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Thanks for posting this Phil. I wish I didn't find it as funny as I do. You can see both sides.
Would a red W2 with silver wheels be worth money now?
And, in the long run, what does that dashboard badge really mean? It would seem that at the moment that rather poor barometer of mileage means more than any badge or photo of bodywork when it comes to the value of a Williams. So Standaman's W1 (over 100k miles but vgc) seems reluctant to fly out at just over 8k, but a 42k W3 looks set to go way over that.
The thing is, without drilling holes and putting a camera on a wire inside and confirming it isn't the case, any of these 'completely original unique opportunity' cars could be hiding half a ton of ferrous oxide inside them.
Which you have demonstrated with your excellent restoration thread.
You re welcome 👍
Yea, I certainly agree over the red Williams, car values always revert back to originality.
Regarding the numbered plaque debate, if any of those tests showed anything it was that whatever version of the Williams you have, they are all great drives. The most important factor in buying one of these is as you say condition.
As far as the W3 on EBay is concerned, if the car is genuinely original, not been out on salty roads and has been corrosion protected at some stage it could potentially be in very nice order, certainly the images look very good.
I would suggest that its always safer to buy a car in very original condition (if you know what you are looking for) than one that has been restored but has no detailed images of the restoration process. I know that after the work I have carried out on mine, it would be so much easier to bury a problem than fix it properly. I consider that I have done a very detailed job on mine and can show in detail every aspect of the resto.
I personally wouldn't buy a car that "had the arches done" to whatever visual standard unless I could see evidence that it had been done properly. One thing that I have learned about corrosion is that it does not just stop in one place, it creeps and you have to get to the end of the trail. Hense the spit and a bare shell for me.
When it all comes down to it in the end - which 1 day it will!8-), a 'williams' is always going to be the car to have and a car that demands the most in price. No matter how low the miles or what the bodywork is like on say a W3 or W2, the 1St edition is the original and nothing can change that.
Totally agree Phil.... these cars in all 3 versions are at the stage now where good beats indifferent regardless of variant..but like for like the Williams will win out in value.Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilW
Regards Ian
I still have this Performance Car issue stashed somewhere in my parent's attic, the cover story was a guy who won the lottery and what cars he could "waste" the money on. The Williams was also featured in that article (from what I recall he could have bought 50 or so of them :D), the one uploaded here was the longer write up on the Williams(es). Most importantly - this is the car mag that made me want to have a Williams one day. A dream that never left me :)
I remember that article! he won the lottery and Williams was one of his top cars to own :DQuote:
Originally Posted by mrodz
I love the reviews Performance Car gave, and I remember their long termers.