alpines
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: The Ultimate Alger? On Ebay

To: Theo Smit <theo.smit@dynastream.com>
Subject: Re: The Ultimate Alger? On Ebay
From: sosnaenergyconsulting <sosnaenergyconsulting@cox.net>
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2004 16:42:51 -0700
I do think that you're right about starting with a less valuable chassis 
Theo, but the difference between an Alger and a Tiger is that I have 
bragging rights.  "I have a Tiger".  I'm not sure why, but that means 
something to me.  It's not a stock Tiger, and it's maybe not a very 
valuable Tiger, but it's a Tiger, not an Alpine, not an Alger.  And I 
own it.  For now :-)

I agree that I'll likely never recoup what I put into my Tiger (God 
knows I lost money on the modified Alpine I had prior to it), and the 
previous owner's modifications (automatic transmission, Jag rear 
suspension) won't appeal to a purist--but they appealed to me.  I WANTED 
a Tiger with an automatic trans and IRS--especially if someone else had 
already done the work first.  I figure that when and if I sell the car, 
there's gotta be some other nut like me out there that'll want the same 
things, so I'll at least be able to sell it.  But while I get the 
occasional twinge of "there aren't that many of these left--is it really 
right to modify it more than the P.O. did back in the day?", I never 
really thought about purchasing the Tiger (or my earlier Alpine, come to 
think of it) as an investment.  I think my wife put it best when she 
said : "Hey, it's your HOBBY.  Spend what money you have, turn the car 
into what YOU want it to be--as long as it gives you joy. Doesn't matter 
if we get that money back later as long as you have fun."  I think I 
married a very wise woman.

The Barratt-Jackson auctions make me uncomfortable.  The admittedly few 
cars I've seen there are polished to perfection Icons that don't, I 
believe really get driven.  Hopefully the $34,000 'vette will, but the 
50something one of only twelve existing Mercedes that sold for 
$300,000?  I'm guessing not.  Maybe I'm just steamed that my ratty Tiger 
will never be worth much, but it's what I can afford to own, it does 
represent a piece of automotive history and (when it's running) I take 
it out on the street as the factory originally intended.

Oh, speaking of Speed Channel--anybody see the special on Old Yeller?  
Nifty!

Best Regards

David Sosna

Theo Smit wrote:

>I'm not sure about that. Once you cross some threshold, a performance
>oriented classic car starts to lose appeal to marque enthusiasts, and if
>you're planning to go that far anyway, why start with a chassis that has
>significantly higher collector car value? 





<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>