Actually the way the prices are rising again at auction, we may be in for a
boomlet.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-fot@Autox.Team.Net [mailto:owner-fot@Autox.Team.Net] On Behalf
Of Richard Taylor
Sent: Saturday, October 02, 2004 9:30 AM
To: fot@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: $ for race cars
Well, I can't figure it out either.
My TR-4 was worth maybe $7000 before I blew the engine at VIR. A month ago a
fellow walked into my shop as I was pulling the motor out and offered me
$12,000 for the car as is. I figure that the engine repair will cost about
$3500 in parts and told him so.
I tell the guy I will think about it, do the math and give him an answer in
a couple of days. He shows up the next day and is eager to make a deal.
So I told the guy, no, I really enjoyed doing what I was doing. I explained
that even though my old car is not fast, exotic, a great joy to drive,
beautiful or even desirable, it is my old car. Aesthetically, it is wanting
and technically, uninspiring. However, it has shown more than a modest
amount of virtue in its reliability, VIR not withstanding. That was its 21st
race (+ 8000 miles driving to & from tracks) without pulling the head off. I
know, auto-abuse and all that.
He said that he thought that his offer was quite generous. I agreed.
He still stops by to watch my painfully slow progress but we don't talk
about buy-sell stuff anymore. He's now trained to bring the cold adult
beverages, go straight to the refrigerator and load the shelves.
I may not get all the money I can out of my car but I think things, in the
long run, are going to work out just fine.
Richard Taylor
Ps: The autopsy of the broken crankshaft revealed that the shop that turned
the crankshaft last did not cut in the required radiuses at the bearing
journals. The break was a clean break of two-thirds of the intersection of
the journal and the throw. Lesson learned: check your radiuses,
|