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MG TD TF 1500 - Carroll Shelby's TC

In today's Hemmings Daily (10/27/2014) ...

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/10/27/carroll-shelbys-first-race-car-a-1949-mg-tc-heads-back-to-auction/?refer=news

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

... "it’s a safe bet that the low-end number would be in the $313,500 range."

I'll be surprised if it reaches that point, but what do I know?

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Well they got it before so as the saying goes: "There's a sucker born every minute".
Christopher Couper

Gotta disagree with you Chris.

If a collector has the money and the interest, then I can't think of a better way to preserve the car and the history of a famous owner than to pay $300k+. Seriously doubt that it will be parted out, cut up for scrap, or painted purple and a 350 squeezed into the engine bay.

It's sad to think that many of the classic cars that we love may be forgotten as Baby-Boomers (or older) can no longer take care of them. Most kids could care less. 1990 vintage vehicles are now eligable for AACA shows - ugh.

Lonnie
TF7211

LM Cook

$313,500 is exactly what it sold for last time it was auctioned.
Steve Simmons

Fair Market Value, an appraisal valuation, can partially be based on a transaction between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither acting under any compulsion, and both being is full possession of all the facts. I agree with everything said, and understand it is a race-ready TC with Carroll Shelby provenance. That $313,000 figure is a starting point for evaluation.

But that being said, my personal opinion is that the car is not worth $313,000. For well under $100,000 I could put together a competition-ready TC, so that leaves the Shalby added value at over $225,000. I think a couple of Cobra people got carried away in the heat of battle, and, like a Carroll Shelby signature on the dash, felt it was valuable, and ended up paying Shelby prices for a TC.

Let's have a competition to see who guesses closest to the actual price.

I say no sale at $200,000.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Gee. If I sign my dashboard can I raise the price for my TD from $20K to $200K? I'll split the difference and go with "Sold for $250k." Jud
J K Chapin

As Steve says, it did it once, why not again:

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Archive/Event/Item/1949-MG-TC-ROADSTER-RACE-CAR-65890
Gene Gillam

I do not know who is selling the car now, but I did read that Ron Pratt of Phoenix is selling his entire car collection thru BJ at next years auction. Should be quite a sale. BJ says over 500 items, most of which are cars in pristine condition. Wish I could see his collection before it is split up.
Tom Maine

Wrong on so many levels ...

http://www.schmitt.com/viewimage.asp?ID=4615
Christopher Couper

That TC Special that Schmitt & Co are selling would have to be on of the worst looking TC specials I think I have seen. The proportions are just so wrong!

How they can compare it to Shelby's TC beats me.

Noted in the comments in the Hemmings link, the complaints about the "fat" tyres on Shelby's car. While they weren't an option on TCs, I think every second car I ever saw had 16" wheels. I reckon 16"s look great on a TC.

Ian
TF4056
Ian Fry

plastic exhaust bolted to the outside! oh dear.
mog

I don't think Carol Shelby gave two hoots what the TC experts said about anything he put on the car! He built it to race, not to please the concourse judges, or actually anyone but himself. Wide tires, wrong size, why not! JMHO. PJ
Paul S Jennings

I think we are talking about two different things here. Shelby's TC was indeed a race car, and that moves it into en entirely different realm - nothing has to be stock, everything is designed to go fast, handle well and be as reliable as a race car can be. (It also clearly also intended as a car that can run the street.) There's little pretense, just a very real and honest goal. Whether everything there is what Shelby put on, I doubt - but it is probably modern, and reliable.

The Schmidt piece of s**t, on the other hand, is a boy-racer, a silly exercise of pretend. If you like Excaliber cars or VW-based MG replicars, you will probably like this - with fake pipes, a standard engine and no apparent modifications to make it go faster, handle better or be safer or more reliable. I wouldn't touch it for 1/3 the price they are asking.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Agreed
mog

The Shelby TC isn't how Shelby drove it. It has been rebuilt lord knows how many times by previous owners.

I don't find the TC special bad overall, just a few tacky decisions like the fake outside exhaust. Should have a real one. Also remove most of the exterior badges and slightly larger cycle fenders. And it should have them on the front as well. The proportions don't seem bad overall. A very pre-war look. If the condition of the car underneath was better then it may be worth the asking price due to the labor of fabricating the body parts, but considering how shabby it looks beneath the bonnet (which is probably why there are no underbody shots) I wouldn't pay nearly that much. Maybe half on a good day.
Steve Simmons

This thread was discussed between 27/10/2014 and 28/10/2014

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