Posted on 11/16/2008 4:47:54 PM PST by Daffynition
The eBay auction for this 1963 Pontiac LeMans Tempest started out innocently enough. Obtained after owner died. Appears to have original interior but no motor, no transmission. Body has a little rust and some dents. There's stuff in the trunk, but no key to open it. Opening bid nine days ago was a mere $500. After one week, eBay seller 123ecklin will pocket $226,521 before auction fees. What happened between Day 1 and Day 9 is an amazing story.
The car's plexiglass windows, unusual suspension setup and a dash plate bearing the name of a racetrack tipped the owner to its racing history. But what he didn't know is that the car is one of only six 1963 Pontiac LeMans Tempest Super Duty coupes ever made. Hemmings recently did a story on the rare cars in which they listed all ever built. This one looks to have been driven by Stan Antlocer and was the fastest drag car in 1963 before disappearing.
Reading through the questions on the auction gives us reason to believe the seller truly didn't know the car's provenance. In his answers, he seems both surprised by the car's potential value as well as overwhelmed by the attention. He turned down an offer of $160,000 to end the auction early because he feared getting negative eBay feedback. That decision paid off. With only seven minutes remaining, the highest offer was $95,000. When the virtual gavel fell, eBayer ccsi2000 had bought a very rare, if a little rusty, LeMans for $226,521.
A couple of years ago my grandson bought a early 70s Bronco that had spent too much time on the beach. He was going to pull the differentials and put them in his little Ranger but never got around to it. He had it stored in his uncle's warehouse when a salesman saw it and went into shock. It was one of 700 Stroppe modified Broncos and the guy traded a sharp 68 plus cash plus a extra set of differentials for it. He should have listed it on eBay or at least Craig's list...
He could have listed it on eBay or at least Craig’s list...
He should have listed it on eBay or at least Craig’s list...
He would have listed it on eBay or at least Craig’s list...
coulda, shoulda, woulda
Cool story. We can’t live with our regrets though. I’ve parted with things that may have had more value, but unless you have a warehouse, as you mention, what are you going to do with all the junk we collect? After a while, it begins to own us. ;D
I wondered if we were ever going to get back on today.
My grandson loses tens of thousand of dollars and you are miffed about FR being down for 20% of the rest of my life?
I think (hope) my Tempest was a ‘62. I must go be sick now if not.
He’s lucky he didn’t have it in the market.
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