Nice '68 coming up at Mecum auctions

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail...mp;utm_medium=e

I am buying it...

I'm not up on the R/A cars. Is the one of 110 statment refering to the number of R/A II Firebirds made in '68?

Very cool.

Hope you get it, it would be in a good home.

Hey Hank:

Tha glaciers have finally retreated and we are apparently out of the deep freeze in WI. Will be getting my 68 400 out of storage this weekend.

The 110 produced refers to the 1968 production of 98 4 spds and 12 auto's branded as RA II with round port heads (='s more ponies!!). These are very sought after....more rare than the 69 TA coupe.

I like the steelie's with the deluxe hub caps. My 68 came with the same configuration (according to the build sheet) but was purchased with rally II's that look good as well.

Kevin-

One of 110 total built (manual/auto)...one of maybe 25 or so known to exist if indeed numbers matching. Numbers increase to roughly 50-55 bodies (VIN) without original engine.

I think it'll take six figures to take it home.

Does anyone know if that is one of Jim's RA cars? (PHS JIM)

Kevin & Banshee,
Thanks for the info. Kinda figured that was what they were refering to but there is so much information and mis-information thrown around with some of there auction cars that I always take it with a grain of salt.

I doubt it. His son has a Plum Mist 67 RA. Jim has a classified section at PHS and have not seen it on there.

Hey Hank:

Mecum Auctions doesn't try to mess around or elude the potential purchaser but they are in it for the commision in the end. Hope this one goes for good $$.

Kevin-

Hey guys good thred on this one. Hank, I noticed that car right away too, and also the Carnival Red one. I posted them on our Face Book site, and one of our members commented he used to own the Carnival Red one at one tiime. It is a 68 RA I car of which only 413 were built. Carnival Red is a special order color - and I think very rare.

In my opinion, I think the Verdaro Green RAII car will go for more like $200k , Depends on who is bidding. Banshee, I hope you do get it.

Hope to see you guys soon - I should be getting mine out of storage soon as well.

Ken
Midwest Firebirds

Just my 2 cents on the RA II car, I think not having the original block may keep it shy of 200K.

You may be right on the price, but according to Mecum - it is the original block.

"This frame-off restored 1968 Pontiac Firebird Ram Air II is exceptionally rare. A late production example, it is one of a total of 110 built and one of 98 with the M21 close-ratio 4-speed. Restored over 18 months between 2002 and 2004, it retains its factory original matching numbers WU L67 Ram Air II block, original RA II-specific round-port code 96 heads and matching exhaust manifolds. Rebuilt to AMA specifications, it maintains the correct 10.75 compression and original cam and valve specifications, generating an estimated 430 to 440 HP at the flywheel."

There's more, but I think you get the point - it's a nice car.

The only thing better, would be say all original never restored with just 5,000 original miles.

Ken

I'll swear on my mother's grave(she's still alive) that they changed the text on that ad. The original text made no note of the original block. In fact, the current writeup is worded very differently . That or I'm getting old.

I have been following the auction...I don't believe the ad was changed.

Here is a humorous ad I found on Craigslist...

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/4438931460.html

20k for a RA car..hope he isn't expecting much. Hell, that 69 rust bucket Trans Am went for how much on Ebay in the condition it was in?

Crap, that means I'm getting old.

Its not the same car as the one Mattison at PHS owned.

A man named Joe owns this one.
Its a real 1 piece car and he's the 3rd owner.
Will require more than 200k to buy it .
We only know of about 20 total documented examples left in existence .
Thats from over a 9 year period of beating the bushes on PY .

He also had a 69 TA Ram4 4spd that was a 1 piece car he bought from the original California owner.
Concours restored it - then sold it about a year ago.
Less than 400k , but more than 300k

I'm not familiar with the phrase 1 piece car, does this mean the original driveline?

Because if you read the ad carefully, it quite clearly fails to mention.....never mind.

Yes all original #'s factory born-with drivetrain complete.
The car was all still there and in 1 piece.
Some are wrecked, rusted, modified, parted out , sitting in a field ..... etc - by the time someone discovers they are worth restoring due to pedigree..

This one was a well cared for car in 1 piece before resto.
Not a quilt-work put back together deal .

Most of the big auctions now avoid letting owners state things like 100% all original born with drive train.
It had gotten disproven too many times on too many cars in the past.
And too many plays on words / creative jargon.
At one point they were mandating a legally binding and signed document from owner if they insisted on using terms like that in the pre-publicity ad campaigns.
Now i think its completely discouraged all together - with "correct" now being the status quo level.
I think they leave all that discussion to be between buyer and seller, and buyers are responsible for making their own judgements.

The auctions are trying to close as many doors as possible that have created conflicts and buyers remorse in the past.

Hope that helps some more.

He was asking around 250k
It might can be bought for less than i posted before - noticed the value is stated between 150-200k in the Mecum listing. fwiw

His name is Joe Cione.

He's noted on the Pontiac Power site for owning this car:

http://www.pontiacpower.net/spotlight0303.html

I'll be there Saturday to put a bid in on the car.

Which auction and where? Is it televised?

Yes..

Wednesday May 14
Esquire: 11:30 AM-4 PM Live
Mecum.com: 6-7 PM Live
NBCSN: 11:30 PM-1 AM Same Day Delay

Thursday May 15
NBCSN: 12-5 PM Live
NBCSN: 11:30 PM-1 AM Same Day Delay

Friday May 16
NBCSN: 12-3 PM Live
Mecum.com: 5-7 PM Live
NBCSN: 1-2:30 AM Same Day Delay

Saturday May 17
NBCSN: 11AM-1 PM Live
Mecum.com: 5:30-7 PM Live

Sunday May 18
NBCSN: 12-4:30 PM Next Day Delay

So did anyone of the fgf. Members get it?

I didn't get a bid in, they didn't get low enough at the start.

How much did it go for?

$150,000

That's a lot of green for green!