K-19

[John N.]

Re: K-19

No reflection on anyone else but through the years we have all probably passed on parts, or cars, that seemed to be priced too high at the time. My "conscience" has saved me many times and oddly enough I did not listen to my wife and buy. Examples; $150.00 for a complete '57 FI, with distrib. and air cleaner, $950.00 for a black/red 283 HP '57, $2,500.00 for a complete 250 HP FI, 4 speed Cascade Green Corvette, $25.00 for 9 fin valve covers, $45.00 for an excellent '57 tach, $4,500 for a GS, less engine and transmission---yep one of the originals, $13,000 for a big tank red/black, 2 bar KO Z06, $23,000 for a silver blue/blue small tank Z06 (only missing the seat belts but included 4 extra drums and lining sets), $120.00 for 4 NOS Blue Streaks, and on and on. I estimate I have "saved" $60,000-$70,000 that WAS in my 401K last summer. I feel so proud of myself for resisting. 'Many things only come around once---

Steven
The $4,500 for a original GS is a great story. Would you give us more information ie serial number, seller, time held sales price etc. (only those portions you want to disclose) and any story you would share. The weather in Tulsa is miserable this week end and we can use a great story.
Thanks

[Steven B.]

Re: K-19

Steven
The $4,500 for a original GS is a great story. Would you give us more information ie serial number, seller, time held sales price etc. (only those portions you want to disclose) and any story you would share. The weather in Tulsa is miserable this week end and we can use a great story.
Thanks

Hi John! 'Bad weather in east Texas, also. The GS was the George Wintersteen car. It was advertised in R&T Market Place if I remember correctly about '65-'66. I will look it up as I still have all of my magazines and post the info. I called a couple of times over a two or three week period and was advised it was selling as a roller, no engine or transmission, just an old race car but that is all that was missing. It was the original white with Wintersteen's and Murph's name on it. I was going to sell the '57 and asked my Dad for a loan to cover the rest, which would have been about $3,500.00. You can guess the answer when I said it had no top, a short windscreen, no engine or transmisson, and I lived in north east Indiana and would drive it year round.

I will search for the date of the ad, the magazine and the telephone number and post.

Steve

[Mark D.]

Re: K-19

Let's see, I paid 4500 bucks for a Camaro smog system and you could have paid 4500 bucks for a Grand Sport.

Maybe my smog set-up will be worth millions in several years. Yeah, that could happen.

[John N.]

Re: K-19

Steve, thanks for the story. Mark, good comment.
Regards

[James F.]

Re: K-19

That `67 smog pump on eBay for $999.00 was priced right! I bought a `67 small block coupe 7 years ago missing all the smog stuff. Had it judged at a regional and got my you know what handed to me by the judges. It took me 3 years and at least 10 deals with different people trying to piece the car back correctly together. In the process I ended up with enough extra pieces of smog stuff to assemble a complete extra system. Just sold that complete system unrestored for 3X the price of the ebay pump. I had 2 guys fighting over it. If you need smog stuff, pay the price. Thank-you to Joe Lucia and Mark Gorney for answering questions through my process.

[Steven B.]

Re: K-19

Steve, thanks for the story. Mark, good comment.
Regards

John, I am part way through my boxes and still looking. I should have marked them better during the last move. The car has had a very good life without me beating it for a few years, but yet---.

Mark, I bet it will be twice what you paid in a few years.

[Dale S.]

Re: K-19

Steve, Your dad sounds like my dad. I asked him for a loan for a car. He answered "Son, walking is not crowded." Dale

[Joseph T.]

Re: K-19

In 1988 at Bloomington I sold a complete NOS 1968 435/L88 smog pump take off with pump/tubes/dated clamps everything for $3500.

Today it would be priceless.

" Premium parts and premium cars bring a premium return "

When I bought the 57 survivor car many years ago later to become the 1st ever Bloomington Survivor the lady owner gave me boxes of extra parts.

In one box there was what I thought to be an alternator and did not pay much attention to it and just put that box of parts away.

About a year later I stumble on that box and realize the part is actually the original 435/L88 smog pump and all related original parts. This happened to be in 88 just before the Bloomington Earthquake 88 event. Turns out the man who owned the 57 I bought and who had passed away had previously owned either a 68 435 or L88 and removed the smog pump system.

Timing was good taking the parts to Bloomington as a beautiful red 68 L88 rolled out of a trailer and the car was complete minus the smog pump system..after a conversation he bought it.

Now with money burning a whole in my pocket and being at the great Bloomington dust bowl..I come across a 57 250 FI fuel unit and distributor for $950 and a complete 68 427/390HP engine for $1000 and a complete 57 unrestored fuelie 282/283 engine ( can't remember the price but something like $3500 ).

I pass on all three great buys and take the smog pump money home to the wife!

We buy new carpeting, a micro wave and few other items for the house.

All in all these type events over the past 35 years of playing Corvettes and the people I have met have been priceless.

Joe