Very Nice 1931 Model A Ford A-400 at Auction

[BButturff]

It sold this morning for $65,250.00


https://www.hmauction.com/auctions/6...red-in-very-go

[WHN]

There only original once.

Enjoy

[BButturff]

When I first saw the listing and then went to look at the car I was thinking $44k - $48k. I know the 400As are scarce but I think someone lost their mind a tiny bit.

[ronn]

I looked at a similar car 3 yrs ago-(could be the same one)
I was offered it for 25k


truthfully it isnt worth much more then that, but as BB says- somebody lost their minds!

[Randy in ca]

If you've got lots of time view the entire auction catalogue (over 900 lots!)

[ModelA29]

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I suspect it's one of those restored 50 years ago. There is a lot of pitting on the dash they didn't fill. I'd also expect one that still looked that good to still have the original engine.

[P.S.]

It is worth that amount to SOMEONE, obviously. Why poop on their parade? OK, it's not worth that to you, fine. Someone else thought differently. Is it against forum rules to just be happy for someone?

[ronn]

cmon PS


65k?


really? look at the top- shot. and so much more.............


why not 250k then?

[mercman from oz]

1931 Ford Model A-400

[400A]

I looked this car over years ago when I was restoring mine (same color). It is a VERY nice car. Unmolested and mostly all original. The only one nicer is John Pages original 400A which is now at the Gilmore. You can buy restored cars all day long, but there are only a very few originals left and this is one of the better ones. Someone else recognizes that and was willing to pay a premium. I say bravo for him.

[Marshall V. Daut]

The super high price also helps the rest of us 400-A owners justify to our wives why we should invest money in them. Heck, it doesn't cost much more to restore a 400-A than it does a Tudor Sedan. But look at the difference in resale value (and initial purchase price of each) !!!
Marshall

[Bruce of MN]

Do they have similar backseat room to a Victoria?

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Bruce of MN

Do they have similar backseat room to a Victoria?

Yes

[Richard Knight]

I saw Fred's A400 when it was still just a nice original model A with very low mileage. That is probably forty years ago. I am glad it is still preserved in the state I saw it. It probably even looks better now! I would be careful about using an unrestored low mileage model A as a reference point for throwing lots of money into a model A. Restored model As are everywhere by the thousands and are no substitute for an original unrestored car. I put a premium on the unrestored cars.

[ronn]

the bigger problem is now anyone with a 400 will think they are going to get 65k.


No different then the height of housing 2 yrs ago. Many markets have had a good drop at this point. But people still think theyre getting 2023 prices.

[P.S.]

Originally Posted by ronn

the bigger problem is now anyone with a 400 will think they are going to get 65k.

Then, when it doesn't sell, they come back to reality.

I have a friend who has more than one 400A and his economic picture is much different than mine. For him, $65,000 would be like $650 is to me. So what? Let's say he grossly over-spends for a car because he really wants it. Do I then cop an attitude because he spent more than I can afford to spend? Or, do I be happy for him because he got what he wanted? My method of operation is to be happy for him! Also because he lets me drive any of his cars just for the asking...

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by P.S.

It is worth that amount to SOMEONE, obviously. Why poop on their parade? OK, it's not worth that to you, fine. Someone else thought differently. Is it against forum rules to just be happy for someone?

Originally Posted by ronn

cmon PS


65k? really? look at the top- shot. and so much more.............

why not 250k then?

Ronn, you asked why not $250k? Maybe the simple answer is it wasn't worth that to the 2nd highest bidder. Otherwise it might have been bid to six-figures.

I think Paul is right in that just because someone else values a Model-A more than what other hobbyists do really does not make the Buyer wrong. I have been around this collector car hobby for a long time, and IMHO the price values of these vehicles needs to significantly rise for this hobby to flourish.

Why I say this is several-fold, but a major point in this mindset is that 2-3 decades ago, if a hobbyist restored a Model-A themselves, they could purchase all of the parts & materials (paint, upholstery, etc.) for the entire restoration, ...and if they did a mediocre job or better on the restoration, they could at least recoup their expenses for parts & materials if they wanted to sell it upon completion. Today that cannot be done because the restored Model-A values have not kept up with everything else. The irony is the hobby is just as popular today as it was then, ...and there is always someone that would like to own a Model-A.

[BlueSunoco]

Originally Posted by Richard Knight

........ Restored model As are everywhere by the thousands and are no substitute for an original unrestored car. I put a premium on the unrestored cars.

Same here
There was an antique car guru in Davenport, Iowa years ago that had as I recall an all original 16,000 mile 1928 Sport Coupe. Norm Miller. I saw the car once before he died, it was jaw dropping I'll never forget it! OR Mr. Miller, he was a gem!!

[ronn]

only being rhetorical Brent.


when I was in school I worked at a shoe store in Philly. guy calls up for purple shoes........ boss passes and says, tell him we have them. he came in and bought grey shoes, because of course we didnt have purple ones.


as they say- there is an arse for every seat.

[Marshall V. Daut]

"There was an antique car guru in Davenport, Iowa years ago that had as I recall an all original 16,000 mile 1928 Sport Coupe. Norm Miller. I saw the car once before he died, it was jaw dropping I'll never forget it! OR Mr. Miller, he was a gem!!"

Here once again is that "Restorer" article I wrote in 1999 about this very car. Impressive? You bet! As someone commented: "They're original only once." This Business Coupe was so original that it made all other "restored" Model A's somehow look fake by a few degrees.
Marshall