Certainly the most expensive radio knobs in the world.....

[58PackardWagon]

Wow, never seen them priced like this.........

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Studebaker-Avanti-Avanti-Radio-Knobs-NOS-Pair-/111027246010?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19d9bd53ba

[studefan]

I have noticed that this seller has many really nice items on ebay but rarely sells anything because the prices are so high.

[Bob Bryant]

I think it is Nostalgic Motors in Wixom. When I went there in 2004 my Avanti wiper knob was maybe ten dollars and I was glad to get it. Also, bought a wheel cover. The Booth's were very helpful. Radio knobs may be quite rare...don't know.

[Starlight]

I think it is Nostalgic Motors in Wixom. When I went there in 2004 my Avanti wiper knob was maybe ten dollars and I was glad to get it. Also, bought a wheel cover. The Booth's were very helpful. Radio knobs may be quite rare...don't know.

You are so right Bob, it is Nostalgic Motors in Wixom, Michigan.......Keep on Studebakering

[Gunslinger]

I guess the thought is if you're already doing a high dollar restoration another $150 to finish it off isn't very much. It still amazes me that last year someone paid over $800 for two NOS bolts for a tri-power Corvette...two bolts with the right markings on them that hold the air cleaner base down and are invisible once the cover is installed! Repro bolts go for less than $5 but at least two bidders just had to have two original bolts.

Someone else's reasonable price is someone else's folly. While I wouldn't do it it's their money. The seller isn't forcing anyone to pay it...a buyer isn't a victim...he's a volunteer.

[Chris_Dresbach]

I guess the thought is if you're already doing a high dollar restoration another $150 to finish it off isn't very much. It still amazes me that last year someone paid over $800 for two NOS bolts for a tri-power Corvette...two bolts with the right markings on them that hold the air cleaner base down and are invisible once the cover is installed! Repro bolts go for less than $5 but at least two bidders just had to have two original bolts.

Someone else's reasonable price is someone else's folly. While I wouldn't do it it's their money. The seller isn't forcing anyone to pay it...a buyer isn't a victim...he's a volunteer.

It really bugs me when sellers use the logic that "It's a high dollar resto, what's another $100". To me, it's just that, another $100! I would be the guy to scour junkyards until the find those radio knobs for $1 a piece, or find a radio delete plate! I've mentioned here before that I've restored a couple John Deere 110s and those things anymore are getting to be just like classic cars; expensive to restore! The patio edition 110 I finished most recently needed a new seat, and they require one in a special color than yellow like a typical 110. On ebay I found an NOS one for $2000!! So I got a yellow one for $25 and vinyl dyed it the correct spruce blue. Now you can't tell the difference and it didn't break the bank. Sorry, but I rage when vendors get greedy. A fair price is a fair price; but when a seller jacks up the number just to make a huge profit than what something is actually worth, I WILL go to junkyards and find that part used. NOS vs. used vs. repop means absolutely nothing to me beacause the point of a restoration is making something look new again anyway!

[showbizkid]

The Corvette guys are really insane. Those bolts are but one example of just how nuts they can be. (Pun intended.)

[studegary]

They have a 682 feedback on eBay with 100% favorable rating. If one doesn't like the price, just move on. Not everyone wants to spend the time going through junkyards, even if they can find one with Studebakers, to look for acceptable knobs. Most of those white knobs have turned ivory. I wouldn't spend that, but they only need one person that will. Often, the high priced NOS items are sold to restoration shops. They pass the cost on to their customer. Of course if they have to charge $100 per hour for their time to search out other parts, the cost may be even higher.

[Gunslinger]

The Corvette guys are really insane. Those bolts are but one example of just how nuts they can be. (Pun intended.)

My impression is that the Corvette guys (full disclosure...I have a '69 Tri-power Vette) are nuts. It's the Mopar guys that are truly insane.

[jimmijim8]

Where is a person to get knobs like them? I believe they are made from semi-precious unobtanium. The other type aren't too difficult to come by. You may have to disconnect a used radio from them. cheers jimmijim

[hausdok]

Isn't injection molding old tech now?

Would it not be possible for someone to find some old injection molding equipment, make these - and any other hard-to-find knobs - from scratch and still be able to sell them for less than $150, recoupe the cost of their old equipment in short order and continue to manufacture stuff like this? I remember my first trip to Korea in 1977 before their big hi-tech boom. If we needed something like those knobs we'd go into downtown Uijongbu to the old tent market there and were certain to find someone who could make us exactly what we wanted in a day or two and it would be a perfect match.

Where have all the entrepreneurs gone that used to be able to make anything?

A few weeks ago on American Restoration I watched them cast an amber plastic tailight lens for an old out-of-production Italian motor scooter. It was a perfect match and fit.

Kudos to those guys.

[jimmijim8]

Any body spending that amount of money on a pair of Studebaker radio knobs can't justify it's purchase unless the proceeds are going to help fund a soup kitchen. If not, "there's a seat for every asse and an asse for every seat" cheers jimmijim

[Cash]

Forgive me guys, I'm responding via Ipad so there might be some misspellings. In my mind,prices on cars and parts are getting silly. I just saw an ad for a 57 4 door Chevy that had a modern drivetrain installed, it was listed for 65,000.00. Seriously. That's just a little sillier than 150.00 for a pair of 5.00 dollar knobs, but not much. This is what hurts the old car hobby..sure, the "investors" can afford the cost of entry, but you will eventually cull your customer base down to where said investors will be your only customers..then the cars are harder to sell, prices plummet and the bubble bursts.
If I had an Avanti, I would try my best to keep it in good shape, but I have the feeling I wouldn't worry about the radio knobs being perfect, not for that price.

[jimmijim8]

On second thought. That's got to be a mistake in the listing.

Wow, never seen them priced like this.........

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Studebaker-A...item19d9bd53ba

[Sharkonwheels]

I doubt it's a mistake. Previous listing for a wiper knob for $75:

http://www.ebay.com/csc/avantilady/m.html?item=111027246010&pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19d9bd53ba&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc