For Sale Why Doesn't This Forward Look Car Sell?

[saforwardlook]

This is at least the second time this 13K mile original Chrysler 300C has been listed on ebay. It seems for a low mileage car this rare and desirable (and with the super rare factory a/c system), it should bring the asking price:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141724561617?item=141724561617&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466&rmvSB=true

 

[1978 NYB]

Stunning car.......

Take it to Barrett-Jackson with no reserve.

I'm sure it will sell on Saturday night with the big hitters.

 

[Joe Sportone]

Nice car but it's still a lot of money...

If I had $70k floating around just waiting for me to spend it, it's not the one I'd drop it for.

 

[67-Fury]

If it was a Convertible you bet I would.

 

[commando1]

70 grand buys a nice COPO Camaro.

 

[CanCritter]

documentation may be questionable...

 

[polara66hardtop]

it just seems to be off the spotlight. Those cars are great. I grew up with them, But as Joe Sportone says, I wouldn't spend 70k to have one. And if people in their 60's don't buy them, who will? Right now, 40-50k people can handle it, but 70K? It's retirement time.

 

[tbm3fan]

it just seems to be off the spotlight. Those cars are great. I grew up with them, But as Joe Sportone says, I wouldn't spend 70k to have one. And if people in their 60's don't buy them, who will? Right now, 40-50k people can handle it, but 70K? It's retirement time.

I agree. What would the typical buyer demographics be in 1957 for this car? Someone in their 40's maybe? Then they are around 100 today. If born that year they are 58 but were 16 in 1973 so more of a muscle car type. Can't ignore demographics and they are not in favor of any car from the 50's selling quickly anymore unless super special that maybe one collector wants. Maybe at B-J but those prices they push there really have no bearing on what the everyday market is doing.

 

[330dTA]

My line on thought goes pretty much the same way as tbm3fan's. But I'd think the typical buyer for one of these would be someone, who was a kid at the time. So he or she would be in their sixties or nearing seventy now. And still very well-to-do, being able to drop 70K into a toy, basically. - Nice car, though.

 

[330dTA]

Looking closer to the ad, it seems a bit worn. Very nice, but not mint. And I generally find it hard to believe these stories of a 50 to 60 year old cars not having been driven more than 13K miles. The odo on that car has gone around once. After all, this was a fairly ordinary car back in the day. A fairly expensive one, yes, but not an exotic import or anything like that. Just a daily driver for a man who had made it. -It's a 113K mile car. I think the condition of the front seats alone prove it.

 

[hergfest]

The market has been going down on the Letter Cars lately, the old guys who own them are all dying off.

 

[fc7_plumcrazy]

it is a difficult car.

Some thoughts:

It is not a survivor as it has been repainted.
It is not in top show condition either.

I feel that most people who own a letter car from 55-61 nowdays mostly have those cars because they love them. They want to own them, I doubt they really want to drive them a lot.

As it might be "just" something they love to own and see in their garage they want it perfectly restored or a nice survivor.
A "driver" car might not give them the right feeling, always thinking it needs some restoration when sitting behind the cracked steering wheels.

I think they do not care about how nice it might drive if it is a genuine 13k mile car. It is simply not important.

Carsten

 

[detmatt]

It's a nice car, I'd drive the hell out of it!
so what do you all think is a fair price?

 

[1978 NYB]

70 grand buys a nice COPO Camaro.

Or a Hellcat with some race gas and race track entry fee money left over.

 

[1978 NYB]

I agree. What would the typical buyer demographics be in 1957 for this car? Someone in their 40's maybe? Then they are around 100 today. If born that year they are 58 but were 16 in 1973 so more of a muscle car type. Can't ignore demographics and they are not in favor of any car from the 50's selling quickly anymore unless super special that maybe one collector wants. Maybe at B-J but those prices they push there really have no bearing on what the everyday market is doing.

You described me..........and true to desire in the 1970's.

I bought a used 69 Super Bee in 1971 (age 16) and had a blast with it. Traded it in for a new 73 Ralleye Challenger with a 340. There was Chrysler/Imperial dealer right across the street......I had no interest whatsoever in ANY car on that lot.

 

[1978 NYB]

I love all Forward Look cars and would love to have this one too! However, I would dipping into retirement money to buy this one....which doesn't make any sense to me. I could get a DOZEN low mileage - no rust Formal's for the money he wants for that one car.

 

[cm23uoc]

I had my doubts concerning the mileage as well from the condition of the interior but a very knowledgable member here who owns one of These cars as well didn't rule it out from what his experience says. Just can't find the thread or Name at the Moment.

http://www.forcbodiesonly.com/mopar-forum/showthread.php?14711-Very-Rare-and-Desirable

Just found it, was saforwardlook himself. LOL

 

[330dTA]

I had my doubts concerning the mileage as well from the condition of the interior but a very knowledgable member here who owns one of These cars as well didn't rule it out from what his experience says. Just can't find the thread or Name at the Moment.

http://www.forcbodiesonly.com/mopar-forum/showthread.php?14711-Very-Rare-and-Desirable

Just found it, was saforwardlook himself. LOL

Interesting read. I hadn't noticed that thread. One beautiful car, the one saforwardlook has. And I must say that I personally value a restored car higher than a visibly worn original. I think fc7_plumcrazy has a point. It would be soothing to go to the garage just to look at it. But if it were unrestored, and looked old - well, then the experience would not be so soothing. More like annoying every time.

Anyway, to the original question: why doesn't it sell? Well I suppose from a wealthy collector's point of view it's not special enough. We, who esteem it high, are a niche group. And only a few of us could possibly afford such an expensive toy. Those who really want one, already have one.

 

[saforwardlook]

All good comments. I was thinking that a collector from Sweden would want one of these and fix it up as needed, but then the wealthy collectors there rather seem to want them fully restored to mint condition and doing so to this car would "ruin" the originality of the car. I guess the car is currently where it is supposed to be as an interesting view of a nearly new 1957 Chrysler 300C that has survived time. As commented by others, actually driving this car would be a poor experience since all the seals will need replacing after so many years and that would be a pain, much like trying to make a driver out of a 1970s Chrysler with only 30K miles on it. Such cars need to be partially restored to make them reliable without seeing another pool on the garage floor each time you go to drive it. Sometimes trying to make a driver out of one of these 45 year old cars seems harder than to actually restore them once and be done with them for awhile before they start leaking all over again. Accessibility of some of the seals on the cars are a pain, much more than when components are out of the car. As stated, the value of these cars will likely continue to go down as the interested leave this planet. Thanks for the insights.

 

[67Monaco]

Well I think the originality has already been ruined with the respray. The more I look at the it, the more I think it's a high teens car.