Mecum auction in Kissimmee, Fl on friday sold a 1957 Ford Custom 300 2 dr sedan, for 71,500 mega bucks. It has a 428 motor, 4 speed top loader. Ground up restoration.
If it had a 428 in it it wasn't a restoration. I've had it happen more than a few times, a client will asks me to look at a car or i'll go look and a car for myself that the seller (usually an astate sale) says is a first class restoration. I get there and the engine is a later model, or the interior is custom made, etc. That 57 is a very nice car, but if I were to put it is restored on my appraisial I could lose my appraisers licence.
That is the truest definition of the word Lou. When you and I hear restoration, we think of restoration to the way Ford built it with as many good original ir NOS parts as possible. I belive the meaning here and some other ads we see, mean that the car has had the body and undercarriage restored, or made as new. A 57 Ford did notcome with disk brakes or an FE, particularly one that wasnt available until '68.
My point is ,that the 57 went for 71,500. It was shown on TV. Call it what you want.
What surprised me was $71,500 for the Custom 300( not a retrackable or convertible,or even a Galaxie 500) just a stock looking Black 300 with a stock looking interior,Black steel wheels with poverty hubcaps.Granted it had a 428 F.E. and 4-speed with front disc brakes.Later in the auction George Poteet's ex "57 Custom wagon built by Rad Rides By Troy called "the Intruder" full on custom built only sold for $55,000! The week before this Barrett-Jackson sold a Blue/Silver Del Rio 2-Dr wagon (Customized) for around $37,000,does this mean other models of '57 Fords are now being acceptedat auctions(besides T-Birds or Retractables)? Are they moving into the '55-'57 Chevy arena/money? KID
That awesome wagon by troy trepanier got a high bid a 55K to my amazement...I was figuring 125K or higher, but did not meet the reserve and did not sell. Go figure.Makes me wonder if there's something about the car I don't know...like it's a not drivable show car only.
Funny thing about auctions, if you have two bidders you have an auction. If you have two that want the car really bad it will go out of sight in a minute. Whitness the Amphicar a few years ago at B-J that went for 117K, none have even come close to that number since. I know the guy that built the 117K car, he had one in this years auction and it was nicer then the first and it only hit 55K. Go figure!