“Cars Given Away As Tips To Porters In U.S”

Press, Volume C, Issue 29702, 21 December 1961, Page 20

“Cars Given Away As Tips To Porters In U.S”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Dec. 20. Late-model cars were being given away in the United States as tips to porters because they could not be sold, said the assist-ant-secretary of the Federated Seamen’s Union (Mr R. H. Ryan), who has returned from overseas. “A passenger came down to the Johan van Oldenbarneveldt at Port Everglades. the port of Miami, in a 1953 Buick in good condition,” said Mr Ryan. “He had tried the night before to sen the car in bars and other pieces where he could meet people. “Though he had paid only £B5 for the vehicle and was asking much less, he could

not drop it in Miami. When he arrived at the ship’s side he asked a negro wharf labourer if he would take his bags from the boot to the ship. "When the man did the job. the owner handed him the keys and said, "it’s yours’." Mr Ryan said he had been amazed at the prices for good cars in what he said was "a car buyer’s Eldorado.” He had checked some of the prices of the cars offered by dealers and private owners during the two visits to Miami on his way to Britain and returning. Here are some of them tn New Zealand currency: a 1954 Chevrolet, £125; a 1957 Ford Fairlane, £200; a 1955 Pontiac. £ 150. “These are not rubbish: they are good cars.” said Mr Ryan. “There was one real bargain—a 1955 Ford two-door in good order, with whitewall tyres, for under £lOO —because the owner was trying to sell In a hurry,” he said. “There were solid 1952-55 Cadillacs, which are in the £2OOO class here, fetching prices like £BO or £l5O over there." For later cars the price was slightly higher, but these Included reconditioned motors and things like air conditioning and automatic transmissions. An example was a 1960 Ford with everything, including power brakes and dealer checked, for £6OO. Interesting prices were also being paid for English cars in Miami. These included £340 for a 1961 Morris 1000 and £7OO for a 1959 Jaguar Special. “Last year's Cadillacs were worth about £ 1000 in good condition, and 1959 Chevrolets £500,” said Mr Ryan.