[DeTomaso] Anyone know this cat? ( Group 4 2873 reggazzoni )

[Patrick Hals]

It was fun to read the comments.
A real factroy group 4 ? 
I think Roland makes a serious straightforward point. ( some fresh air in the politics from straighforward speakers, tks Roland... ) 
I've inspected the car for one hour at Retromobile in Paris early February, where it was offered for sale by the famous German dealer Thiesen at 450.000 euros ( BTW the present "over750.000 USD" is over 476.000 euros. not a bad progression in two months time ! ) 
Obviously, being an owner of 2 "no questions" real factory Group 4 cars, ( 2862 Candy and 2342 Andy Warhol) I will never criticize a price increase ( conflict of interest ) but I would always make sure the car is as good as described, and that it is FIA approved, otherwise it is useless. Indeed, you cannot race it in the most important European events To give you a simple example,  Le Mans Classic's organisers have elected Candy #2862 immediately for 2008, and  Andy 2342 was immediately approved and raced two years ago . This is an important part of the value of such a car.
As Roland quotes, Windsor engine is not FIA approved, its intake for Webers is not homologated, 13" rear wheels are not original GR4 wheels, sequence of owners is... strange, the chassis holes are immaculate, it seems that the car was never hit... There is an anti noise product all over in the cockpit, adding weight in a RACE car, while you spend tons of money trying to SAVE weight, I can go on and on on different items like that .... strange ) 
I was there on behalf of and with two French potential buyers, and Pierre Rubens had joined me in Paris  ( Pierre was one of the two drivers of Claude Dubois ( today in the hands of Guy trigaux, in South Carolina ) VIN 2860 at Le Mans 1975.  We looked at the car together , but from the top only . We couldn't obviously inspect the car from below, like we would normally do in a garage, when buying a car of that price.....and where you learn critical things about whether or not you are facing "one of the very few" original real factory GR4 cars.
What Roland says is right, but it's only a beginning. Here's a little part of my story
After coming back from Paris, I sent a very detailed email ( looking for answers ) to a certain Dr. Rainer Herbst, and a reminder the week after.
Believe it or not, for a car of that price, I never got ANY reply, not even a phone call.  Do you think my questions were embarrassing... 
I asked several competent people around me what they thought about the car . Well, the answers were not encouraging at all.... some people seriously doubting authenticity of the car. 
Personnally, if I'd be willing to buy a real Group 4 car, ( and God knows I love those cars... ) this is not the one I would buy :>)) even for half of the price. As Roland quotes, Vegas is more fun.
Patrick



Message: 18
Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 20:45:40 +0200
From: "Roland Jaeckel" <detomaso at gmx.com>
Subject: [DeTomaso]  FW:  Anyone Know This Cat?
To: <detomaso at list.realbig.com>
Message-ID: <000d01c89684$176b0c00$0a01a8c0 at roland>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

I know the car pretty well. Nothing is done right. It is the ex. Regazzoni car.
Full alloy windsor engine, so good rebuild, that it blow a head gasket in the Odtimer Grand Prix at N?rburgring in 2007. The assembling of the car is a total deasaster. 
These guys tried to make it race ready in less than a month and nothing workes right.
The price is just speculation. It is owned now by a truck dealer in Germany, who wants to make big bucks with it.
If some one wants to burn money instead of gambling in Vegas, that's it.

Roland Jaeckel
DeTomaso Parts Center Europe
www.detomaso.de