There is a Scorpion on eBay right now. Does anyone here own it???

MikeHynes said:
Mileage is an indicator of wear. If you are considering a purchase of a used car, it must be taken into consideration. Yes, I understand that old worn parts can be replaced/refurbished - but at what cost? That's what you need to consider when placing YOUR value on a car. The purchase price of the car, plus the cost to make it the car you want it to be. Cost of both the parts, and labor (time), to make the car the one you want.
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Wear on what? Engine, brakes, clutch. All replaceable and as in this engine was rebuilt so newer than its mileage. The people asking mileage on very modified vehicles I've owned where hardly anything was original I don't bother replying to at all.
 
NigelProdrive said:
Wear on what? Engine, brakes, clutch. All replaceable and as in this engine was rebuilt so newer than its mileage. The people asking mileage on very modified vehicles I've owned where hardly anything was original I don't bother replying to at all.
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The engine was reported to be "rebuilt". OK, maybe it's OK. Was the starter rebuilt? How about the alt.? Water pump? Pulleys? Etc... Does the trans shift right? Shifter bushings OK? How about the suspension? Struts, wheel bearings, steering rack, bearings, etc... There are a LOT of parts that wear out. Of course all of these things are "replaceable" - how much will it cost to replace everything that needs to be replaced? Understanding the condition of the car is important to establishing a value. Is the seller offering a project car, or a car that's "fresh"?
I hope you didn't miss out on any sales to your modified vehicles because you didn't bother to explain just what you were selling, IMHO a buyer is entitled to know what they are buying. They should ask.
 
Auction is real.
Just heard from the seller.
Interior is completely roached out.
Rockers are painted black with a brush.
Several dents.
Drip in the clear coat.
He’s not sure if everything works.
Painted at MAACO.
Im out.
Just passing it along.
 
vespaholic said:
Auction is real.
Just heard from the seller.
Interior is completely roached out.
Rockers are painted black with a brush.
Several dents.
Drip in the clear coat.
He’s not sure if everything works.
Painted at MAACO.
Im out.
Just passing it along.
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Did you see the car, or did the seller tell you about it?
 
On these old "classic" cars the mileage is probably important to the rivet counters and those who plan to keep them as garage queens. Anyone who has woken up a Fiat (and I assume Lancia of same vintage) that has sat for multiple years if not decades knows all about having to replace just about everything mechanical as they are at that point all in a horrid state regardless of mileage. Interior and all rubber bits will fall apart based on age rather than mileage.

Plus 1 on the hood pins. My X is so much easier to deal with as far as opening the various lids. Add a GPS based speedo and you can kiss speedo cable woes goodby.
 
Compression > Mileage. Rebuilding the engine is the greatest investment if everything is there and ok (windshield next important) its not even like Ferrari $ and would be opportunity to fix what EPA butchered.

The starter I would trash for the modern compact lightweight high torque with better wiring connectors that are available now. The alternator with a 65 amp internal regulator unit available now. Mileage wont tell you wheel bearing condition and they are cheap.

Most my cars have no speedo cable. All modern cars on stock diameter size tires read faster than actual. The Scorpion reads 10 MPH parked! Swapping instrument clusters with the mileage you want displayed is simple,

Ebay isn't BaT.
 
carl said:
On these old "classic" cars the mileage is probably important to the rivet counters and those who plan to keep them as garage queens. Anyone who has woken up a Fiat (and I assume Lancia of same vintage) that has sat for multiple years if not decades knows all about having to replace just about everything mechanical as they are at that point all in a horrid state regardless of mileage. Interior and all rubber bits will fall apart based on age rather than mileage.

Plus 1 on the hood pins. My X is so much easier to deal with as far as opening the various lids. Add a GPS based speedo and you can kiss speedo cable woes goodby.
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Carl,
I have "rat" cars - that I love. I also have "very nice cars" that I love. Guess which ones I would sell cheaper?
 
With restorations and all the work that goes into keeping these cars on the road, keep in mind that instrument clusters have been replaced and swapped for fully functioning units. Here in Washington state, an old car’s mileage is considered exempt for that very reason. Since we are talking about almost 50 year old cars, I personally wouldn’t place a lot of value on a car’s “ mileage “.
 
Change is constant, change is a given. All things age with the passage of time regardless of usage. Plastics outgas becoming brittle with the passage of time regardless of usage or simply sitting. Rubber/polymers does much the same. Metals corrode/rust with the passage of time partly influenced by environmental conditions, glass being an amorphous substance moves due to the forces of gravity, fluids change due to molecular instability..

At very best, "mileage" is a tiny facet of what a given vehicle's condition might be.. Due to the simplicity of this single number, too many place great value in this overly simplistic single number.


Bernice
 
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“Ugh-O, better get MAACO”. Meaning that paint ought be stripped & be
pro re-sprayed. And do the seats. Lotsa $$$$ stuff w/this example.
 
I have two friends who bought very low mileage Xs and then watched with amazement as pressurized fuel shot out of tiny pin holes in the injection lines. Interesting article in the latest Hagerty magazine about how modern cars won't age with a nice "patina" as there is so much plastic on them.

I imagine a good paint job and a redo of the interior of a Scorpion could put you way upside down on value, sadly.
 
carl said:
I have two friends who bought very low mileage Xs and then watched with amazement as pressurized fuel shot out of tiny pin holes in the injection lines.
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But, the cars only have "5,000" miles on the odometer...
NOT gonna replace those fuel injection hoses.. the car will no longer be "original".. it's market value will decrease if those hoses are replaced...


Bernice
 
Remember X 1/9s & X 1/20s were full of plastic parts too. Fragile, don’t age
well. EX: the foam core ABS dashboard back molded support. Anyone here
replaced one? Inexcusable that Lancia/Fiat used such cheap, crap parts.
 

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davidb said:
Remember X 1/9s & X 1/20s were full of plastic parts too. Fragile, don’t age
well. EX: the foam core ABS dashboard back molded support. Anyone here
replaced one? Inexcusable that Lancia/Fiat used such cheap, crap parts.
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ALL cars from that era used "crap" plastics... Ferrari, Mercedes, Porsche.. en all..
Don't tar Fiat for common and widely accepted design and engineering practice from that era..

Know about bio-degradable wire insulation(plastic) used by Mercedes.. Volvo...

Fiat gets a bad rap for all the wrong reasons..

Bernice
 
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I'm doing some work on a gentleman's 78 spider and I'm fairly convinced if I change the ignition points he will want me to "save" the old points for him.
 
Rupunsell: yes plastic was common place. It was cheap & lightweight. I do
NOT/did NOT single out Fiat for that. Longevity was not the mindset.
 
davidb said:
Rupunsell: yes plastic was common place. It was cheap & lightweight. I do
NOT/did NOT single out Fiat for that. Longevity was not the mindset.
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"Remember X 1/9s & X 1/20s were full of plastic parts too. Fragile, don’t age
well. EX: the foam core ABS dashboard back molded support. Anyone here
replaced one?"

"Inexcusable that Lancia/Fiat used such cheap, crap parts."

~Your words were...
Bernice
 
My brand new Ford Contour was no better than old cars. The plastic impeller blades for the water pump cracked and came off. The carpet and headliner shrank and pulled out of every edge connection, was the role model for check engine lights going on constantly and had the poorest headlights of any car I have ever owned including forty year old Fiats. Some cars are crap after a few decades and some are crap fresh out of the oven.
 
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