Another OTS Sweetheart on BaT

E-Type
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There’s what appears to be a stunning gunmetal/red 1964 OTS on BaT. It went through an undocumented “cosmetic” refurbishment by a prior owner, and, more recently, additional mechanical work was carried out by the owner, with receipts.

There is no mention of rust removal or panel replacement on the monocoque, however.

The seller is listed as a private party, and has sold a number of cars on BaT. The description states, “This Series I XKE roadster is now offered by the seller on behalf of the current owner.”

So, here we go again. Dealer or private party? Total restoration or…

…you know where I’m going with this.

Get those PPIs, folks!

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Have you asked for the magnet test yet? :slight_smile:

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No! That gets me into trouble every time! Especially with a cordial-appearing seller with what appears to be a drop dead gorgeous and perfect car. I’m sure he’d find a way to hammer me.

I did point out that I liked the addition of the “E-Type” badge on the boot lid, and asked if there was any body work performed on the monocoque. Just wondering what lays under the lipstick. Trying to play nice, lol.

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I looked into this particular car back in 2019 when it was on eBay. If anyone here is serious about the car, I can share what little I know, but to conform with forum rules it will have to be by Private Message.

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My late '64 FHC 3.8 had an “E Type” badge on the tailgate also. Whether it was original or not I can’t say, but it also had the centre console\armrest , door armrests and black fascia panel, all features of the very late 3.8s before appearing on the 4.2s. Chassis 861454; still remember, despite selling it 40 years ago! RA 4831-8 engine.

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Seller’s response: " tommykat1~no, there was no work preformed on the monocoque.
Thanks Fred"

Great non-answer! Work wasn’t performed because it didn’t need it, or it did and simply wasn’t?

Buyer beware. Get that PPI. I’d bet $50 the magnet won’t stick.

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Based on photos on xkedata (what a great source in cases like this!), the “cosmetic refurbishment” was prior to 2003, and several owners ago. It seems likely that “I don’t know” should be the appropriate answer to any questions asked concerning the work done on the car. I was unable to learn anything about it back in 2019.

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Right. And “I don’t know” means “To my knowledge” which means “I have no idea.”

This is another tough one. The car looks fantastic. But no one wants to ask the hard questions.

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If you need a date of restoration, look at the impressed stamp on the rear window plastic. The date of the top’s manufacture is usually included.

Phil.

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My '64, 889474, does not have the E Type badge. (The chrome trim and body mounted mirrors were left off for aesthetics).

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I guess I look at it differently. If I’m an interested buyer I may or may not ask the tough questions, but that’s up to me. If my buddy was buying it and he asked for my opinion, I’d give it to him - good or bad. If I was buying it, I would ask my “trusted” source for his/her opinion, but I doubt that I’d take a stangers opinion. If a stranger was looking at it and they didn’t ask for my opinion or even care what my opinion was, then I would keep it to myself. The idea that I’m going to anonymously post tough questions to see if I can make the seller squirm and/or provide unknown to me potential buyers with what is in essence is my opinion is foreign to me.

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Bob, I have much the same perspective. Just because a bunch of non-buyers aren’t posting tough question doesn’t mean the tough questions aren’t being asked. They likely are, but by serious buyers who are communicating directly with the seller. Many seem to forget that a BaT auction is a highly competitive cutthroat market, often with pretty big money at stake. Any serious bidder is trying to find a little advantage over their competition, and isn’t going to be spreading their knowledge for all their competition to see. They’ll keep whatever little competitive advantage close to the vest and use it to perhaps save thousands, or let someone else buy a dog which might take them out of the competition for the next car.

The 99.9% of commenters who have no intention of bidding all seem to be carrying on in a contest of their own, whether it’s to show off knowledge, gain likes, or whatever else motivates them. Some of that can be interesting and educational, but why so many seem motivated to spend so much time running down the most anorak of details is foreign to me as well. Imagine if in-person auctions like RM, Gooding, or Barrett-Jackson had this dynamic - it would be like if they passed the microphone around the audience while bidding was going on so that everyone could get their digs in.

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S’why I rarely comment.

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One J-L member in a prior thread said that auction winners on both his cars on BaT asked no questions from the peanut gallery, never contacted him directly, and their only participation was in bidding and winning. Go figure.

Keith Martin, owner/publisher of Sports Car Market Magazine had an interesting take a month or so ago on auction trolling, both online and off. After explaining the similarities, he gives an insightful summation that I quote here:

Keith’s Blog: Trolls are Trolls, Online or Off

"…I maintain that the best buyer is an informed buyer. I have never had anyone complain to me that they paid too much for a great car. Where problems come in is when a car is simply not as represented, and the buyer only finds out when the car comes off the transporter.

Rather than vilify the trolls, let’s just accept them as one more source of unverified information. I have written before that when I bought my 1971 V12 Jag coupe online (a model I knew very little about), I trusted the many, many comments by the trolls to guide my bidding. I felt safe doing that because in the end it wasn’t an expensive car, and I could afford to be $35,000 wrong. Also, by the quality of the comments it seemed like there were some Jag experts who really knew their stuff and had only good things to say.

I wasn’t going to fly from Portland to Atlanta to examine a $35,000 car. And even if I had, I don’t know enough about the model to have an informed opinion.

In this case, for this car, the trolls were my friends. The next time you are hunting, let them be your guide dogs. But to quote former President Ronald Reagan, “Trust but verify.”

So far it has worked for me."

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I make comments on BAT and I make sure to mention that I am not a bidder. The way I look at it, there are many people bidding for the first time. Maybe this is their first chance to bid on the jag that they had admired and dreamed about wishing that some day they might be able to afford. Now they can afford to bid on one but they lack the knowledge gained from years of buying, repairing, reading about, and selling these cars. I have gotten burned several times buying a car that I knew little about but lusted after. Back then there was no internet, google, you tube or BAT. I would have been grateful to have someone point out details that were not correct or just plain rotten, that the excitement blinded me to. So, I comment only on those points I know for sure and that can be confirmed/verified with the many books available. Hopefully the comments and discrepancies brought up by the peanut gallery will keep someone from over paying for their dream.

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It seems to me that these posts would be more suited to the pub section because that is how these conversations go in a pub ……most of the comments are not informed by inspection of the vehicles being discussed so by definition cannot be informed views…… just pub talk to me

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I get the impression that some seem to encourage and applaud when a great car gets bid to a very high price. It seems to be wonderful if the bidder pays $250K for a $180K car.
But when an average car come up, then it seems worthy to make sure its faults are known so the bidder does not pay $100K for a $60K car.
Isn’t overpaying overpaying?

Joey often laments the future of these cars. IMO, running prices up to very high levels will contribute to a gloomy future. High prices limit the field of buyers and even prevents many from even having any interest all.
Tom

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That’s my take. I have a good friend who is stuck with a bondoed E-Type because he was royally ripped off by an unscrupulous “restorer.” No photos, no documentation.

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Like beauty, overpaying is in the eyes of the beholder. What is overpaying to you may be just fine to me. Who is to say that the opinions expressed by anonymous non-bidding posters is anymore accurate than what the seller has indicated. Caveat Emptor.

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From experience, there are two types of trolls, those with opinions and those with knowledge!

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