73 Express on EBAY

[FBIVW]

Anyone hungry for a winter (or two) project.
73 Express for sale.
Running but no clutch.
Needs resto. Rusty sills, floors etc. Lots of pics.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143796982817

[classicswede]

I do not normally comment on price but this one is real pipe dream price.

Considering how significant the rust issues are the price should reflect that. I have seen uptogther cars selling for not much more. To me a £1250 price would be much more sensible and even then I think it would take some time to find a buyer

[Burdekin]

Originally Posted by classicswede

I do not normally comment on price but this one is real pipe dream price.

Considering how significant the rust issues are the price should reflect that. I have seen uptogther cars selling for not much more. To me a £1250 price would be much more sensible and even then I think it would take some time to find a buyer

Yeah they’re dreaming. What’s the value when done £8k to £10k. Restoration cost would far exceed the value, it’s scrap value for me.

[classicswede]

I recently picked up a 240 version of this with no real rust issues. Needs one small patch and the cam replacing in the engine. It had been for sale for months with no takers and I paid £1500 for it.

This 140 can still be saved but the restoration cost is going to be way over what it would sell for

[FBIVW]

Originally Posted by classicswede

I recently picked up a 240 version of this with no real rust issues. Needs one small patch and the cam replacing in the engine. It had been for sale for months with no takers and I paid £1500 for it.

This 140 can still be saved but the restoration cost is going to be way over what it would sell for

Note your views but is it really a comparison to be made between a 240 and an express? The view of it being more costly to restore than you could sell it for is only relevant if you are Mike Brewer and are doing it to sell. For the enthusiast that wants to buy a rare model and one of only 3 in the country it’s an opportunity to put some time into a car that when done will be a talking point at a show, the one that stands out in a lineup. Many people enjoy restoration work and the sense of achievement it gives. The opportunity to buy a rare model should be welcomed and I’ve seen posts like this before in the VW world when 20 years ago I’d been bringing in rare early VW buses asking £5k.. forum members whining about cost.. the guy who didn’t and bought it fixed it up, had ten years enjoyment out of it then sold it for enough money to outright buy a house in Ireland..
Would it be preferable to have these cars not offered for sale on the forum at all?

[Burdekin]

240s have a much bigger following and 140s certainly aren’t comparable to the VW scene. You’re never going to be buying a house with a 140. I have a nice RHD 142 which is just as rare and I would say more desirable and it’s probably only worth £2k more than what you are asking. You can try to sell it for that but it’s just not got anywhere near that value. Anyone would be better off just sourcing a good condition one from Europe.

[FBIVW]

Originally Posted by Burdekin

240s have a much bigger following and 140s certainly aren’t comparable to the VW scene. You’re never going to be buying a house with a 140. I have a nice RHD 142 which is just as rare and I would say more desirable and it’s probably only worth £2k more than what you are asking. You can try to sell it for that but it’s just not got anywhere near that value. Anyone would be better off just sourcing a good condition one from Europe.

So are you interested or not? 🤔😂

[Burdekin]

I'm not interested but you've posted in the general discussion area so discussing it. :-) also traders are supposed to ask permission to use the forum if using it to sell items.

[FBIVW]

Originally Posted by Burdekin

I'm not interested but you've posted in the general discussion area so discussing it. :-) also traders are supposed to ask permission to use the forum if using it to sell items.

Fair enough on the discussion i guess......I wasn't aware about traders asking permission thing...im a car enthusiast too though
Im open to offers on the car anyways but to a limit. At a pound a mile for transport one way it owes £1750 plus 3 ferries..

[classicswede]

I've too many cars and thinning down having recently let a fair few go.

140's and 240's are of the same family but 140 prices tend to be lower than 240's!

No offence but your express is a bit of a basket case and I know from having done rust repairs on lots of 140's and 240's that as you dig into it gets worse. It is still savable but too much work for most.

Priced at £500 I would be fighting with myself not to buy it, couple of years ago I would have taken it and sat on it. At that price it would end up with some brain dead idiot smash it up around a banger track. What you paid for it excluding what it cost to collect goes to show the kind of value it has. Whatever it cost to move you tend to just have to take on the chin. It is a car that needs £10-20,000 spending on it to make it a £10,000 car at best. These are not cars you can restore and flip to get your money back let alone make a profit but who cares. When I do a car I do it because I want to with no regard to what it might sell for.


If you want to sell it I would suggest are more sensible price with a little wiggle room