A restored car can always be repaired back to it's restored condition but an original car is only original once.

Tom

 

[Muttley]

Tom, agree with your points, but it seems to me that the real value in a car like that is as much (or more) in the supporting documentation as it is in the physical condition of the car itself. As a potential buyer, I would be very concerned about the possiblity that this is a (albeit nice) '53 "clone".

If it's indeed real (giving the benefit of doubt), the ad reallly does not do a good job of marketing it. The verbage in the ad is all "fluff", and there is no mention of paperwork at all.

To the originality question, the ad says, "It has been wonderfully maintained and is as good...if not better than when it came off the line in '53. The car still has the serial number and we have retained almost all its original parts." Even that doesn't really say a lot...e.g., is a prospective buyer being asked to bid on a Bowtie candidate car? I don't think so...but again, it's not really clear. There's no mention of the car ever having been judged.

To get max value for this car, the dossier will need to be in order. If it were, I tend to agree with Mac, it would probably be going through another venue. I believe it would also bring more than $98K, the price at which this auction stalled out.