Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Classifieds Forums => eBay - Craigslist Ads - Other Listings => Topic started by: Vegantune on Monday,January 16, 2023, 09:55:29 AM
-
Looks like someone (mostly Bob Herzog, perhaps some afterwards by Ron Kostka or Blair Walker) put a ton of time into this one. Ad says originally green now red, but I believe this car was originally Cirrus White (L04), then green (you can see over-spray from that repaint on the frame in photo 164) during which time it lost its gold pinstripes, then finally red but still with no gold pinstripes, and sold on eBay around 2009. Originally invoiced 6/28/1973.
Overall looks nice with a few odd quirks. Older frame off restoration, includes original alloy wheels & ashtray, brake servos removed/smaller bore master cylinder installed. Stromberg cross-overs removed and blocked on carb side. Not in love with those outside rear view mirrors. Interesting interior redo although not a fan of cloth seats (damaged already near seat belt catch in photos 83/85/86, and the side of the driver seat back in 117, due to the seat belt - it doesn't take much), but color combo looks good with red exterior.
Not sure if side window frames were anodized black, but look painted to me. Front windshield trim is black rubber, but good thing the windshield recess can't rust since that doesn't fit exactly. Surprised they didn't go ahead and delete bumpers to go with blackout trim changes IMHO. States "mileage unknown". Does not have tinted roll up window on left side door or rear window, but does have tinted on right door. Guessing RH got replaced, but unusual to see a US/federal '74 delivered without tinted glass. No mention of engine or tranny rebuild. Spots underneath including bolt heads, frame and A-arms where paint used to be are now rusting. But as Europas go, it is still a nice looking car in well above average condition.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-lotus-europa-9/ (https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-lotus-europa-9/)
-
Beautiful car! One of the very nicest Europas I've seen on BaT!
-
I am seriously considering a mostly cloth interior for my car.
It gets just a little warm here in Nevada, particularly June to August.
-
I'm telling you, Richard, a light colored cloth is the way to go! Vinyl (or leather!) bolsters are good but I think cloth bolsters hold your butt better.
-
Since I'm looking for 1 - I saw this on their web site ~ Southwest Vintage Motorcars, for I believe$45,000. It is now off their site.
While I desperately want to find a good example $45,000 is out of my budget by a lot!
If sold for the $45,000 it would the highest price paid last 5 years. All of you know better than I, but if $45,000 is the best price then the car should match, and I don't think this is it. It is not a "badged" JPS.
Lotus Europa (1966 to 2010) ~ Classic.com
Market trends for 1974 Lotus Europa - reflects sales in USD only.
5 Year trend
Sales Count9 Avg $30,639 Lowest Sale $15,000 Top Sale $44,642 Most Recent $31,000
1 Year trend
Sales Count3 Avg $35,631 Lowest Sale $31,000 Top Sale $44,642 Most Recent $31,000
-
There has been a lot of no-sales on BAT lately. It's not a matter of owners with large expectations as the bids haven't got anywhere near market value. Interest is falling, prices will too shortly.
-
Personally I would be fine with cars going back to the enthusiast rather than hoarded by speculators who just hold them for a year or two then resell.
-
What Richard said.
-
Agreed 100%
-
A $35,000 bid came across for this car and there are still 6 days left on the auction.
-
I knew this was going to go high, I didn't even consider bidding.
-
A $35,000 bid came across for this car and there are still 6 days left on the auction.
That's quite a lot. Quite a jump too, from $16,250 to $35,000, when one considers that at this early stage, it is conceivable the car could hammer for under $30,000.
-
Hmm, since BAT does not allow last minute kill-shot bidding per the ten-second rule maybe this is the winning strategy of a guy who really wants it? :confused:
-
Quite a jump too, from $16,250 to $35,000, when one considers that at this early stage, it is conceivable the car could hammer for under $30,000.
If a bidding jumped from $16,250 to $35,000, my first reaction would definitely be . . Hmmmm.
-
I think it's fair to say gregmod really wants this. It's now at $40k.
-
Besides being a very nice car, being restored by Bob Herzog is probably a significant factor in the bid.
I have to say that as nice as this car is, and it is very nice, I still think the nicest one ever on BaT is the current high sale (https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-lotus-europa-twin-cam-5/). Just my $0.02.
-
Over $40K now ands will probably get a couple of last minute bids.
I noticed this, " acquired by the owner in 2021".
Confirming my contention that classic cars are being treated as "Assets" rather than automobiles.
I hope the next owner actually drives it.
-
:I-agree:
I can't say I don't understand why people buy cars like Ferraris and Ford GTs just to put them on blocks in their garage and sell them a year later, but I don't understand it at the same time. I buy cars to drive. Of course, I'm not as flush as those Ford GT owners but I don't think it would change. If I were to buy one, it would get a lot of mileage.
-
Sold for $46K.
Would it have gone to fifty with JPS stripes? ;)
-
I think it might have. It was well restored by someone who has a presence in the community (he wrote a book that is for sale) and I think that helped a lot. As I said before, IMHO it was not the nicest one to go on BaT but it was at worst 3rd best.
-
How is the windshield surround done? It looks very tidy.
-
The surround does look good!
-
Wow , sold for 46,000😁❤️
-
So the hammer fell at $46K. Definitely a high for a stock TCS. But clearly this is one very good looking car: complete, ready to show and enjoy the drive. More than that, it came with massive and detailed documentation covering a very extensive frame-off restoration history, done by a well-known and generally respected person who did most of the work, and then published a book all about this one car's evolution, featuring it on the cover.
All that certainly added a lot to the desirability and legacy, and likely ongoing value. I still think it is a lot to pay for a Europa, but at least there was good reason to go well above the market price, and more so compared to far too many hack/shade tree/incomplete flawed restoration jobs with questionable history, work, materials, and mostly a pile of inflated claims about rarity and/or condition that too often show up on eBay. It also would have been even better if that restoration were fresh, and not showing quite so much of its subsequent road use. But its still well above what many Europas can claim for condition.
In the end, I can't really argue much with this final price. You should get what you pay for, and it should be fairly represented, rather than some seller hawking hyperbole about an imaginary market, hoping to con buyers into paying entirely too much for average or worse cars.
-
Besides being a very nice car, being restored by Bob Herzog is probably a significant factor in the bid.
Yes, I agree. I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. I may need to read the book again. I thought it was a decent backyard resto, rather than the high-end professional job that the selling price would suggest. Either way, it’s a nice car and ready to enjoy.
I get the notion of paying a premium for a very nice but less-than-perfect car (perfect in the concourse show car sense). I paid above market value for mine when I bought it, but after watching the various online venues for two years, when my car came up for auction, I knew it was the one, and I went for it. That was 2010, and I paid $16,300 for an original paint, unrestored Special (clean and tidy, but it’s years and miles evident) at a time when a nicely restored JPS could be had for $15,000, and good drivers were 10-12,000. It even generated discussion on two message boards, that I noticed (This amused me a bit. In the high stakes game of collectable automobiles, I made a tiny ripple). It helped, though, that I made the purchase during one of those times when the world markets experienced a muscle spasm, and for a brief moment the Canadian dollar was on par with the greenback. Very fortunate coinciding of events, that.
I imagine this new sale will flush out a rash of Europas and Europa projects, all for sale at inflated prices.
-
Besides being a very nice car, being restored by Bob Herzog is probably a significant factor in the bid.
Yes, I agree. I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. I may need to read the book again. I thought it was a decent backyard resto, rather than the high-end professional job that the selling price would suggest. Either way, it’s a nice car and ready to enjoy.
I haven't finished Herzog's book yet but I agree that there is nothing (so far) that indicates an exemplary build. I think for build quality, I would take Certified's build (http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1704.msg15486#msg15486) over Herzog's. I think we're going to have to see what other cars bring to really know if the market has turned. I think prices are on a general upswing from looking at the BaT price graph though you really have to dig deeper to factor out mods, condition, etc.
-
Well, it's said that one swallow does not a summer make, but perhaps it's a trend data point.
Here in Oz, classic cars of the same era and price range currently bring fairly stratospheric prices.
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/ford/falcon/gt-badge/
-
My goodness! Those are steep prices!
I was just wondering what Certifide’s car would have been bid to if it was on BaT at a similar time.
-
Glad to see this one go for $46k. Makes me think how much mine is worth, definitely not worth anything less than $40k now. Especially since I rebuilt the engine with new everything. Putting the Dave bean water pump on to fix the leaking water pump issues I am having just to be done with everything.
-
The problem with selling your Europa even for huge money, you then no longer own a Europa!
I could fill a page with cars I regret selling.
Sure, it made sense at the time but now I really do kick myself.
-
The problem with selling your Europa even for huge money, you then no longer own a Europa!
I could fill a page with cars I regret selling.
Sure, it made sense at the time but now I really do kick myself.
Not selling mine anytime soon nor will I probably ever sell it. It is nice to see them gaining value and recognition though.