Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/eBay seller businessjetclassifieds
If you've read "Gone With the Wind" and enjoyed it, you now have the chance to own more than the book written by Margaret Mitchell. After spending over seven decades tucked away in a barn, her car landed on eBay, looking for a new owner.
The 1940 Mercury sedan that Mitchell purchased brand-new recently emerged from long-term storage, with eBay seller businessjetclassifieds explaining that the vehicle was probably purchased with the royalties received from the "Gone With the Wind" movie.
The vehicle was parked in a barn shortly before Margaret Mitchell's passing, with husband John Marsh and brother Steven Mitchell later signing a power of attorney to sell the car. It turns out that finding an owner for the museum-grade Mercury wasn't easy, so the car remained abandoned in a Georgia barn for decades.
73 years later, the Mercury sedan is still sitting in the same place, untouched, complete, and original. It's a time capsule waiting to be saved, though this Mercury sedan's place is obviously not on the street but in a museum or someone's garage.
The car doesn't come in its best shape, but considering it's covered in a thick layer of dust, it probably needs thorough cleaning before revealing its complete shape. The owner says the body and the chassis are pretty solid, so the chances are that the rust wouldn't be a concern for this Mercury.
The original paint and interior are both there, but I wouldn't expect the finish to be flawless. It's an 83-year-old car wearing 83-year-old paint, so whoever buys it should be ready for a respray.
The engine is intact but is no longer running. The vehicle rolled off the assembly lines with a 239 mill under the hood, but its current condition is unclear. While it's not running, the 239 could still have life left in it, so you'll have to inspect it thoroughly to determine if it at least turns over by hand. Such a collectible would be even more valuable with the original engine, but it'll certainly be a challenge to get it up and running again after 73 years in hiding.
The selling price isn't surprising, though most people reading probably won't afford it. The Mercury can be yours for $100,000 in its current shape, and the restoration will probably cost $100K more. It's a time capsule whose restoration should include professional work on every front, so be ready to break the bank on this project.
You can see the Mercury in Buckhead, Georgia, and if you're committed to buying the car, the owner has also enabled the Make Offer button, giving you the opportunity to negotiate the selling price. You still have 19 days to convince your wife that Margaret Mitchell's car should be parked in your garage.
The vehicle was parked in a barn shortly before Margaret Mitchell's passing, with husband John Marsh and brother Steven Mitchell later signing a power of attorney to sell the car. It turns out that finding an owner for the museum-grade Mercury wasn't easy, so the car remained abandoned in a Georgia barn for decades.
73 years later, the Mercury sedan is still sitting in the same place, untouched, complete, and original. It's a time capsule waiting to be saved, though this Mercury sedan's place is obviously not on the street but in a museum or someone's garage.
The car doesn't come in its best shape, but considering it's covered in a thick layer of dust, it probably needs thorough cleaning before revealing its complete shape. The owner says the body and the chassis are pretty solid, so the chances are that the rust wouldn't be a concern for this Mercury.
The original paint and interior are both there, but I wouldn't expect the finish to be flawless. It's an 83-year-old car wearing 83-year-old paint, so whoever buys it should be ready for a respray.
The engine is intact but is no longer running. The vehicle rolled off the assembly lines with a 239 mill under the hood, but its current condition is unclear. While it's not running, the 239 could still have life left in it, so you'll have to inspect it thoroughly to determine if it at least turns over by hand. Such a collectible would be even more valuable with the original engine, but it'll certainly be a challenge to get it up and running again after 73 years in hiding.
The selling price isn't surprising, though most people reading probably won't afford it. The Mercury can be yours for $100,000 in its current shape, and the restoration will probably cost $100K more. It's a time capsule whose restoration should include professional work on every front, so be ready to break the bank on this project.
You can see the Mercury in Buckhead, Georgia, and if you're committed to buying the car, the owner has also enabled the Make Offer button, giving you the opportunity to negotiate the selling price. You still have 19 days to convince your wife that Margaret Mitchell's car should be parked in your garage.
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