Crazy auctions.

[Ron Dame]

Today on Bring a Trailer, a very nice ZIP van sold for $28K. The undercarriage was untouched, otherwise it seems nice. Then a really, really nice '63 HT sold for only $15K. Granted, the ZIP van was bizzarrelly high, but then the sale of the '63 at $15K?
I don't get it!

[StudeRich]

Well was the " '63", a Lark Daytona HT with 289 and 4 Speed, or not quite?

UPDATE: Probably this one: https://forum.studebakerdriversclub....aytona-hardtop

Looks pretty good except for the mismatched Right Door, But it REALLY doesn't Show well with the Taxi Cab Hub Caps and
ugly Black Tires.

[Andy R.]

Doesn't surprise me...the Zip Van was well presented and a nicer example than most. Looks like fun!

Which vehicle would get the most attention in the parking area at Pebble Beach or Amelia Island?

[rockne10]

Auctions are, to a great extent, a valid method to find out what things are actually worth; with the emphasis on "to a great extent."
On any given day and/or venue, value is factored by the weather and who is attending.
A moderately valuable vehicle might go for crazy money when you have a couple folks bidding who drove an identical vehicle on their honeymoon, absolutely must have it, and have stashed more mad money than any normal person can dream of.
That may be a poor analogy in reference to a Zip Van but, you get my drift.

[J_Cole]

I liked that Lark a lot but I think a better presentation would have helped quite a bit. The pictures were a little blah, mostly taken in the shade and no really beauty shots. The hubcaps didn’t help either. The seller of the zip van always seems to do a good job at presenting the cars and he showed off the van really well as reflected in the price. Better pics with the lark could have brought a couple extra thousand I think? Maybe pushed 20. Either way it looked like a nice example

[PackardV8]

As I've mentioned on here before, auction prices are often divorced from reality and market forces. A few of those attending have so much money, the penny-ante cost of a car is inconsequential. I've seen the selling price double because the wife sitting next to a buyer had had a few free drinks and said, "That one is cute and I love the color." He'd come with no intention of buying that one, but the cost literally didn't even figure into the decision.

jack viens

[skyway]

“the cost literally didn’t even figure into the decision.”

Wouldn't that be sweet!

[Bellingham Studenut]

That's the Zip Van we sold 2 years ago.
It had an amateur restoration and needed some work done like rear brakes, new tires, some gauges and tail lights. Nothing major, but hopefully done for that price.
The seller made a huge bundle selling for that much compared to what we sold it for!
We had 4 Zip Vans and only need 1, so we sold another last year and have another project one we will be selling.
The one we are keeping will be a very nice, accurate, full restoration when done.

Here is a Video of the one we had that just sold: https://youtu.be/jr_AAXPrbBU

[StudeRich]

There are VERY few left that have the Original Reflective Red Stripe around them or a Good Reproduction.

[Hallabutt]

As i've mentioned previously there is a level of collector who searches out the best examples of whatever model he wants, and when he finds it price is really irrelevant. For these folks it's either the best or they don't want it. BYT is a good place for these people to look, because of their pickiness in choosing their auction cars.

[Bellingham Studenut]

https://youtu.be/jr_AAXPrbBU

Did you notice what was being delivered in the mailbox ?

[jackb]

I agree with Jack above....... the selling price of a vehicle demonstrates what 1 buyer will pay on 1 day. We can all wait for all the Zip vans to show up on the various sites looking for outrageous money....never to sell.

[Bellingham Studenut]

Since there were more than just 1, or 2 people that drove the price so high, it's good to see people having a interest in a Zip Van. Most Zip Van's are worn out, or gone and if restoring one cost a lot more than they are worth, there isn't much motivation for many people to restore one. It's encouraging to view the auctions positive comments and interest from non Studebaker people.