Messages

And here's the link to it...
   
   http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/90884
   
   The angle of the photograph makes it look very attractive too.
   
   Do post up the result if anyone finds out.
   And good luck to the fortunate new owner whoever that might be.
   David

Hello Cliff,
   Sounds like you had the 'Toyota' accelerator cable!
   Shouldn't joke as I'm sure I'd be mortified if the same thing happened to me.
   Yes I'm 6ft 1" as well but only 12 stone with size 9's so might cope with the offset perhaps? Auto probably less of an issue than manual - I see some have converted to manual for preference as well as reducing the heat problem.
   I do wonder about future replacements of things like trim and glass and other components which are specific to the car rather than someone else's parts bin.
   Anyway, does the dear lady enjoy the view from the passenger seat on those balmy summer evenings or still think of the wardrobe lost?
   David

"... come home to an empty garage" Hee hee.
   
   It does remind me - some years ago, a keen sailor came home to find his girlfriend had taken a disc cutter to his beautifully varnished wooden sailing boat and it lay in four perfect cut sections in front of the house!
   Hell hath no fury etc.
   Mind you it has been much better than money in the bank! Also it's good to hear that it remains in the UK. Shame the weather has just been so bad over the last three years.
   
   Any real issues? A serious question... have you been pleased with it? I ask because one can always test drive a new car before purchase. One can also hire many a similar aged car such as Jaguar, Aston, Ferrari etc for a weekend from any number of car hire companies so that you know what a car is like before deciding to search and buy.
   With AC's, and a few others perhaps, one is having to contemplate a purchase based on little more than a photograph. It could be like marrying a 'sheila' from Oz and stepping off the plane to be embraced a 'Roo'
   You get my meaning.

And to think that exactly 3 years ago the identical car (Frua convertible 1968 in same blue - CF25  Reg YPF 409G) sold for just £33,000 !!!!!
   
   It almost makes you think 'buy anything at any price'.
   Would that it were possible - most seem to be disappearing abroad to the mega wealthy never to be seen again... a bit like Cadburys and everything else that was good and British. Shame really.
   Hope you Yanks and Arabs are taking good care of our heritage [:)]

Hi all,
   Been away for a while but I keep looking and saw this one - also a ghastly purple 289.
   
   It's abit awkward with dealers because they are obviously there to make the biggest raid on one's wallet that they can.  Hence, not just with AC's but other others of it's ilk as well, they will often buy cheap ahead of a real enthusiast and then sell it on for a greatly inflated price to a celebrity for lottery money which is a shame as it then rarely understood and therefore rarely looked after properly. Chris Evans and a Ferrari 275 spring to mind.
   
   I recall an Aston which sold at auction about two years ago for 16,000 which, with a hoover out and polish, sold again within the month for 44,950. Nice work... I would have been seething if I'd been at all interested in that one. But I'm not sure dealers and celebrities really make the price of vehicles like that - in most cases value has to be underpinned by the rest of us and what WE are prepared to pay.  So you may get the odd instance where a sale massively breaks the tone of values because the buyer is acting without full knowledge. My view is that realistically we are still looking at price band of £25 to £50 depending on condition. (At least that's my hope!)
   
   Lastly in any make of vehicle one can spend a fortune on a nut and bolt restoration but no matter how good it is the vehicle invariably sells for way less than cost of the restoration. Now if I come across one of those in some one's garage and they want to get shot of it and haven't seen JD's website then I wouldn't leave until I'd clinched a deal :o)
   Until then I've three other classics that keep me busy... a 428 would make such a lovely mistress though - big sigh

Congratulations Damien, it's good to know that I've helped someone on here and that another albeit little piece of classic material has found it's way into the same hands of someone on this forum.
   David

Hah!
   So maybe it didn't even reach my £33,000?
   and sooo... to all of you (only two actually!) who guessed £37,500 and £41,500, I think I win!!
   Seriously though, does anyone know how far the bidding went before it was withdrawn?
   Just curious as I keep putting my beer vouchers (£notes) into my piggy bank for some day.
   Be my luck that this one could have been had for sensible money when I'm not in a position to do so - BUT when I do get the chance I'll be up against an Arab oil mogul with no limit all. [:(]
   David

Yes dealers always conceal the actual selling price so that it looks like it's been sold at 60K.  The more dealers can hype the price the more money they make - I suppose we would do the same if we were dealing.
   Of course it MAY have sold at 60K if said 'personality' is a multi millionaire whereby it wouldn't have mattered if the asking price was 260K - he would still have bought it at that price.
   However, you will always get variations/distortions in any market according to the individual bargaining positions of the parties (buyer and seller) forming a transaction.
   It would be fun to see which of us can make the nearest guess of the hammer price on this one.
   So for what it's worth (and based on limited knowledge available of past realistic sales)and bearing in mind some parts appear to be missing I would end my bidding at £33,000.
   Mind you I do so hate red cars (although I like met maroon) so I wouldn't actually bid on this at all.
   So there we are £33K
   Post your guesses on what the final hammer price might be and see who's the closest.

I did see such an AC for sale over here (England) about 10 years ago - (I'm guessing on the time) and it was a similar shade to the one in the photo which you have posted but I thought it was more green than blue - kingfisher perhaps.
   The wheels had painted spokes but as the man says best choice for looks and to keep clean are stainless and they are in keeping with the vehicle without being too 'bling'. After all, it's the body that you want people to look at not the feet - now just wait for some fetishist to put me right!
   However, I later saw what I thought was the same car again about 4 years ago (although I didn't see the registration marks) It was for sale and this time described simply as 1963 AC with ford GT40 engine. Cleevewood garage in Bristol were asking 55,000GBP and it definitely had minilites on it then.
   Is this the car you purchased I wonder.
   Regards David

Oh hello again,
   Thank you for the very informative reply - could say information overload but makes interesting reading.
   Also it seems that not all that glisters is gold. I think it's fair to say that if it looks like a 428 it is a 428 but if it looks like a cobra it could be a snake in the grass!
   I'd certainly be grateful if I could take you up on your offer of the updated 428's when you have that available. My email is james.hickman1@btinternet.com
   Best regards,
   David

Having seen some of the prices achieved recently I have to say I'm stunned... or maybe it is a feeling of sad resignation that one's hearts desire has slipped into a distant galaxy.
   
   Perhaps it's a vogue and reality will return and such cars CAN be owned by those who have always appreciated them rather than a five minute celebrity plaything.
   After all Frua isn't an Aston that seems de riguer to 'the set' along with Rolex, Dom Perignon and dumb blondes.
   Perhaps with more cars coming to the market the supply will modrate prices a little for the hopefull.
   Here's another one I've just found which, to my mind, seems sensible. Expect I'll be trampled in the rush!!
   
   http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1557643.htm
   
   What do others think?

Anyone spotted this one coming up soon?
   Just confirmed for sale yesterday apparently.
   
   http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/78254
   
   Now this is just what I've been waiting for... for years!
   I think it's the perfect body colour after dark green.
   Can anyone tell what the correct colour/code is on this one?
   Pity the inside colour is like a tarts handbag. Why couldn't it be cream leather?
   Shame the recession is having to control the wallet at the moment.
   Be interested to see what the bidding goes to? Anyone planning on going?
   David

Morning All,
   Happy wet and windy Bank Holiday Monday!
   Following on from another thread about updating a register of the whereabouts and ownership of these cars, I came across this the other day.
   It's in the Haynes Motor Museum in Yeovil Somerset.
   Sadly, whilst other cars appear to be in good condition, this one seems to have sustained some damage, as a result I should imagine of being moved around within the display. There are several dents on top of the bonnet and on top of the passenger front wing as well as creases in both doors. Finally the souvenir/collectors have debadged it! [:(!]
   Best regards, David
   
   
   
   

Evening everyone,
   Just thought I'd let you know that Frua 428 is coming up for auction on 8th June 2008 at H&H if anyone is interested.
   Good luck,
   Regards, David.
   You will need to paste this into your browser as I'm no good at attaching links!
   
   http://www.classic-auctions.co.uk/lotdetail.php?lotid=24836&aucid=2764

Evening gentlemen,
   Much as I'd like it myself, I thought I'd do the decent thing and draw your attention to a sale at Bonhams on 21st April 2008.
   It's for an original Frua sales brochure - Lot 62.
   The link is below. Let us know who buys it, and no squabbling!
   Good luck,
   Regards David
   
   http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=EUR&screen=lotdetailsNoFlash&iSaleItemNo=3859430&iSaleNo=16246&iSaleSectionNo=1