Flea Market Prop Rod........Value?

Bob, the problem with placing a value is that the first mention of dollar value is someone who's going to look on EBAY. EBAY is not the place to find the value of these items. It's for the desperate who has no other place to find these items. Then on the other side you have the predators who seek estates and sell off these items at high dollar value for personal gain. I've seen these items at local swap meets. I haven't seen them with the box but the difference is that most going to sell flea markets or swap meets aren't seeing collectors and certainly aren't getting collector prices for their goods. When one presents a harder to find piece or part at a flea market he/she has to be aware that most individuals there are not willing to pay high dollar for one item. They're in search of several items only to further barter down the pricing so they can go home with a good feeling of achievement.

The car has a broken engine mount, the incorrect engine and possibly other minor issues. This renders that item a parts item. Yes, it carries merit with us the hobbyist and modeler because anyone on here could make that work again. The majority of us aren't overwhelmed with the box. Yes, it has value and it certainly makes the car complete but in my opinion it would suit another car with lesser issues better if you could find another.

Bill Steklinski who is a CEF member had a very extensive collection of Cox cars, dragster, tethers, jeeps, etc. He had a very worthy collection which he finally had to let go most of them. He essentially sold all but the new in the box items. While we see many of these items going for hundreds of dollars on EBAY, he didn't come out a millionaire in any way and felt slighted to some degree but in the end made money and it's no longer clutter.

I've come across these items at swap meets in similar condition to what I see yours in, they're just not the high dollar money makers. Many of the times, the seller is going home with the item. I came across a lot of these last year which the seller was offering 3 prop rods, parts, and bodies for $100. Yes, I thought it was cool and all 3 certainly could've been put back together but it just didn't give me that I gotta have it appeal. Many of these cars have tire issues where the tires become deformed and wobble. The rear tires are not easily sourced. Axles were missing on some of them which also is slightly difficult to locate and all of them had the same broken engine mount. All of us live in different areas and you can ask value of what most would pay and you will get 10 different answers.

The nacelle is replaceable but not easy, the older ones are glued in. Original nacelle come up on eBay and there are repros. Original screws are important or will damage the nacelle. The box and canopy look pretty good. It needs a Space Bug Jr. I would give $40 for box and canopy.

Thanks all.

An early Prop Rod would be about the only thing that would temp me to break my "No more Stuff" promise to myself.  "Out-going" is my thing now, not "In-coming."  It would help me to complete my modest collection of the type.



But, it's after the fact now.  It's sold to a fellow that Mark knows for $90.00.  Mark looked at it yesterday and sent me that picture.  Told him if the seller would take $75 I would be a buyer so he went back this morning only to find the fellow that bought it completing the deal.  He's a seller on ebay so it may turn up there.  Mark said the box was no trophy with the end flaps broken off and stuffed inside.  

But it was pretty much excellent except for the nacelle.  I figure it was dropped on the engine breaking off those ears.