Hudson Italia sold at BJ Scottsdale
Comments
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I thought I seen somewhere on the internet that one sold for $425,000 within the last few years?0
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Batmobile just sold for 4.2 million0
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360k - a bit out of my price range. I'm so broke right now if they were selling steam boats down on the river about all I could do is run up and down the river bank yelling "AIN'T THAT CHEAP"!!!!0
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Don't forget the buyer's premium ... buyer actually paid $396,000. Yikes!0
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Here is a write up that appeared before the auction. Yes there are several embelishments, but he is trying to sell the car, not buy it.
http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/vintage-wildly-unique-hudson-italia/ It gives you a good idea as to why it was in such a prominent place in the auction.0 -
To keep things in perspective, if you will, more than half of the cars at BJ -- you and I would call "modern" cars. A Mustang, all be it with some "fine history" was a no sale at almost two million; and, several Mustang's were well over 500 thousand. Corvette's were not as prelevent; but, Morpar offers were above normal. Still and all, quite a show for the old car world. As I watched the circus around the Bat Mobile I could not help but be happy for George but sill amased at where our pastime is today.0
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Which (at least to me) reminds me of the phrase: Money doesn't come with instructions...0
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Nothing like paying $396k for a ( don't yell at me) a custom Jet. And one with modern hose clamps ( worm screw) and a made in Mexico radiator cap. I'm jealous...0
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There was a feature article in today's Phoenix paper about the auctions 1st several days, photos of a few cars, prices of the most outrageous (even mentioned the ex-Clark Gable 300 SL "goldwing" didn't meet buyer's reserve of $1.9 million). This was followed by at least 1 page of advice on which type of cars to buy & what your guidelines should be. Guys, this major feature article in a prominent section of the paper has to do with viewing & considering the cars ONLY as investments, nothing else. I can't imagine anyone paying over a 1/3 of a million for an Italia unless they think they can sell it for MORE.
I've seen frequent posts in here about Hudsons which some of you had seen been offered for sale at some earlier time on eBay, craigslist, or some auction where it is for sale again.
I know a good number of us who visit this website have "been into" Hudsons for a long time, some of us for decades. Some of us have bought & sold a Hudson because we thought we could get more for it but others of us have put a lot of $$$ into restorations because we wanted to preserve a rare model, wanted to keep as many Hudsons on the road as we could but I'm afraid what used to be a wonderful hobby for many of us had eroded into a "business" for many and that largely began with the auction co's. who saw $$$$ in old cars, unfortunately!0 -
to my mind that kind of $$$ for an Italia is ludicrous! There are approx. 20 of them in existance and, if properly restored, should all be alike, exc. #1 which has a different grille.
They are mechanically a Jet so certainly aren't a high-performance car by any measure.
I had numerous opportunities to buy one when living in L.A., even found an excellent example on a used car lot, as I recall for $4000, & helped my friend's wife buy it for her husband for a Xmas present (it's still in L. A. as are a number of others).
The only one of that type of Hudson that might be worth that kinda $$$ would be the X-161 as it is a "one-off".
Enough philosophizing for one day, LOL0 -
I sold my unrestored Italia for $15,000 in about 1980, complete, not matching numbers though as the motor was gone when I found it but a NOS Jet motor in the crate was included with the sale. No matter what reasonable expense you figure for the restoration, the appreciation has been very significant over three decades. Mine was car #15. I know the new owner in Florida finished it but then died. Where is it today? No I don't want it back.
I would say an Italia is strictly an investment. I've owned and driven a number of Jets and they are less than great cars to drive but one does have to say the looks and Carozzeria Touring pedigree of the Italia makes it a standout in any multimillionaire's museum, which is where the one that just sold will be placed once again.0 -
Very well said Pete. Of course he bought it for an investment but what if he takes it out for a short drive and gets run into by a Toyota or a KIA. Sorry I guess i am just jeolous. I never have been in the HET club for the money. I used to give parts away to help someone out but that ended when it became big business and has soured me on the club in recent years. I guess I am just stupid,out of touch,naive, or just old. Anyway it has taken the fun out of it for me.
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1951HH, even though there are professionals selling parts nowadays, you and I can still get enjoyment out of helping someone with a needed part or technical info. I'm fine with someone who makes a successful business selling Hudson stuff. There are quite a few items out there, rebuilds and repro's, that wouldn't be there were it not for these folks.0
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Park, I dont have touble with someone having a successful business selling Hudson parts. Thank goodness there are people that took the time to do that. We can buy water pumps, fuel pumps, the list goes on and on. No one holds a gun to my head and tells me I have to buy these things if the price is not to my liking. I guess it bothers me that prices have risen so much that the young people have a hard time getting in to it. Years past I could buy a whole car for 25 dollars and take off of it what I wanted and junk the rest. I realize I am not realistic any more do to my age. I guess that goes for alot of things going on in the world. The prices today real dont affect me because I have buildings full of parts. Its a double edge sword. Years ago we wanted to preserve the cars made by Hudson and by doing this it is totally unrealistic to think that the value wouldnt go up. This sermon has lasted long enough. LOL0
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I'm glad I still have two in inventory.0
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This problem usually surfaces when the economy is uncertain - the stock market fluxuates so speculators hedge their bets by buying commodities, such as old cars. Their only aim is to resell at a higher price - you will see these latest Hudsons back on the block within 6 to 8 weeks. Maybe if enough speculators get burned, as the winner of the 1952 Hornet surely will - unless somebody figures he knows something I don't and bids it to 200k or highter - they will go elsewhere. The reason Hudsons are going up now is because the speculators have driven, over the past several years, everything else to astronomical prices and Hudson's are about the only thing left out there. These prices are all about money - and that's all it is. You will not see these high bid cars on the road - unless they are in enclosed car carriers going to another auction.
I think the next round, once they've driven Hudson prices out of reason (as they pretty much have at this point) will see cars like Studebakers, Nash and probably even Ramblers, eventually. It's inevitable.
What we Hudson lovers need to do is keep as many Hudsons as we can out of speculators hands - unless we really need the money somebody will surely wave in our faces. I think most Hudson owners would feel this way.
That's my soap box dissertation (look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls) for the moment.
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN0 -
The flaw in your assessment is that I do not see anyone waving big money at local Hudson folks. Most ebay listings go unsold? I am not the best businessman in the world. As an example, I have an old coke machine in the shop that will let you have a bottle of coke for a dime. Each time the boy scouts drop by for a tour of the shop they clean me out. I was going for volume when I realized these dime cokes were costing me a buck to restock. So much for being "daddy warbucks." But, I have sold a few Hudsons in the past few years, thinning out the stock, and they all went with a low price and someone getting a great buy. This BJ thing is a totally different thing. Not sure what it is, but it has created a life of its own in the Mustang, small Chevrolet and Mopar market. Big buck cars that are full classics will always bring good money. Not sure how long these high prices will last on "used cars" but someone has to wake up sooner or later?0
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Interesting point, Alex. When I bought my 31 Ford 25 years ago, the seller asked me what I thought of street rods. It was a loaded question, aimed at seeing if I intended to rod the Ford. After the sale he told me if I answered incorrectly he would not have sold me the car. When I said, to a friend, "it takes all kinds" he replied, "No, Ron, you GET all kinds". Hobbyists take pride in their work, investors take profits.0
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51HH, you and I are probably about the same age. I joke to my wife about having inherited my depression era father's trait ... memory to good. Still recall too well what stuff used to cost. Like the low mileage '52 Olds engine and Hydramatic that I installed in my '38T coupe back in '56. $175 for the engine and tranny!0
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Park - price list for the first street rod (we called 'em hot rods back in the day): One 1939 Dodge Coupe (from local junk yard) - $20; One 1953 Dodge 241 small block hemi engine (from a wrecked '53 Dodge - same junk yard) - $25; One Dodge 4-sp truck tranny - $10; There was a rear axle assembly out of something, I forget what now, for something like $5. Total - $60. Maybe my prices were a bit cheaper than yours because this was in 1953.
My parents thought it was nice that Jr had something to keep him off the streets - the day a couple buddies and I got it all together and fired it off the folks had heart attacks. LOL I don't think they ever figured on that.
If I were to do something like that today the one thing I would definitely install would be disc brakes - at least in the front!!!!!
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN0 -
Alex, when I went offf to the Air Force in '53, I sold my '38H8 sedan, which had become the car to beat in our town, and had won the stock class at the Chicago drag strip 4 times out of four visits there. The folks figured my love affair with Hudsons would finally subside. A year later I was stationed just 4 hours from home, so could get back there on weekends. The folks came back from a vacation trip that summer to find in the garage my former '38, sans engine but with a chromed up '49 Olds engine sitting on the floor beside it. I'd have loved to be a fly on the wall when Dad saw it!0
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Where do these people get that kind of money in this economy?0
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In 62, my dad bought his very nice 51 Hudson Hornet Conv. for $125.00 and we kept it 2 years.
In 66, my brother bought a 54 Ford for $75 ( the engine was bad) and bought another one that had the top crashed but with an excellent motor for $25.00 The next weekend, my dad installed some kind of a winch attached to a big branch of the maple tree in our backyard and switched the motors. The next week they went from Montreal to Detroit ( 500 to 600 miles away) to visit my aunt. Yep! Good ole days! Michel0 -
In todays cars one would be hard pressed to find the motor mounts. LOL I changed out an engine in a 1969 Rambler 6 in my driveway with a tri-pod and chain fall. Took me about 8 hours to do it by myself. Thing that saved me a lot of grief was the crankshaft attached to the automatic tranny with 4 bolts. Made things easy to put together.
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN0 -
I think the hobby used to be a lot of working young guys who liked making old machines run again and did so for various reasons after work or on the weekends using cheap and available junk.
something working class people did for fun. Now the boss got involved....he's not a car guy. He just likes the way they look in his garage or having something to brag about on the golf course or At a concours show. he doesn't dissect engines or know what is involved, he pays working guys whatever they need to get that done. They know when you restore a car you don't know what it will take to fix until you open it up, so restoration shops here charge $90 an hour and ask for an open checkbook, and they get it. Add to that a shortage of good machinists and shops and everyone is happy except your average joe hobbyist who doesn't even make $15 an hour net and thinks a tank full of gas at $50 is a lot of money.0 -
When I was a kid, my Dad had not any money. We rented the same appartment for 43 years.
The good thing was that we had, what I considerated big at the the time, a 25'X40' backyard, were my father would repair or store cars. beside his 51 Conv. he had bought a 53 Twin-H Hornet, minus radiator and driver's side front fender for $15.00 at a city auction and sold it back $45.00 to a guy who was racing on ice. I remember there was a 54 Hudson, sitting on one side, that I made a secret house out of it. The entry door was the trunk lid...I had a cousin whose parents were millionaires and that cousin would envy me because of what was happening in this backyard. He would not have had the right to do this in his own driveway because all neighbours would complain. I find myself so lucky to have had that kind of life by then. The only cloud is that my father did not want to get me involved with tools etc. But I was the one who would drive the cars in and out that little backyard from the age of 8 or 9. Today, with my own 54 project, I cannot say where it will lead me or how much it will cost. But as soon as my garage will be ready ( another 6 months to go at least...) I will be 9 again, but this time, with my own tools in hand. I hope my Dad will be proud of me...Michel0 -
Great story Michel - shows money is not everything (sometimes helps however!). Sadly, many kids these days do not know how to play like that - great adventures from simple things!0
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I think Aaron D hit it right on the head. IMHO money started creeping in, oh, in the 1970's. Before then, just for an example, I might have some Hudson lit on a table at a swap meet. So some klutz comes strolling up and looks the stuff over. I have a, oh, 1950 owners manual and he's interested. Prior to 1975 or so he'd ask me how much. I'd give him a figure, lets say $35 which we both knew was way to high. So he'd hem and haw and finally offer $15. We'd haggle (and wasn't that fun) over the price finally meeting int the middle around $25, which is about what it was worth. He was happy and I was happy. Then something happened. A guy walks up, asks how much for the manual and I'd say, oh, $40, which was way out of line (at that time). Guy about breaks his arm getting his wallet out and tossing a couple twenties on the table. Well, Louise, guess what - next time somebody comes around I'm not going to haggle - $50, $60 whatever and the guy's going to pay it.
However, all that said there is still the HET club, we know each other pretty well, we know what we need, and we know what to pay for it. So there is still a little sanity in the whole business.
And that's the way the world goes 'roundy round.
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN0 -
Gosh Alex , I'll have to remember that next time your at my table ,I think I let you off too cheap
Roger :-w0 -
@Roger: It, reminds me, Roger, somewhere, in another post, you mentioned that you had a table in Gettysburg. I tried to visit all the tables and tried to spot my Forum friends. Glad we had the Forum's guy meeting on Friday. Do you have a pic of your table, with you beside or behind it of course, so I can try to remember? Who knows, I may have bought something from you. I was so glad to shake hands with some Forum users. Michel
@ernie28: Thank you, I was glad to share...0
This discussion has been closed.
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