DEAR DIARY - PART TWO

Dear Diary,

I see another Cord is coming up for sale. What to do? Looks really nice. Selling your Cord must be a day of mixed emothions. Cash is nice, but there goes your Cord.


So many Cords! So little money ....

Bill,

Check this one out - my old Cord is for sale in Monterrey this weekend.

www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cf ... Code=MO07#

Bill, In the event you should find yourself deciding to surgically reverse the damage done to your Cord, I have a 36" firewall complete with cowl fillers for oil and water. Curt

I am most likely going to that auction. Do you want me to pick it up for you?

I was at the RM sale and thought that the coupe was a pretty nice car. Given what they got for a couple of the phaetons that were not as nice I wouldn't be surprised if the guy bought back his car.

You are right, it was RM, not BJ.

The top one is MINE. Ignore that one. The bottom one is the RM one. This is the one that supposedly sold at RM Auction in Scottsdale on Jan 19th.

It is the SAME car, #2505F that is being sold at the upcoming Leake Auction.

I am guessing if the seller bought it back at RM, then the reserve at Leake will be at least $200K.

Bill Hummel wrote:
Here is a picture of the SAME car at the Barrett Jackson auction. Be sure to scroll to the bottom. Check the serial #.

www.cordhaven.com/1936Cord810

Bill, I assume you mean the RM auction? There are a number of subtle differences between the car in front of the museum. Top, tires, side mirror, rear window, etc. Are you sure they are the same?

I have seen it in the Leake Catalog. I thought it looked an awful lot like the one that sold at RM a few months ago.

So I did some checking, and it is the SAME car. So something is wrong here. I suspect there really was not a sale in Scottsdale and the owner ended up buying his car back by paying the buyer and seller fees to keep his car. Remember, no reserves and 100% claimed sales. I think there are more than a few people that end up in this situation.

Leake says there will be a reserve on this car in Tulsa.

Here is a picture of the SAME car at the RM auction. [i:3dx6cd5f]Be sure to scroll to the bottom to see the car in question.[/i:3dx6cd5f] Check the serial #.

www.cordhaven.com/1936Cord810

Bill just found a Cord convertible coupe coming up for auction June 8th through 10th in Tulsa. It's an unsupercharged 810. See it www.leakcar.com . Looks a lot like your old one.

Dear Diary,

Went to the PATE SWAP MEET in Fort Worth yesterday. Spent all day there and saw maybe a 1/4th of the vendors. Found some new plates though!

The 1941 commercial plates are for my wife's new 1941 Chevy Pickup.

The 1937 dealer plate is the same color as my 1937 Custom Beverly. Can a Cord be parted out when sporting such a damn nice looking plate?

Memo to self .... buying my wife her own classic pickup was a masterstroke. Now SHE wants to go to flea-markets and car shows as much as I do.



Bought them from a fellow with a huge inventory and very reasonable restoration charges. Only $40 per plate plus $10 shipping.

LICENSE PLATE RESTORATION

GERALD THIELE
1955 CENTER DRIVE
VERNON, TX 76384

940-553-4000 work
940-357-0387 cell

<a href="mailto:[email protected]][email protected][/url]

Yes, I have noticed that when the big boys get in and start wheeling and dealing that the prices start upwards. I guess the best rule of thumb is to trace cars that have been to Mecca. Prov-en at the gate, authenticity and performance, a good start is to speak with a qualified ACDer. The likes of Dr. flywheel, Bob McEwan, George Ehresman, or guys that just drive there cars outright Brad Waken ,Jim Lawrence and notable restoration shops, Stone Barn. Automotive Restoration, Gail Shaw etc.,they wouldn't be afraid to answer a few questions or for that matter you have us Cord guys.

Dear Diary,

Saw another Cord today that is coming up for sale. I can't stand it. This game is rougher than Texas Hold'em! I'm in a cold sweat and its over a month till the next auction.

These guys are tough! They know where they've been, who owned 'em, how much they paid, which ones are correct. They know their stuff! They know when to fold when the price gets too high. Do I dare even playing with these guys?

Yeah, I'm new ... but I am watching and learning.

Shut up and deal the cards .... make that CORDS!

Was the Blue Cabriolet photographed, at "Southfork Ranch" in Plano?

Kevin wrote: Not sure if I should purchase to sell the parts, or try to put one, or even two more on the road. Or pass them along to someone else with more time and ambition than I, to enjoy.

Oh what to do......

Hey! This is my diary! Go start your own.

I love Joel,
In most cases parts are worth more, and if your building a project and start with nothing I do agree. However if one finds that untouched original your a head of the game. I recommend buying something done!
PS: I like the pot of boiling H2O test the best! Least expensive!

In most cases, the parts are worth more than the whole.

To continue in the spirit of questionable thinking, I have been approached by a fellow, with the availability of two "project" Cords.

The contact is not sure if they are Beverlys or Westchesters, both apart, apparently supercharged but engines disassembled. Seller claims there is enough for one complete car, and most of the second. I am promised photographs, so I can determine what is there.

Not sure if I should purchase to sell the parts, or try to put one, or even two more on the road. Or pass them along to someone else with more time and ambition than I, to enjoy.

Oh what to do......

Pat Leahy wrote: I'm poor example of smart thinking by taking on near hopeless hulks and making drivers cars.

Since when are old cars about smart thinking?

In the music business it a one and a two. In all of this its only passion and finding the way. At a spring meet here on the East Coast in 1970 or so Otto Leifcowitz purchased George Ehresmen Cord Cab for 25 thousand fully restored like no other at the time. Its all relative I guess.

Hi Bill If your ready to spend 250,000 to 300,000 I would cosider a trade And it would be the beverly , thanks BigTs used Cords you buy here you pay here.

Well Bill, you need to decide whether your emotions or your common sense will rule. Common sense says, find an older restored car or restore your car to a #2 condition and drive the car for years and enjoy it, OR get a #1 car and pamper it by trailering it to meets and winning awards. Smart owners are those who don't spend a lifetime trying to restore a car, or get so far over their heads monetarily in a project never to enjoy. I'm poor example of smart thinking by taking on near hopeless hulks and making drivers cars. Still think the Custom is as reasonably easy fix for a great driver. Remember these cars need to be fun!

I look forward to seeing it in Auburn! Do you take trade-ins?

Hi Bill if you want a S.C. cab I have one ,I have been on it for 5 years should be done for Auburn or just after ,everthing done right with our best experts advice. it s Rich marron /tan top can save you 50,000 thanks Tom Dudley

Well, I've got to admit, that is a STUNNING cabriolet...

As I've recommended before...weigh your options, think every way of action through thoroughly, and in the end listen to your heart.

Sad to say I'd almost miss seeing regular updates on the saga of the black car...

Dear Diary,

It's me again. I think I need a shrink. What to do? I saw a beautiful blue Cabriolet today. It's coming up for Auction. The more I looked at it, the more I said "It WILL be mine, it MUST be mine!"

Never before had I seen such a beautiful Cabriolet. This is the ONE! Maybe PLAN E is the way to go? Sell my Cabriolet, sell my Custom Beverly, sell my hummel.com name, hell, sell everything it takes to win that Blue Cabriolet!

That's it, the Blue Cabriolet will be mine. So I started checking around. The Blue Cabriolet is being auctioned at an upcoming Kruse Auction in Auburn at the end of May.

Here is a picture of it Diary.... Isn't it beautiful? This IS the one, I don't care if it is a Packard blue. Don't you agree Diary?



So I tracked down the owner. But now he is a former owner, Kruse owns it now. Uh-oh! That means expensive. Doing some quick math during my conversation with the owner (let's call him Bill), I realized that the Blue Cabriolet will cost me about $300,000.

What else can I sell?

But wait! The owner is now saying that he knows of MY black Cabriolet! Really? In fact, he was one phone call too late when I bought the car in 2002. He had tried to buy it. He wanted my converted Cabriolet! Now I know he is making fun of me, I start to feel bad. But no, he really wanted my black Cabriolet to make it into the UBER-Retro-Rod. No fiberglass, all steel! No one would dare call it a replica.

Please help me! Now I am confused ... I want his Blue Cabriolet and he wanted my Black one! But why? He has had the very best!

It seems when you have had a dozen Cords and you get tired of tinkering with them to keep them going, you just want one that works! One that you can drive whenever you feel like it. One that doesn't need a full-time mechanic.

You mean a 40-year ACD Club member would drive a conversion? You mean fiberglass is not really the F-word? What do you mean retro-rods are an up and coming new class?

And you really like my old back Cabriolet? Maybe Dean will do a trade?

Diary, this hobby is becoming a sickness. But it sure is fun ....