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joossens · 05-10-2004, 07:48 PM

Oh my G-d something just occured to me!!! He mentions deeper into his site about bartering. Now the revelations that he was working for an architect. The thought crossed my mind that Franz DIDN'T EVEN MAKE THE CABINETS!!!! In all likelihood he picked up those cabinets and the flooring from another job. It was either leftover, torn out, traded, or all of the above from one of the architects previous jobs and then fitted into the interior of that AS. That would surely explain, "I realized that interior partitions were not going to be an option." That stuff was not MADE for that camper! I wonder what Rick Joy would have to say about the origin of those cabinets. The plot thickens!

87MH · 05-11-2004, 05:42 AM

Quote from Tin Hut

"I'm changin my name to Franz and will start wearing a speedo. I'll let you know if I get any dates with 20 year olds."

Reminds me of a conversation I had with the wife about TWENTY years ago.

We were walking on a street and both of us noticed a pair of very noticeable twenty-or-so year olds. I mentioned that I could hurt myself (with them).

Without batting an eyelash she said "Don't worry, baby, you're not wired for two-twenty."

Heavy sigh........

Sneakinup · 05-11-2004, 06:06 AM

I remember seeing his movie, "Franz Buhler's Day Off."

I also enjoyed him on NYPD. "Dennis Franz"

Was he ever associated with "Hanz und Franz?" I believe they were "going to pump you up!"

It's good see he is now in to Airstreams.

mtpalms · 05-11-2004, 10:42 AM

Still zero bids on the auction - I feel a bit vindicated - apparently no one yet thinks it worth even $5K as art or a functional trailer. Of course the bidding wars won't start until the auction almost closes. Will this be the frist Airstream not to sell on ebay? I'm staying tuned in, if the suspense doesn't kill me first.

Seriously though, $5K isn't an unreasonable starting price for it. I would be surprised if he gets the original asking price. If there were a betting pool on this, I'd wager that he'll get around $8500 for it.

joossens · 05-11-2004, 11:02 AM

My thinking is that people will be so insulted/turned off by his fluff and his "buy it now" price they won't stick around long enough to bid even $5k. That "buy it now" coupled with the $5k opening bid indicates a high reserve. Most people will move on when they see that.

gromit · 05-11-2004, 06:36 PM

from ebay
The aluminum skin has been artistically scoured with a big-assed grinder by Franz himself, one hot afternoon after a few drinks and 60 milligrams of pure Sandoz

Translation-
This mentally unstable drug addict was trippin like Jerry Garcia on a bad day and found some power tools.

markdoane · 05-11-2004, 06:47 PM

I don't think the scoured skin was a drug induced mistake. If you look at some of Rick Joy's work, the 'distressed' exterior look is part of his trademark.

Doesn't mean it's pretty though.

InsideOut · 05-13-2004, 08:03 AM

Hey! Someone thinks it's worth something....it got a bid!

Shari

mtpalms · 05-13-2004, 09:15 AM

I'm not quite sure why the minimum bid was set at $5000, but the reserve is not met at that bid. It doesn't make sense to me - or maybe it is another of this seller's games (The real seller, not the proxies, who seem to have a good rating). If someone who's hip to this ebay stuff could explain the reasoning....?

05-13-2004, 09:25 AM

The reserve is always set higher than the opening bid. I forget what he was originally asking, but the reserve is the minimum that he well accept for it, and it may be just a bit under reserve. Go figure..........

bredlo · 05-13-2004, 09:52 AM

Craftsman's right. It's kind of like a carnie barker...

"Hurr-ay hurr-ay, step right up! This little beauty is yours for an impulse buy of 28K!"

(Crickets chirping)

"Alrighty-ready, folks. If you're willing to risk waiting, simply guess the reserve and winna prize! Here's a clue, it's lower than 28K, but higher than the opening bid!"

(A squirrel in a nearby park yawns)

"Okey dokey folkies, who will have it for 5K, do I hear 5? We have a bid! I'll be e-mailing you sir, to see if I can push it a little higher, but I'm likely to let this beauty go for whatever someone's willing to pay!"

At least that's how I sell things on eBay. *sniff, sniff*

mtpalms · 05-13-2004, 11:03 AM

Why, thanky spanky, for the low down! Or is it the down low? I fergit.

pinkflamingoes · 05-13-2004, 11:38 AM

Why can't I leave this thread?

The bidder fixes up Studebakers it looks like. Maybe he can handle this one.

But...what could you possibly do to the exterior, except for paint it over? Doesn't the sanding job make the polishing or getting it back to any semblance of a normal shell impossible?

joossens · 05-13-2004, 12:04 PM

I've been riveted to this thread m'self. I've also looked over the Farbelism site pretty good. One thing I've observed about this guy Franz is that his greatest skill seems to be talking things up--fluffing I like to call it. I have the image in my mind of him being able to smell money and going to work on the people holding it. You get the idea he's done this many many times or else he wouldn't have the nerve to price that rig of his for $29,500. So it'll really be interesting to see just how close he manages to come to what he's after. If he pulls it off I'm going to get him to turn mine into a "Franz special" and sell it for me so I can buy a Newell.

upallnight · 05-13-2004, 12:57 PM

If I wanted an A/S badly enough to give this guy what hes asking I think I would dig a little deeper and buy a brand new 04 Model.

the ponz · 05-14-2004, 03:56 PM

You may not be able to buy happiness, but you can have zen for $28k.

Coastalview · 05-14-2004, 10:16 PM

Looks like his first bidder is just a few miles away,no need to let this beauty get across state lines,and he appears to be a studabaker fan.Maybe he's got an idea on building a Studastream.More desert mirages of art ?

joossens · 05-14-2004, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coastalview

Looks like his first bidder is just a few miles away

That would confirm my suspicion that the bidder is actually a shill. If that is true it would be a simple thing for bikeloverrr to file for and recieve a refund for the final value fee that would not do any damage to the shill if they fail to lure a legitimate bidder.

summerkid · 05-15-2004, 05:39 PM

... to think I ever defended that guy. I logged on (only briefly, mind you) at an Internet cafe in Paris to check on all things Airstream last week & saw that miserable, ugly, cartoonish trailer listed on eBay & cursed aloud in front of a few kids with backpacks before I caught myself. Any guy who brags about dating 20-year-olds in an auto ad deserves to be pinned under a listing Airstream in the hot desert sun after a bad jack job.

**Action** · 05-15-2004, 10:23 PM

....... after all it's only a proto type! For if it were an actual production model it could go to the same place as an Edsel, or a Corvair, or a Hudson.

And we now have less than 24 hours of this drama. What will we fixate on then?

BTW there is a neat area just North of Tucson that I could see as the final resting place for this trailer. Biosphere 2! That way one proto type could be with an equally significant proto type.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action