Selling the Year One Trans-Am - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

TylerH860 · #1 07-01-2009, 04:10 PM

My father has enlisted me to sell his 1979 Year One custom build Burt Reynolds edition Trans Am. Information about the car can be found here:

http://www.yearone.com/yodnn/Home/tabid/54/Default.aspx

They start at $130,000 and easily reach $200,000 all optioned out. This one is one of the early Prototype cars and doesn't meet any of the BanI BanII, BanIII criteria, but lies somewhere between a BanI and BanII. It was given away to a contest winner on a television series documenting the build. My father purchased it through auction from the contest winner. Currently there is a waiting list to get one of these, despite the astounding price.

Photos of the car here:

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/tylerh860/Year%20one%20Trans%20Am/?start=0

Currently it is sitting at a custom shop while the hood is sent back to Year One to be properly re-done. The cowl intake was out of whack and my dad slammed the hood down on it. Costly mistake, but in a few weeks it will be a mint car again with only 1500 miles on it since the build.

He is wanting $79,000 for it, which I think is reasonable considering the staggering cost Year One wants for one of these. Being a Prototype TV giveaway car gives it an extra bonus as well.

While I have a lot of car sales experience, I have never attempted to sell any classic vehicle with this kind of price tag. I was hoping some people on this forum with experience can point me as to where to list that will yield buyers. Obviously I can't slap it on craigslist.

I'm looking into Hemmings, Autotrader classics, TA forums and other web sites specializing in TA sales. I might even give Ebay a shot.

Hopefully there's some experience here with selling high end niche cars.

Medmech · #2 07-01-2009, 04:15 PM

No CB antenna?

Nice car.........and very cool pad.

TX76513 · #3 07-01-2009, 04:15 PM

Dupont Registry is a good source.

/

Hatterasguy · #4 07-01-2009, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TX76513

Dupont Registry is a good source.

/

I would say that or Hemmings.

LUVMBDiesels · #5 07-01-2009, 10:18 PM

Hemmings (where I bought my Impala SS) or a Kruse auction. With that kind of auction with TV coverage, the price can go crazy!

Jorn · #6 07-02-2009, 01:52 AM

I'm not a fan of American cars from that era, but I have to make an exception for this one. That's a damn good looking car, where can I find that kind of money!?

Oracle12345 · #7 07-02-2009, 10:21 AM

in the present economy you are not gonna get $100 grand for it though.

MTI · #8 12-03-2009, 05:01 PM

Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale, coming in January 18th - 24th.

TheDon · #9 12-10-2009, 03:30 PM

did you do a ten day? thats the best way to do it. I would have started late tonight and did a ten day so it ends late sunday and the bidding wars get hot then

TylerH860 · #10 12-10-2009, 03:31 PM

7 day... I've had alot more interest than the Hemmings ad ever brought.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190356094373&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT

Yak · #11 12-10-2009, 08:00 PM

http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/features/hppp_0711_1977_pontiac_trans_am_bandit_edition/index.html

From the article:

Which BRE T/A Is This?
Prototype 2, which HPP drove and photographed for this story, is not the same car that was recently featured in Hot Rod. Keith explains, "This car is the second BRE T/A prototype, and is really the first complete car. Prototype 1 was primarily a visual one used to finalize the appearance package. Conversely, Prototype 2 is representative of a BAN III-level BRE T/A."

videos:

http://jalopnik.com/303291/diy-network-to-air-burt-reynolds-bandit+building-show
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/836991/diy_network_revs_up/
http://www.thebanditrunphotos.com/diypromo.aspx

TylerH860 · #12 12-10-2009, 08:27 PM

The article may have gotten their facts wrong, which happens all the time with journalists. It is possible I got some bad information, but the official year one website tells a different story.

Here is the direct quote in the prototype section, referring to this car specifically:

"As the first real prototype of the Burt Reynolds Edition Trans Ams, Prototype 1 holds a special place in the history of these cars, and we wanted to tell its story. Only one other car similar to this one has been built so far, that being the car given away by the DIY network. That's not to say more cars like this can't be built if a customer prefers - they can. But cars like Prototype 1 will be Special Order only. Ban 2 and Ban 3 are the "production" cars - if any hand-built car can be called such."

Strange that the quote from Keith contradicts the website. Perhaps he didn't consider the giveaway car as one of the prototypes. This is how it was advertised when we bought it.

Either way, I do not feel like I'm misrepresenting the car at all. Clearly this is one of the prototypes, and the website does say "only one other car like this has been built so far" (1 of 2), and Ban 2 and Ban 3 are "production cars" which the article is featuring.

Yak · #13 12-10-2009, 09:44 PM

I didn't mean to challenge the provenance of the car. The definitive answer would come from the VIN and Year One.

Yours is clearly badged/numbered as the DIY network car. Pic 12 in the magazine spread shows a console badge that says "Prototype 2." It may be conflicting info provided by Year One during different articles or the TV show. Or they may have re-badged Prototype 2 for the DIY Network giveaway.

It might be worth contacting Year One prior to any sale going final and finding out what their opinion is.

TylerH860 · #14 12-10-2009, 09:50 PM

I did contact and speak to them a year ago while we were getting the car tagged in Kansas. The inspectors were being a little picky because they replaced the firewall with the secondary VIN stamp, but after some verification with year one and an inspection of the vin plate on the dash they passed it. I believe they called it "the second prototype giveaway car".

Perhaps it wasn't the official prototype II because of the giveaway. Either way, I don't think it makes a bit of difference. It is the second prototype styled giveaway car, exactly how I described it. It is possible there are more prototype 2s.. I've have gone above and beyond 99% of the ebay ads out there.

Are you a potential buyer, by the way?

C280 Sport · #15 12-10-2009, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerH860

My father has enlisted me to sell his 1979 Year One custom build Burt Reynolds edition Trans Am. Information about the car can be found here:

http://www.yearone.com/yodnn/Home/tabid/54/Default.aspx

They start at $130,000 and easily reach $200,000 all optioned out. This one is one of the early Prototype cars and doesn't meet any of the BanI BanII, BanIII criteria, but lies somewhere between a BanI and BanII. It was given away to a contest winner on a television series documenting the build. My father purchased it through auction from the contest winner. Currently there is a waiting list to get one of these, despite the astounding price.

Photos of the car here:

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/tylerh860/Year%20one%20Trans%20Am/?start=0

Currently it is sitting at a custom shop while the hood is sent back to Year One to be properly re-done. The cowl intake was out of whack and my dad slammed the hood down on it. Costly mistake, but in a few weeks it will be a mint car again with only 1500 miles on it since the build.

He is wanting $79,000 for it, which I think is reasonable considering the staggering cost Year One wants for one of these. Being a Prototype TV giveaway car gives it an extra bonus as well.

While I have a lot of car sales experience, I have never attempted to sell any classic vehicle with this kind of price tag. I was hoping some people on this forum with experience can point me as to where to list that will yield buyers. Obviously I can't slap it on craigslist.

I'm looking into Hemmings, Autotrader classics, TA forums and other web sites specializing in TA sales. I might even give Ebay a shot.

Hopefully there's some experience here with selling high end niche cars.

A car like that needs to be sold here I know this because my son gets this everymonth. You name it is in there. You should have no issues selling it there. http://www.dupontregistry.com/autos/

I have actually located one or two cars out of there years back in 2003-2004 when looking for a one year old Mercedes . I am sure your Pontiac will sell here with no issues. Best of luck. Its a hard market out there.