Auctions America 1971-73 report - (3/14/14)

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My Car
'71 Mustang Mach 1 M-code "Soylent Green"
'69 Plymouth Valiant 100
'68 Plymouth Satellite
1. 1971 1F05J Mach 1, silver. Marti with early September 1970 build date. (To be sold Saturday)

FL14_r0306_01.jpg


http://auctionsamerica.com/events/feature-lots.cfm?SaleCode=FL14&ID=r0306&Order=runorder&feature=&collection=&grouping=&category=#

Well restored, but overdone. Original quarters, 15" rims, no filler on the taillight panel seams, but shot in a hideous gloss black under the hood. Only the hood latch was painted slop grey. Non-original stripes, and windshield/driprail trim had been "restored" by sanding off the bright dip and polishing them to a shine that was more or less as offensive as the gloss black engine bay.

Door gaps had been tightened up with filler rods, but not perfectly. Hood had rot, which had been filled. Was done well, but not imperceptible.

Driver's seat covering was a bit loose in fit. Shortie console. Someone sprayed the trunk floor since, but it was done right.

All the buck tags and VIN plate had been documented and photographed during restoration. Unfortunately, they also took every single one of them (including the under-hood tag on the radiator support and dash VIN) and polished them silly.

Consignor was an ass, despite making no attempts to speak with them. After overhearing me discussing the windshield and driprail trim with another '71-73 owner, she came over from a few cars away just to loudly argue that '71-73 trim was never bright-dipped from the factory, and that the car was "totally original."

I kindly asked her to show me where the stripes were in the Marti report. That pissed her off. Fine by me. If you're going to pass a $40k+ car off as all-original - and it isn't - its open season.

2. 1971 1F02F Sportsroof, Competition Orange. Sold, $16,500.

FL14_r0261_01.jpg


http://auctionsamerica.com/events/feature-lots.cfm?SaleCode=FL14&ID=r0261&Order=runorder&feature=&collection=&grouping=&category=

Early car with no Marti, sold to either a sucker or someone who didn't give a damn. Most obvious problem: Entire nose sheetmetal is '73.

This one was a hoot to go over, as there was less right with the car than unacceptably wrong:

  • Cowl hat rotted through!
  • 4-wheel drums! Way to go to create a "ideal entry-level collectible or cruise night car." NOT.
  • Replacement headliner installed like crap; wrinkles everywhere
  • Fake Clarion Knit (Deluxe) seat covers
  • Console being held down by half the screws necessary to hold it down
  • LH quarter had a small hole in it at the dropoff edge
  • Non-original Competition Orange should have been called "Competition Orange Peel"
  • Rear window was tinted jet black ages ago and was scratched beyond belief.
  • Left inner C-pillar headliner extension was falling in
  • Front window was a new replacement
  • Charcoal canister line missing, along with the air cleaner fitting (they left the hole, and that was it)
  • Passenger inner quarter armrests were from another car and had been sprayed with flaking gloss black paint - strangely enough, the upper door panels remained the proper satin/flat black.
  • Front upper window molding had not been installed right, and had pulled out from under the RH A-pillar molding
  • Bodyside tu-tone stripe/pinstripe divider continued across the side of the valance, despite the presence of the vinyl stripe under the marker light - creating a dual-pinstripe look.
  • Rough metal visible around obvious Bondo spot on taillight panel.
  • Like the silver car, the hood had been patched. You could see the Bondo easily on this one.
  • Neither fenders nor trunk were wearing "Mustang" badging, suggesting repop '73 fenders and trunk lid.


The car was interesting in one respect - though it didn't have a Marti, it had double window channel clips in front, associated with early cars. VIN was in the 120000 range. 302 had a 1971 part number.

-Kurt

 
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"If you're going to pass a $40k+ car off as all-original - and it isn't - its open season."

I don't care what they are asking, if they say it is a certain way and it is not --- IT IS NOT. If misrepresented cars are not identified - the marque suffers.

Buyers must beware. I spent many years in the used car business.

Tire kickers, and others who would stop in and critique the cars were just part of the environment. Many times I learned from them, did my research, changed/corrected some small items then sold the car for more money. I always tried to get my research contact (expert) to send me a letter detailing their observations. I asked their permission to pass the letter to the new buyer. They always agreed. It transferred some of the responsibility to the 'expert' for the correctness of the car.

If it is for sale it is up for review. For others to communicate about it just comes with the territory.

If you don't agree just try and sell your house. Real estate agents are the same. (I did that too...)

It all boils down to how a car is presented. Many sellers can be EXTREMELY thin skinned.

Ray

 
If it is for sale it is up for review. For others to communicate about it just comes with the territory. If you don't agree just try and sell your house. Real estate agents are the same. (I did that too...)

It all boils down to how a car is presented. Many sellers can be EXTREMELY thin skinned.
Perfectly stated. And I just found something else that is legally fraud, on the consignor's part:

This is the photo provided to Auctions America by the consignor:

FL14_r0306_01.jpg


This is the photo of Mike Querio's one-owner Mach from Mustang Monthly. I so happened to reference the rear end shot of this car for the Lost Boss 302 thread - I just now realized that the background matched:

mump_1104_01_o+1971_ford_mustang_mach_1+passenger_side_front_view.jpg


The photo of Mike's car was stolen from MM, the license plate Photoshopped out, and cropped to remove the Mustang Monthly logo. The car at the auction was NOT Mike's car. Furthermore, his car is a 351C, not a 429SCJ.

Additionally - I failed to mention that the lower body tu-tone black paint of the ACTUAL car was as terrible and glossy as the treatment under the hood. YECH.

Assholes - and that word is every bit called for in this case.

-Kurt

 
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