Author Topic: Minis For Sale on BAT (Read 252571 times)

BruceK · « **Reply #1725 on:** November 04, 2020, 05:21:42 PM »

So, $80,000 for a restoration of a non-Cooper S!? Holy crap! A fool and his money.

Sure, it looks very good. It had damn well better!

Having said all that, the auction has very nice photography.

Jimini II · « **Reply #1726 on:** November 04, 2020, 06:21:13 PM »

When i watched the video i thought the exhaust note may have been dubbed in but looking at the underneath pictures it looks like a stainless exhaust was fitted and to my ear they sound a little tinny so i guess it could be real.
Nice Mini but $80k build wow, unless a couple of bidders go crazy i am thinking it may be a RNM.

BruceK · « **Reply #1727 on:** November 04, 2020, 06:40:06 PM »

Even if reserve is met it’s still going to be a tremendous loss. My guess is this will be lucky to reach $35K in bids.

I also suspect the comments will start pointing out the folly of spending big money on a non-S model.

gr8kornholio · « **Reply #1728 on:** November 04, 2020, 08:33:38 PM »

You can pretty much NEvER pay someone to build you a car and then sell it for anything close to what you paid. Usually lucky if you can get half.

Would be curious to see one of the Gildred minis up for sale second hand to see what they fetch cause this money would be one of their really well built vtec cars.

MPlayle · « **Reply #1729 on:** November 08, 2020, 03:35:02 PM »

Interesting to review the comments on both the blue Saloon and yellow Moke currently on BaT.

The seller on the blue Saloon has only responded a few times and not very well each time - other commenters are having to analyze the pictures and answer the questions when possible.

The seller of the yellow Moke has been absent so far. Some questions asked remain unanswered.

BruceK · « **Reply #1730 on:** November 08, 2020, 03:45:04 PM »

I always wonder when sellers don’t respond if they are either too clueless/stupid to know the value of being engaged with the bidders/commenters?

Or perhaps they really don’t want to sell the vehicle and are just going through the motions to please a spouse/relative hoping it goes RNM?

Then again, if I shelled out $80,000 (!) to restore/build a freaking Mini 850 perhaps I’d keep a low profile too.

Edit: just saw the seller’s comment that there are no photos of restoration. They were lost. That’s not a good thing.

MiniDave · « **Reply #1731 on:** November 08, 2020, 04:07:13 PM »

A lot of questions on the blue car have gone unanswered too...... I take issue with one thing said on the blue car - a guy asked why anyone would spend $80K on a resto on a non-S Mini and it was answered "because he can" - the person who wrote that is clearly a wealthy individual as he has bids on a number of very expensive vehicles on BaT right now, but I think the comment was disingenuous. Wealthy people didn't get that way by throwing money away on stupid projects. I think it more likely that he turned it over to the shop and lost track or had no idea how much it was costing till he got the bill.

Otherwise, if it was a project he really wanted, why wouldn't he keep it for a while and enjoy it like the guy that Dan restored the 66 for?

It's a gorgeous car and it sure looks like it was done well, but if it sells he's going to take a real haircut on it.

No heat or ventilation either.....and the magic wand transmission - is that still on the 3 synchro 850 gearbox?

cstudep · « **Reply #1732 on:** November 08, 2020, 05:20:50 PM »

It is indeed baffling why you would spend that kind of money on a "cooper S" tribute kind of car and not at least source a remote gear box for it since that is what a real cooper would have had. Was the 850 the only version with the magic wand?

I don't think the 4 synchro came out until late 60's or so did it? Wanting to say 67 or 68. That said you can get or build up a remote gear box as either 3 or 4 synchro and it's not like the remote box's are all that hard to find, or at least I don't think they are, I have 6 or 7 of them I believe.

Beautiful car, there is no doubt about that but for 80k it damn well ought to be. I love my mini's as much as the next guy, but for 80k I can think of a lot of other cars I would be buying if I was spending that kind of cash.

jeff10049 · « **Reply #1733 on:** November 08, 2020, 05:36:53 PM »

Quote from: gr8kornholio on November 04, 2020, 08:33:38 PM

You can pretty much NEvER pay someone to build you a car and then sell it for anything close to what you paid. Usually lucky if you can get half.

Would be curious to see one of the Gildred minis up for sale second hand to see what they fetch cause this money would be one of their really well built vtec cars.

Not necessarily true we restore lots of cars where the owner comes out ahead. A lot depends on the finished value of the car the mid-year corvettes can bring over 100k done right and we can normally do that for around 50-60k that's at $120.00 per hour and no time gave away.

Another problem is most restoration shops are bullshit do shitty work and way overcharge the customer.

That mini is a fine example of this while it might be a nice car it is nowhere near an 80K job not even in the realm at all. It would be impossible to hit 80k at say a rate of $150.00 per hour with the new parts it has and quality level it is done to. So either the owner is full of it or he got screwed.

Hear are a few pics of our current project we might hit 60k it is back to driving and nearly done. This includes the addition of a Tremec 5 speed and vintage air system about 8k of upgrades right there. Every single part of this car was restored all frame and suspension blasted and powder coated. New interior top etc I mean everything done all stainless sent out for straighten polish there is nothing left you could do And were only at 60k these cars are way more expensive to restore than a mini. This car also needed very extensive fiberglass work and had a broken frame in a few spots.
Only downside to this one is he overpaid for the car at auction it should have been about 30k but he paid 45k so he'll just break even but he wants to keep it so it doesn't matter.

Jimini II · « **Reply #1734 on:** November 10, 2020, 06:38:20 PM »

The yellow UK Moke in Florida was doing well in the closing minutes at $25k, then someone raised the bid a full $10k to $35k and his one and only bid secured it.
The Moke is heading to California.

BruceK · « **Reply #1735 on:** November 10, 2020, 08:23:22 PM »

Quote from: Jimini II on November 10, 2020, 06:38:20 PM

The yellow UK Moke in Florida was doing well in the closing minutes at $25k, then someone raised the bid a full $10k to $35k and his one and only bid secured it.
The Moke is heading to California.

A big $10K jump like that seems crazy to me. If if I did that I’d always be wondering if $1500 could’ve done it and I didn’t need to blow $10,000.

MiniDave · « **Reply #1736 on:** November 11, 2020, 12:50:20 PM »

Crikeys! What the hell is going on on BaT?

That Blue Mini is at $32,750 with 30 min to go!

Jimini II · « **Reply #1737 on:** November 11, 2020, 02:12:21 PM »

Quote from: MiniDave on November 11, 2020, 12:50:20 PM

Crikeys! What the hell is going on on BaT?

That Blue Mini is at $32,750 with 30 min to go!

You think that that is crazy it just closed at $50k, silly money for a look a like with lots of unanswered questions on the engine and box.

MPlayle · « **Reply #1738 on:** November 11, 2020, 02:19:21 PM »

Where was that kind of money on my Mini Marcos auction?

Sheer madness!?!

cstudep · « **Reply #1739 on:** November 11, 2020, 02:40:20 PM »

Watching stuff on BAT over the years it is definitely one of those places that seems to be out of touch with reality at times.

I saw a 99 3rd gen Toyota 4runner for sale on there a while back, nice vehicle, clean, etc.. but it sold for like 15 grand. For a stock 21 year old Toyota 4runner? That is just nuts.

BruceK · « **Reply #1740 on:** November 11, 2020, 04:49:40 PM »

Hang on lads, I’ve got a plan. Put a car on a BaT auction and claim to have spent a jillion billion dollars on the restoration. Result: bidders will massively overpay for what it actually is.

BruceK · « **Reply #1741 on:** November 20, 2020, 08:37:05 PM »

A Mini estate is now being auctioned on BaT. Still has the 850. And a non-stock interior.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1965-austin-mini-countryman-woody-3/

BruceK · « **Reply #1742 on:** November 21, 2020, 01:11:19 PM »

Looking at the photos of the red estate, I noticed and commented on the fact it has a rare accessory: an aftermarket shifter that converts the magic wand into a version of a remote shifter. The weird part is this linkage sits inside the car atop the hump enclosed in a box. I haven’t seen one of those since the 1970s.

MiniDave · « **Reply #1743 on:** November 21, 2020, 01:38:22 PM »

I wondered about that - I've NEVER seen one.....

tmsmini · « **Reply #1744 on:** November 21, 2020, 03:15:06 PM »

I need to follow this one to get an idea of what ours are worth. If BAT is any real indicator. Curious that it has a brake servo with an 850 and that it was replaced.

mascher · « **Reply #1745 on:** November 21, 2020, 03:57:16 PM »

The shifter is the SPQR "Major Change". They are around, used and sometimes unused, but can be hard to find. The molded plastic cover is more rare than the shifter mechanism.
Kelley

MiniDave · « **Reply #1746 on:** November 21, 2020, 04:00:33 PM »

This one says it had a new engine for $4000, new interior for $2500 and paint job for $2000 including rust repair. I have no idea what kind of paint job you can get done for $2K these days......also, when I went to the address listed on the invoices its now a UPS depot?

Edit: OK, found them.....they're way off of that road

BruceK · « **Reply #1747 on:** November 23, 2020, 07:22:04 PM »

A Mk I Mini not pretending to be a Cooper is now on BaT. This one i
Is still badged as an Austin Seven. Sure, it has a few updates.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1960-austin-7/

Edit: Geez just a couple of hours into the 7 day auction and bidding is already up to $14K. Wow.

MiniDave · « **Reply #1748 on:** November 23, 2020, 07:31:45 PM »

Mk 1's are hot!

BruceK · « **Reply #1749 on:** November 23, 2020, 08:09:34 PM »

This car looks great, but has some issues. None of the gauges including the speedo work, and turn signals don’t work either. Still has a generator. And for some reason (laziness? ignorance? indifference?) it’s still positive ground. Not a big deal to one of us - as we know early cars have super simple wiring. Motorcycle simple. But those issues already seem to be causing a lot of questions from potential bidders. That may scare some folks away.

The car also has many, many pages of invoices and receipts. So the next owner may just pay someone else ($$$$$) to deal with the issues.

News:

Author Topic: Minis For Sale on BAT (Read 252571 times)