[DeTomaso] Record price? (warning: tired, opinionated, ranting reply)

[audionut at hushmail.com]

Jeez.....Somebody got swept up and carried away at car week.  
(Nice ripply front bumper.  The one I mangled a while back looks
better than that one.) Maybe I'm the only car guy who feels this way
but it seems to me car collector/investors attach great value to some
really silly things: First car off the lineLast car off the lineOwned
by a celebrity who maybe did this or that ridiculous thing to it
Personal social connections with manufacturer people/employees,
stories (documented or not), various documentations/photos of same or
similarDesigner/famous people signatures (this can be super cool I
agree, but worth $$ tens of thousands?)One owner (one guy can screw up
or neglect a car just as efficiently as several)Low mileage
(meaningful only when buying modern used cars, otherwise it's hearsay.
 We all know it takes about 10 seconds to disconnect the odo cable on
a Pantera)Useless and inferior original tires, tool bags, jacks, spare
tires, owner's manuals etc.  (I have all that stuff in boxes in the
garage only cuz I know this crap adds value)Never driven (somebody
bought it new and parked it as an investment?  wtf?) Take the Elvis
Pantera with the bullet hole in the steering wheel, sitting in a
museum basement or collector barn somewhere--  is this not more sad
than anything else? "Pathetic, washed-up, pill-popping celebrity
singer in a petulant fit of rage takes a perfectly good Pantera and
instantly turns it into a curiosity."  Blammo!  Car is now permanently
out of commission and only for the silly reason that lots of dumb
people think the story is really cool.   (sorry Elvis lovers!) True
love of cars is best expressed by driving them, sharing them with the
world as one is able to and maintaining them in as good condition as
possible.  If you don't do that, it means that what you truly love is
not the car at all.  What you really love is money.  For this kind of
"car guy", collectible cars are just an interesting way to have fun
buying and selling as some kind of extravagant hobby. This guy who
paid $200K for this Orange 74--  is he going to get it on the road? 
Is he going to join POCA and drive it to a fun rally?  Or is it going
to sit in a really nice barn somewhere?  
Heck with the money, people.  Get in the car, pick up your buddy and
go for a spirited drive on a winding mountain road.   Catch the look
on his face while he tries to keep from crapping his pants.  This is
priceless. Then later if you're feeling brave enough, let him drive
it.   THAT is being a car guy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few weeks ago, an old friend of mine called out of the blue and soon
showed up with his 12 y/o daughter.  We talked a bit and then he said
he wanted to show her my Pantera.   Well, I knew that what he really
wanted was to check it out himself.  I clicked open the garage door
and his eyes lit up.  Smiling ear to ear, he opened the car door, slid
himself into the cockpit and grabbed the wheel without even asking me.
 It was like he couldn't help himself.  The car just sucked him right
in, which is exactly how I feel about the Pantera.  (Just sitting
there, the car always seems to be saying:  "Hey!  What are you
standing there for? Get in!  Let's go!") When that kind of thing
happens-- people showing that kind of enthusiasm, it's just super
cool.  It makes me feel so lucky to own a Pantera.  I'll be taking him
for a ride sometime soon and if he's got the guts I'll let him drive
it.   How could I not?  
 Sent using Hushmail
On August 21, 2017 at 12:34 PM, "Tom Cabanski"  wrote:RM Auctions
(Sotheby's Monterey)
$203,500

http://www.rmsothebys.com/mo17/monterey/lots/1974-de-tomaso-pantera-l-by-ghia/1703937

Tom
-------------- next part --------------
   Jeez.....Somebody got swept up and carried away at car week.

   (Nice ripply front bumper.  The one I mangled a while back looks better
   than that one.)

   Maybe I'm the only car guy who feels this way but it seems to me car
   collector/investors attach great value to some really silly things:

   First car off the line
   Last car off the line
   Owned by a celebrity who maybe did this or that ridiculous thing to it
   Personal social connections with manufacturer people/employees, stories
   (documented or not), various documentations/photos of same or similar
   Designer/famous people signatures (this can be super cool I agree, but
   worth $$ tens of thousands?)
   One owner (one guy can screw up or neglect a car just as efficiently as
   several)
   Low mileage (meaningful only when buying modern used cars, otherwise
   it's hearsay.  We all know it takes about 10 seconds to disconnect the
   odo cable on a Pantera)
   Useless and inferior original tires, tool bags, jacks, spare tires,
   owner's manuals etc.  (I have all that stuff in boxes in the garage
   only cuz I know this crap adds value)
   Never driven (somebody bought it new and parked it as an investment?
   wtf?)

   Take the Elvis Pantera with the bullet hole in the steering wheel,
   sitting in a museum basement or collector barn somewhere--  is this not
   more sad than anything else?

   "Pathetic, washed-up, pill-popping celebrity singer in a petulant fit
   of rage takes a perfectly good Pantera and instantly turns it into a
   curiosity."

   Blammo!  Car is now permanently out of commission and only for the
   silly reason that lots of dumb people think the story is really cool.
   (sorry Elvis lovers!)

   True love of cars is best expressed by driving them, sharing them with
   the world as one is able to and maintaining them in as good condition
   as possible.  If you don't do that, it means that what you truly love
   is not the car at all.  What you really love is money.  For this kind
   of "car guy", collectible cars are just an interesting way to have fun
   buying and selling as some kind of extravagant hobby.

   This guy who paid $200K for this Orange 74--  is he going to get it on
   the road?  Is he going to join POCA and drive it to a fun rally?  Or is
   it going to sit in a really nice barn somewhere?
   Heck with the money, people.  Get in the car, pick up your buddy and go
   for a spirited drive on a winding mountain road.   Catch the look on
   his face while he tries to keep from crapping his pants.  This is
   priceless.

   Then later if you're feeling brave enough, let him drive it.

   THAT is being a car guy.
   -----------------------------------------------------------------------
   ---------------------------------
   A few weeks ago, an old friend of mine called out of the blue and soon
   showed up with his 12 y/o daughter.  We talked a bit and then he said
   he wanted to show her my Pantera.

   Well, I knew that what he really wanted was to check it out himself.  I
   clicked open the garage door and his eyes lit up.  Smiling ear to ear,
   he opened the car door, slid himself into the cockpit and grabbed the
   wheel without even asking me.  It was like he couldn't help himself.
   The car just sucked him right in, which is exactly how I feel about the
   Pantera.  (Just sitting there, the car always seems to be saying:
   "Hey!  What are you standing there for? Get in!  Let's go!")

   When that kind of thing happens-- people showing that kind of
   enthusiasm, it's just super cool.  It makes me feel so lucky to own a
   Pantera.  I'll be taking him for a ride sometime soon and if he's got
   the guts I'll let him drive it.

   How could I not?



   Sent using Hushmail
   On August 21, 2017 at 12:34 PM, "Tom Cabanski" <tcabanski at tencom.com>
   wrote:

     RM Auctions (Sotheby's Monterey)
     $203,500
     [1]http://www.rmsothebys.com/mo17/monterey/lots/1974-de-tomaso-pante
     ra-l-by-ghia/1703937
     Tom

References

   1. http://www.rmsothebys.com/mo17/monterey/lots/1974-de-tomaso-pantera-l-by-ghia/1703937