Outboard Auction Prices going up?

[Buccaneer]

I’ve been watching MN online auctions with outboards the
past year or so. I was kind of surprised by the
prices some of these outboards went for.
Is it the "Christmas" shopping frenzy that caused these
high bids, or should I be paying more attention to what
I collect? 🙄
http://www.do-bid.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cg … /OUTBOARDS

#31, the VINTAGE FIRESTONE 7.5HP, that’s froze up, went
for $160. Perhaps if I sell any outboard I need to be sure to
mention the AOMC ?

#37, the 1929 JOHNSON 13HP TWIN CYLINDER had me interested
in bidding, until it went "WAY" over $100. Neat motor.

#25, registered with the Alpine Outboard Motor Company
Where’s that?

Happy hunting.

Prepare to be boarded!

[billw]

On-line bidding for outboards has more to do with a battle of testosterone than it does with common sense. The guys that win some of these auctions probably go the bathroom and throw up, after thinking about what they just did. The trick to getting these high prices is that you need at least two people that are interested in the same motor. In the case of the stuck 7.5, I think that was pure luck that two people would even want it. By contrast, at the last well-attended AOMCI meet I went to, I couldn’t sell a half way decent TN28 for $10.

Long live American manufacturing!

[kevinf]

I think BillW pegged it. In my misspent youth I worked for the local auctioneer. The professional buyers often went home with little from a sale because they were disciplined enough not to pay the prices that particular audience was generating. Every sale also had a couple of people who were fighting it out with their pocketbooks. They would pay outrageous prices for some unknown reason.
Kev

[Anonymous]

17 motors selling for a total of $2439.04, so an average price of $143.47 per motor… not mighty outrageous by any means.

Most experienced collectors of antiques would say if a 1929 Johnson S-45 was available in good overall condition (as this one appears to be), and was complete with all of its parts (this one does, including the compression release bits) and has decent compression, they would take it for $301.16 any day of the week…

I find it interesting that you mention nothing about the 5 1/2 HP Johnson CD (a much MUCH more common motor than the S-45) that sold for a higher price than the S-45 got (and no tank with the CD either)……. in my twisted little mind, the buyer of the CD overpaid, and the buyer of the S-45 got a bargain…. but then again, both motors might have been purchased by the same buyer, who knows….

Best,
T2

[jeff-register]

The 7.5 hp Firestone sold for $160.00 seems OK to me. My first outboard, 1953 Firestone 7.5hp in 1980 I bought for $135.00 & it needed mucho work.
I bought it from a old closed up Merc dealer.

[kevinrude]

I think your answer is that all of these motors appear to be in excellent cosmetic condition. The guy who bought the Firestone is probably just going to hang it up in his man cave. With nice looking motors, you get more bidders — those of us who repair and run them and the others who just want to have something to look at. FWIW, I have a similar 7.5 Firestone that runs, but looks like it was dipped in the ugly pond. I got it for 30 bucks at an auction.

[Buccaneer]

I recently acquired a 7.5 Firestone and Corsair in a mass
purchase. It’s good to know they’re worth a tidy sum
prettied up.
I think I need an outboard "man cave" in the basement.
Do we have any "Man Cave" designers aboard?, lol.

Prepare to be boarded!

[Mumbles]

quote Buccaneer:

Do we have any “Man Cave” designers aboard?, lol.

How’s this for starters?

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[chris-p]

Yeah I woulda been all over the S45!

And the stands, seems cheap compared to the prices you pay around here for those stands.

[chris-p]

I have paid well into the 4 digits for some nice rotary valve 30s vintage Johnsons.

[Author]

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