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428 Frua Forum / CF31 up for sale
« on: January 15, 2012, 04:05:00 »
Hijacked thread continued:
Brett - true enough, genuine low mileage cars have all the advantages you speak of.
My point: At the price most present owners likely paid for their cars in years past, a great deal of (costly) restoration could be done to bring the cars up to 'excellent' condition, given the higher value the cars COULD BE sold for presently (and in future, should the 428 be valued as some of us believe should be the case).
The work must be done by skilled, knowledgeable craftsmen, well-documented and done correctly.
10 years ago and more, 428's were very underpriced. And as a result, it was not feasible to spend a great deal of money to 'fix' a rusted, abused car.
That has changed. It's not now a losing proposition to undo a history of cheap fixes.
Big-block Cobras sell for BIG money. If enough well-heeled Cobra collectors knew they could buy a genuine inheritor of the Cobra lineage, and be able to actually USE and CAMPAIGN a (relatively) comfortable version of said Cobra, well.... why should these much rarer cars not sell for approximately the same price?
Advantages: rarity, exclusivity, useablity, fun, comfort, weather protection, room for spouse and luggage, performance. AND, You and everyone else will know you are driving the Genuine article, not some 'tribute' fake. (Bragging rights)
As Emmanuel and others have pointed out in previous posts, All Italian steel cars were prone to rust. It has not been a losing proposition to repair these cars. As I mentioned a long time ago, Randy Reed repaired a Ferrari that was a total rust-bucket (and had been built originally with Italian metal street signs) that went on to sell for millions of dollars.
Maybe this could be ultimately true of 428's. But the cars MUST be 'up to snuff'. (note: I do not mean that Fruas would sell for "millions of dollars")
It is not a losing proposition to restore 428's to original or BETTER condition.
There are few, if any, ORIGINAL Big-Block Cobras that have not been subtily 'improved' over their lifetimes. Consider the muzzy figures for the number of Shelby Cobras originally sold with 428 engines. Now, it seems, ALL of them came with 427's as original equipment,
How'd that happen? (and - does any one REALLY care? As long as it's subtile and period-correct? The "Cobra" guys use their cars, they don't just stare at them)
Among the great advantages of owning a 428 is being able to make it better, and still be "original". Thanks to the enormous popularity of "Cobras", (Kirkham and others) the refinement of "original" engine parts, suspension parts etc., has continued to the present day. And most of the "new" parts are still handmade. The "old" parts are available on Ebay and elsewhere.
Ford made a great many performance parts for their engines in the day - and you can buy them and use them NOW.
The 428 is not a delicate flower. It is meant to be used, not stared at.
Brett - true enough, genuine low mileage cars have all the advantages you speak of.
My point: At the price most present owners likely paid for their cars in years past, a great deal of (costly) restoration could be done to bring the cars up to 'excellent' condition, given the higher value the cars COULD BE sold for presently (and in future, should the 428 be valued as some of us believe should be the case).
The work must be done by skilled, knowledgeable craftsmen, well-documented and done correctly.
10 years ago and more, 428's were very underpriced. And as a result, it was not feasible to spend a great deal of money to 'fix' a rusted, abused car.
That has changed. It's not now a losing proposition to undo a history of cheap fixes.
Big-block Cobras sell for BIG money. If enough well-heeled Cobra collectors knew they could buy a genuine inheritor of the Cobra lineage, and be able to actually USE and CAMPAIGN a (relatively) comfortable version of said Cobra, well.... why should these much rarer cars not sell for approximately the same price?
Advantages: rarity, exclusivity, useablity, fun, comfort, weather protection, room for spouse and luggage, performance. AND, You and everyone else will know you are driving the Genuine article, not some 'tribute' fake. (Bragging rights)
As Emmanuel and others have pointed out in previous posts, All Italian steel cars were prone to rust. It has not been a losing proposition to repair these cars. As I mentioned a long time ago, Randy Reed repaired a Ferrari that was a total rust-bucket (and had been built originally with Italian metal street signs) that went on to sell for millions of dollars.
Maybe this could be ultimately true of 428's. But the cars MUST be 'up to snuff'. (note: I do not mean that Fruas would sell for "millions of dollars")
It is not a losing proposition to restore 428's to original or BETTER condition.
There are few, if any, ORIGINAL Big-Block Cobras that have not been subtily 'improved' over their lifetimes. Consider the muzzy figures for the number of Shelby Cobras originally sold with 428 engines. Now, it seems, ALL of them came with 427's as original equipment,
How'd that happen? (and - does any one REALLY care? As long as it's subtile and period-correct? The "Cobra" guys use their cars, they don't just stare at them)
Among the great advantages of owning a 428 is being able to make it better, and still be "original". Thanks to the enormous popularity of "Cobras", (Kirkham and others) the refinement of "original" engine parts, suspension parts etc., has continued to the present day. And most of the "new" parts are still handmade. The "old" parts are available on Ebay and elsewhere.
Ford made a great many performance parts for their engines in the day - and you can buy them and use them NOW.
The 428 is not a delicate flower. It is meant to be used, not stared at.