Event Coverage Barris built '53 OLDS Current Auction closes soon

I’m surprised that it’s not way past that by now. An almost all original Barris car in that condition is a once in a lifetime find!

 

$18,500?!?, it’s a steal at that price.

 

That's a '53 Oldsmobile, as it plainly states on the flyer.

 

As cool as that car is, seems it may not ever bring what the owner is wanting for it. Isn’t this the third auction or something it has been in? I’m thinking $18,500 would be a steal for it if it had just met reserve.

 

The bid is up to $20,000. That still is low for a Barris custom.

 

Never bid early. It only drives the cost up.

 

Man…there is also a 49 Chevy convertible with a 283 on there for even less. Seems the cool cars don’t bring much on that site…

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...bile-is-heading-off-to-auction.1329656/page-2 It bid to 75k at mecum - all the Chip Foose Hype couldnt get it any more there.....seller must have thought they were going to hit the lottery.....should have taken the 75k if it was real.....Mecum probably had ghosts bidding to try to get it to the reserve

 

I feel when the same car comes up for auction by the same owners multiple times that the first auction will always be the result of the highest figure bid. If people are aware that it was bid to $75K the first time around and didn't sell then the overall conclusion is that it isn't worth any more than that, if even that.
Also isn't it Hemmings where it was first brought to light at auction and Foose saw it?

 

Foose, or any other pro builder, wouldn’t change anything about a bid for me. But then again I’m not a flipper!

 

I really like this car, it's got great history, it's well preserved, it's probably more well-known now than it was when it was built, and I like that it was recently serviced by someone know knows how not to fuck it up. It's wild enough to be memorable but still tasteful. It'd be the jewel of my collection.

That said, I don't think it's going to meet reserve, not even close. It's a rough year to be selling a car like this, and the rumor was that the owners were trying to get like $250K for it (although that's not been confirmed I don't think). I agree also with BrandonB that the multiple attempts to auction it off have not helped.

Overall I don't really care who owns it or for how much it sells, as long as it continues to be preserved. I'd like to think at this point it's safe from 20" wheels and LS swaps but you never know, it's happened before.

 

It’s got to hit the reserve first and we really don’t know what it is. But your right I always wait until it has a few hours before I consider what I want to spend

 

I would think it would sell if the reserve is 75K or less...but no more. Any other guesses?

 

Maybe if they gave it a decent one-color paint job . . .

 

I'd have a hard time keeping the blue interior...

 

Flat black with red wheels....

 

$55,000 reserve not met. They want $157,500 for it.

 

"Never bid early. It only drives the cost up."

I disagree. the bid is set by the highest 2 bidders. Early bidders mean nothing unless they have 1 of the 2 highest bids. just take this auction. how did the early bidders a week ago affected the price? they didn't. the last 2 bidders caused the price to go to $55,000 in the final minutes.

 

Never gonna happen, should have took the 75K at Mecum.

 

I just hope the brothers got a guaranteed minimum in writing before handing the car over to Foose. Chip was obviously excited to get it, but I suspect his excitement overwhelmed his business sense. Barris built a lot of cars, but only a large handful are well known. He probably built dozens of mild customs like this, where are they now?

I also see this as a test of what 'patina' is worth...

 

Car has been sold:

 

Same family and untouched......then leaving from Huntington Beach. WOW.

 

The Rockasilly argument from the early days........