Anyone sold an ERA lately?

[HSSS427]

As the economy slows, the heat turns up from "she who must be obeyed" to put the Cobra up for sale. Having gotten laid off last month makes the heat all that much higher.

Thought I'd at least try to give a cursory look to see what the market was like. So has anyone recently:

• Sold a complete ERA 427 car, and if so how long did it take and how much?
• Seen a recent listing for an ERA 427 car with asking price? - didn't see anything that appeared recent in CCs For Sale section.
• Have any insight on what would be a reasonable price?

You can see the car and details in my profile, but the quick summary is:

• ERA #414, completed circa 1996, registered as 1966 in GA. Red w, white stripes and number 7 meatballs painted on.
• Engine rebuilt by both Keith Craft and Southern Automotive (don't ask!) approx 560 HP, and 580 torque at the flywheel.
• 427 sideoiler (1965 block), Shelby aluminum heads, Edelbrock manifold, Demon 750 carb, Tremec 5spd road race tranny,
• New pin drive wheels and tires (Firestones)
• Ken Miles tribute aluminum drivers seat
• SC style dash with Smith's gauges
• 5 point harnesses, Halon fire system
• Approx 5000 miles on the car, and about 1000 since engine rebuild (Just too lazy to go up and get the actual numbers right now)

Thanks for the help!
Scott

[ENTDOC]

there is one on EBAY and I think cobracountry

[1985 CCX]

Scott

Sorry to see you selling as it is one nice ride.
The ERA's I have seen lately, that have moved, have been in the 43-47k range. There was two examples with 390FE & 428 in the 39 range. (they went fast) There was also a street car that sold in the mid 50's.

Best of luck, this current economic thing really bites.........

Jeff

[patrickt]

I'm pretty sure there was an ERA in the December edition of Hemming's. I've already given my copy away though so I can't check it.

[decooney]

Scott,
Considering what you have, serial #, parts, components, condition, and some other engine items freshened up, and the overall perceived "newness or condition" about the car, its definitely not on the low end side of ERA sales; regardless of economy. These are low-volume production cars, and if the right buyer comes along looking for an ERA, in Red/White, with a real 427 in it, you can probably expect to get a tad more for it than mid to high 40s.

Knowing what it takes to duplicate it and in comparison to other cars out there right now, if it's at least a 9 on a scale of 1-10, I would ask more like $56K and not take a penny less than $52K for it. I see what you have on the car. Once a buyer sees the actual cost of what it takes to build one new, yours will seem like a good deal as long as it's super clean without a lot of chips or signs of hard use or abuse.

Of course, there is always a low-baller who can offer less and get cars for less, but the other half of that equation is how bad the seller needs to sell the car, and how long they can wait for the right buyer to come along with the few extra bucks willing to pay for the car because it's what they really want.

It all comes down to what someone is looking for and what is available on the used market at that time, and how bad they want a Red/White ERA with a 427 in it This is the former Napa car, right? If so, I may know of the car. Neat car by the way.

Good Luck. DC

[HSSS427]

Generally what I figured. If I'm selling, then I'm sure there's not lots of people out there eager to buy a new toy at his level.

But on a more positive note:

I don't know how many times I've referenced CC in business discussions about the power of a passionate and engaged community of interest. The response rate and quality is always amazing and I would contend, probably blows away any similar intra-company sites intended for knowledge sharing.

I've been pretty slack about paying attention to the site in the last 12 months, but I pop back in and it's still going strong. I'd never get this many responses in this short of a time on the company site I used to manage.

If we could figure out how to bottle and commercialize this, it would be a killer!

Are you sure Brett's not paying you per response

[HSSS427]

Actually Sonoma, not Napa. It's the car Phil Cool built. I still have one bottle each of the two cases included in the deal! Coyote Crest
I don't want to sell it, but if push comes to shove.......

Even if I could get $65k I'd be losing money given all the playing, tinkering, tools, etc that I've put in it. However, I guess the fun I've had in it is priceless so that offsets the difference.

[cobred]

I was trying to figure out a way to buy this car from Phil before you bought it. On of the nicest I have seen. I still have a picture of it hanging in the garage. Can I ask what happened to the 1st engine and who built that one? Ed

[HSSS427]

...it's better, stronger, faster..... it's the 6 million dollar engine!

I has new pistons, cam, rocker arms, valves, intake, carb, distributor, oil pan, oil pump, flywheel, etc - but same block, crank, rods, heads (well one was replaced due to porting problems, but same Shelby head). It's a lot stronger than when you saw it, but looks about the same from the outside.

I sold off most of the parts where I could. I'll post a more recent pic of it in my gallery after I send this. Still a great looking car!

[hey,littlecobra]

I can send you a pm, if you like.

3-4 weeks ago there were two 'older' ERA's (like mine) for sale on Cobra Country, both for around $45K. that was asking, and still needing to pay the commission or whatever required for Cobra Country. I don't know if yours is better or not. Is newer better? probably. I believe they both had original 427 SO's, but i could be wrong. I wrestled with the best price for mine, and although i would have liked to have gotten a couple of thousand more for mine, i decided a buyer in hand is better than holding out for a couple grand and waiting and waiting and waiting....
i did not have to sell; i could have waited for eternity, but the party was over and i was ready to sell. I added up all my receipts, and well no we don't get back the toys and trinkets and add-ons.... but- i figured the fun and joy and friends and experiences were priceless and worth the extra money. For an almost 20 year old car, it held it's value pretty well, i think. I mean we all know it's in that engine anyway, but i was not unhappy with my price.
You can either sell it at an attractive price, or sit on it and wait for a bit and see if 1. the economy improves, 2. if there is the perfect someone out there that loves your car almost as much as you do, or 3. there is someobody out there willing to spend the money on a car that is almost undoubtably worth every penny you want for it.

i did not advertise my car for sale, but when i mentioned I'd like to sell it, it was sold in two days. I don't think that's too bad, with no commission, either. It's all in where you are, who you know, and how you spread the word.
I think the people that can afford a toy like a cobra are probably not too terribly hurt by all the economy stuff. There are still people out there with money; they just get to be a little bit pickier, with more things available.

good luck.
I will send that pm, if you like.
Kristen

hmmm. Pepe's been 'gone' 4 weeks today. wow!

[Madmiles442]

Still can't believe she's left the garage....

[RICK LAKE]

HSSS427 Scott I was out of work for a year. The last thing to go is my toys and I know I have way too many of them. That car sitting in the garage costs nothing to sit there if all the bills are paided. I started when the problem happened to look at the extras that we don't need. Go to the cheaper of the 2 between Cable and Disc for TV. Say bye-bye to cell phone. Bringing lunch to work. Stop getting takeout. Cutting back on the extras. A $40.00 pair of shoes will do the same job as $100.00 if they are not safety. I run the house at 62 degrees, cool yes but livable. Lights being left on in the house???? Correct air in all the cars for driving?? Sometimes you have to tell the kids NO, or do with less. You still wear pants, sit down and budget everything per month. Buy Food in bulk and store. We saving over $300.00 per month without doing much. I heard the same thing about selling my toys. Shop hard, Think smarter, even look for a part time job off the books. Mow grass, snow plow, do minor repairs on friends cars. Live a little simpler. I didn't not mean to get in your bussiness but there are OTHER ANSWERS. Rick L. Ps we will all be either broke or on the rebound in about 9 months to a year. You can hold on that long. At this time it's a buyers market for cars, even cobras. 50-60K cars can be gotten for low 40's at this time. Hold ON.

[HSSS427]

Thanks Kristen and Rick,
Kristen, at least I assume you still have the GT500? So there's some solace in that. Thanks for the info though - it supports what my gut tells me. As such, I'm going to keep with Rick's approach, which I've already started in ernest. eBay loves me now I'm even playing day trader and have managed a 20% return in the month of October. However, I know I'm not smart enough to keep that up on a consistent basis, and have I sold and taken the gain? Not..... so that will be my issue just like the Cobra; when and if to sell. Plus I figure all the tools, lift and other stuff associated with the car will be a lot easier to sell than the car itself. Thus I'm far from the bottom of the barrel, where the cobra is.

We now live in different times - politically, morally, economically and I think it's a matter of all of us coming to grips with the change and figuring out how to prosper in this new world. Looking at the good side of the situation, the job loss has really opened my eyes to this situation and I'm eager to try something new.

That said, I'll always be nostalgic for the past, thus my love of the cobra. A time machine with the noise, smells, g-forces, and joy of times gone by....... Makes me want to put on my headphones, play the song Red Barchetta by Rush, and put the pedal to the metal

Long live Club Cobra!

[Kramer]

It pains me to hear you are thinking about selling the Cobra. Like Cobred above I too was talking to Phil about buying this car at one time. Looking back, it would have been much cheaper to go that route. This is beautiful car.

For those of you reading this site that are looking into a completed car, let me tell you how true it is that is much more expensive to build your own. I learned that lesson the hard way.

I hope you find a way to to keep your toys as the economy goes through this rough patch, but I can certainly understand your dilemna...A cobra has been a dream of mine since I was a young boy going to car shows with my dad and I hope to keep it forever, but it if meant keeping the car or taking care of my family, I would sell it in a second.

Good luck to you.

Kramer

[RICK LAKE]

Kramer There is alot of ways to save money and budget in the hard times. Every one in the family needs to understand this. Oil is low for heating oil cost I just filled the tank, Last year 4.38 per gallon this year 3.12. I also have a wood burning fireplace and run this to keep the house OK. Most young people know nothing about the 20's - 30's when the whole country was broke. My grand parents would tell you about 3-6 families living in 1 house to stay warm. The soup lines going around the block for potato soup, forget about meat. Selling the toys is a last option because you are at the mercy of the buyer and the market. If they are paided for, they cost nothing except for insurance and plate fees. You can stop both for a year and save money. No body will steal it if sometime is blocking the garage door like a car or truck. I am looking at solar heating for my house at this time. If done right with rebates will cost about 7,500.00 dollars and pay itself off in 5 years. Solar is also on the list. Have a neighbor who did it to his house, He gets no bill on electric to pay, just a credit. I have too many trees and will have to cut down 12 50 year old ones my father and grandfathers planted. This will be hard. One oak has been hit twice by lightening and the house once. Thank god for lightening rods and a 70 FT Oak tree. It took you along time to get your dream also. I have about 600+ hours on building my car with 30-50 nights of sleeping under it. It maybe metal, fiberglass, rubber, glass, and plastic BUT, there is a pint of blood, sweat, and @&^$%$*!!! in that car and this makes it family too. Do you have any animals??? like a dog? Is he family??? I think you know where this is going. Rick L. Ps My father gave up things so I could get a good education and do better then him. He also reminded me about the hard times and WAR. Hope you and the family( all of them ) have a safe holiday. Rick

[Kramer]

Rick,

I think we could all learn a thing or two from your messages. I don't think Scott or myself want to sell are cars anytime soon...I know it will be a long time before I even think of selling my car (if ever). I think Scott was just wanting to test the market and as we all know this is not the time to sell any luxury item.

Kramer