What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

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  • leikec
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2009
    • 10994

    What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

    If you haven't seen Corvette Central's repro '57 Vette body, you're in for a real treat. Watch as Walden-Younger Corvette Restoration lovingly builds a killer resto-mod '57 Vette using state of the art hardware.


    I imagine a very nice car could be built for much less money--even if some of the finishing parts are quite tough to find and ultra-expensive.

    My preference would be to keep the original suspension and to build a stock looking car, but I'd be tempted to upgrade to a modern fuel injected engine and an efficient auto trans for better gas mileage. I'm at the stage in life where a nice driving cruiser is more pleasing to me than explosive acceleration and supercar handling.

    Jeff C
    Last edited by leikec; 08-28-2017, 10:21 PM.
    Don’t expect much, and you won’t be disappointed…
  • oznabrag
    Historical Illiterate
    • Nov 2008
    • 40802

    #2
    Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

    Pless?

    Heck, Jeff, shoot for Meachen!


    Rattling the teacups.

    Comment

    • leikec
      Senior Member
      • Dec 2009
      • 10994

      #3
      Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

      It's interesting that the Corvette body is actually less expensive than the 1955-1957 Chevy bodies, by quite a bit, but the total cost of building a 1955-1957 Chevy convertible would likely be substantially lower. There is such a big market for repo 1955-1957 Chevy parts.

      Jeff C
      Don’t expect much, and you won’t be disappointed…

      Comment

      • The Bigfella
        Banned
        • Oct 2006
        • 11600

        #4
        Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

        Hell no.... do a Porker. James Dean will oversee it coming together and keep it safe. Whack in a Subie WRX engine for some serious mumbo.

        Comment

        • leikec
          Senior Member
          • Dec 2009
          • 10994

          #5
          Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

          Originally posted by The Bigfella
          Hell no.... do a Porker. James Dean will oversee it coming together and keep it safe. Whack in a Subie WRX engine for some serious mumbo.

          Believe me, I'd seriously consider a Porsche replica--the Speedster, not the James Dean car. Back in the day I drove an original Porsche Speedster several times, and later when I drove an Intermeccanica Speedster it was easily the equal of the original, both in performance and overall drivability and feel.

          The Intermeccanica Speedster is very desirable in its own right, and Vintage Speedsters make a pretty good replica as well. Porsche replica Speedster and replica 356 convertibles are widely available in the mid 20K range--the Intermeccanica Speedster will command a substantial premium over the other replicars.

          I know you don't think much of them, but early C1 and C2 Corvettes are skyrocketing in price for a reason that is as much cultural as anything else--for the average American kid of the 1960's or 70's they were one of the ultimate dream cars.

          One of the reasons this 1957 replicar makes sense is identical to the 550 Spyder, 356 and Speedster replicar--original Porsches are becoming too expensive to buy, and even if I could afford a mint 356 convertible I'd be leery about taking it out and driving it around in a world where people text and trim their nose hair while driving.

          Jeff C
          Don’t expect much, and you won’t be disappointed…

          Comment

          • Gerarddm
            #RESIST
            • Feb 2010
            • 32469

            #6
            Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

            I still want an Intermeccanica Italia.
            Gerard>
            Albuquerque, NM

            Next election, vote against EVERY Republican, for EVERY office, at EVERY level. Be patriotic, save the country.

            Comment

            • The Bigfella
              Banned
              • Oct 2006
              • 11600

              #7
              Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

              Originally posted by leikec
              Believe me, I'd seriously consider a Porsche replica--the Speedster, not the James Dean car. Back in the day I drove an original Porsche Speedster several times, and later when I drove an Intermeccanica Speedster it was easily the equal of the original, both in performance and overall drivability and feel.

              The Intermeccanica Speedster is very desirable in its own right, and Vintage Speedsters make a pretty good replica as well. Porsche replica Speedster and replica 356 convertibles are widely available in the mid 20K range--the Intermeccanica Speedster will command a substantial premium over the other replicars.

              I know you don't think much of them, but early C1 and C2 Corvettes are skyrocketing in price for a reason that is as much cultural as anything else--for the average American kid of the 1960's or 70's they were one of the ultimate dream cars.

              One of the reasons this 1957 replicar makes sense is identical to the 550 Spyder, 356 and Speedster replicar--original Porsches are becoming too expensive to buy, and even if I could afford a mint 356 convertible I'd be leery about taking it out and driving it around in a world where people text and trim their nose hair while driving.

              Jeff C
              Yeah, there were plenty more Porsches at that museum. I didn't photograph them though. Some visible here

              Comment

              • leikec
                Senior Member
                • Dec 2009
                • 10994

                #8
                Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

                Boy...this thread is on fire...

                Jeff C
                Don’t expect much, and you won’t be disappointed…

                Comment

                • Jim Bow
                  Normcore
                  • Jul 2008
                  • 24003

                  #9
                  Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

                  How about the 1980 Shay, all steel repro Model A. You'd still have $120,000 left to play with.
                  “Come, come, my conservative friend, wipe the dew off your spectacles and see the world is moving" - Elizabeth Cady Stanton

                  Comment

                  • Paul Pless
                    pinko commie tree hugger
                    • Oct 2003
                    • 124840

                    #10
                    Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

                    buy an evora and pocket $40K
                    Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool.

                    Comment

                    • amish rob
                      Emperor For Life
                      • Mar 2010
                      • 24274

                      #11
                      Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

                      Shoot, 135k, plus another 15k would get you a hand made pedal car.

                      Peace,
                      Robert

                      Comment

                      • Norman Bernstein
                        Liberaltarian
                        • Nov 2004
                        • 25217

                        #12
                        Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

                        I have lost most of my car lust over the years; these days, I drive a bottom-of-the-line 2013 Honda Accord, and I NEVER wash it

                        However, if I go back in my mind to the days when I did have a desire to own a classic car... as opposed merely to the appreciation of them... it would be an MGA.



                        The MGA was a 'transitional' car.... basically, MG-TF mechanicals and engine, with a gorgeous body shape that belies the fact that it's got wood-framed doors. It's the last MG to actually have a manual crank handle, that inserts into the opening in the bumper, should the batteries (two 6 volt batteries in series, actually) be dead I'd stay away from the 'Twin-cam' versions, which are widely regarded to be mechanical nightmares and have poor reliability.

                        In browsing online, you can find restoration candidates for as little as $6K-$7K.... driveable examples for less than $20K... or this one, for $50K, which I presume is a full restoration.

                        Basically, the car sucks... if my experience owning a 1970 MGB was any indication. Anything made of rubber disintegrates quickly; the electrical harness is well known for needing Lucas electrical harness replacement smoke from time to time (Lucas electrics are crap)... filling the master brake and clutch cyulinders with anything other than the correct Girling fluid will destroy the seals... and so on.

                        Despite all that, it's still a thing of beauty... best admired while sitting in your garage, rather than taking a chance getting stuck on an actual road

                        Last edited by Norman Bernstein; 08-29-2017, 01:20 PM.
                        "Reason and facts are sacrificed to opinion and myth. Demonstrable falsehoods are circulated and recycled as fact. Narrow minded opinion refuses to be subjected to thought and analysis. Too many now subject events to a prefabricated set of interpretations, usually provided by a biased media source. The myth is more comfortable than the often difficult search for truth."






                        Comment

                        • leikec
                          Senior Member
                          • Dec 2009
                          • 10994

                          #13
                          Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

                          I like MGA's, but lately the MGTD has grabbed me more.

                          Jeff C
                          Don’t expect much, and you won’t be disappointed…

                          Comment

                          • skuthorp
                            Senior Member
                            • Jan 2002
                            • 73627

                            #14
                            Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

                            $135 grand?
                            Maths coaching at the local high school for as long as the money would last.

                            Comment

                            • leikec
                              Senior Member
                              • Dec 2009
                              • 10994

                              #15
                              Re: What to do with that $135K you need to blow...

                              Originally posted by skuthorp
                              $135 grand?
                              Maths coaching at the local high school for as long as the money would last.
                              I imagine the low number for building one would be $40-45k, but that would entail lots of scrounging for parts and used suspension, engine and transmission components.

                              Jeff C
                              Don’t expect much, and you won’t be disappointed…

                              Comment

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