GTE on Ebay

stevei35 · Post by **stevei35** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 5:09 pm

Check out the GTE on Ebay.....Whats in its future???
Item number: 4537917395

Art S. · Post by **Art S.** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 9:48 am

Very Upsetting - discussed on F-chat

Post by **tyang** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:19 am

Looks like Tom Shaughnessy chopped up another one.

Tom

Art S. · Post by **Art S.** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 11:17 am

Tom,

Imagine after all the work you have been through on your car, Tom S. gets a hold of it and sells off the drivetrain.

Art S.

Post by **tyang** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 11:35 am

Hi Art,

I know how you feel. Tom S. and I have had many heated discussions on what he does for a living. He sees it as putting a SWB back on the road with a proper engine, while he makes a buck on it. I don't see it as a good deal because these GTEs will probably NEVER see the road again. It's also not the only option for GTOs and SWB owners anymore when companies are making engine blocks again. I saw a company in England that had repro engine blocks along with this Dutch company:
http://www.roelofsparts.com

I know in the future, when GTEs eclipse 6 figures, we'll feel even worse for not saving these cars!

Tom

David Hodge · Post by **David Hodge** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 12:14 pm

what do these engines sell for, approximately?

william · Post by **william** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 12:35 pm

Is the car still on ebay? I viewed the auction last night can't find it today?
I dont know but have heard as much as 30K to 40K for the engine I don't know this for sure...

William

DMC · Post by **DMC** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 1:06 pm

Comment on Fchat was that a 250 engine was not available anywhere, at any price.

Someone put a bid in for $18K last night. The auction must have ended shortly after that.

I was curious if you could get a 330 engine and make your own 330 America out of it. Are the motor mount points the same, or would you have to adapt it somehow?

Post by **tyang** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 1:18 pm

Hi David,

I'm not sure if the recent rise in complete cars affects the price of engines, but they usually sell for about $15-25K because they usually are in need of a full rebuild. Add the price of a rebuild at another $15-25K, you have a high price of about $50K to replace an engine in a SWB or GTO with one of these GTE engines. Once remanufactured engines get below this price, our 2+2 cars will be spared.

If money were no object, I would imagine a GTO owner would rather have a new block stamped to whatever number they wanted, than try restamping a GTE block.

Tom

Racerrad · Post by **Racerrad** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:00 pm

In response to DMC, I have SN 4221 and am planning to put a 330 engine and 5 speed transmission in that I purchased. The mounts are different, but the fabrication will not be difficult. The biggest challenge will be to convert the mechanical clutch to the hydraulic version that the five speed requires.

I've chosen to take this route because all of the stars lined up for this project. Surely, the car would have become a candidate for parting without this combination. When it is all said and done I'll have a very nice car to drive and enjoy, but not a show queen.

Rad

David Hodge · Post by **David Hodge** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:02 pm

charity event: "save the gte's"

william · Post by **william** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:11 pm

I Found the auction. It was ended early to the tune of $20,600

William

DMC · Post by **DMC** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:26 pm

Racer,

Sounds like you got a good shell for your project. You're doing exactly what I would have if the stars had lined up for me. Good luck, keep us updated, and thanks for saving this GTE.

Post by **tyang** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:31 pm

I question the "Engines not being available anywhere at any price." I saw a display at Laguna Seca that was supposedly casting new 250 engine blocks. Did anyone get get a card? I missplaced mine, but they have to be an option. I think it's a matter of economics and ease rather than impossibility for these engines.

Tom

jsa330 · Post by **jsa330** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 6:50 pm

Just cold economic reality here...the more matching or non-matching numbers GTE's and 330 2+2's are parted out or eviscerated, the rarer the remaining intact cars become. I'm hanging onto mine.

The super rich guy who wants an extra engine for vintage racing and will trash a viable 2+2 to get it--This reminds me of the ongoing situation in wealthy neighborhoods here in Dallas and elsewhere. Buyers will come in and pay a couple of mil for a perfectly intact older house, too often a fine aesthetic example designed by a noted architect of many years past, and tear it down to build new. In extreme cases they don't bother to make salveageable items and materials available even to volume dealers who want them. It just gets hauled off in dumptrucks.

2+2 owners: They want our engines and drivetrains! Until vintage V12 engines can be reproduced at a realistic price and with reliable quality, we're holding onto an increasingly scarce and desireable item that the very rich will not hesitate to pay asking prices for. And, even after the reproduction engines are available, there will still be those who will pay whatever it takes to have something truly original.